Causes of the Second World War Notes

Overview

1. Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, wanted to become powerful again after being harshly punished in the Treaty of Versailles.
2. Hitler broke the rules of the treaty, built up Germany’s military, and took over land from other countries.
3. Britain and France tried to avoid another war by letting him get away with it, a policy called appeasement. But Hitler didn’t stop.
4. In 1939, he made a secret deal with the Soviet Union and invaded Poland. That’s when Britain and France finally declared war, starting World War II.

Key Causes

1. Germany was punished harshly, leading to anger and calls for revenge.
2. Hitler’s foreign policy aimed at overturning Versailles, uniting all German speakers, and gaining Lebensraum (living space).
3. Britain and France kept giving in to Hitler’s demands (e.g., Munich Agreement 1938) instead of stopping him.
4. The League of Nations didn’t stop Italy or Germany in the 1930s.
5. Nazi-Soviet Pact (1939)
   1. Germany and the USSR agreed to divide Poland.
   2. Hitler invaded Poland days later.
6. Poland invasion
   1. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland.
   2. Britain and France declared war.

Key Events

1. 1939–40: Blitzkrieg ("Lightning War"): Germany used fast, modern warfare to conquer Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.
2. June 1940: France surrendered. Britain stood alone.
3. Battle of Britain (1940): The German Luftwaffe bombed British cities but failed to gain air control.
4. Operation Barbarossa (June 1941): Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. This opened the Eastern Front.

The Wartime Alliance (1941–1945)

1. The "Grand Alliance"
   1. Formed after 1941: Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States.
   2. Even though they had different ideologies (democracy vs communism), they worked together to defeat the Axis.