1. Causes of WW2
Short and
Long Term

2. Objectives At the end of the next two lessons you should be able to:
Identify and explain a number of the causes of WW2
Distinguish between short and long term
Recognise that no single factor led to WW2

3. Background The Nazi Party was formed in 1919
Hitler joined the party shortly after its inception
Germany was in a state of disarray after the First World War
There were many extremist groups in Germany at the time
GERMANY felt treated harshly

4. The Harshness of the Treaty of Versailles (1919) on Germany (Long Term)
LAND LOSSES
REPARATIONS
WAR GUILT
Historical Context - Many Germans were disillusioned after the defeat in the First World war. Ex-soldiers felt that they had been ‘Stabbed in the back’ and felt that they had not been defeated on the battlefield.
Economic hardship and humiliation as a result of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

5. The Failure of the League of Nations to: (Long Term)
KEEP THE PEACE
BRING ABOUR DISARMAMENT
The league had no power
The league had no army
Not all countries joined the League (Germany, USA and Russia)

6. Hitler’s Aims and Actions – Short Term
To unite German speaking people using a National Security Defence (not allowed as part of TOV)
He wanted lebensraum (living space) in order to gain self- sufficiency (autarky)
He wanted to dominate Europe and the World
To achieve these aims it involved breaking the TOV

7. Hitler’s Actions – Short Term
READ STEPS 1-9
List each and briefly summarise take notes for
Remilitarisation of Rhineland 1936
Nazi Soviet Pact (1939)
and
German Invasion of Poland

8. Hitler’s Actions – Short Term
Remilitarisation of Rhineland 1936
Germany (Hitler) already broke TOV by rearmament of Germany
Broke it again by marching 30,000 troops into Rhineland (Cologne)
France remained passive as it had no support of Britain.
Britain felt Germany was ‘marching into her own backyard’

9. Hitler’s Actions – Short Term
Nazi Soviet Pact (1939)
Hitler was planning to invade Poland
He was concerned about Britain but more worried about Russia (USSR/Stalin).
To avoid war he arranged the Nazi-Soviet Pact. A pact of convenience!!
This said if either country (Germany/USSR) went to war the other would remain neutral.
This gave both countries something
1. Stalin the chance to rearm in case Hitler attacked them later.
2. Hitler the chance to invade Poland

10. Hitler’s Actions – Short Term
German Invasion of Poland (1939)
German Blitzkrieg attack on West Prussia and Posen (Poland)
Chamberlain (Britain) gave Germany and ultimatum (warning threat) withdraw or else!
They didn’t so war was declared by Britain 3 September 1939
France followed

11. The aggression of other powers (Short Term)
Italy (took other countries e.g. Abyssinia)
Japan invaded Manchuria
Russia – Nazi Soviet Pact, Invasion of Poland

12. The democracies were too passive (Short Term)
USA isolation (Europe needed to deal with its own affairs)
France – would not do anything without Britain’s support until the invasions of Poland
Britain sympathetic to Germany and appeased her (May ) until the Invasion of Poland