Reasons behind Second World War
1. Treaty of Versailles – The harsh treaty imposed on Germany after WWI caused resentment. Loss of territory and reparations led to economic problems in Germany.
2. Rise of fascist dictators – Leaders like Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo rose to power and aggressively pursued nationalist expansionist policies. Their ideologies led to conflict.
3. Failure of appeasement – Allowing Hitler’s demands at Munich in 1938 encouraged his invasion of Czechoslovakia. Appeasement was seen as a weakness by Hitler.
4. German expansionism – Hitler’s desire for ‘lebensraum’ or living space drove his invasions of nearby countries and violation of treaties. Remilitarization of the Rhineland, annexation of Austria, and invasion of Poland demonstrated this aggression.
5. Imperial Japan’s expansion in Asia – Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931 and China in 1937 to build its empire and gain access to natural resources. This brought conflict with the US.
6. Arms race and militarization – Competition among nations to continuously upgrade their military might and weapons technology created an environment conducive to war.
7. Alliance systems – Dividing Europe into two hostile blocks – Allies and Axis powers – increased tensions and made war more likely as countries were bound to protect their allies.
8. Economic factors – The Great Depression led countries like Germany and Japan to adopt aggressive economic policies that led to expansionist tendencies.
World War Two Timeline
World War II was the largest and deadliest global military conflict in history. It began in 1939 with Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland and lasted until the Axis powers’ surrender in 1945. The war engulfed Europe and Asia across bloody campaigns that resulted in an estimated 60 million deaths, including the systematic murder of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. This article covers World War II, a massive and devastating global conflict from 1939 to 1945. It explores its causes, key events, impacts on nations, and the aftermath.
Table of Content
- World War II
- Several key events and factors led to the start of the war:
- Beginning of World War II
- Expansion of the Conflict
- The Tide Turns Against the Axis
- End of World War II and Aftermath
- Reasons behind Second World War
- Course of event
- Impact
- Significance
- Related Articles
- Conclusion
- FAQs- World War Two