Second World War Causes and Consequences

Causes of the Second World War

• Consequences of WWI

  • Treaty of Versailles:

  • Germany and Italy felt humiliated, leading to increased nationalism.

  • Post-war Crisis:

  • Rise of Mussolini in Italy and the formation of the Nazi Party in Germany.

  • Economic prosperity in the late 1920s leading to relaxed international affairs.

• Impact of the Great Depression:

  • Increased nationalism and tensions globally.

  • Japan's Expansion:

  • Occupied Manchuria in 1931, establishing puppet state Manchukuo.

  • Continued occupation of China starting in 1937.

  • Withdrawal from the League of Nations:

  • Japan (1932) and Germany (1933) exited the League.

  • Hitler's Rise to Power:

  • Took leadership in January 1933.

  • Italian Aggressions:

  • Occupied Ethiopia in 1935 and Albania in April 1939.

• Hitler's Actions Post-Ascension:

  • Breach of Versailles:

  • Implemented a rearmament policy, building a strong military.

  • Remilitarization of the Rhineland:

    • Achieved in 1936 as a direct violation of the Treaty.

  • Expansionist Policies:

  • Annexed Saar (1935), Austria (March 1938), and Sudetenland (September 1938).

  • Munich Conference (29-09-1938): Promised not to expand further but planned to occupy Czechoslovakia (March 1939).

  • Invasion of Poland on 1-9-1939 after the non-aggression pact with the USSR (23-08-1939).

  • Resulted in France and Britain declaring war on Germany (3-9-1939).

  • Alliances Formed:

  • Rome-Berlin Axis (1936) and Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan (1936).

  • Pact of Steel (5-1939) between Germany and Italy.

  • Spanish Civil War:

  • Used as a training ground for the German military.

Phases of Conflict

• Axis Victories (1939-1941):

  • Poland: Occupied in 3 weeks; split between Germany and USSR.

  • Western Europe:

  • Invasions of Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and part of France (Vichy regime formed).

  • Resistance:

  • Great Britain held out during the Battle of Britain despite German bombings.

  • Balkan Campaign:

  • Greece and Yugoslavia fell in 1941, followed by Operation Barbarossa against the USSR.

  • Pacific Developments:

  • China-Japan conflict continued, neutrality pact with USSR, followed by Pearl Harbor attack (7-12-1941) leading the US to enter the war.

  • North Africa:

  • German advances took control of North Africa.

• Allied Offensives (1942-1943):

  • Pacific Battles:

  • Key victories for the US at Salomon, Midway, and Guadalcanal.

  • North Africa:

  • Allies reclaimed control after the Battle of El Alamein.

  • Eastern Front:

  • Turning point at the Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942 - February 1943) where German forces suffered defeat.

Conclusion of the War

• Military Strategy:

  • Allied leaders coordinated in multiple meetings to organize counterattacks.

• Key Events:

  • D-Day (6-6-1944) opened the Western front.

  • Fall of Mussolini (April 1945) and Hitler's suicide (30-04-1945) leading to Germany’s surrender (8-05-1945).

  • US bombings of Hiroshima (6-8) and Nagasaki (9-8) resulted in Japan's surrender on 2-09-1945.

The Holocaust and its Implications

• Nazi Ideology:

  • Founded on racism, authoritarianism, and xenophobia; targeted various groups: Jews, Slavs, disabled, etc.

• Systematic Extermination:

  • The Final Solution planned in 1942 led to mass incarcerations, labor camps, and extermination of Jews in concentration camps.

Consequences of the War

• Human and Economic Losses:

  • Over 50 million dead, predominantly in USSR.

  • More than 35 million seriously wounded and extensive property destruction.

  • Economic recovery in non-battle countries.

  • Significant population displacements and emergence of Israel (1948).

• Moral and Political Changes:

  • Nuremberg Trials (1945-1946) sought justice for war crimes.

  • Fall of totalitarian regimes and rise of communist influence in Eastern Europe.

  • Nationalism surged in former colonies post-war.

Territorial Changes

• Post-war Adjustments:

  • USSR expanded into Baltic states and parts of Eastern Europe; Poland received some German territories.

  • Japan lost territories and Korea gained independence.

Key Conferences

• Tehran Conference (11-1943):

  • Allied leaders planned military strategies.

• Yalta Conference (2-1945):

  • Discussed post-war arrangements and division of Germany.

• Potsdam Conference (7-8-1945):

  • Decisions on post-war divisions and enforcement against Nazi officials.

• Paris Peace Conference (1946):

  • Formal peace treaties established.

Bipolarisation of the World

• Shift in Alliances:

  • Post-war, the USSR transitioned to promoting communist regimes, creating tensions with the USA.

  • The Iron Curtain symbolized the division between Eastern and Western blocs (beginning in 1946).

  • Creation of Kominform in 1947 further solidified Eastern bloc unity against the West.