Causes of WWII
Treaty of Versailles
Heavy reparations on Germany
Germany not permitted entrance to League of Nations
Diplomatic Isolation
Made collective security extremely difficutl
Germany lost most of its territory
German army and navy drastically reduced - no conscription allowed
Rhineland demilitarized
Impact upon German populous
Germany held as sole instigator, public did not believe that to be true
German government viewed as traitors for surrendering at agreeing to the treaty
Economic Issues
Reparations upon Germany
German government unable/unwilling to pay extensive reparations
Led to French and Belgian occupation of the Ruhr
German populous viewed reparations as cause of all problems
Hyperinflation
Mass poverty
Political instability
High unemployment
The Great Depression
German economy damaged by US recalling loans
US not importing as many European products
European economy crashed
Heavy trade barriers enacted
Political instability increased in many nations
Multi-party systems formed as a result
Nazi party began to rise to power due to general political and economic instability
More aggressive foreign policy formed as a result
The New Plan enacted under the Nazi Party
Intended to aid in swift recovery of German economy
Stronger economy enabled rearmament efforts to grow and develop
German Foreign Policy and Rearmament
Rearmament
Foreign Policy
Conscription introduced in 1935 - direct violation of Treaty of Versailles
Increased industrial capabilities for mass weapon production
Anglo-German Naval Agreement
Germany could increase size of navy, so long as it stayed within certain bounds (to prevent it from growing larger than Britain's)
Collective Security
Appeasement
Treaty of Rapallo
Allowed Germany to covertly rearm within the Soviet Union
Germany wanted to regain lost territory and expand nation
Lebensraum - Living space
Aimed to undo many of the effects of the Treaty of Versailles
Regained the Saar through a plebiscite
Remilitarized the Rhineland
Occupied Austria and held a plebiscite to regain the territory - Anschluss
Britain and France did little to oppose Germany's rapid expansion
Ex. Austria, Rhineland, Saar, etc.
Permitted Germany to take back the Sudetenland in the Munich Agreement
Led to Germany occupying Czechoslovakia
Public opinion was initially convinced that appeasement would work - until Germany seized Czechoslovakia
Made the German government perceive Britain and France as weak - Germany was more willing to go to war to achieve its goals
Germany needed to further improve economy and gain more raw materials
Failed completely
USA didn't join League of Nations, Germany wasn't permitted to
Made it difficult to impose regulations on military resources without major nations present
Nations failed to stop antagonistic actions of others
Italy - Abyssinian Crisis
Germany - numerous occupations of other territories