Final answer:
In March 1938, German troops marched into Austria during the event known as the Anschluss, marking the annexation of Austria by Germany despite the Versailles Treaty's prohibitions. The annexation was largely uncontested and set the stage for further Nazi expansion into Czechoslovakia.
Step-by-step explanation:
In March of 1938, German troops notoriously marched into Austria, an event recognized as the Anschluss. This event marked the annexation of Austria by Germany, which was a direct violation of the Versailles Treaty's prohibitions. Despite this breach of international law, the move was met with little resistance from Austrians, most of whom welcomed the German tanks. Hitler's action reflected a larger, aggressive strategy of territorial expansion, as it was followed by efforts to annex parts of Czechoslovakia which were populated by ethnic Germans.
The lack of foreign response to the Anschluss gave the Nazis a significant public relations boost, as they were able to incorporate Austria seamlessly into Germany, along with all of Nazi laws and policies including anti-Semitic legislation. The absence of resistance from other nations emboldened Hitler to continue his quest for expanding Germany's borders and consolidating the German-speaking population under one rule.
It's also important to contextualize the Anschluss by recognizing that Germany previously violated the Versailles Treaty in March 1936, when they reoccupied the Rhineland. These aggressive moves by Germany were pivotal in the lead-up to World War II, as Hitler expanded his reach across Europe.