CAUSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

It was, and still is generally acknowledged that Hitler was the primary figure sparking an international war, following his invasion of Poland in 1939. But it cannot be ignored that it was the Allies – Britain and France that declared war. Not Hitler! Although the war was triggered by the invasion of Poland, it is within the complex interplay of various short and long-term, social, political and economic problems accumulating since the beginning of the 20th century, that the causes of the Second World War are to be found.

LONG-TERM CAUSES

  1. LEGACY OF THE VERSAILLES TREATY

The Paris Peace Conference (1919) was a major contributing factor to the outbreak of WW2. They imposed harsh peaces, excluded certain nations from their proceedings – and as a result fuelled discontent, hatred, and a desire to reverse the terms of the treaty. The causes of the Second World War as a result were “sown at the tables to Versailles”.

  1. Germany – Hatred & Resentment to Democracy because of territorial loses / imposed peace / acceptance of ‘war guilt clause’ / Reparations.
  2. Italy – Joined the Allies, gave its resources and shed blood on the pretence of territorial gains – “But how many [of these] promises were kept?” (Mussolini)

SHORT-TERM CAUSES

  1. TERRITORIAL AND MILITARISTIC AGGRESSION OF HITLER, MUSSOLINI HIROHITO

The paramount short-term factor sparking an international crisis was Hitler’s territorial aggression, and to a lesser extent those of Mussolini and Hirohito. The dictators were driven by extreme nationalism – Fascism and Nazism, to expand their own Empires through militaristic means. As a result, they upset the balance of power within Europe, and the national security of civilians. Consequently, they provoked war.

  1. GERMANY
  2. 1933 – Germany leaves League of Nations / begins Rearmament
  3. 1935 – Conscription re-introduced / Anglo-German naval Agreement
  4. 1936 – Reoccupation of Rhineland / German aid to General Franco (Spanish Civil War) = ‘practice’ of systematic bombing of Guernica.
  5. 1937 – Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis (Anti-Comintern pact aimed at USSR)
  6. 1938 – Anchluss with Austria / Annexation of Sudetenland
  7. 1939 – Invasion of Czechoslovakia / Seizes Lithuania / Pact of Steel with Italy / Nazi-Soviet Pact / Hitler’s Wehrmacht invades Poland

Between 1933 – 39, Hitler’s foreign policy was primarily aimed at gearing the nation to war through rearmament and territorial aggression (gain economic resources). Therefore, it can be seen that Hitler intended to ignite a war, so that he could achieve his ideals of LebensraumTheVolk.

  1. ITALY & JAPAN
  2. 1931 – Chinese province of Manchuria invaded by Japan
  3. 1935 – Italian invasion & victory over Abyssinia
  4. 1936 – Italian Support for General Franco in Spanish Civil War
  5. 1937 /9 – Italy leaves League of Nations / Annexes Albania
  6. 1941 - Japan attacks Pearl Harbour / Japan & Italy declare war on Allies

Mussolini, and Hirohito’s actions were not the primary instigators of war, as it was not until 1941 that both Italy and Japan declared war on the Allies, ‘piggybacking’ of Hitler’s territorial successes. Nevertheless, their actions prior to 1939 fuelled political tensions, and provided support to Hitler should a global war erupt – of which it did.

  1. GREAT DEPRESSION

Contrary to popular belief, the Great Depression did not cause WW2. It did however fuel the fires of radical governments and political parties intent on creating alternative solutions in response to the accumulated failures of Western Democracies. The effects of the Depression on certain nations:

  1. Germany – Dissatisfaction of Democracy in Weimar. Hitler appointed Chancellor 1933 – imposes radical changes aimed at:
  2. Revising T.O.V. = re-militarisation, conscription, annexation of land = war
  3. Italy& Japan – Unemployment + Food prices soar. Mussolini + Hirohito gain support.
  4. Allies – Try to avoid war, economically suffering. Therefore = appeasement.
  1. FAILURE OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

The failure of the League of Nation’s to intervene in Abyssinia, Manchuria, and Spain exposed the weakness of the entity, and consequently Britain and France to resolve international disputes. It could only offer verbal condemnation, or at the most economic sanctions, as it had no standing army. As a result, the League was not only ineffective because of the exclusion of the U.S. to enforce its sanctions it, but it also relied on the willingness of Britain & France to support it (of whom was most of the time caught up in their own national interests).

As a result, by 1936 (Spanish Civil War), the idea of “collective security” was dead. Hitler saw the League as nothing more than a ‘paper tiger’. Consequently, the fascist dictatorships continued their territorial aggression as they were met with no international resistance, inevitably contributing to the outbreak of WW2.

  1. APPEASEMENT

During the 1930s, it was believed that Germany had been dealt with harshly due to the terms of the Versailles Treaty. So forth, concessions were made allowing German re-armament and territorial annexations. By 1938, Hitler’s demands had become too great, so forth the Munich Conference was called to appease Hitler. But consequently, Hitler invaded Poland one year later.

The Allied policy of Appeasement worked hand-in-hand with Hitler’s territorial aggression as it allowed Hitler to annex several nations without much resistance. As a result, it was a major contributing factor to the outbreak of WW2. Yet it cannot be ignored that Hitler intended to wage a war whether he was met with, or without resistance, so forth Appeasement only bought time for the Allied nations to mobilse there own resources as they recovered from the Depression.

  1. ISOLATIONISM OF THE UNITED STATES AND SOVIET UNION

The exclusion of the U.S and USSR was also a major contributing factor. Public discontent to not get involved again in a “European war” (U.S) and political & social upheaval in Russia propelled Hitler to persist with his actions without any guarantee of opposition from the world’s greatest powers.

7. ECONOMIC, IMPERIAL & IDEAOLOGICAL RIVALRY

“Hitler’s aim [was] to make Germany the dominant power in Europe”, and the Allies reaction was to “defend their interests by force of arms” (A.J.P Taylor). Germany had upset the equilibrium in Europe. He’s fascist ideology was a threat to both democracy, and communism. As a result, World War II was a result of conflicting ideological, and imperial interests between the old & new nations.

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