How did World War II start?

“Hitler's aims and actions were the only causes of world war two.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

When considering the reasons for the outbreak of war in 1939 it is easy to place the entire blame on Hitler's aggressive foreign policy in the late 1930’s. One British historian, writing a few years after the end of the war, claimed that the Second World War was Hitler’s personal war, in that he intended it, he prepared for it, he chose the moment for launching it.’ In this assignment it is my intension to show that Hitler’s foreign policy was a major factor in causing the conflict but that there are other reasons to be considered as well.

There were a number of long term factors that contributed to World War Two. The treaty of Versailles was probably the first factor which leads to world war two. This created a lot of tension and anger in Germany, the German people said it was a ‘DIK-TAT’, a non-negotiable agreement. The French Prime Minister George Clemenceau, was under great pressure from the French people, to make Germany pay for the suffering of world war one. However, Woodrow Wilson wanted peace and set up his fourteen points, this included the League of Nations. David Lloyd George was torn between two. The treaty of Versailles stated that military restrictions should be placed on Germany and that they would be;

The army restricted to 100,000 men, conscription was banned, all soldiers had to be volunteers, Germany was not allowed tanks, submarines ( u-boats) or aircraft, the navy could only have six battleships, and the Rhineland should be a demilitarised zone for at least fifteen years. Alsace and Lorene to France, the Saar land to be administered for fifteen years, it contains coalmines, which will be used by France. The border territories of Eupen and Malmerdy which will be given to Belgium, and other parts of Germany which will go to other countries including Poland and Czechoslovakia.

Germany lost: 13% ...

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Germany lost: 13% of there land

: 12% of there population

: 16% of coalfields

: 48% of there iron industry

: 10% of there manufacturing industry.

The reparations they had to pay were the sum of £6600 million to allied powers of a certain fixed amount per year. This was all singed in the war guilt clause (clause 231) which forced Germany to accept all responsibility for the war. This sparked a drain of events that lead up to world war two. After the treaty of Versailles in 1929 the Wall Street crash occurred. This marked the end of the period of improving international relations in the late 20’s. As countries began to suffer with the loss of trade, unemployment and political problems. The country’s put there interests first. America’s loans to Germany to help them pay the reparations ceased. This helped Hitler to come to power as the government German was instable. During the depression the League of Nations was strongly struggling trying to keep peace between nations, and without an army of there own, they had to relay on other nations governments. America hadn’t joined the league as it lost two thirds majority in the covenant, America was the strongest power in the world, the league was bound to fail. Now the league had collapsed Hitler could move forward without worrying about any trouble from foreign countries. Hitler came to power because of some of these factors. Hitler’s party rose when the country was in serious poverty with reparations and the depression. Appeasement was one of the major factors as Hitler got away with a lot of things with helped him by gaining some time. Neville chamberlain the prime minister of this time, wanted peace wanted peace at all cost and he flew to Berlin 3 times in September of 1938, were an agreement (Munich agreement) was signed saying that Hitler could have Czechoslovakia, Britain was desperate for peace as horrible memories of world war one was still alive in peoples minds. The policy of appeasement failed as Hitler later invaded Poland were Britain and France declared war on Germany.

Now we have looked at the long term triggers we should consider the short term factors as well. They were a number of short term factors; these include Germany’s rearmament, anchless and the Munich agreement. They all lead to the war in there own way by giving Hitler more confidence. The Manchuria and Abyssinia crisis’ which spread out of control, causing the breakdown of the League of Nations. The league couldn’t cope with aggression because of a number of reasons like; no army of there own and USA never became a member because of its isolationist policy. By Britain and France ignoring Germany’s rearmament policy this showed the dictator that the allied powers were avoiding conflict, Hitler used this to his advantage. Hitler’s plan to make a greater Germany was helped along by Britain and France’s appeasement policy. The Munich agreement was a large trigger, as it upset many nations including Russia and Czechoslovakia as they were not invited to the conference. Neville chamberlain came home after flying to Berlin three times in September of 1939, with a piece of paper which he called “peace in our time.” With Stalin not being invited to the Munich conference and Hitler being worried of a two front war, Hitler made a secret agreement with Stalin saying that the two countries Germany and Russia would not go to war with each other this was known as the Nazi-Soviet pact, it is thought that Russia singed the pact because he was annoyed at Britain and France. The last straw was the invasion of Poland, which Britain said if Hitler was to set one foot in Poland they would declare war on Germany. On the first of September 1939 Hitler invaded Poland, by the third of September Britain declared war on Germany and was closely followed by France.

In my opinion Hitler wanted a war with Britain and France to get revenge on the treaty of vaillsaies, Hitler probably wouldn’t of come to power if some of the factors didn’t occur, such as the world depression, the appeasement policy and may be if Hitler wouldn’t of come to power if the USA joined the league of nations in 1919.

Paul mcgarty