CAUSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR CAUSES DEALT WITH IN PREVIOUS UNITS. a) The Treaty of Versailles

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1 A Rehearsal for WW2

2 CAUSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR CAUSES DEALT WITH IN PREVIOUS UNITS a) The Treaty of Versailles A.J.P Taylor has been quoted saying that the Treaty of Versailles caused the second world war to happen, almost entirely. Versailles Germany

3 b) The Great Depression The Great Depression had the greatest impact in Germany and Japan. Both countries made radical political solutions to solve economic problems. Causes of the next war become clear within these decisions.

4 c) The Failure of Collective Security (the League of Nations) This failure at rewriting the rules for building security, contributed to a series of failures which led to another war.

5 THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR a) Background Spain had been controlled for centuries by landowners, the army and the Catholic Church. The first signs of rebellion to this pattern came from

6 - Land hungry peasants - Workers - People from Catalonia and Basque who wanted self-government. The King of Spain abdicated his throne because of all this opposition in I am outta here! A Republic was then established.

7 The first democratic government was run by the socialists and liberals. They went for a radical reform program. It was hated on all sides. The old rulers (the right) saw it as too radical, and the anarchists (far left) as not radical enough.

8 b) Troubles of the Republic and the Nationalists Trouble began with the anarchists. Some trade unionists and communists burned churches and had many violent strikes and riots. The public then voted against the left, and in 1933 a right-wing government was elected.

9 The government was attacked by the left in an attempt to destroy it. They organized four general strikes, and a coal miner strike. These were put down violently by the army led by General Francisco Franco.

10 Because the army was so harsh, the public now sympathized with the left. A coalition of socialists, communists and anarchists called the Popular Front took over the government. Political Ping-Pong essentially.

11 Right-wing opposition to this government came about under the Nationalists. The Nationalists were made up of: - The church - The army - The Falange (Spain s Fascist group)

12 C. The Civil War The army began the civil war in July 1936 in Spanish Morocco, and then on the mainland. It didn t take long before the whole country was divided into two parts

13 (i) The Republicans This group was made up of socialists, communists and anyone who wanted the republic the way it existed.

14 (ii) The Nationalists At this point the Nationalists were not officially Fascists. The Falange party was just used by Franco, who was a ultra-conservation that believed in the rights of property. Once Franco became a dictator it would be correct to call him a Fascist. Fascist? Of course. See the cute little moustache?

15 The Civil War continued for three years, ending with the Nationalists forming the government. Franco ruled Spain until 1975.

16 d) Foreign Intervention in the Spanish Civil War Roles of other great powers in the Civil War is important for the background of the Second World War because there are Fascists helping Fascists.

17 Another reason it s important is because, directly or indirectly, the Civil War pits Fascism against Democracy and Communism. That alignment was being defined in this domestic dispute. Some call the Spanish Civil War a dress rehearsal for the Second World War.

18 (i) Britain and France Britain and France declared that they were non-interventionist. A Socialist, Leon Blum, led France. He feared that Fascists in France would start a civil war if France got involved.

19 Mussolini had 60,000 troops in Spain, and Britain still wanted support from Italy, in a possible anti-german agreement. Britain also had no desire to get involved in yet another war.

20 Though Britain and France did not participate, many of their citizens did, on the side of the Republicans through the International Brigades. Canadians and Americans would also go to Spain under this banner. One was the famous Ernest Hemmingway (Farewell to Arms).

21 (ii) The Soviet Union Of all the non-fascist powers, only the U.S.S.R. supported the Republican government (ironic). Soviet-Made Mosin Nagant 91/30 Bolt-Action Rifle. Supplied by the Russians to the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War.

22 (iii) Germany To support the Nationalists, Hitler sent the Luftwaffe. He was trying out a new form of warfare. Weapons such as tanks and airplanes improved greatly since the First World War

23 ...Hitler s generals wanted to the Spanish experience to test these weapons. An air attack in Guernica, a city in northern Spain, happened when the Luftwaffe bombed the civilians. Operations of planes and tanks were used. (Later became blitzkrieg)

24 Hitler saw this as a crusade against communism. (iv) Italy Mussolini sent 60,000 troops to Spain. He thought his own involvement would help the expansion of Italian influence.

25 Italy and Germany, partly because of their mutual involvement in Spain, became the Axis powers. (Mussolini s term). They were not formally allied, but were close friends. Mussolini hoped that, because he co-operated with Hitler, he could keep Hitler's ambitions limited to Northern Europe, which would allow him to operate in southern Europe. He was wrong. Stupid...

26 Impact on European Affairs Hitler learned a lot from the Spanish Civil War. He learned that the Democracies were unwilling to resist right-wing movements in Europe, for reasons not entirely clear. Aggression has no real consequences!

27 Hitler thought that if he pushed his luck in some of his projects in Europe, Britain and France would remain non-interventionist. He was correct. This was called appeasement.

28 Stalin had the same conclusion, to his dismay. It was reasonable that, if Germany attacked the U.S.S.R., Britain and France would stand aside. That would influence his decision to sign an agreement with Hitler, right before World War Two broke out.

29 The Liberals and the Labour party in Britain began to change their minds about future involvement in a war in Europe. The Labour party now supported rearmament. The Conservatives, (led by Neville Chamberlain) were busy making a policy called appeasement. They were also the group in power.

30 An understanding of the Spanish Civil War is good background to immediate causes of World War Two.

31 3. THE STRESA FRONT Hitler re-introduced conscription in Germany in Since it was an obvious breach of the Treaty of Versailles, France, Britain and Italy came together at Stresa in Italy to condemn Hitler s actions.

32 Nervous about Germany, France signed a treaty of mutual assistance with the U.S.S.R. The relationship, represented by the Stresa Front, came to a halt when Mussolini attacked Ethiopia. He lost interest in this arrangement when Britain signed the Naval Agreement with Hitler in June, 1935.

33 It can seem like that nothing should be made of the aborted Stresa Front but it does show that Italy and Germany weren t firm allies. Mussolini saw himself with the western powers, but when Britain and France showed their lack of interest and trust in him, he decided to join Hitler.

34 UP Next... CAUSES OF THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC