Causes of World War II

Long-Term Factors The Treaty of Versailles 1919 War Guilt Clause – Germany to accept blame for WWI Reparations – Germany had to pay 63 billion in damages (768 billion today) Disarmament – Germany only allowed to have a small army and six naval ships (No tanks, no air force and no submarines, the Rhineland area de-militarized) Territorial Clauses – Land was taken away from Germany and given to other countries. Union with Austria was forbidden.

Other Long-Term Factors Discontent about Treaty of Versailles: German people unhappy and thought treaty to be too harsh Economic instability throughout Europe: an economic crisis went through Europe during the 1920s, Germany could not afford to pay reparations Rise of totalitarian governments/police states that existed in Russia, Germany, and Italy: Government not able to fix social problems, and with out a history of democracy Dictators will emerge

League of Nations an international organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland - established at the Treaty of Versailles created after the First World War to provide a forum for resolving international disputes proposed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in his Fourteen Points speech Key Nations who were not members United States: refused to join to remain neutral Germany: not allowed to join because of war guilt clause Soviet Union: not allowed to join because of communist government

League of Nations What can they do? Verbal sanctions: issue warning Economic sanctions: trade restrictions Physical sanctions: military force Britain and France only countries with military might - could not provide backing to the League both hurt financially and strength-wise from WWI

Immediate Factors to War Date: September 1931 Nation: Japan Action: Invasion of Manchuria Reaction: Lytton Commission issued, Japan withdrew from the League and created international isolation

Immediate Factors to War Date: October 1935 Nation: Italy Action: Invasion of Ethiopia Reaction: League of Nations looks away, removes sanctions placed on Italy and recognizes their control of Ethiopia

Immediate Factors to War Date: April 1936 Nation: Spain Action: Civil War began Reaction: Germany and Italy sent aide to the Nationalist lead by Francisco Franco. Hitler and Mussolini meet for the first time. Date: May 1936 Nation: Germany Action: Occupied the Rhineland Reaction: Western Europe adopted policy of appeasement, felt a stronger Germany could help repel the spread of communism

Occupation of Rhineland

Immediate Factors to War Date: July 1937 Nation: Japan Action: second Sino-Japanese War (rape of Nanjing, China) Reaction: violated U.S. Open Door policy which held that all nations should be able to trade freely in China. U.S. placed Economic Sanctions on Japan. Date: March 1938 Nation: Germany Action: annexed Austria (Anschluss) Reaction: Hitler assured he may continue his expansion without confrontation of Britain and France because of appeasement

Second Sino-Japanese War

Immediate Factors to War Date: September 1938 Nation: Germany Action: took the Sudetenland Reaction: Hitler defended lebensraum, Chamberlin maintained appeasement, the Munich Pact was signed. Gave Hitler the Sudetenland but he agreed not to invade Czechoslovakia Date: March 1939 Nation: Germany Action: Seizes Czechoslovakia violating the Munich Agreement Reaction: Britain and France issue a warning that if Germany invade Poland they would declare war.

Response to Munich Pact Neville Chamberlain announced that the settlement meant “peace for our time” Winston Churchill's remark "You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war."

Invasion of the Sudetenland

Partition of Czechoslovakia

Immediate Factors to War Date: April 1, 1939 Nation: Spain Action: the end of the Civil War Reaction: Francisco Franco became dictator of Spain

Immediate Factors to War Date: April 7-12, 1939 Nation: Italy Action: invaded Albania Reaction: Economic sanctions given by the League on Albania. Mussolini declared the Italian Empire as emerging. Albania left the League (Italy left in 1937)

Immediate Factors to War Date: September 1939 Nation: Germany Action: Invaded Poland Reaction: Soviet Union invaded eastern Poland, Britain & France declared war on Germany to begin WWII. U.S. declared neutrality.

Invasion of Poland

Appeasement historian Paul Kennedy defined as “the policy of settling international quarrels by admitting and satisfying grievances through rational negotiation and compromise, thereby avoiding the resort to an armed conflict which would be expensive, bloody, and possibly dangerous.” In summary, the term means the act of giving something to an aggressive power to keep the peace

Cause of Appeasement events occurred only a few years after WWI misplaced sympathy over the harsh peace terms of 1919 felt better with a stronger Germany to repel communism U.S. would not make a stand because of strict Neutrality Act, 1935

Allowed Hitler to… implement his policy of increasing Living Space (lebensraum) and Greater Germany backed up these moves with the policy of self-determination, claiming that he was only occupying German lands

Non-Aggression Pact signed in August 1939 by Hitler and Stalin agreed not to invade one another Hitler did not want to fight a two front war Stalin did not trust Hitler, but did want to buy Soviet Union more time to build up their army

Failure of Appeasement world community ignored the problem hoping it would go away As a result Hitler felt he could ignore Britain betrayed Prime Minister Chamberlin invaded Czechoslovakia, violating the Munich Pact and idea of German self-determination eventually leads to war