CAUSES OF WORLD WAR II

Treaty of Versailles 1919

League of Nations established as part of US
President Wilsons plan in this treaty
LoN would be made up of countries to work
together to make decisions to settle disputes
peacefully
This treaty greatly angered Germany; they were
forced to take full responsibility for WWI

Rise of Fascism 1930s

Belief that dictatorship was needed to achieve
greatness; only one political party, and no
democracy
Dissenters were imprisoned without trial or
executed
Heavy use of propaganda to influence people;
want them to believe that militarism and
imperialism would create greatness
Benito Mussolini in Italy; Adolf Hitler in
Germany

Japan invades Manchuria 1931

Japan becomes more militaristic in order to
expand their influence and territory
In 1931, this Chinese province is invaded; China
appealed to the LoN, but LoN did nothing
member countries were in the midst of the
Great Depression and preoccupied with their
own economic problems

Munich Conference 1938

1938, British PM Chamberlain met with Hitler in

Munich to discuss the matter of Czechoslovakia
Hitler promised to stop his demands if Britain &
France agreed to let Germany take over the
Sudetenland
This take over was agreed to, in return for a
written promise from Hitler to make no more
territorial ; even Czechoslovakia agreed (with
pressure from B & F)

Isolationism 1920s/1930s
The attitude of minding ones own business
Many countries turned to this policy because
they didnt want to be involved with other
countries
With many countries not involved in the affairs
of others, they also were either unaware or
unconcerned with any problems that were
beginning in places like Germany
Appeasement 1930s
Giving in to the demands of a dictator in order
to avoid war
Most people wanted to avoid war at all costs
(WWI was still very fresh in the minds of
people and world leaders!)
No one thought another war like WWI could
happen again
Great Depression created so many problems
that countries had little energy or resources to
deal with other concerns
Many people were afraid of the spread of
communism; hoped that dictators would attack
Russia and destroy
Italy invades Ethiopia 1935
Italy changed sides in war (B & F promised it
more territory when war was over
Italy was disappointed with the terms of the
ToV; expected more territory than was given
In 1935, Italy invades this African country, who
appealed to the LoN, who in turn did nothing;
dictator Mussolini becomes more popular in Italy
Germany invades Czechoslovakia 1939

This country was a neighbour of Germany

There were 3 million German-speaking people
living in the Sudetenland, which had never been
part of Germany
Sudetenland was rich in resources and factories
and acted as a natural protector to the rest of
Czechoslovakia
Nazi troops marched in, in March 1939, ceasing
to be an independent country

1. Whichcausedoyouthinkismostsignificant?Why?(refertoyoursignificancecriteriafromthe
beginningoftheterm)

2. Selectanytwo(2)eventsanddiscusstheirconsequences.