http://www.johndclare.net/peace_treaties1.htm
- great website covering Treaty of Versailles, events at the Paris Conference, and outcomes for the future
http://ww2db.com/intro.php?q=5
Why did WW2 start?
Although each of the regional wars of WW2 began for a different reason, it is generally understood that WW2 was started because of Axis aggression.
In Europe, the cause of WW2 could be traced 20 years earlier. At the end of WW1, the Treaty of Versailles failed as an instrument to maintain peace as it seemingly served the agenda of depriving Germany of her status as a sovereign nation. Such deprivation, along with the subsequent hyperinflation and global economical depression, set up the grounds for the rise of the Nazi Party. Many scholars note that Europe might had saved had the Western Allies abandoned the policy of appeasement, which was done in the interest of curbing the expansion of communism. Prompt action committed by the Western Allies against Germany might had removed Adolf Hitler from power, hence possibly lessen the scale of the war.
Additionally, the Nazi Party's racist agenda also provided Germany a distorted justification for their brutal occupation policies.
Italy, which fought on the side of the victors in WW1, believed she deserved much more territorial gains than it received at the end of that conflict. This led to Italy's belief that her invasions against Abyssinia, Albania, and Greece were justified.
In Asia, Japanese expansion led to a brief confrontation with Russia and a full-fledged war against China. The primary motivation was to acquire natural resources to feed the rapidly growing Japanese industry and military. The western imperial powers had long been fueling their industrial might by exploiting their colonies, but Japan, late to the imperial game, always had to import raw materials from abroad. The subsequent Japanese expansion into the South Pacific was Japan's attempt at establishing her base for raw materials, particularly oil, and this attempt brought it directly against the interests of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States.
Why did WW2 end the way it did?
WW2 ended with an Allied victory after Germany and Japan surrendered in 1945. The main reason for the eventual Allied victory was more so economic in nature than military. The Allies possessed vast manpower, raw materials, and manufacturing capacity, something the Axis could not match. As the war dragged on, the Axis powers simply could not handle the seemingly endless supply of weapons that the Allies could bring to the front.
From: http://www.johndclare.net/RoadtoWWII_Great_Depression.htm
ReplyDeleteThe Great Depression and WWII
Did the 1930s Depression cause the war?
There is no doubt that the Great Depression helped to bring war:
1. Unemployment
Mass unemployment (eg Germany) and poverty (eg Japan silk workers) caused great anger = people put in power/accept right-wing, dictatorial governments who told them their country was superior and it was OK for them to take what they wanted by force. It was the kind of thing they wanted to hear in the circumstances. 25 countries became dictatorships 1929-39.
2. America
America called in her loans to Germany. This caused the collapse of Germany industry = led directly to Hitler’s rise to power.
3. Politics
Many leaders know that, when things get bad at home, one way to stay in power is to turn people’s attention to foreign affairs/ direct people’s hatred against other countries/ to have a few successes in foreign policy = more aggressive, nationalistic foreign policy.
4. Empire-building
In the atmosphere of cut-throat economic trade, the answer of countries like Japan & Italy was to build an empire – this would secure their supplies of raw materials and natural resources. Countries like Japan ( Manchuria), Italy ( Abyssinia ) and Germany (eastern Europe), therefore, set about building an empire = international conflict and tension.
5. Self Interest
Countries who were prepared to be philanthropic during the 1920s, could not afford to give way during the 1930s = countries left the League instead (eg Japan over Manchuria ). Self-interest destroyed the international co-operation ideal of League of Nations .
6. Britain and France
We
re suffering too – that was one reason why they did not send an army to Manchuria or impose sanctions on Italy over Abyssinia (could not afford). Again, that was a reason they did not begin to rearm against Hitler in the 1930s = appeasement/ failure of League of Nations .
http://gawker.com/5061694/20-movies-about-the-first-great-depression-to-watch-during-the-sequel
ReplyDeleteOne person's choice of 20 great movies set during the Great Depression.
I think it is missing "Pennies from Heaven" and "Days of Heaven"
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWitaly.htm
ReplyDeleteExcellent account of Italy in the years leading up to and during World War II
http://www.helium.com/debates/176733-was-the-treaty-of-versailles-fair/side_by_side
ReplyDeleteSeries of editorial debates about the fairness of the Treaty of Versailles between different authors.