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Causes of WWII - Coggle Diagram
Causes of WWII
Failure of League of Nations
Failure to check on aggressive nations
The League of Nations had no military force to enforce its resolutions. When aggressive nations like Germany, Italy, and Japan violated international agreements or invaded other countries, the League could only issue condemnations but couldn’t take meaningful action to stop them.
Manchurian Crisis (Couldn't stop Japan)
As the League failed to maintain peace, many countries, particularly Britain and France, adopted policies of appeasement towards Hitler's demands, allowing him to expand unchecked, which led to further aggression and the eventual outbreak of WWII.
Rise of Totalitarianism
and Expansionist Policies
Germany:
In Europe, Hitler had come to power in 1933 and he had clear foreign policy ambitions that could only be achieved through force. Hitler was leader of the national socialist Nazi party. Its ideology was a brand of fascism, with element s of Social Darwinism (see Chapter 7). The Nazis' aims included the revision of
The Treaty of Versailles,
rearming Germany, unifying all Germans - including Ansch/uss (union) with Austria and gaining 'living space' (Lebensraum) in the east. The Nazis wanted! to create Lebensraum for the development of the 'Aryan race' and other races would be subjugated as slaves to this master race.
Hitler ultimately wanted to destroy the communist USSR and gain power over continental Europe. He also despised the liberal nature of the American government and foresaw a war with the USA after his initial objectives had been achieved. Hitler began to put his aims into pract ice as soon as he was in power. He secretly told his military commanders that he would begin rearmament.
Germany:
In 1935 Hitler announced publicly in a huge rally his rearmament plans and reintroduced conscription. He also for the first time admitted the construction of a German air force. All this was in direct breach of the military terms of the Treaty of Versailles (see page 171). In response,
the British - rather than standing firm with France and challenging the German rearmament programme - signed a naval agreemen,t with Germany. Thisbasically meant that Britain accepted German plans to rearm but hoped to limit the threat to its own navy by entering into an agreement to allow Germany to build a navy 35 per cent the size of Britain's.
In March 1936 Hit ler marched a German army into the Rhineland. This was set down as a demilitarizedl zone, as
it was the border territory with France. Hitler claimed that this was to protect Germany from the new agreement for mutual assistance signed between France and the USSR. However, it was another breach of the treaty and Hitler had used force. France hesitated - Hitler only had 30000 troops at this point and he had instructed his forces to withdraw if there was resistance - but France would not act alone and Britain refused to act. Hitler claimed that he jus1t wanted peace and the British argued that the Germans had simply occupied their own 'backyard'. The use of force· had been successful and France's security was compromised.
The Treaty of Versailles (1919)
War Guilt Clause
Germany were incredibly embarassed.
Germany went into a massive Great Depression as a result.
Germany had to pay $57 trillion to pay for the damages of the war.
Germany lost land to the surrounding nations.
Germany was forced to accept full responsibility for the war.
Appeasement
Economic Depression