CAUSES OF WWII

THINKING AHEAD  What were the causes of WWII?  How did Canada become involved in WWII?  How did Canada’s foreign policies in the 1930s contribute to the start of WWII?

1930s  During the Great Depression, many Canadians were struggling to merely get by  Little concern for what was happening elsewhere around the world but Political leaders making decisions that would soon have a great impact on the entire world...

Treaty of Versailles  4 clauses:  War reparations  Military reparations  Geographical terms  War guilt clause

 T of V was a HUGE shock to Germany  USA president Wilson wanted a treaty that did not seek revenge so that war could be avoided - ignored!

League of Nations  Created after WWI to ensure that war did not break out again  USA did not join the League – weakened the L of N’s reputation & America returned to policy of isolationism  1 st test of the L of N – Japan invades Manchuria in 1931

Rise of Fascism  Defn – extreme conservative type of govt led by a dictator  Italy – Benito Mussolini (“Il Duce”)‏

Rise of the Nazis  Leader – Adolf Hitler (“Fuhrer”)‏  Used many fascist techniques to gain loyalty  Attacked anything opposed to their policies: T of V, communism, democracy, L of N  Nazi party elected in 1933 – offered solutions to those suffering from the GD

Appeasement  Defn. - Policy of giving in to the demands of a dictator to avoid war  British PM Chamberlain supported appeasement, as did PM Mackenzie King (said Hitler was a “simple sort of peasant, not very intelligent and no serious danger to anyone”)‏  Churchill opposed appeasement