Causes Of The Second World War

CAUSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

Hitler’s plans

His three main aims weer:

● Abolish the treaty of Versailles: Hitler believed that it was unjust. The treaty was a constant reminder of their defeat in WW1 and their humiliation by the Allies. Hitler promised to reverse it.

● Expand German territory: the treaty of Versailles had taken away territory from Germany. Hitler wanted it back. He wanted Germany to unite with Austria and an empire in eastern Europe.

● Defeat communism: Hitler was anti-communist. He thought Bolsheviks had helped to defeat Germany and wanted to take over Germany.

Hitler’s actions:

1933: took Germany out of League of Nations. Began rearming Germany.

1934: tried to take over Austria, Mussolini prevented it.

1935: held massive rearmament rally

1936: sent German troops into Rhineland. Made an anti-communist alliance with Japan.

1937: intervine in Spanish Civil War. Made an anti-communist alliance with Italy.

1938: Took over Austria. Took over Sudetenland.

1939: invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. Invaded Poland.

Rearmament:

Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933 and his first step was to increase Germany’s armed forces. He draft unemployed people into the army. He reduced unemployment and made Germany strong again. Hitler knew this will cause alarm in other countries, so at first it began secretly, saying he only did it because other countries didn’t want to disarm. Then, he left the League of Nations. Britain thought limits put on Germany were too tight and that Germany will be a good buffer against communism. Britain helped by signing a naval agreement with Hitler, allowing him to increase its navy.

The Saar plebiscite:

In 1935 the League of Nations held the plebiscite in the Saar region, for people to vote if they should return to German rule. Hitler succeeded in an entirely legal way.

Remilitarization of the Rhineland:

In 1936, Hitler moved his troops into the Rhineland area of Germany although demilitarization of the Rhineland was one of the terms in the Treaty of Versailles. France had just signed a treaty with the USSR to protect each other against German attack. Hitler used this agreement to claim that Germany was under threat so he should be allowed to place troops. The League only condemned his action but did nothing else. France refused to act without Britain’s support.

The Spanish Civil War:

In 1936, a civil war broke out in Spain between Communist and right-wing rebels. Hitler saw this as an opportunity to fight against communism and try his arms. In 1937, Germans bombed Spanish cities. The destruction of Guernica was terrible.

The Anti-Comintern Pact:

Hitler and Mussolini saw that they had much in common with the military dictatorship in Japan. In 1936, Germany and Japan signed the Anti-comintern pact. In 1937, Mussolini signed it too. The aim of the pact was to limit communist influence around the world.

Anschluss with Austria:

Austrian people were mainly German and Hitler wanted the two countries together as one German nation. Hitler encouraged the Nazi party in Austria to generate trouble for the government. Hitler told Austrian Chancellor that the only way to solve these problems was by Anschluss (political union) and pressured it to agree. France and Britain didn’t help Austria. So a plebiscite was called. Hitler sent troops to Austria and under the watchful eye of the troops, the people voted for Anschluss, in 1938. Britain felt the treaty was wrong in separating them.

Policy of Appeasement: Britain followed a policy of giving Hitler what he wanted (appeasement)

Reasons:

● Hitler stood up to communism: they were more concerned about the spread of Communism than Hitler.

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