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Outbreak of World War II in Europe - Coggle Diagram

- - - - World trade boomed in late 1920s
      - Initially, economic prosperity helped reduce international tensions
      - US provided loans to Germany to stabilise German economy after 1924
      - Led to French troops leaving Ruhr region
      - Prosperity ended when the US Stock Market crashed
    - - Protectionism
        
        Countries including France, UK, US introduced tariffs (on exported goods) to protect their own industries and limit or stop imports. Trading partners did the same, resulting in overall fall in trade volumes
      - Calling in loans
        
        As the US economy struggled, US banks called in their loans -> led to the collapse of banks and businesses which in turn caused mass unemployment
      - Rearmament
        
        Countries including UK, Germany, Japan, Itlay began rearmament process to boost industry and create jobs for unemployed
      - Radicalism
        
        In some countries, Great Depression helped bring radical regimes to power, most notably Nazi Germany. In other states like Italy, it caused existing regimes to adopt more extreme and aggressive policies
  - - - Germany was rocked by economic and political crisis after WWI. The Great Depression further destabilised Germany, bringing the Nazis to power
      - Beyond economic recovery, the Nazi party also wanted to reclaim land lost under the Treaty of Versailles, carve out living space (Lebensraum) for Germans in Eastern Europe and destroy communism in Germany and other places
    - - Leader of Italy - Benito Mussolini (since 1922)
      - Used the Great Depression as an opportunity to tighten his grip on the country by taking over its banks and industries
      - Wanted to build an Italian Empire around the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa
      - Felt that Italy had more in common with Germany and started to discuss an alliance which was formalised in 1939
- - - - Disarmament - key aim of LON -> LON and prominent state actors led international talks to promote disarmament in the 1920s
      - Attempts at disarmament during the 1920s and 1930s
        
        Washington Naval Conference (1921)
        
        Negotiated outside of the League to limit the size and number of warships held by Britain, France, Japan and US
        
        Organised by the US (Not member of LON)
        
        Ratio of tonnage of captial ships of Britain, US, Japan, Italy and France set at 5:5:3:1.67.1.67
        
        Verdict: SUCCESS
        
        Locarno Treaties (1925)
        
        Negotiated outside the League between Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia
        
        Germany accepted its Western borders (Belgian and French borders), including the demilitarisation of the Rhineland
        
        Weimar government agreed to settle any disputed with these countries through the LON
        
        Verdict: Partial Success
        
        League Commission to prepare for World Disarmament Conference (1926)
        
        Failed as Britain and France refused to cooperate
        
        Verdict: Failed
        
        Led to Kellogg-Briand Pact
        
        Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)
        
        Initiated by U.S. Secretary of State Frank Kellogg & French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand
        
        Negotiated outside the LON between 15 countries, including US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan
        
        Agreement that force should not be used to settle disputes
        
        But, no clear way to enforce the pact
        
        Verdict: Failed
        
        World Disarmament Conference (1932 - 1934)
        
        Concerned with increasing tensions, the LON managed to persuade the US and 60 other states to attend the World Disarmament Conference
        
        Limiting Offensive Weapons
        
        Conference concentrated on trying to control the destructive power of offensive weapons
        
        Produced resolutions to prohibit the bombing of civilian populations and chemical warfare, and limited the size of artillery and tonnage of tanks
        
        Difficult to get all countries to agree on what offensive and defensive weapons were
        
        Resolutions passed did little to ensure how the limitations on weapons would be achieved
        
        Individual countries used the Conference to raise their own issues
        
        Dealing with Germany
        
        Most countries felt that the terms set out in the TOV should be fairer to Germany, especially terms limiting the size of Germany's military, which was perceived to be unfair.
        
        There were disagreements on what fairer arrangement to be achieved
        
        Option 1 - every country to disarm to the level Germany was forced to
        
        Option 2 - Allow Germany to rearm to a level close to that of other powers
        
        There was reluctance to allow either - experience of attempts in 1920s showed that most countries would not disarm
        
        French Perspective
        
        Wary of Germany - painful experience from WWI - Pressured LON not to take option 2
        
        Demanded that France continued to have larger armed forces than Germany OR Britain and US guarantee to fight alongside them if they fought a war with Germany
        
        Disagreements continued - Britain and US were reluctant to commit themselves to guaranteeing France's future security
        
        Germany was also accusing France and major power for hypocrisy
        
        July 1932 - Germany proposed all countries disarm to it's level
        
        Conference failed to agree on the principle of "equality" - Germany walked out, Conference broke up
        
        Conference reconvenes (Feb 1933)
        
        League's official continued to work behind the scenes with Germany and other powers though the Conference broke up
        
