The Causes of The Second World War
The Causes of The Second World War
1. The Versailles Settlement: a. b. c. d. It was an uneasy compromise. Redrawn boundaries of Europe did not satisfy all. Drew frontiers avoiding completely the minority problem. The whole idea of the reparations contained the seeds of future disputes.
1. Isolation of both the USA and USSR: a. US refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles and join the League of Nations. b. USSR was treated like the defeated Central Powers (with the creation of the Cordon Sanitaire) c. Neither power had an interest in maintaining the peace settlement of 1919-20. 1. Nationalism: a) New states determined by the concept of self-determination of peoples (i.e.: Poland) proved aggressive and expansionary. 2. Reorganization of Europe did not produce more democratic states: a. Dictatorships in Poland, Hungary, Rumania, Italy, Germany. b. Only Czechoslovakia established a stable democracy. 1. The World Depression: a. Led to the rise of extremists to power. (i.e.: Rise of the Nazi party) b. Led Gov. to focus on short-term nationalistic measures due to economic depression (international co-operation suffered) 1. The belief that war was a legitimate means of implementing national policy continued. (i.e.: Mussolini and Hitler were Social Darwinists. They opposed org. like the League of Nations b/c of association w/ Versailles and b/c they protect the weak.) 2. Weakness of the western democracies of Britain and France: a. French and British failure to support the League of Nations b. The appeasement policies. c. Led other countries to see dictatorship as a stronger and more effective from of government / to come to terms with the dictators in the hope of securing neutral status. 1. Too much of the old war order survived: a second war was needed to complete the transfer of values of the 19th century to those of the 20th.
The build-up to war during the period 1936-1939: Reoccupation of the Rhineland, March 1936: o o o Feb. 12th 1936: Hitler informs wants to send troops into the March 3rd: Mussolini tells the March 7th: German troops enter his Commander-in-Chief that he demilitarized Rhineland. Germans he has no objections. the Rhineland.
Why did Hitler take this action? 1. International circumstances in his favor: o o o France experiencing internal problems British concern over Mussolinis measures meant Britain was not in a position to intervene militarily. Italy was seeking better relations with Germany.
1. Hitler needed a spectacular success in foreign policy to turn aside growing criticism of his policies inside Germany. 2. Hitlers character and Fascism required action. What were the effects of the reoccupation? Immediate: a. Austria begins to seek better relations w/ Germany (not confident concerning French or British help in the event of a conflict) b. Marked the ended of the Stresa Front (anti-German alliance of Britain, France, and Italy) Long Term: a. Initiative passed to Hitler and Germanys position was strengthened. b. Allowed the construction of the Siegfried Line which meant Britain and France could no longer intervene militarily w/out major conflict. c. Hitler was able to plan a more aggressive policy in the East b/c there was little danger of French or British action against him. d. Encouraged Hitler, and helped convince others of the strength of the fascist system and the weakness of democracies. Hitler works to improve Germanys diplomatic position: o o October 1936: agreements signed btw Italy and Germany (axis powers)/ both agree to support Franco. November 1937: Germany and Japan sign an antiComintern pact combined w/ the deterioration of Japanese relations with the Western democracies after its invasion of Manchuria thisbrought Japan increasingly into the German camp. Non-intervention agreement signed with Austria. Hitler begins a campaign of anti-communist speeches to convince Europe he was her best defense against USSR threat. Hitler gave diplomatic assurances to Poland that Germany had no design upon her territory. November 1937: Italy signed the anti-Comintern pact.
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The Hossbach Memorandum, November 5th 1937: o Memorandum for a meeting of top ranking German leaders.
