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Samenvatting Geschiedenis Causes of WW2 (second world war)
Chapter 9. Causes of WW2.
9.1
Why did peace collapse in Europe in 1939?
Between 1918 and 1933 Adolf Hitler rose from being a member of the defeated German
army to become the dictator of Germany. How far was Hitler responsible for the
outbreak of the Second World War?
(THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE TEST (p. 256 new book) =>)
In 1924 Hitler laid out his book Mein KampfӔwith his ideas about what he would do if
the Nazis ever achieved power in Germany:
abolish the Treaty of Versailles. It reminded him of their defeat and
humiliation in and after WW1.
Germans.
expand the German territory. Get extra LebensraumӔ(living space) for
defeat Communism. Hitler was an anti-Communist. He believed
Communists had helped defeat Germany in WW1 and were trying to take over
Germany now.
Some people say Hitler planned everything he did between 1933 and 1939 step for step.
Others say he just took the logical next step and Britain, The Allies and the League of
Nations are to blame for letting Hitler get away with everything he did.
Hitler came to power in 1933 and started to rearm Germany. In this way he reduced
unemployment and kept his promise of making Germany strong again. He withdrew
from the League of Nations.
In 1935 he openly showed he was rearming. It boosted Nazi support.
Britain had sympathy because of the Treaty of Versailles and they thought it was good
for fighting against Communism
Also in 1935 the League of Nations let the people in The Saar region vote
on whether they wanted to return to German rule. Hitler won with 90% of the votes!
In 1936 Hitler moved troops into the Rhineland area. Britain thought this
was reasonable. At the exact same time the Abyssinian crisis was going on. France didnt
want to act without Britain. So Hitler got away with it.
In 1937 Hitler ғtried out his new armed forceson various Spanish cities,
where a civil war was going on.
In 1936 German and Japan signed an Anti-Comintern Pact
(Anti-Communist International). In 1937 Italy also signed it.
Now Hitler and Mussolini were Allies, Hitler say his chance to take over Austria. In
1938 the Austrian people could vote for ԓAnschluss (political union). Nor France, nor
Britain did anything. They werenԒt prepared to go to war or to defend a silly treaty (the
Treaty of Versailles).
In 1933 Britain signed the Appeasement agreement with Germany. For the next three
years, Britain would give Germany what he wanted. They did this because:
-
Hitler was standing up to Communism, they liked that
Germany
Commonwealth countries probably wouldnt support a war against
-
they wanted to keep peace, avoid an other world war
-
the USA wouldnҒt support them if they stood up to Hitler
-
they started to believe the Treaty of Versailles wasnt fair on Germany
-
their own economic problems were more important
But there were also reasons against Appeasement:
-
it encouraged Hitler to be aggressive
-
it allowed Germany to grow too strong
-
it put too much trust in HitlerҒs promises
it scared the USSR, they saw that Britain and France wouldnt stand in
HitlerҒs way
Edward Benes, the leader of Czechoslovakia, was horrified by the AnschlussӔ, he saw
his country was the next on Hitlers list.
In 1938 Hitler made clear he intended to fight Czechoslovakia if
necessary. Many Germans lived in the Sudetenland area in Czechoslovakia. This time it
wasnҒt that simple for Hitler, because Britain, France and the USSR had all promised to
protect Czechoslovakia.
In Britain people saw war coming and started digging air-raid shelters and
buying gas masks.
In a last effort to avert war, Chamberlain (Britain) met Hitler. They agreed
Hitler could only take over a small part of the Sudetenland if the people there voted for
him. But a few days later, Hitler wanted all of it! He said the Germans there were being
mistreated by the Czech government.
The leaders of Britain, Germany, France and Italy decided in the Munich
Agreement, without asking the Czechs or the USSR, that Germany could have all
Sudetenland. Chamberlain and Hitler published a joint declaration which would bring
peace for our timeӢ_. Chamberlain received a heros welcome back in Britain.
In 1939 German troops took over whole Czechoslovakia. This went too far. Britain and
France said that if Hitler would invade Poland, they would declare war on Germany.
The policy of Appeasement was ended. Hitler convinced himself that Britain and France
wouldnҒt risk war over Poland, but he was less sure about Stalin and the USSR. Why?
In 1934 Stalin had joined the League of Nations hoping they would help
him defeat Germany. But he saw the League was powerless, they let Hitler do anything
he liked, and they actually saw Communism as a bigger threat than Hitler. Stalin tried to
get France and Britain into an nalliance against Hitler, but Chamberlain didnt want to
commit Britain. But, also the Nazis wanted to ally with the Soviets. In 1939 Hitler and
Stalin signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact. Stalin did this because:
Hitler
Stalin thought Britain and France werenҒt strong enough allies against
he also wanted part of Poland (he secretly agreed with Hitler to divide
Poland between them)
he didnt really believe Hitler would keep his word, but he just needed time
to build up his forces.
So, in 1939 Germany and the Soviet forces invaded Poland. Surprisingly for Hitler,
Britain and France kept their promise and declared war on Germany.
Was Appeasement the right policy?
-
Wrong because it encourage Hitler
-
Right because Britain wasnҒt ready for war
Focus Task p. 257 (new book). (IMPORTANT!) =>
Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
What Hitler did and when The reasons he gave
for his action The response from Britain and France
Germanys armed forces to be severely limited
1933. Secretly started rearmament
He said he did it to solve unemploy-ment and to defend itself
They
let Hitler do it. Britain had sympathy
The Rhineland to be a demilitarised zone
1936. Moved his troops into the
Rhineland area
He said he was under threat of France and the USSR Britain
was busy with Abys. French leaders didnҒt act because of elections
Germany forbidden to unit with Austria 1938. Took over Austria He let the Austrian
peoples vote ғcome true” No military confrontation from France or Britain
The Sudetenland taken into the new state of Czechoslovakia
marched into Sudetenland To save the GermansӔthere.
Hitler what he wanted, to overcome war
1938 / 1939. Troops
Finally did give
The Polish Corridor given to Poland
1939. Germany and the Soviet forces take over
Poland
No good reason (more Lebens-raumӔfor Germans) He signed an
agreement with Stalin
Britain and France kept their promise. When Germany
attacked Poland, they declared war!!!
9.2
How did the war become a world war?
So, Germany invaded Poland. In 1940 it then also invaded France, the Netherlands and
Belgium. And in 1941 also the USSR. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a
separate conflict was developing.
In 1941 Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was attacked by the Japanese. It had made its play for
domination in the Pacific:
Rivalry between Japan and the USA had begun in the 1920s. In 1931
Japan invaded Manchuria, and in 1937 Japan launched a full-scale war on China. The
USA watched with concern.
Roosevelt and Churchill developed a close working relationship. Japan
wanted to carve out an empire in the Far East. However, not only was this threatening to
the USA, it also threatened Japans other large and powerful neighbour, the USSR. The
second problem was solved when Hitler invaded the USSR in 1941.
On 7 dec. 1941 Japan attacked the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. The next day the
US Congress declared war on Japan. Three days later Hitler declared war on the USA.