        Dec 1932 - other powers agreed to discuss equality for Germany
        
        Germany agreed to return to discussions - Conference reconvened in Feb 1933
        
        New leader of Germany - Adolf Hitler
        
        Agreed to join the conference and appeared interested in making progress on disarmament
        
        But Hitler wasn't genuinely interested - started rearmament programme
        
        Pretended to engage other partners on issue of disarmament as his commanders were secretly planning for rearmament
        
        May 1933 - Hitler promised not to rearm if other powers agreed to disarm in 5 years - clearly pressuring other powers, especially France
        
        Hitler seemed to be calling for large scale disarmament - can claim to be supporter of peace and progress
        
        But he knew the other powers would not disarm to the same level as Germany as set out in TOV -> Gave justification he needed to rearm Germany
        
        October 1933 - Pulled Germany out of Disarmament Conference and LON
    - - Origins of Abyssinian Crisis
        
        1896 - Italian troops tried to invade Abyssinia but defeated by poorly equipped army of tribesmen
        
        Mussolini wanted revenge, also wanted fertile land and mineral wealth of Abyssinia
        
        Wanted glory and conquest
        
        Mussolini's style of leadership clamoured for military victories
      - Events
        
        December 1934 - Dispute between Italian and Abyssinian soldiers at Wal-Wal oasis in Abyssinia
        
        Mussolini used it as an excuse and claimed the oasis as Italian territory and demanded apology from Abyssinia
        
        He began preparing Italian army to invade it
        
        Abyssinian Emperor Haile Salassie appealed to the LON for help but was unsuccessful
        
        On the surface, Britain had the influence and resources to act decisively on Abyssinia's behalf
        
        Location of Britain's and France's colonies also meant that both countries could send troops to defend Abyssinia - they chose not to do so
      - LON loses credibility - Hoare-Laval Pact
        
        Abyssinian Crisis damaged global confidence in the LON for good
        
        Hoare-Laval Pact leaked details damaged reputation of LON
        
        Failure to impose sanctions on Italy decisively led to Italian takeover of Abyssinia - Hitler was convinced that LON would not be able to hinder Germany's plan of expansion
        
        Details of Hoare-Laval Pact
        
        Areas of Abyssinia would be given to Italy
        
        Abyssinians to lose 66% of their land, and only keep the mountainous region while Italy gets the fertile farmland
        
        Britain and France made this agreement with Italy in secret because they were fearful of an alliance between Mussolini and Hitler
        
        In the midst of the crisis, German troops marched into the Rhineland in March 1936
        
        This was an act against TOV - LON did nothing
        
        Eroded credibility and showed ineffectiveness in resolving conflicts and maintaining world pace
        
        Nov 1936 - Italy and Germany signed Rome-Berlin Axis -> LON could do nothing about it
        
        Lack of authority in enforcing peacekeeping measures resulted in collapse of collective security
    - - 1931 - Japan invaded Manchuria and LON had reacted slowly and ineffectively
      - By 1935 - many states begun to lose faith in the LON
  - - - Massive rearmament programme
      - State control of industry and state investment in projects such as road building
      - Getting rid of TOV to end reparation payments and reclaim territories that were lost
    - - Abolish TOV
      - Destroy communism
      - Get lebensraum for Aryans who should create empire to rule over the inferior races
      - Enforce militarism
    - - Referendum organised by Nazi government -> Germans in favour of withdrawing fron LON
      - Hitler withdrew Germany in October, on the basis that Germany was treated unequally, espcially on issue of German rearmament
      - Undermined the authority of the LON
    - - Nazis began rearmament in 1933 though specifically banned under TOV
      - Thousands of unemployed workers drafted into army to reduce unemployment
      - Germany began to build armed forces at first in secret
      - By 1935, Hitler no longer bothered to hide the rearmament program
      - Held a Freedom to Rearm rally in Berlin
      - Concerns grew over Germany's military build-up (Britain, France, Poland, USSR and Czechoslovakia)
    - - Hitler walked out of the LON's Disarmament Conference
      - Claimed that Germany was not treated equally
      - Major blow to the chances of a disarmament agreement and Conference ended soon after
    - - The Saar region was run by LON since 1919
      - Hitler came it should be part of Germany
      - LON forced Hitler to agree to plebiscite which resulted in 90% of the Saar voting to join Hitler's Germany
      - This further increased Hitler's power and confidence
    - - TOV banned German forces from entering Rhineland region, acting as a border for France
      - Hitler declared it was no longer acceptable -> France and USSR agreed on Treaty of Mutual Assistance in Feb, promising to protect each other against Germany
      - Hitler claimed he was encircled and thus had the right to place troops on his own borders
      - March 1936: ordered German troops into Rhineland
        
