CAUSES OF WW2

CAUSES OF WW2

1. Hitlers aims/ foreign policy

   • Maker Germany into great power again
     • by taking over land, Germany gained soldiers, land, resources workers etc
   • Abolish Treaty of Versailles
     • Remilitarized Rhineland
     • rearmed navy to 35% of the British
     • Anschulss with Austria
     • didnt pay reperations
     • invaded Poland which spilt Germany into 2
   • Unite Germany speaking countires
     • Anchluss with Austria
     • Sudentenland crisis and take over of czechoslovakia
   • Defeat Communism
     • failed
     • Br+Fr initially thought they'd be allies with Hitler, all hated communism
   • Expand Germany territory into east
     • Sudetenland and Czechoslovakia
     • Anchluss with Austria
     • Invasion of Poland

2. Remilitarisation of Rhineland

   • 7th March 1936, Nazi troops march in
     • not stopped by Br or Fr
       • Br and Fr were undivided, Br thought TOV was too harsh
       • occupied by Mussolini's invasion of Abyssinia
     • Fr in the middle of election, French did'nt want a war
       • Fr were nothing without Br
   • Promised to sign 25 yr non-aggression pact
   • excuse was, felt under threat because of Fr and USSRs mutual assistance pact

3. Anschluss with Austria

   • allied with Mussolini
     • meant he wouldnt be stopped
   • knew he would have support, many Austrians were ethincally German
     • believed both countries should unite to form "Greater Germany"
     • Austria became economically weak so public started turning to extremist parties
   • strong nazi presence already
     • caused trouble, met with Austrian Chancellor and said only Anschluss would end disturbance
       • Chancelor was intimated by hitler
         • called a vote
           • rigged and Nazi watched over voters
         • appealed for Br help
           • helped hitler make Anchluss happen, felt countires had the right to
             • Br + Fr not ready for war at all
   • hitler gained more land, soliders etc reversing TOV
   • Czech goverment scared, knew they were next

4. Appeasement

   • 'negotiated' with hitler
   • gave him what he wanted or without interference
     • Czechslovakia
       • Rhineland
     • thought he could do whatever, took many risks
       • encouraged hitler to become more agressive
       • with every victory, he grew in confidence and power so thought he could keep taking
   • gave hitler more land, resources etc reversing TOV
   • led to Nazi-Soviet Pact
   • some say Chamberlain had no choice as Br was not ready economically or resources wise for a war

5. Sudetenland Crisis/ Munich agreement and Invasion of Czech

   • Hitler asked for bit of Sudetenland, allies agreed asked for all, they were reluctant
   • Germans lived there wanted to unite them
     • also a very industrialised and well militarised area
       • lost 70% of industry and defense
     • makes Germans look like victims by getting Nazi to cause trouble
   • had conference involving Fr Br Gr It, no USSR or Czechs
     • USSR felt betrayed, lead to mistrust with allies, led to NSP
     • Czechs felt betrayed thought allies would help
       • Chamberlian wanted to keep peace
   • Chamberlian speeds up rearmament incase of war
   • Hitler gets what he wants without fighting, boosts confidence
   • makes Chamberlain looks good as he maintains peace
     • Hitler promised not to take anymore land
       • invades rest of Czechoslovakia months later with no opposition = grown confidence