Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Outbreak of WW2 in Europe - Coggle Diagram
Outbreak of WW2 in Europe
Triggers
Nazi soviet pact
Stalin's concern
Concerns growing through 1930s as Brit, Fran and LON did not go against Hitler during rearmament and took over territories
He was not informed about Munich Agreement and was worried that the powers were allowing H to take over East EU
Signing of the pact
Through the pact, both countries agreed to not attack each other and divide Poland between them
Neither countries had any belief in the agreement and Stalin thought that Brit and Fran were too weak to fight G so he was buying time to build up USSR forces incase of betrayal from H
This agreement gave Hitler the guarantee that he needed to invade Poland
Invasion of Poland
Since 1939, G had been making demands for the Polish corridor and Danzig but was denied as Polish leaders did not trust him
Tensions continued to sour which lead to G invading Poland (Sep 1939) as H was confident that USSR would not oppose him but he miscalculated that Brit and Fran would not go to war over Po
Brit and Fran declared war on G starting WW2 (3 Sep 1939)
Underlying causes
Worldwide economic depression
Economic prosperity during 1920s but GD hit during 1929
Economic nationalistic response
Protectionism
Countries enacted tariffs to protect
themselves, causing a fall in trade volumes
Calling in loans
US banks called in loans, causing mass unemployment
as many businesses and banks collapsed
Rearmament
Countries like Germany, Italy and Japan started rearmament efforts to create jobs and bring unemployment down
Radicalism
Brought radical regimes to power (Nazi) and made
existing radical govt develop more extreme measures
Rise of authoritarian regimes
Europe saw the rise of authoritarian regimes (Nazi and Fascists)
Germany
GD further destabilized Europe which allowed Nazis to gain influence in Germany
Italy
Mussolini used GD to tighten his control around Italy by taking over its industries and banks
Italy and Germany formalised in 1939 an alliance
Both countries wanted to redraw their borders which meant that peace and stability in Europe seemed fragile in late 1930s
Contributory causes
Nazi Germany's aggressive foreign policy
Disarmament Conference
Walked out of conference, claiming that Germany was being treated equally
Major blow to the chances of a disarmament agreement and conference ended soon after
Saar Plebiscite
The region was run by LON since 1919 but Hitler claimed it should be a part of Germany
LON forced Hitler to agree to plebiscite which resulted in 90% of the population voting to join Germany
Increased Hitler's power and confidence
Rearmament
Began although it was banned under TOV
Unemployed ppl were drafted in to army to reduce unemployment
By 1935, Hitler did not keep it a secret anymore and held a Freedom to Rear, rally in Britain
Concerns grew about G's military increase by LON members
Remilitarisation of Rhineland
Ordered German troops to enter but was a gamble as they were outnumbered by French troops
But Brit, Fra and LON were preoccupied by Abyssinian Crisis so no action was taken against him
TOV banned Germany forces from entering, acting as a border for France but Hitler declared it was no longer acceptable as he was encircled (France and USSR signed treaty help each other)
LON condemned Hitler but no further action was taken and he gained more prestige and confidence in eyes of Germans
Spanish civil war
Hitler and Italy supported with stuff the nationalistic side of the spanish civil war as he held similar ideals and beliefs as them
Gave Hitler a reason to test out his airforce and army
Due to Brit and Fra lack of interference, gave Hitler encouragement as it told him that they were not ready for war
USSR became suspicious of Brit and Fra due to their reluctance to stop Hitler
Appeasement
Factors affecting Britain's and France's decision in 1930s
US isolationism
US did not want to be involved in European affairs due to the trauma of WW1 so Brit and Fran could not get US support
Sympathy for Germany
TOV was widely criticised so ppl thought it was fair for Hitler to argue that Germany was treated unfairly and felt pity
Prioritising National interests
Fran
More worried about Hitler as they shared a border so turned to USSR for protection which alarmed Brits and created sym for G
Brit
More worried about USSR and saw Germany as a barrier against USSR (Anglo-German Naval Agreement allowing G to grow Navy
Misjudgment of Hitler
Brit and Fran politicians could not understand the real threat of Hitler
