Causes of the Second World War

I. Fundamental Causes: A Review The Treaty of Versailles The Great Depression Global economic crisis Failure of democracy Rise of Totalitarianism Adolf Hitler & the Nazi Party Goal: To unite German speaking people lebensraum (living space) in order to gain self-sufficiency (autarky) Achieved by breaking conditions of TofV

I. Fundamental Causes: A Review D. Ineffectiveness of the League Of Nations Ideal LON League in Practice Was Weak All nations should be members. All nations should be equal partners in the League. The League should be able to make decisions quickly and easily. National interests should be second to the league’s interests. Members should obey the League’s sanctions: The Moral Sanction The Economic Sanction The Military Sanction

I. Fundamental Causes: A Review D. Ineffectiveness of the League Of Nations Ideal LON League in Practice Was Weak All nations should be members. Not all nations were members All nations should be equal partners in the League. Not equal partners b/c major powers made decisions in the Council. The League should be able to make decisions quickly and easily. League structure was weak, unanimity caused delays. National interests should be second to the league’s interests. Nations were more interested in their OWN affairs, especially after 1929 with the economic crisis. Members should obey the League’s sanctions: The Moral Sanction The Economic Sanction The Military Sanction Offenders could trade with non league members Had no military power

I. Fundamental Causes: A Review E. Extreme, unchecked nationalism F. Policy of Non-intervention by Democratic Governments (isolationist) USA Isolated geographically Britain 1934-1937, sympathetic to German recovery May 1937 - March 1939, appeased Germany France a. unlikely and reluctant to intervene b/c she could not rely on Br + USA support.

II. Immediate Causes Appeasement 1936-1939 Re-militarization of the Rhineland T of V called for demilitarization reneges on reparation payments Occupationn by Fr & Belgium Annexation of Austria Recall Hitler’s desire for unification of German lands Actually came in & took it by rigging the vote Appeasement in Czechoslovakia

II. Immediate Causes A. Appeasement Crisis 1936-1939 continued… Czechoslovakia Recall Tof V created Czechoslovakia Large population of Germans @ boarder called the Sudetenland Oct 1, 1938, Hitler threatens invasion of Czech @ Munich Conference in exchange for not invading Czech, Hitler gains Sudentenland March 1, 1939, H invades anyways Nazi-Soviet Non-Agression Pact, Aug 23, 1939 btw Russia & Ger Recall video, “Life Under Stalin”