        A huge gamble as German army still not as strong enough to stand up against French response
        
        However, Britain, France and LON were preoccupied with Abyssinian Crisis
        
        Britain would not guarantee support for France if France challenged Hilter
        
        LON condemned Hitler but no further action was taken
        
        Hitler gained more prestige and confidence in the eyes of the German
    - - Civil war in Spain broke out between Republicans and Nationalists in July
      - Nationalist leadder General Franco - held beliefs like Hitler and Mussolini so they helped send troops, aircrafts, and equipment
      - Gave Hitler the opportunity to test his Luftwaffe (air force) and army
      - Might of German air force was demonstrated when they bombed Republican strongholds, resulting in casualties
      - Britain and France stayed out of the Spanish Civil War
      - Encouraged Hitler as he believed that Britain and France were not prepared to go to war
      - USSR became suspicious of Britain and France because of their reluctance to oppose Hitler and Mussolini
    - - With rising tensions in Europe, Japan was expanding aggressively in Asia
      - Germany and Itlay saw similarities with military dictatorship in Japan
      - 1936 - Germany and Japan signed Anti-Comintern Pact to oppose the Communist International (Comintern)
      - Comintern was set up by USSR to spread communism by promoting uprising around the world
      - Members of the anti-comintern pact agreed not to sign any treaties with USSR
    - - Italy signed the Anti-Comintern Pact
      - New alliiance between these 3 powers - Axis Alliance
  - - - US isolationism
        
        After WWI USA adopted policy of isolationism in 1920s and 30s
        
        Did not want to get involved in European affairs due to loss of human lives it suffered during the war
        
        Thus, help from US against Hitler was not an option
      - Sympathy for Germany
        
        TOV was widely criticised in Europe
        
        People around Europe felt it was fair for Hitler to argue that Germany was unfairly treated if it had to disarm and other countries were unwilling to do so
        
        Few spoke up when Hitler reclaimed that Saar and Rhineland
        
        Politicians aware of sympathy people had for Germany
      - Prioritising National Interests
        
        Britain
        
        Much of 1930s - More worried about Stalin and USSR than Hitler
        
        Saw Germany as a useful barrier against USSR
        
        -> E.g. 1935 - Signed Anglo-German Naval Agreement with Germany - Allowed it to build navy up to 35% of the size of the British navy -> Broke the TOV
        
        France
        
        More worried about Hitler than Stalin - France and Germany share a border
        
        Since Britain did not formalise a treaty with them, they turned to USSR in 1936 and signed the Treaty of Mutual Assistance
        
        Alarmed the British and created more sympathy for Germany, which helped them reoccupy the Rhineland with little opposition
      - Misjudgement of Hitler
        
        British and French politicians could neither comprehend the real threat that Hitler and his ideology posed nor foresee the events that followed
      - Result: Policy of Appeasement adopted by Britain and France in 1930s -> Giving in to the demands of Hitler
    - - He was aware of potential threat posed by Hitler
      - During this time, he authorised massive spending on rearmament for Britian and recognised that Britain and France needed to support each other
    - - 1938 - Hitler targeted his homeland Austria - wanted to unite the Germans of both Germany and Austria
      - Austria was a great power before WWI and they were keen to be part of Hitler's new and successful Germany
      - TOV forbade it but did not stop Hitler
      - Strong Nazi party in Austria - was instigated by Hitler to have an Anschluss with Germany
      - Hitler initially created chaos in Austria but convinced Austrian chancellor, Kurt Schuschnigg that order could only be restored if German troops moved into Austria
      - Schuschnigg appealed to Britain and France to put pressure on Hitler to withdraw but nothing was done
      - Hitler marched troops into Austria in March 1938
      - Through voter intimidation and fraud, 99.75% of Austrian voters approved of Anschluss
      - Consequences of Anschluss for international relations
        
        With Anschluss, Germany absorbed Austria's population, industry and natural resources and had access to their gold -> Strengthened Germany's size and stature
        
        Also raised Hitler's power and standing -> He was breaking TOV but Britain and France did nothing
        
        Britain sympathised with Germany as they felt TOV was unfair and that Germans should be allowed to unite if they wanted to
        
        Britain and France had misjudged Hitler's actions and ambitions - they found it hard to deal with a politician who did not care about rules and traditions of international diplomacy and eventually misunderstood and underestimated him
    - - Events leading up to Munich Agreement
        
        Czechoslovakia's leader Edvard Benes was horrified by Anschluss and feared his country was next
        
        Benes asked Britain and France for promises of protection against Hitler - which he received
        
