Causes of World War Two

1. Causes of World War Two Treaty of Versailles Hitler’s Imperialistic Ambitions and Violation of the Treaty of Versailles The Great Depression The Rise of Fascism The Policy of Appeasement Failure of the League of Nations

2. Treaty Of Versailles • Document that laid out the terms of peace between Germany and The Allies (winners) • This was a dictated peace treaty to Germany • they had no say!

3. Germany forced to Sign Treaty • Germany signed June 28 1919 • Allies Threatened to resume the fight!

4. Was the Treaty TOO Harsh? • Economy in ruins • Massive inflation • Could not make payments • Territory changes • Different ethnic groups combined • Many left without homeland • Feelings of nationalism unchecked

5. Treaty of Versailles created Hostility in Germany • Weimar Government blamed for treaty terms • Stab in the Back Myth • Loss of German territory, population, and pride • Rhineland • 32 Billion $ Reparations devastates the economy • Created hostility towards Minorities = Jewish

6. The Devastation of the Great Depression • The Depression forced the Allied countries to focus on getting themselves out of economic trouble • Allied Nations • France, Great Britain, US • Germany able to defy treaty terms and focus on imperialistic ambitions because the Allied countries were distracted

7. The Rise of Fascism • The panic of the 1930s caused many people to look for new political parties • Several charismatic leaders promised solutions to the suffering and incompetent leaders • Rome Berlin Axis • Italy and Germany wanted to work together to expand empires

8. Lebensraum- Living Space • Hitler’s plan to gain living space for Germans • re incorporate ethnic German populations into Germany • Austria • Sudetenland • Poland

9. Germany Violates the Terms of The Treaty of Versailles • Between 1933-1935 Hitler began re-armament • 1935 Mandatory Conscription • 1936 Germany occupied the Rhineland • 1938 Germany joins with Austria • 1938 Germany occupies Sudetenland • A territory populated by ethnic Germans given to Czechoslovakia at the Paris Peace Conference

10. Policy of Appeasement • Appeasement is giving into demands to avoid war • France, Britain, and the US wanted to avoid any confrontation • Still weak from the Great Depression • Feel bad for the harsh treatment of Germany after WWI • Thought Hitler was a reasonable leader • Fear another war

11. Appeasement and the Munich Agreement 1938 • Munich Conference France, Britain, US tried to negotiate with Hitler • After Hitler threatened to invade the Sudetenland • Hitler promised that he would only take the Sudetenland • Neville Chamberlain announced to the world that they have secured “peace for our time”

13. Nazi Soviet Aggression Pact • Germany wanted to invade Poland but this would be seen as an act of war towards the Soviet Union • Hitler and Joseph Stalin August 1939 • Both countries signed a pact to not fight each other if one of them went to war • Agreed to divide Poland • Hitler free to invade Poland

14. Failures of the League of Nations • League of Nations was supposed to help maintain world peace but it was too weak • Major powers did not support the league • Could impose economic sanctions BUT the league had no military to oppose an aggressor • Nations refused to disrupt trade with economic sanctions • Many nations chose the policy of isolationism rather than intervention

15. Declaration Of War • September 1st 1939 Germany invades Poland • Britain and France order Germany out by September 3rd • September 3rd 1939 France and Britain declare war