Why did Europe go to war in 1939

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Why did Europe go to war in 1939?

By 1939 Hitler and the Nazi party had slowly been breaking more and more of the Treaty of Versailles rules. They had rearmed and invaded Czechoslovakia. Also Germany had allied with Italy, Russia, and Japan and formed a union with Austria. France and Britain reacted to these events only by appeasement. In September of 1939 Germany invaded Poland. Britain and France had issued warnings to Hitler and after Poland was invaded declared war on Germany. Although France and Britain declared war, many historians would argue there were a series of events leading up to the declaration of war and it was effected both by the Nazi regime and by the League of Nations and allies. France and Britain in using appeasement almost encouraged Hitler to take more and more. But appeasement seemed the only option for France and Britain as they had a very weak military. In World War One Britain had 750,000 soldiers killed and 1,500,000 wounded and France had 1,400,000 soldiers killed and 2,500,000 wounded. Appeasement gave them time to build there forces, eventually French and British armies had been built up some what and as Hitler had gone one step too far, war was declared.

        The Treaty of Versailles was an agreement set up by the world’s most powerful nations after World War One in 1918. It stated that Germany was to lose Alsace-Lorraine, Eupen, Malmedy, Northern Schleswig, Hultschin, West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia. The west of the Rhineland and 50 kms east of the River Rhine was made into a demilitarised zone. No German soldier or weapon was allowed into this zone. The Allies were to keep an army of occupation on the west bank of the Rhine for 15 years. Germany’s army was reduced to 100,000 men and the army was not allowed tanks or an air force. Germany was allowed only 6 capital naval ships and no submarines. The loss of vital industrial territory would be a severe blow to any attempts by Germany to rebuild her economy. Coal from the Saar and Upper Silesia in particular was a vital economic loss. Combined with the financial penalties linked to reparations, it seemed clear to Germany that the Allies wanted nothing else but to bankrupt her. Germany was also forbidden to unite with Austria to form one superstate, in an attempt to keep her economic potential to a minimum. Germany had to admit full responsibility for starting the war. Germany, as she was responsible for starting the war, was therefore responsible for all the war damage caused by the First World War. Therefore, she had to pay reparations, the bulk of which would go to France and Belgium to pay for the damage done to the infrastructure of both countries by the war. The amount was not decided in the Treaty of Versailles but was later decided as £6,600 million. Germany had no way of paying this. Obviously it saw these rules as harsh but they had two choices; sign the treaty or be invaded by the allies.

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        All these sanctions and harsh rules drove Germany to bankruptcy and a state of ruin. As the new republic had arrived know one was in charge and sorting out Germanys problems. Then hyperinflation came around, this meant Germany’s currency was practically worthless, people were walking around Germany with wheel barrows full of German marks to buy items such as a loaf of bread. Germany was pretty much down and out. The German public were looking for a strong bold leader to bring them out of there dire conditions.

        Hitler had previously tried to come to power illegally but in his ...

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