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Adolf Hitler stands at the head of a large group of uniformed soldiers and officials. He raises his arm in a Nazi salute towards a parade occurring out of frame.

Nazi Territorial Aggression: The Anschluss

Throughout the 1930s, Nazi Germany pursued an aggressive foreign policy. This culminated in World War II, which began in Europe in September 1939. Prewar and wartime territorial expansion eventually brought millions of Jewish people under German control. On March 11–13, 1938, Nazi Germany annexed the neighboring country of Austria. This event is known as the Anschluss.