1. Causes of World War II
CHC 2DI
S. Todd

2. 1. The Treaty of Versailles
So heavily weighted against Germany that it was angry
Unjustness one of Hitler’s major political platforms
Reparations cause tremendous debt and inflation in Germany
Loss of land  Germany wants it back
Loss of pride due to War Guilt Clause

3. Hyperinflation in Post-WWI Germany
Year
US Dollar
German Deutschmark
1918 $1
DM 4
1919
DM 75
1922
DM 400
Jan. 1923 DM
Jul. 1923 DM
Aug. 1923 DM
Nov. 1923 DM

4. 2. League of Nations U.S. didn’t join, which seriously weakened it
Left the league to depend on Britain and France who were unwilling to fight another foreign war
Result: Aggressor countries had free hand to expand their territory
Japan attacked Manchuria in 1931
Italy attacked Ethiopia in 1935
∴𝐻𝑖𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑔𝑢𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑛 ′ 𝑡 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑝 ℎ𝑖𝑚
𝑒𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑓 ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑑

6. 3. Aggression of Japan (Invaded Manchuria)
By the 1920s, Japan was overpopulated with few resources
Needed land to expand (imperialism)
1931 invaded Chinese province of Manchuria
Then set out to conquer the rest of China
League did nothing

7. 4. Aggression of Italy (invaded Ethiopia)
Italy angry about Treaty of Versailles – had been promised land
Blamed democratic government for unemployment
Elected Benito Mussolini and his fascist party
Became a dictator
Attacked Ethiopia, a kingdom in Africa, to end the Depression
The League did…NOTHING!

8. 5. Aggression of Germany
Hitler was the leader of the National Socialist Party (Nazi Party)
Blamed the Treaty of Versailles for all of Germany’s problems
Blamed other races, particularly Jews, for all of Germany’s problems

9. 6. Policy of Appeasement
Definition: Giving a person or party whatever they want in order to prevent conflict
Hitler saw that both Japan and Italy got away with invading other countries because the allied countries wanted to avoid conflict
SO…. Hitler decided that he was also going to invade other countries because Germany lost land and he thought he could get away with it

11. Key Players of WWII Allied Powers Neville Chamberlain
Winston Churchill
Charles De Gaulle
Franklin Roosevelt
Harry Truman
Joseph Stalin

12. ADOLF HITLER

13. BENITO MUSSOLINI

14. HIDEKI TOJO

15. WINSTON CHURCHILL Critical of Chamberlin’s policies toward Hitler.
Became Prime Minister During the War (1940)
Strong Ally for the United States
Powerful public speaker he helped to rally his troops to fight German Aggression

16. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT President through much of the War (died in 1945)
Lend Lease program to aid Allies prior to US entry into the War
Signed order to intern Japanese after Pearl Harbor.

17. HARRY TRUMAN

18. JOSEPH STALIN Totalitarian Regime in USSR.
Awaited world-wide Communist revolution.
Great Purge of the 1930s to clear out enemies from country
1939 – Signed nonaggression pact with Germany. (Divide Poland)
Germany broke the pact, opening up the Eastern Front of the War.