3 Long Term & 3 Short Term Causes of WWII

Long Term Causes:

1. Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations -

• Extreme reparations, especially on Germany
• Become a mode for strong countries to band together against weaker, less autonomous nations
• Lack of action on world threats as opposed to promises in articles of confederation
  
• Cause of extended nationalism - unify Germany against Europe
  

2. Militarism/Industrialism/Nationalism -

• Buildup of forces to fight and increased aggression
• Competition for resources and material goods
• Increased nationalism in the race for heightened economy
• Lead to competition and desire for DOMINATION!!!
  

3. Post-WWII Division of Land -

• Losing countries of WWI angry due to loss of land that was rightfully theirs
• Change in boundaries and borders leave people of other nationalities in new countries, also put arguing political groups in same country
• Leave countries such as Germany desiring to reclaim their rightful land
  

Short Term Causes:

1. German Rearmament -

• Germany's increase in armed forces cause European countries to rearm due to the German threat
• Europe viewed the rearmament as a call to war, almost, at least as a threat
  

2. Annexation of Land (German & Italian) -

• Germany's continual aggression in the reclamation of land (Rhineland and Sudatenland)
• Italy attacks Ethiopia
• Europe fear all out war - both countries test their boundaries
  

3. Hitler's Invasion of Poland -

• Germany cross the line by invading Poland, thus forcing Britain and France
  to declare war
• Europe feel betrayed
  

WWII Origins Document Summaries / OPVLs

Document 3.2 - Hitler's view of the Versailles Treaty

Summary: Hitler believes that the Treaty of Versailles was a tactic to repress Germans from freedom. He believes that the Germans must stand up to the treaty to break from the treachery.

OPVL: This source is from Adolf Hitler's novel Mein Kampf ("My Struggle") written while imprisoned. The purpose of this document is to elaborate his opinions regarding the outcomes of the Treaty of Versailles as well as outline his goals for a powerful Germany of the future. Through this document, Hitler also aims to convince others to unify under his idealism and for affected citizens to get angry about the German struggle post-WWI. The value of this source lies in it's ability to demonstrate Hitler's aims and objectives in his own words. Also, this source accurately shows Hitler's power of persuasion. This source is limited, historically because it lacks perspective or context. This source also is fogged by personal bias and persuasion.

Document 3.4 - Reparations against Germany: an American view

Summary: The document discusses that the magnitude of the reparations were large and created great strain on Germany. The writer believes that due to the severity of the Paris Peace Conference, German psychology has dwindled adding political complications.

OPVL: This source is a written opinion by J. F. Dulles, an American delegate at the Paris Peace Conference. The purpose of this document is to discuss the magnitude of German reparations and the author's opinion regarding the severity. This document is valuable because of it's first hand perspective of the Paris Peace Conference and its outcomes. This source is limited, however, because it does not express the general opinion of an entity, but rather a personal digression. Also, the source lacks historical context and perspective and is written informally and therefore gives less broad of historical insight.

Origins of WWII Notes (pg. 53 - 64)

The League of Nations and the Limits of International Cooperation, 1919-33

• League of Nations founded to: 'respect and preserve against external aggression the territorial integrity and existing political independence of all members' and 'take action aginst any member regarded as an aggressor'
• started from Paris Peace Conference
• US senate block US entry - take away from the credibility of the League of Nations
• failed to implement Geneva Protocol of collective military action

The World Disarmament Conference

• 1932 - 61 nations and 5 non-members aimed to set limits on army, air-force, and naval weapons
• Germany left conference and would only return if given equal treatment - October 1933, Germany leave the League of Nations

The Political Climate of the Weimar Republic

• 'German Problem' - Europe agreed that peace could only be secured if Germany could accept the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
• Weimar Republic deeply flawed - constitution (Article 48) gave the president the power to rule without parliamentary support in an emergency - heavily depended on the power of the military

The 'Great Inflation' and Reparations

• WWI borrowing led to financial crises - blamed on Germany
• Reparations became a large controversy - Germany unable to pay

The Dawes Plan and the Treaty of Lorcano

• Germany decide to take conciliatory approach to the Treaty of Versailles to inspire revision
• April 1924 - Dawes Plan - Germany make annual payments in return for a loan raised in US, France never use force to gain payment
• 1925 - Treaty of Lorcano - Germany accept the terms of western frontiers from Versailles in return for the end of occupation of the Rhineland, no inspection of the German military, and Germany join the League of Nations
• Stresemann's real goals: end reparations, liberate Germany from occupying forces, and readjust eastern frontiers

The Threat to German Decocracy: Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party

• Problems simmering - German recovery dependent of US loans, political bitterness, and middle class anger over economic losses
• Hitler's 4 aims ('Mein Kampf'):

1. destroy the Treaty of Versailles
2. gain territory ('Lebensraum') in East Europe
3. include German-speakers in the 'Third Reich'
4. create 'racially pure' dominant Germany

The Wall Street Crash

• WWI create instability in world currency, high government debts, breakdown of trade, lack of investment capital, unemployment, and high inflation
• World economy too dependent on the stability of US economy

The Manchurian Crisis

• 1930 - growth of military dependency and collapse of parliamentary democracy in Japan
• Sept. 1931 - Japanese military occupy Manchuria - China ask for League of Nations help, but denied - start to create lack of faith in the League of Nations

Hitler's Rise to Power

• Germany: unemployment rise, economy collapse, instudtrial production fall, political catastrophe
• 13 March, 1932 - Hitler challenge von Hindenburg for presidency - defeated - Reelection 31 July, 1932 - Nazi Party the largest in Reichstag
• 30 January, 1933 - von Hindenburg make Hitler the German chancellor