By: Emily Southey

Opposition
Arguments
Why they were NOT the primary cause of WWII:
Treaty of
Versailles
Hitler’s
Germany
The treaty itself was not the cause, it was the idealistic allies failing to make it harsh enough that allowed
Germany to rebuild which led to the war
Additionally, the allies appeasement (idealistic) of
Germany’s violations of the treaty led to the war
Hitler could have been stopped numerous times.
Hitler himself said that if they met French resistance in the Rhineland, they would have been forced to retreat.
Military
Ambition
The other axis powers (Italy and Japan) would not have started a war on their own, they did not have the resources to wage war(military, industrial strength)

IDEALIST
THINKER(S)
Neville
Chamberlain
Woodrow
Wilson
THEIR
IDEALISTIC
POLICY
The League of Nations
THE GOAL OF THEIR
POLICY/IDEA
Appeasement To prevent war through negotiation
To promote peace through international cooperation (e.g. collective security)
HOW IT LED TO WWII
Enabled/encouraged
Hitler to build up his military and continue to occupy land
They did not enforce it which gave dictators the idea that they could continue to expand without facing consequences
David Lloyd
George &
Woodrow
Wilson
The Treaty of
Versailles
To limit Germany’s power to rebuild, however, not fully as cooperation is important in peace
Allowed Germany to rebuild and become a world superpower, as it wasn’t limiting enough on Germany


Assumptions of idealism related to appeasement: War can be prevented & international cooperation will promote peace.

Definition: the policy of acceding to the demands of a potentially hostile nation in the hope of maintaining peace and preventing war.


Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles by introducing military conscription and rebuilding his Navy (Kreigsmarine), armoured divisons (Panzerwaffe), and Air Force
(Luftwaffe), and yet

Germany had assembled 95 warships, 8,250
airplanes, and an army of over 1 million soldiers.


The Anglo-German Naval Agreement

Britain allowed Germany to increase their navy to 35% of Britain’s at the time

Britain believed that this cooperation with
Germany could prevent them from expanding : Idealistic assumptions-War can be prevented and international cooperation will promote peace

“The forty-eight hours after the march into the Rhineland were the most nerve-racking in my life. If the French had then marched into the
Rhineland we would have had to withdraw with our tails between our legs, for the military resources at our disposal would have been wholly inadequate for even a moderate resistance.”


"If you French had intervened in the
Rhineland in 1936 we would have been sunk and Hitler would have fallen .”
-Heinz Guderian, German General

NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN: AN
IDEALIST

“The settlement of the Czechoslovakian problem, which has now been achieved is, in my view, only the prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find peace.”
-Neville Chamberlain at the Heston
Aerdome in 1938


“My good friends, for the second time in our history a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour.
-Neville Chamberlain,
1938


“The enemy did not expect my great determination.
Our enemies are little worms, I saw them at Munich…Now
Poland is in the position I wanted”.
– Adolf Hitler,
August 22, 1939



March 1935- Hitler introduced military conscription and began rebuilding their armed forces
March 1936- Hitler invaded the Rhineland



March 1938- Hitler annexed Austria in the Anschluss
March 1939- Hitler occupied the rest of
Czechoslovakia
September 1, 1939- Hitler invaded Poland
All of these violations, and what did France and Britain do?
They idealistically believed that appeasing Hitler would prevent war.


-British Historian A.J.P. Taylor


" I have never met a happier people than the
Germans and Hitler is one of the greatest men."
-David Lloyd George

“One man has accomplished this miracle. He is a
born leader of men. A magnetic dynamic personality with a single-minded purpose, a resolute will, and
a dauntless heart. He is the national Leader.
”-David
Lloyd George

"Yes, Heil Hitler. I, too, say that because he is truly a great man.”-
David Lloyd George

“There is no human being living whose promise on important matters I would trust more readily.“-
Viscount Rothermere, British Politician