Causes of WWII







The Great Depression
The Rise of Fascism
The Treaty of Versailles
The Failure of the League of Nations
The Rise of Fascism
The Appeasement of Hitler
The Invasion of Poland
The Great Depression




The Depression destabilized economies and
governments world wide
People looked for change
Change often came in radical forms of government
Military spending and aggressive expansion helped
countries emerge from economic problems.
The Rise of Facism
Dictators of the 1930s
 Hitler – Germany
 Mussolini – Italy
 Stalin – Russia
 Hirohito – Japan
 Franco - Spain
The Treaty of Versailles
In 1919, Lloyd George of England, Orlando of Italy,
Clemenceau of France and Woodrow Wilson from
the U.S. met to discuss the conditions for the end of
World War I.
The Big Four
President Wilson
designed a 14 point plan
that was fair and
balanced. Germany,
which was not invited to
process, believed the
Treaty would be based
on Wilson’s plan.
Wilson’s plan was
vetoed. The French
wanted revenge and
the Treaty was
created to punish
Germany for the
destruction France
and other countries
suffered.
Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
There were a total of
440 clauses in the final
treaty. The first 26
clauses dealt with the
establishment of the
League of Nations.
The remaining 414
clauses spelled out
Germany's
punishment.
The League of Nations
The League was established to ensure that war
never broke out again. This would be done
through collective security and preservation of
peace through arbitration of international
disputes.
Forcing one or two countries
To work out their problems
peacefully
War would be avoided because no one country
would want to deal with the 65 member
countries of the League. It was like a big police
force.
War Guilt Clause

This clause, more than any other in the entire
Treaty of Versailles, was to cause lasting
resentment in Germany… The guilt clause
resulted in German humiliation and rage.
Reparations
Germany had to pay for all damages caused by the
war. The price was set at:
6 600 000 000 which equalled
$ 32 000 000 000
Today it would be
approximately:
$ 400 000 000 000
The debt would not be paid off until 1988
500 000 marks
1 Billion Marks
5 million Marks
500 Billion Marks
Military Clauses

Army - was to be
reduced to
100,000 men and
no tanks or heavy
equipment was
allowed
Navy - Germany
was only allowed :
 6 battleships
 6 light cruisers
 12 destroyers
 12 torpedo boats
 Navy could not
have more than
1500 officers

Airforce Germany was
not allowed any
airforce

Rhineland - The Rhineland area was to be kept
free of German military personnel and weapons
Territorial Clauses

Anschluss Germany
was not
allowed to
unite with
Austria.
Land - Germany lost valuable land to a number of
other countries.
 Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France
 Eupen and Malmedy were given to Belgium
 North Schleswig was given to Denmark
 German land was also given to Czechoslovakia
and Poland

The League of Nations took control of
Germany's colonies
May the hand wither that
signs this treaty.
Frederick Scheidemann, the German Chancellor
(June 1919) then he resigned rather than agree
to the Treaty
Those who sign this treaty,
will sign the death sentence
of many millions of German
men, women and children.
Count Brockdorff-Rantzau, leader of the German
delegation to Versailles (15 May 1919).
The Failure of the League of Nations

It was weak from the beginning, and had
spectacular failures in Manchuria and Abyssinia,
and in making Hitler keep the Treaty of
Versailles. It failed to achieve disarmament.
Manchuria




In 1932, the Japanese army invaded Manchuria
and threw out the Chinese.
China asked the League to help. The League
could not agree on sanctions or even a ban on
weapons sales. Britain and France did not
want a war, so nothing was done.
The Japanese stayed in Manchuria.
The League had failed.
Abyssinia


In 1935 Mussolini got ready to invade Abyssinia
(Ethiopia). He wanted war and glory. He tested
new weapons of war against tribal people.
Abyssinia asked the League to help. Italy
conquered Abyssinia
The League did nothing.
Reasons for Failure

WAS DUMB

Weak
America
Structure
Depression
Unsuccessful
Members
Big Bullies







Weak – It had no army.

America – the strongest nation in the world
never joined. Britain and France were not
strong enough to impose pace on their own.

Structure – the League was muddled, so it took
ages to do anything. Members couldn’t agree –
but decisions had to be unanimous. This
paralysed the League.

Depression – the world-wide Depression made countries
try to get more land and power.

Unsuccessful – the more the League failed, the less people
trusted it. In the end, everybody just ignored it.

Members – the League’s main members let it down. Italy
and Japan betrayed the League. France and Britain did
nothing to help it.

Big bullies – in the 1920s, the League had dealt with weak
countries. In the 1930s, powerful countries like Germany,
Italy and Japan attacked weaker countries. They were too
strong for the League to stop them.
Appeasement
~ Giving in to a bully or pacifying a baby ~
1. CONSCRIPTION&RE-ARMAMENT
 Hitler began to build up his armed forces. In
1935 he introduced conscription (forced military
enlistment). This broke the Treaty of Versailles,
but Britain and France let him get away with it.
3. RHINELAND
 Hitler marched into the Rhineland on 7 March 1936
The Rhineland is an area of German territory on the
border with France. Germany was not to have any
soldiers in this area so that the French could feel safe.
Bringing soldiers in broke the Treaty of Versailles. It
was a bluff – the German army had only 22,000 soldiers
and had orders to retreat if they met any resistance.
But Britain and France did nothing.
4. AUSTRIA (Anschluss)
 In 1938, Hitler took over Austria. First, Hitler
encouraged the Austrian Nazis to demand union
with Germany. Then Hitler invaded Austria (11
March 1938). This broke the Treaty of
Versailles, but once again, Britain and France did
nothing.
5. Sudetenland
 In 1938, Hitler tried to take over the
Sudetenland (a part of Czechoslovakia with a
large German population). British P.M. Neville
Chamberlain appeased Hitler. At Munich, on 29
September 1938, Britain and France gave Hitler
the Sudetenland.
“Appeasement proves that
sensible discussion instead of
fighting can produce success
- no lives were lost!”
“This deal means fair
treatment”.
“Appeasement means we can
avoid another terrible war.
This is clearly a good idea”
British Prime Minister
Chamberlain
6. CZECHOSLOVAKIA
 On 15 March 1939, Hitler’s troops marched into
the rest of Czechoslovakia. This, for most
British people, was the time when they realized
that the only thing that would stop Hitler was a
war. Britain and France still did nothing.
“Appeasement makes us look weak,
powerless and a waste of space…Hitler
must be laughing! Giving Germany land
only means they will get more powerful
and thus less easy to defeat. Hitler has
made his plans clear - he wants all of
Eastern Europe - he will NEVER
keep to his promise.
Russia will now look for agreements with
Nazi Germany rather than with us.
This is dangerous…A terrible policy.
Hitler now thinks he can get away with
whatever he wants!”
Future Prime Minister
Winston Churchill
7. USSR ~ NAZI PACT
 In summer 1939, Hitler began to unfold his plan
to take over Poland. Chamberlain promised the
Poles that Britain would support them if
Germany attacked Poland. In August 1939,
Hitler made a secret treaty with Russia. He
thought this would stop Britain & France
helping Poland.
8. POLAND

On 1 September 1939, Hitler invaded Poland.

On 3 September 1939, Chamberlain declared war
on Germany.

On May 10, after British forces are defeated by
Germany in Norway, Chamberlain resigns as
Prime Minister and is replaced by Winston
Churchill.
http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW1/versailles.htm
http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW2/causes.htm