The Causes of WWII
Please note: This is not a history of the war, it is a history of
events leading to conflict in Europe and will end at Pearl Harbor, when
what began as a European War truly became a World War. All efforts have been made
to ensure that this is factually correct, but there may be mistakes. If anybody has
nodes on events during this period, /msg me and I will hardlink them in. More writeups will follow.
One: The End of WWI and the Treaty of Versailles
War Poetry: For the Fallen;
The Next War
When WWI ended in 1918 (armistice 11am, 11/11/1918), the powers involved in
the war had differing motives. As WWI was ‘the war to end wars’, all involved
hoped that a total war like that would never happen again. One cause of Germany’s
surrender is attributed to American President Woodrow Wilson’s ‘14 Points for
Peace’ Plan, which ensured that Germany would be treated well. The victorious
Allied Powers all had different aims, with France (Clemenceau) wanting Germany
weakened so it could never attack again, Britain (Lloyd-George) wanted Germany to
pay but not become an outcast, and the USA (Wilson) lasting peace. In 1919/1920,
however, when the victors and Germany met in the Hall of Mirrors (Palace of
Versailles, France), Germany received a ‘diktat’, the Treaty of Versailles.
The Treaty (critical comment alongside)
- Demilitarised zone along the river Rhine (Relied on German goodwill after
1920)
- Disarmament - no tanks, subs or airforce, 100 000 men in army (Only Germany
was forced to disarm)
- Union of Germany and Austria (anschluss) forbidden (Ignored by Hitler in
1938)
- Allied troops to occupy the Rhineland for 15 years (Germany was forced to pay
costs)
- Alsace and Lorraine returned to France (German iron ore lost)
- Northern Schleswig given to Denmark
- Poland gets West Prussia, Posen and Silesia (Division created by ‘Polish
Corridor’, industry lost, seven million Germans lost)
- Danzig and Memel ruled by the League of Nations as mandates
- Germany forced to admit ‘War Guilt’ (Unfair to place all blame on Germany. The
Deutsche Zeitung said in an article “...Never forget it!... today German honour
is being dragged to the grave... there will be vengeance for the shame of 1919...”)
- Germany to pay reparations to Allies (Massive amounts of money that Germany
could not pay)
The Treaty was over 200 pages long, and had 440 Articles. Germany had no choice
but to sign, as the Allies threatened immediate invasion. The ex-German
Kaiser,
William, said “The war to end war has resulted in a peace to end peace.” German
bitterness over this harsh treaty was one of the causes of WWII. Hitler (on the Treaty
in
Mein Kampft) said “Each one of the points of that Treaty could be branded in the
minds and hearts of the German people until 60 million men and women are aflame
with rage and shame...”
Onwards! The 1920s in Europe...
Sources:
- World War II History Workbook :- Debra Francis
- LWON - History - International Relations - The Origins of World War II :-
George Bowen
- The Treaty of Versailles (photocopy)
- Mein Kampft :- Adolf Hitler
- Various photocopied sheets of statistics and poetry