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Hitler stated that Germany must expand her territory b/c of a growing population and inadequate resources. This was to be achieved through war. War must come soon with the German advantage of having begun armament sooner then Western democracies. The opportunity to start a war would occur if: France had extreme internal difficulties (then Germany would attack Czechoslovakia) France became involved in a war (Germany must then deal w/ both Czechoslovakia and Austria, esp. if Britain is involved in a conflict w/ Italy)
Does the Hossbach Memorandum prove that Hitler planned war? For: o o o o Against: o o o o o Many of those present were not Nazis (why reveal his thoughts to such a group?) Hitler might only be pleasing the military Goering was meeting opposition in the armament programme. Was this set up to remove opposition? Hitler showed no interest in Hossbachs minutes (was it really his political testament?) The situation he describes did not develop. Hitler talks as if war was inevitable in the meeting He talks of taking advantage of British or French weaknesses Talks specifically of dealing w/ Austria and Czechoslovakia Says that it is his political will
It is doubtful if Hitler had a timetable for his aggression, he was encouraged though by international developments: 1. 2. 3. 4. Internal division weakened France. Britain was unwilling to give France guarantees. Stalin had purged the Soviet army The League of Nations and the concept of collective security was weakening.
The Anschluss (union) with Austria (March 1938): January 1938: Hitler strengthened his position by removing non-Nazis from key positions. Feb 12th 1938: Hitler threatened the Austrian Chancellor, Schuschnigg, in order for him to remove anti-Nazi measures and allow Austrian Nazis to enter the government. March 9th 1938: Schuschnigg declares that he will hold a referendum concerning Hitlers measures.
March 11th 1938: Schuschnigg orders the Austrian army not to fire on Austrian troops / Hitler hears that Mussolini would not oppose a German move into Austria. March 12th 1938: German Troops enter Austrian March 13th 1938: Hitler annexes Austria The Result of the Anschluss: 1. Balance of Power now in Germanys favour. o o o o Ideally placed to dominate Balkans. Shared a common frontier w/ Italian ally. Czechoslovakia had her defenses outflanked. 100,000 troops added to German army
1. Gained in Economic Strength: o o Control of Austrian steel resources. Control of Austrian gold and foreign currency.
1. France dislike the Union but could not act alone. 2. Britain disliked Hitlers methods but the feeling was that the original refusal to allow it had been a denial of the right of selfdetermination. Germany takes over the Sudetenland, Sept./Oct. 1938: March 1938: Hitler meets with Sudeten Nazi leader (Konrad Henlein) and tells him to make unacceptable demands for autonomy so Hitler could intervene. April 1938: British and French (Czech allies) urge .CZ to make maximum number of concessions. May 20th 1938: .CZ President orders partial mobilization / France warns Hitler against any invasion. May 30th 1938: Hitler orders generals to prepare for an invasion of .CZ by September if issue had not been resolved. Sept 7th 1938: Article in the Times suggesting .CZ should hand over Sudetenland to Germany Sept 12th 1938: In a speech at a party rally Hitler attacks the Czechs. Sept 13th 1938: Chamberlain (British PM) suggest a meeting w/ Hitler. Sept 15th 1938: Chamberlain goes to Berchtesgaden / Hitler agrees to wait for a peaceful settlement but orders generals to continue with invasion plans.
Sept 19th 1938: French and British persuade the Czechs to accept the transfer of territory w/ clear German majorities(France w/ threat of withdrawing support) Sept 22nd 1938: Chamberlain-Hitler meeting at Bad Godesberg: Hitler wants the immediate transfer of the entire Sudeten area and compensation for other states w/ claims against Czech territory / Chamberlain refuses. Sept 24th 1938: Czech have mobilized, French call up reserves. Sept 28th 1938: British navy on war footing. September 29-30 1938: Meeting in Munich, Agreement btw Germany, Italy, France and Britain that Germany will have the entire Sudentenland. Why did Chamberlain follow this policy of appeasement? 1. Genuine fear that another conflict on scale of WWI would be the end of European civilization. 2. Guilt over the terms imposed upon Germany in 1919 (maybe Hitlers demands were simply to right this wrong?) 3. Belief that Hitlers demands were of a limited nature. 4. Fear of war in Europe while Japan was becoming increasingly aggressive. 5. Knowledge of the French weakness (due to internal divisions) 6. Suspicion of the USSR and thus unwillingness to enter into any form of alliance with the one power capable of checking German ambitions. (Western suspicions of communism were deeper than suspicions of Nazism) 7. Desire to gain time so Britain could build up her military strength. 8. Popular opposition to war in Britain. The policy proved to be mistaken b/c Hitlers aims were not limited and this only encouraged further expansion. March 1939: What was left of Czechoslovakia came under German influence (the president, when trying to restore authority, was ordered by Hitler to request German help to end disturbances German troops occupied the rest of .CZ except the parts granted to Poland and Hungary) Both the British and the French became determined to resist any further move by Hitler. The Invasion of Poland, Sept 1st 1939: October 1938: Ribbentrop (German foreign minister) asks for the return of Danzig and the creation of an extra territorial corridor to link Danzig w/ the rest of Germany / Poland refuses. Jan 5th 1938: Hitler offered the Ukraine (then Soviet territory) in return for Danzig and the Polish Corridor March 1939: Britain offers to guarantee Polish territory Hitler decides to deal w/ Poland not as a possible ally but as a state to be attacked.
