Causes of World War II We will look at 4 main causes & several examples of each:
1. Failure of Collective Security Collective security is not an alliance system, but an agreement of many signatories to work towards peaceful solutions to conflicts. Example: The League of Nations List several examples of the League s failure to act effectively between 1920-39.
2. Aggressive Japanese imperialism in East Asia
Introduction... Many Japanese nationalists believed Japan should gain hegemony (dominance) in East Asia. Similar to America s vision of Manifest Destiny, Japan created its dream of a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere it was developed in 1926 by Emperor Showa (Hirohito) it s aim was a self sufficient East Asia, lead by Japan--free of Western influence.
It contributed further to Japan s conflict with America Japan was angry about the Washington Naval Agreement (3 Japanese for every 5 American/British ships)... this hegemony of Japan in East Asia led to conflict with the US because: Japan needed raw materials such as rubber and oil Japan needed markets Manchuria, (in China) could provide these raw materials & markets. Thus Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931 BUT this interfered with America s market in the region
The Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek appealed to the LON for help, however the League merely recommended Japan withdraw without enforcement. Japan withdrew from the League Britain was pre-occupied with the war in Europe by 1939 leaving only the USA to block Japan s Pacific ambition for imperial expansion. Japanese / US relations had became severely strained when Japan invaded Chinese coastal cities in 1937. Roosevelt demanded Japan withdraw from China and Indo- China and blocked the sale of oil to Japan. Japan had the world s 3rd largest navy by 1937, as well as 2700 aircraft.
3. The failure of the appeasement policy England s Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain championed the appeasement policy though it was ultimately unsuccessful. History does not look favourably upon Chamberlain, but perhaps some historical empathy is needed.
4. Hitler s Aggression... Primary Document I came across a rare find - an unknown audio clip of an early speech of Hitler s I found in the archives. It could have alerted the appeasers!
Hitler s aggression...
Rhineland Sudetenland Czechoslovakia West Poland
Goering Himmler Goebbels
Hitler s / Nazi Aggression (12 points) 1. March 1936 - re-militarization of the Rhineland 2. October 1936 - Rome-Berlin Axis - signed b/w Italy and Germany in agreement to support Franco and his fascists in Spain. 3. 1936- Anti-Comintern Pact (Japan and Germany) 4. 1936-1939 Spanish Civil War Franco s Fascists (backed by Italy and Germany) fight Spanish Republican gov t (backed by communists and socialists)
Why did Germany get involved in Spain? Guardia Civil a prolonged war in Spain helped divert attention from Germany s ambitions in eastern Europe Hitler and Mussolini did not want a communist controlled gov t in Spain Hitler wanted to try out his new Luftwaffe & military tactics - Mussolini also assisted. Fredrico Lorca
5. Feb 1938 - Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg was summoned to Berchtesgaden (Nazi mountain retreat) where he was told he had to: release Nazi prisoners he d jailed assign Seyss-Inquart (a pro-nazi) as the Austrian Minister of Interior Schuschnigg went home. Hitler called Schuschnigg who snubbed Hitler a little by deciding to allow a plebescite (free vote) in March as to whether Austrians wanted to remain independent of Germany.
Schuschnigg - Hitler flipped
Anschluss 6. March 12, 1938 - Hitler would not allow a plebescite. Schuschnigg was forced to resign and was replaced by Seyss-Inquart. German troops rolled into Austria on March 12.
Czechoslovakia and the Munich Crisis 7. May 1938 - Conrad Henlein leader of Nazi Sudeten Party was asked by German Nazis to heighten his anti-gov t activities He was told to claim illtreatment by Benes (Czech president) Edvard Benes
The Czech crisis... 8. Sept 15, 1938 -Neville Chamberlain (England s PM) visited Hitler at Berchtesgaden where Hitler demands a Sudetenland plebescite to determine if Sudeten German s want to join Germany Chamberlain checked /w his cabinet and called French PM Deladier - got the thumbs up Chamberlain/Hitler 1938
9. September 22, 1938 - Chamberlain returns to Germany (Godesberg) where he is shocked by Hitler s new demand of the Sudetenland without a plebescite. Chamberlain was furious-returned home - mobilized his Navy while Czechoslovakia prepared 2 million army troops for war... Hitler was rattled and asked for another meeting in Munich
10 - September 29, 1938 - Munich Conference Benes was not invited Chamberlain, Mussolini, Deladier and Hitler signed the Munich agreement it gave the Sudetenland to Germany Hitler promised this was his last territorial ambition in Europe (enough lebensraum)
Neville Chamberlain Peace in our time...
Benes resigned... Edvard Benes signs the decrees
11 - March 1939, only 6 months later, Germany took over the remainder of Czechoslovakia. April 1939 - England and France assured Poland their support in the case of German attack. 12 -April 1939 - Hitler demanded the port city of Danzig - Poland refused. At this time, the Soviet Union was willing to ally with Britain / France but the latter were only showing mild interest.
13 - August 24, 1939 - the Nazi-Soviet Non- Aggression Pact was signed between Germany and the Soviet Union - no fighting between them for 10 years. secretly these 2 nations also agreed to divide Poland between them but Stalin should have paid attention to what Hitler actually said - revealing of the lack of a desire for long term relationship. This shocked the western world due to the polar opposite ideologies involved. Hitler s intentions were shallow.
14 - at 4:15 am - September 1, 1939 - banking on continued non-intervention from England and France, Hitler sent German troops to invade Poland with Blitzkrieg tactics... World War II had begun...
1. March 1936 - Hitler sends German troops into Rhineland 2. March 1938 - Germany unites with Austria Review... 3. Oct 1938 - Germany takes over Sudetenland (England & France concede) 4. March 1939 - Germany takes over the remainder of Czechoslovakia 5. Sept 1, 1939 - Germany invades Poland
Ex 2 a - f page 124
Assignment choices 1. Create a timeline of events leading to World War II. Include important agreements and events from 1935 Sept. 1939. Timelines must be titled. 2. Create a pile o notes on chapter 10 or this ppt. 3. Answer all assignments in chapter 8 and 10 of DeMarco (except ass t 5 p. 128) 4. Write and perform a song describing the causes of WWII. 5. Do that posta thang. 6. Or?