Canada in the Second World War Causes of War: Treaty of Versailles, rise of fascism, failure of League of Nations and appeasement

Where did all of this come from Where did all of this come from? Didn’t we just study the Great Depression? After WWI, many soldiers returned to no jobs. Later in the 1920s, people starting buying more products, going out more, and celebrating Then we entered the Great Depression that lasted throughout the 1930s.

Political and Economic instabilities Rise of Hitler Appeasement Like all aspects of history, looking into the origins of an event is extremely important. Many important factors led to Germany’s invasion of Poland, and thus the ‘official’ start of World War II. Causes are: Treaty of Versailles League of Nations Political and Economic instabilities Rise of Hitler Appeasement

Treaty of Versailles Peace treaty that ended WWI. One of the most important points of the document is that it forced Germany to accept responsibility for total losses and damages.

Treaty of Versailles Signed on June 28th, 1919 (Paris Peace Conference; League of Nations) Actual fighting ended on the armistice, November 11th, 1918.

Military Restriction Demolition of previously militarized zones. Military could be no larger than 100, 000 men. Demolition of previously militarized zones. Limited Navy strength.

Territory Losses Lost 65, 000 km². Lost around 7 million people. Lost colonies in Africa to France, Belgium, UK, etc.

Pay Reparations "... Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected… " Payment could be made not just with money, but also with goods and products built in Germany (supplies, weapons, etc)

Treaty of Versailles Forced Germany to liquidate their army, accept territorial losses, and pay reparations. Had to pay about 132 million Marks, about $442 billion in today’s market. Actually paid less. this left Germany beaten, but not broken.

How do you think you would feel as a German civilian after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles?

2. League of Nations Founded in January of 1919 as a result of the Paris Peace Conference (Treaty of Versailles) that ended WWI. Main goal was to maintain world peace through disarmament and negotiation.

2. League of Nations League did not have its own military force and relied on member nations to act on its will. Many did not wish to do so. Why do you think this might be? What if someone wants to stockpile or not disarm? Then how can we defend ourselves?

2. League of Nations The League would eventually fail for a number of reasons: All decisions required unanimous support, slow to act. Many countries did not join (USA being the most notable), or were not members for long (Germany, Russia) Pacifist with Collective Security? How can we disarm nations while vowing to protect them?

3. Political and Economic Instabilities Remember those new political parties that emerged during the Great Depression? Why did they gain popularity? Germany was also hit hard by the Great Depression and had its own new parties and ideas emerge.

3. Political and Economic Instabilities A bit of background: Weimar Republic Started in 1919. Faced hyperinflation, signing the Treaty of Versailles, seen as a failure by many Germans.

Countries started to demand repayments in hard currency (gold or foreign currency), so the Weimar government started producing currency en masse in order to buy foreign currency to pay reparations. Basically, the more paper marks that were printed to buy foreign currency, the less marks were worth (Gold Standard) inside Germany.

4. Rise of Hitler Born in Austria in 1889. Soldier in WWI. Like many, felt ‘stabbed in the back’ by those who lost the war and signed the Treaty of Versaille.

4. Rise of Hitler Felt betrayed, like many Germans, by the Weimar Republic and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Also blamed those who did not support the war effort such as Communists, Socialists, Jews, and many pacifists. (many democratic leaders were Jewish in Germany)

4. Rise of Hitler Remained in the military after WWI, became an intelligence agent to spy on political groups. Started monitoring the German Workers Party, but was drawn to their ideas (anti-semitic, nationalistic)

4. Rise of Hitler Hitler became a leading member of the party. The group changed the name to National Socialist German Workers Party, created Swastika logo, etc

4. Rise of Hitler Became known as a great and powerful speaker. Blamed current economic problems of Germany on government, the Treaty of Versailles, as well as on Jews and Communists.

4. Rise of Hitler Hitler and his ideas would gain traction in Germany, appointed chancellor in 1932. Passed an Act which granted him more power than the chancellor would normally have.

4. Rise of Hitler In 1934, Hindenburg died. A law was passed to merge his powers with that of the current chancellor (Hitler). This is a very short version of Hitler’s Rise to power in Germany.

5. Appeasement On March 12th, 1938, German troops marched into Austria with little resistance (propaganda). With little to no condemnation from outside countries, this let Hitler know that he could start testing even more limits.

5. Appeasement "The hard fact is that nothing could have arrested what has actually happened [in Austria] unless this country and other countries had been prepared to use force." - Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of UK from 1937 - 1940

5. Appeasement Appeasement is the policy of allowing for concessions in order to avoid conflict. Why do this now? Wounds of WWI are still fresh, ‘peace at any price’ Great Depression and some Disarmament

5. Appeasement May 20th, Hitler started to plan an attack on Czechoslovakia. In August, sends troops right to the border as a military move. September 13th, Chamberlain asks Hitler for a private meeting. Hitler argued that Germans in the region should fight for ‘self-determination.’

5. Appeasement Britain and France demanded that Czechoslovakia cede to Germany all those territories where the German population represented over fifty percent of the Sudetenland's total population. Hitler tries to create more demands to obtain ethnic Germans in Poland and Hungary.

5. Appeasement A continued push and pull occurred for days, with Hitler getting more and more attention.

5. Appeasement September 30th, 1938: Munich Agreement: Germany would complete the occupation of Sudetenland. Czechoslovakia could resist Germany alone or accept annexation. Hitler then signed a peace treaty with Britain… super.

5. Appeasement “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.” Winston S. Churchill

5. Appeasement In 1940, Churchill becomes Prime Minister over Chamberlain. Churchill knew that Hitler needed to be stopped at that appeasement was not the cure. It would be foolish to think appeasement would stop Hitler, but Churchill’s aggression caught the ears of Germany.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnSwGQxo7GE

The stage is being set for a conflict between a growing Germany and allied countries.