Essay – Causes of World War 2
Causes of World War 2 Essay: World War II or the Second World War was a violent strife that occurred from 1939 to 1945. The second great war polarized the world into the Eastern and Western camps. The Eastern camp was the Axis powers of Germany, Italy and Japan who were up against the Allied forces of the Western camp consisting of France, Great Britain, the United States of America, the Union States of Socialist Republics and China in the later stages of the war.
Discussion
The causes of World War II can be traced back to the results of World War I which ended with the signing of The Versailles Treaty on 28 June 1919 between France, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Germany with sanctions imposed on Germany to diminish their navy and army to a mere 100,000 personnel and levying international taxes on Germany’s industrial areas like the Rhineland, relinquish their colonies and exclusion from the League of Nations formed on 10 January 1920. In addition, Germany was solely held accountable for the human and material losses caused by World War I and was compelled to compensate for the losses financially.
The League of Nations was formed on 20 January 1920 as an international organization that could collectively solve disputes and threats of violent conflicts amongst the member nations after World War I. Despite having intentions of establishing peace, the League of Nations was futile for not every country joined it and it did not have an army of its own to solve aggressive disputes like its successor United Nations Peacekeeping force.
The League of Nations was unsuccessful in preventing Italy’s occupation of Ethiopia in Africa or China’s occupation of Manchuria in China.
While most European countries like the United Kingdom and France adopted democratic forms of government, other nations such as Italy and Germany stated that a non-democratic government advocates for people’s wants and needs more efficiently. The growing favouritism for ultra-nationalism and militarism, totalitarianism or fascism resulted in Benito Mussolini establishing the first European dictatorship in Italy in 1920.
The Nationalist Socialist or Nazi Party under the leadership of Adolf Hitler adopted a racial version of fascism. The fascist forces of Germany were determined to avenge their nation for the humiliations of the Versailles Treaty and reinstate their Aryan racial superiority on the world stage. Hitler became the chancellor of Germany in 1933 subsequently establishing him as the dictator of Germany. In 1941 Hitler declared an extermination war against slavs and Jews who he claimed to be racially inferior.
Hitler instructed the invasion of Czechoslovakia as documented in the Munich Agreement of September 1938. England and France approved Germany’s annexation of the German-speaking regions of Czechoslovakia as an attempt to check the spread of communism from Russia. Contrary to their beliefs Germany annexed the whole of Czechoslovakia leading to the imminent second World War.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Second World War was a result of Germany’s humiliation due to the Versailles Treaty, increasing ultra-nationalistic sentiments in Germany and Italy, and the failure of the League of Nations to prevent any conflicts between nations after the mass-scale human losses of the first World War. England and France’s ignorance of Germany’s annexation motives were catalysts for World War II.
FAQ related to Causes of World War 2
Q1. Which nations were involved in World War II?
Ans: The Second World War polarized the world into the Eastern and Western camps. The Eastern camp was the Axis powers of Germany, Italy and Japan who were up against the Allied forces of the Western camp consisting of France, Great Britain, the United States of America, the Union States of Socialist Republics and China in the later stages of the war.
Q2. Why was the League of Nations formed?
Ans: The League of Nations was formed on 20 January 1920 as an international organization that could collectively solve disputes and threats of violent conflicts amongst the member nations after World War I.
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