        Hitler was interested in Czechoslovakia, especially Sudetenland as it was largely populated by Germans
        
        Small but active Nazi party in Sudetenland was encouraged to stir trouble and demand to join Germany, like in Austria
        
        In 1938, Hitler claimed to protect the Sudeten Germans and threatened to invade if Czechoslovakia did not hand over Sudetenland
      - Crisis talks: Agreement at Munich, 1938
        
        Benes was prepared to fight as he had a modern army and support of Britain and France
        
        Both Hitler and Benes did not back down and most thought a war was likely
        
        British prepared for the war by digging air raid shelters
        
        Magazines carried advertisements for air raid protection and gas masks
        
        Cards - instructions about how people could protect themselves from air raids
        
        Mid Sept - situation reached crisis point
        
        Chamberlain made one last effort to avoid war in Czechoslovakia
      - Sequence of Events
        
        15 Sept - Chamberlain flew to meet Hitler in Bavaria, Germany where Hitler said he would claim parts of Sudetenland with majority of Germans
        
        Chamberlain was convinced that Hitler would be satisfied with his demands
        
        19 Sept - Britain and France convinced Czechoslovakia to surrender parts of Sudetenland Hitler wanted
        
        22 Sept - Hitler increased his demands and wanted the whole of Sudetenland and claimed he needed to rescue Sudeten Germans from being badly treated by the government
        
        Chamberlain told Hitler his demands ere unreasonable and requested a conference with him
        
        29 Sept - Leaders of Britain, France, Italy and Germany had a 4-power summit in Munich
        
        Decided to give in to Hitler's demands without consulting Czechoslovakia or USSR
        
        Agreed that the whole Sudetenland be given to Germany in exchange for pledge of peace from Hitler - MUNICH AGREEMENT
        
        30 Sept - Chamberlain and Hitler published joint declaration that Chamberlain claimed would bring "peace for our time"
      - Reactions to Munich Agreement
        
        Immediately after signing, newspapers, newsreels in Europe stated that war had been prevented
        
        Chamberlain - greeted by cheering crowds
        
        British media presented the Munich Agreement positively
        
        BUT not everyone favoured the Agreement and had concerns
        
        Opinion polls in Sept 1938 showed that majority of the British did not think appeasement would stop Hitler
      - Invasion of Czechoslovakia
        
        Oct 1938 - Hitler moved his forces into Sudetenland and claimed it was the end of his demands
        
        15 March 1939 - German troops took over the rest of Czechoslovakia
        
        Czechs were not separated from their homeland by the TOV unlike the Sudeten Germans
        
        Concern that Hitler's next target could be Poland
        
        Britain and France threatened to declare war on Germany if Hitler invaded Poland
- - - - Hitler set his eyes on Poland as he wanted to reclaim the Polish Corridor and the city of Danzig - Hitler was confident that the Polish forces could be defeated
      - Though Britain and France threatened to go to war, Hitler thought it was unlikely for them to risk war over Poland
      - But he was worried that Stalin would oppose Germany's invasion of Poland - since Poland bordered USSR
      - If USSR opposed Germany, there is a possibility that Britain and France would act too
      - Germany would risk facing a two-front war - disadvantageous for Germany
        
        Fight Britain and France on the Western Front
        
        Fight USSR on the Eastern Front
    - - His concerns over Hitler grew through 1930s
      - 1934 - Stalin joined LON
      - 1936 - Signed Mutual Assistance Pact with France
      - He saw that Britain, France and LON had not resisted Hitler when he rearmed Germany and took over territories in Europe
      - This increased Stalin's concerns about the Munich Agreement
      - Stalin was not consulted about it and seemed that Britain and France were allowing Hitler to take over Eastern Europe
    - - Negotiations regarding an alliance against Hitler was ongoing between Stalin, Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier (France PM) in first half of 1939
      - At the same time, Stalin was meeting Germany's Foreign Minister about a different alliance
      - On 23 Aug 1939, USSR and Germany signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact
      - Terms of the Pact
        
        Agreed not to attack each other
        
        Privately agreed to divide Poland between them
        
        Germany agreed to let USSR take Eastern Poland and the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
      - In reality, neither Hitler not Stalin had any faith in the agreement
      - Stalin decided Britain and France were too weak to stand up against Hitler - he was playing for time get forces ready in case Hitler betrayed him
      - On the other hand, Hitler got the guarantee that he needed to invade Poland
  - - - Polish Corridor separated Germany from the province of East Prussia
    - - Did not trust Hitler and was concerned about Germany invasion
    - - Certain that no opposition from USSR due to the Pact
      - But miscalculated that Britain and France would not go to war