Policy of Appeasement
Munich Agreement
Czechoslovakia leader was horrified by Anschluss and asked for protection against Hitler from Brit and Fran
Hitler was esp interested in Sudetenland as it was mostly Germans living there and promised to invade if not given it
Hitler and Benes were preparing for war but Chamberlain still wanted a peaceful resolution
Chamberlain flew to meet Hitler where H said he wanted parts of Sudetenland with majority of Germans, but started to increase his demands to the whole of Sudetenland
Leaders of Brit, Fran, Italy and G had a 4 power summit in Munich where it was decided that SL would be given for a pledge of peace from Hitler without consulting Czech or USSR
Reactions to Munich Agreement
Chamberlain was depicted as a hero for preventing war and brit media supported that but some did not like the agreement and majority thought appeasement would not stop Hitler
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
Hitler moved his forces into SL and claimed it was the end of his demands which was a lie as G troops took over the rest of Czech
This was too far for Cham as Czechs were not separated from their homeland by TOV and he was concerned that next target would be Poland
Brit and Fran threatened to declare war on G if Poland was invaded
Anschluss with Austria
Hitler wanted to reunite his homeland with Ger and since there was a strong Nazi party in Austria he instigated them to do so
Hitler convinced austrian chancellor to allow G troops into Aust but he appealed to Brit and Fran to make Hitler withdraw but nothing happened
Plebiscite was held about the Anschluss and through intimidation and fraud, 99.75% Austrians were in favor
Consequences of Anschluss
G absorbed Aust which strengthened G size and stature and Hitler's power and standing
Failure of LON
Failure of disarmament
one of key aims was to encourage
disarmament but did not happen
Powerful nations still had the military capacity to go to war
Does not stop them from engaging in conflicts
Despite efforts, progress was limited and increased tensions in 1930s to focus on the arms race
Abyssinian Crisis
Italy wanted fertile land and mineral wealth of Abyssinia and revenge for being defeated by tribesmen in past
Dispute between Italy and Abyssinia over an oasis that was not resolved by LON allies (brit and france)
Hoare-Laval Pact where Brit and France negotiated with Italy to give Italy 66% of Abyssinia land which left the Abyssinians with the mountainous areas while Italy got the fertile land
This showed LON could not interfere in Hitler's plan of expansion
Failure to impose sanctions on Italy effectively contributed to Italy's takeover of Abyssinia
By 1930, reputation of LON had degraded and countries lost trust in it
Efforts at disarmament in 1920s
Locarno treaties (partial success as Germany accepted the demilitarisation of Rhineland)
Kellogg-Briand pact (failure as no way to enforce pact)
Washington Naval Conference (success)
World Disarmament Conference
LON convinced US and 60 other countries to join the World Disarmament Conference
Limiting offensive Weapons
Concentrated on trying to control the destructive power of offensive weapons
Produced resolutions to prohibit the bombing of civillian populations and chemical warfare, and limited the size of artillery and tonnage of tanks
Had a positive start but hard to agree on what is offensive and defensive weapons and resolutions passed did not affect limitations much
Dealing with Germany
France was extremely against both options and wanted support from US and UK in case of war but they were reluctant to do so
Most countries felt they should be fairer to Germany but not sure if should let Germany rearm or disarm every country to G level
The conference failed to agree on the principle of equality which caused Germany to walk out and Conference to break up
Conference reconvenes
New leader came --> Hitler who seemed supportive of disarmament (but was secretly rearming in G and wanted the powers to disarm then G would not rearm
Hitler could claim to be supporter of peace but he knew other powers would not disarm so he could justify G rearmament
Eventually Germany was pulled out of the conference and LON
Conclusion
G was steadily expanding control over EU
Brit and Fran policy of appeasement allowed G expand unopposed --> led to invasion of Po and WW2 happening
LON was incapable of stopping aggressor countries esp G
War lasted 6 years and caused millions to die, be injured or displaced from their homes