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Why had international peace collapsed by 1939?
In January 1933, Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany and immediately began to challenge the Treaty of Versailles and adapt an aggressive foreign policy which led to war. It is easy to blame Hitler for starting war in 1939. His underlying aims were already aggressive. The actions which he took in the following years all followed these three aggressive aims: to destroy the Treaty of Versailles, to unite all Germans in one country and to create a living space in Eastern Europe. For example Hitler’s rearmament was part of his aims. This was contrary to the treaty of Versailles. His rearmament was not allowed as in the Treaty of Versailles it said the Army must be no more than 100,000 and conscription was not allowed. Hitler’s actions such as these made countries very tense including France.