April 3rd 1939: Hitler orders the army to prepare for plans to attack Poland. April 28th 1939: Hitler denounces the non-aggression pact made w/ Poland in 1934. May 22nd 1939: Pact of Steel btw Germany and Italy / USSR makes offers of an agreement w/ France and Britain but negotiations are so slow the USSR becomes suspicious of their motives. contains a August 24th 1939: Non-Aggression Pact btw Germany and the USSR Secret Protocol whereby they agreed on the division of Poland. 1st Sept 1939: German troops invade Poland. 3rd Sept 1939: Gt. Britain and France declare war on Germany. -------------------
Japanese Aggression: o o o o o o o o Sept. 1931 Japan attacks China (both members of the League) Mukden incident. Chinese appeal to the League and to the US Council of the League asked both parties to withdraw their armed forces. Japanese complete the conquest of the whole of Manchuria. Lord Lytton Report condemns Japanese action and dubbed Manchukuo a puppet creation (Feb. 1933) March 1933: Japan withdraws from the League. Neither the League nor the US took action (encouraged European aggressors) July 1937: Marco Polo Bridge incident (Japanese renew their advance into China) China appealed to the League but all great powers did not take action.
Italian Aggression: o o Dec 1934, clash between Italian troops and Abyssinian escort at Walwal Abyssinia appeals to League May 1935, Abyssinia appeals again to the League
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Oct 3, 1935, Mussolini launches the attack league declares Italy to be the aggressor / imposes economic sanctions (but without sanctions on coal and oil) Britain and France propose an unacceptable deal which secures Abysinnian territory for Italy May 1936, Italians caputre capital of Addis Ababa Council of the League abandons sanctions (!!!) Sanctions were not imposed on oil, and the US, Germany, Japan and Brazil were then outside the League. Were not backed by military sanctions.
German Aggression: o March 7, 1936, Hitler sends troops into the demilitarized Rhineland (violation of Versailles, and Locarno agreements) Note: officers carried a note to withdraw in the event of French resistance.
Rearmament and Appeasement: o o France and Britain begin rearmament programmes while a temporary equilibrium is reached in Europe at the end of 1937. I.e.: Maginot line / Royal Air Force.
1. Civilian casualties were very high (i.e.: through the use of heavy bomber aircraft / the use of terror bombing i.e. Dresden / use of atomic bombs / or b/c of the forced labor in the areas occupied by the Axis forces / racial policies of the Nazis ) 2. Total War w/ civilian slave labor, mass deportations, execution of hostages, extermination camps 3. Great deal of activity by partisans or resistance movements. (i.e.: French resistance, and Tito) 4. Use of aircraft (i.e.: German failure to gain control of British skies meant failure to invade Britain / Massive bombing to destroy industry, communications, and morale) 5. Characterized as an ideological conflict (Democracy vs. fascism / left vs. right) the Axis powers were fascists but the distinction is less clear w/ Allies. 6. THE FIRST AND ONLY NUCLEAR WAR -------------------