Reasons for Outbreak of WWII

Weakness of League of Nations
1. Failure of Disarmament
  1. Meant that powerful countries still had the military capacity for war
  2. Reasons: Major powers not cooperative Unwillingness to disarm Distrust among countries
    1. USA(not member) - commanded more respect than League Britain & France - refuse to compromise
      1. General atmosphere of distrust & tensions - WWII
  3. Examples: Washington Naval Conference,1921 (success) World Disarmament Conference, 1932-1934 (failure)
2. Abyssinian Crisis
  1. Common borders with British colonies, closer to Europe - more reason for LON to intervene when Italy invaded Abyssinia
  2. However, Britain & France did not want to make Italy enemy - resulted LON's failure to stop Italy & signalled its demise
    1. IMPACTS: Mussolini & Hitler even bolder in their ambitions
Hitler's Expansionist Policy
1. Withdrawal from the LON & Geneva Disarmament Conference
  1. Allows Hitler to pursue his aggressive foreign policy without objections from the LON & allowed Germany's rearmament
2. Conscription & Rearmament
  1. Massive rearmament programme - 550000 army
  2. Allies still have a stronger military than Germany - could keep Germany in check - However, pacifist mood & weakness of LON led Hitler free to transform Germany
  3. Remilitarisation of the Rhineland
    1. France & Britain did nothing - distracted by Abyssinian Crisis - Hitler had no resistance - standing increased tremendously - bolder
3. German Involvement in Spanish Civil War
  1. LON's lack of intervention strengthen Hitler's view that Britain & France were weak - more aggressive
4. German Unification with Austria
  1. Many Austrians & Germans wanted union due to TOV - Hitler pressurised the Austrian Chancellor to agree - Austria annexed - Germany achieved union without conflict (Britain & France did nothing) - Austria's resources at Hitler's disposal
5. Czechoslovakia
  1. Munich Agreement
    1. Britain.France,Hitler,Mussolini signed the Munich Agreement that Germany would gain control of Sudetenland - No fight - Hitler more ambitious
  2. Invasion of Czechslovakia
    1. Czechs & Allies didn't fight back - Hitler could not be trusted
6. Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
  1. Germany & Soviet Union wouldn't attack each other so that Hitler could take over Poland
7. Invasion of Poland
  1. Hitler demanded for Danzig & Polish Corridor - negotiatons broke down -Hitler invaded Poland - Britain & France declared war
Policy of Appeasement
1. Reasons
  1. Fear of another Major War -Britain & France not military prepared + disliked war
  2. Weakness of LON - ineffective in solving disputes - resulted British to adopt appeasement to satisfy Hitler
  3. Buying Time to Rearm
  4. Genuine Sympathy for Germany over TOV - too harsh - giving in to Hitler would help prevent another war
  5. Chamberlain's misjudgement of Hitler - thought Hitler was trustworthy - thought he would cease demands after controlling Sudetenland
  6. Fear of Communism - saw Hitler as a potential ally against communism
2. Examples
  1. Anglo-German Naval Agreement
    1. British allowed Germany to have navy - reduce German's anger & stabilise Europe - anger French & confused British - further encouraged Hitler to be more aggressive
  2. Lack of Action against Hitler's Acts of Aggression
  3. Munich Agreement
    1. Hitler more aggressive

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Reasons for Outbreak of WWII

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