Long term causes of World War 2?

Answer 1

The end of World War I was rather ambivalent. Most Germans had the impression that the German Army had never been beaten on the battlefield, which was not true. This was because the German government deceived the population concerning battle results, and censored mail from the front intended for soldiers' families.

The terms dictated to the Germans for ending the war were very harsh. France and England owed millons of dollars to the United States for the costs of the war, so they made Germany accept blame for the war in the peace treaty (the Treaty of Versailles) even though the war was started when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Germany was also forced to pay enormous war reparations (money) to reimburse the allies for those costs. This caused the German economy to collapse in the 1920s, when the rest of the world was enjoying a boom period.

Many in Germany held the opinion that Germany could have won the war, except that they were "stabbed in the back" by certain elements on the homefront. The "elements" who were most often blamed were intellectuals and communists (ironic since it was the Germans who helped Lenin get back to Russia to spark the Revolution of 1917, which took Russia out of the war). In their opinion, these people were traitors to Germany.

As in most countries at that time, anti-Semitism ran rampant in Germany. It was perceived that Jews were the bulk of "intellectuals" and "communists". Thus, the thinking of those Germans who subscribed to the "stab in the back" theory was that Jews were responsible for losing the First World War. This is why Jews were persecuted and committed to genocide by the Nazis.

So, with so many Germans believing that they should have won WWI, that they were never defeated in battle, that they were "stabbed in the back" by intellectuals, communists, and Jews, and with their economy struggling, the Nazis had the perfect opportunity to take over the country. By promising to return the country to prosperity and to avenge the injustice of the Treaty of Versailles, they convinced enough people to believe in them.

Hitler took power in 1933, and later disregard the Treaty. He stopped paying reparations, then annexed Austria and Czechoslovakia (England and France just let him do it) under the theory of "Liebensbram" (living space). All the while he was re-building the military for the next war, again violating the Treaty, but helping the German economy by putting people to work.

He aided Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War to promote Facism in Europe and gain experience for his army and air force. Finally, he invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 to start World War II.

So the long-term causes are, in my opinon: 1- Anti-Semitism, 2- Misinformation given to the German people during WWI causing many Germans to feel that they hadn't really lost that war, 3 - A belief that Germany needed to expand its borders, 4- economic hardship caused by the Treaty of Versailles.

Answer 2

The causes of World War II took its roots in the peace settlement of 1919-1920, at the end of the first world war. The peace had solved many problems, but created just as many. The Allied heads of state allowed annexation German territory and creating satellite states out of the eastern European empires. In doing so, the peace-makers created more bitterness/conflict. The Versailles treaty proclaimed the principle of self-determination for the people of eastern and southern Europe. But the new states that were formed by the treaty crossed ethnic boundaries, created new minorities without giving them protection, involved political compromises, and didn't meet many of the expectations they had raised. These unsteady new boundaries would be redrawn by force in the 1930s and became a long-term cause of World War 2.

Another long-term cause was how the Allied powers kept up the naval blockade against Germany after the end of fighting. This forced the new German government to accept unfavorable terms that deprived Germany of its political power in Europe and burdened the German economy with the bill for the conflict in a "war guilt" clause. This blockade, as well as its effects, angered many humiliated Germans.

A third long-term cause of world War II was the failure to create lasting, strong standards for peace and security. Diplomats spent a decade after Versailles trying to restore these standards. But, despite the many attempts of these statesmen, none had any great influence. Each nation tried to include special provisions and exceptions for their own interests. Had the League of Nations been organized better, it might have solved some of these tensions between nations. But the League never really included everyone, with Germany and the Soviet Union excluded most of the time and the United States never involved.

And, finally, a fourth, but very important, long-term cause would be the economy. The depression of the 1930s intensified economic nationalism. As means of solving unemployment and slow business, governments imposed high tariffs in an effort to preserve the home market for their own products. Financial investments within a nation were guarded very carefully. In Germany, the Great Depression was the final blow to the Weimar Republic. In 1933, Nazis came into power and promised national renewal. Fascist states believed that public works were the answer to mass unemployment, so highways, bridges, and railroads were created in Germany (also marking the start of a new arms race).

Overall, this economic hardship, political weakness, and an unstable peace treaty undermined international stability in the long-term.

Answer 3

Hitler :]]