Causes of World War II - 7.6

Causes of World War II

Consequences of World War I and the Treaty of Versailles

• The Treaty of Versailles, which officially ended World War I, was perceived as unfair and vengeful by Italy and Germany.

• Italy felt betrayed because they were promised land in Austria and the Ottoman Empire for joining the Allied Powers, but these promises were not fulfilled.

• Italy's contribution to the Allied effort was considered weak, leading Britain and France to withhold the promised land.

• Germany was deeply disaffected by three main stipulations of the treaty:

  • Germany was required to pay reparations to the victorious powers, contributing to hyperinflation and economic disaster.

  • Germany was forced to demilitarize, leaving them vulnerable.

  • The war guilt clause placed the entire blame for World War I on Germany, humiliating them on the world stage.

Continued Imperialist Aspirations

• Japan expanded into China and the Pacific, provoking the League of Nations without facing effective opposition.

• Italy, denied territorial gains after World War I, invaded and conquered Ethiopia, consolidating its colonial holdings into an Italian Empire.

• Germany, under Adolf Hitler, reclaimed the Rhineland, which was supposed to be a buffer zone, and expanded into Czechoslovakia and Austria.

• Hitler's expansionist policy aimed to gain "Lebensraum" (living space) for the German people.

• Britain and France's policy of appeasement towards Hitler demonstrated that he could act aggressively without consequences from Western powers.

• !! THESE ALL OCCURRED UNDER THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS EYE - appeasement !!

  • their hesitancy to prevent any imperial expansion, particularly in the face of aggression by Italy (Ethiopia) and Germany (Rhineland), ecause of their fear of starting another World War contributed to the environment that led eventually led to what they didn’t want.

Economic Crisis During the Interwar Period

• The Great Depression, originating in the United States, spread globally, causing unemployment and hunger.

• Economic hardship made populations vulnerable to authoritarian leaders promising solutions.

Rise of Fascist and Totalitarian Regimes

• Soviet Union: After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Vladimir Lenin established a communist state. Following Lenin's death, Joseph Stalin rose to power.

  • Stalin aimed to spread communism worldwide, worrying Western powers.

• Italy: Benito Mussolini established a fascist state characterized by extreme nationalism, authoritarian leadership, and militaristic means.

  • Mussolini's policies, while lowering living standards, provided state-funded social security and public services, which offered relief during the depression.

  • Mussolini used nationalistic speeches, parades, and mass communication to rally public support and glorify Italian culture.

• Germany: Fascism took hold under the Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler.

  • Hitler used mass communication to spread ultra-nationalistic messages of German greatness.

  • Hitler identified socialists, communists, and Jews as enemies responsible for Germany's problems.

    • the race-based ideology spread through propaganda campaigns, aiming to unify the German populace under a common cause while demonizing those deemed inferior.

  • The Nazi Party's policies initially improved living standards by addressing unemployment and hunger.

  • Hitler's program had four main components:

    • Canceling reparations payments.

    • Remilitarizing Germany in violation of the Treaty of Versailles.

    • Eliminating races and people deemed impure, with Jews suffering the most

    • Acquiring "Lebensraum" (territory that a state or nation believes is needed for its natural development) for the German people.

      • because he wanted this Lebensraum, he kept invading more nations across Europe, eventually invading Poland- which made the Western powers realize they needed to take action/this effectively started the Second World War