7.6 Causes of World War II

Introduction: Why Did the World Go to War Again?

Imagine building a tower out of blocks, but the base is shaky and some of the blocks are already cracked. Eventually, the whole thing is going to come crashing down. That is exactly what happened between 1918 and 1939. Even though World War I was called "the war to end all wars," the way it ended actually planted the seeds for World War II.

In this chapter, we will explore the "perfect storm" of causes that led to the most destructive conflict in human history. We will look at how economic misery, aggressive leaders, and old grudges combined to set the world on fire for a second time. Don't worry if it seems like a lot to remember—we’ll break it down into four main "ingredients" for war.

1. The "Old Grudge": Unresolved Tensions from World War I

To understand World War II, we have to look back at how World War I ended. In Topic 7.5, we saw that many nations were unhappy with the peace treaties. This created a sense of unresolved tension that never really went away.

• Germany’s Resentment: The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to take all the blame for WWI, pay massive fines (reparations), and give up land. This left Germans feeling humiliated and angry.
• The "Shifting Power": Traditional empires like the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires had collapsed, leaving a power vacuum in Europe and the Middle East (see Topic 7.1).
• Nationalism: Many ethnic groups felt they didn't get the independent countries they were promised, leading to constant friction.

Quick Review: Think of the end of World War I as a "bad breakup" where one side felt cheated. They spent the next twenty years thinking about how to get even.

2. The "Economic Disaster": The Great Depression

Economics and war are closely linked. As you learned in Topic 7.4, the Great Depression was a global economic collapse that started in 1929. This wasn't just a time of "no money"; it was a time of total desperation.

How the Depression led to War:

• Desperate People Choose Radical Leaders: When people are starving and out of work, they often stop believing in democracy. They look for "strongman" leaders who promise to fix everything.
• Rise of Extremism: In Germany, the economic misery allowed Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party to rise to power. Hitler promised jobs, bread, and a return to national greatness.
• Resource Grabbing: Some countries, like Japan, decided that the only way to save their economy was to take over other lands that had raw materials (like oil, rubber, and coal).

Did you know? At the height of the Depression in Germany, money became so worthless that people sometimes used stacks of cash as fuel for their stoves or wallpaper for their homes!

3. The "Aggressors": Expansionism and Ideology

During the 1930s, several countries adopted aggressive foreign policies. They didn't just want to be successful; they wanted to expand their borders by force. This is often called expansionism.

Key Players and Their Goals:

• Germany and Adolf Hitler: Hitler wanted to unite all German-speaking people and sought "living space" in Eastern Europe. He began rebuilding the German military, which was a direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles.
• The Soviet Union and Joseph Stalin: While Stalin was focused on internal control through Five Year Plans, the USSR remained a powerful and unpredictable player on the world stage, eventually signing a non-aggression pact with Germany to split up territory.
• Japan: Japan felt it was not being treated as an equal by Western powers. To fuel its industrialization, Japan invaded Manchuria (1931) and later China (1937) to secure resources.

Memory Trick: Use the acronym G.I.N. to remember why these countries were aggressive: Grudges from the past, Ideologies of greatness, and Need for resources.

4. The "Failed Shield": The Failure of Diplomacy

While Germany, Italy, and Japan were getting aggressive, the other world powers—specifically Britain and France—tried to avoid war at all costs. This policy is known as Appeasement.

What is Appeasement?
Appeasement is the act of giving in to an aggressor's demands in hopes that they will eventually be satisfied and stop. Analogy: Imagine a bully at school demands your lunch money. You give it to him, hoping he leaves you alone tomorrow. Instead, the bully realizes you’re an easy target and comes back tomorrow demanding your lunch money AND your shoes.

• Why did they do it? Britain and France were still haunted by the horrors of WWI. Leaders like Winston Churchill (who initially warned against Hitler) and Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) had to deal with populations that were deeply "anti-war."
• The Result: Every time Hitler took over a piece of land and faced no consequences, he became bolder. He realized that the international community was too afraid or too weak to stop him.

Key Summary: The Spark

By 1939, the "tower" was ready to fall. Germany had rebuilt its army and taken several territories. The final straw came on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. Having realized that appeasement had failed, Britain and France finally declared war. World War II had officially begun.

Section Wrap-Up: Key Takeaways

• The Treaty of Versailles failed to create a lasting peace and instead created German resentment.
• The Great Depression caused global instability and allowed radical dictators to take power.
• Expansionism by Germany and Japan challenged the global status quo.
• Appeasement failed to stop aggression and actually encouraged it.
• Key Leaders to Know: Adolf Hitler (Germany), Joseph Stalin (USSR), Winston Churchill (Britain), and Franklin Roosevelt (USA).

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't assume World War II started only because of Hitler's personality. While he was a massive factor, the economic collapse of the 1930s and the shifting power structures after 1900 created the environment that allowed him to succeed.