Breaking the Treaty of Versailles was not the cause of WW2, it was only the spark.

Background causes of WWII:

1. The Great Depression - people wanted hope.

Which led to the rise of Facism.

• Hitler promised people jobs jobs jobs. He promised everything they wanted.

• Facism is giving simple answers to complicated problem. simple solutions is what people wnat to hear.

2. Facist movement - in Italy and Germany

3. Weimar Republic had a weak democracy, which led to the rise of Hitler.

How Hitler consolidated power:

1. Nazi party elected plurality

2. Hitler is chancellor

3. Hitler declared a state of emergency when parliamanet were burnt (people think Hitler staged it) -> and suspended civil rights

4. Locked up his political opponents

   1. Rule of thumb: being locked up for political opposition is how you know we're no longer in a democracy.

5. Hitler changed the consitution to make him both president and chancellor. Now he is a dictator.

• he used the military to threaten others

4. Failure of the League of Nations

• Countries were reluctant to give much power to the League of Nations because that would diminish their own power. Similar to why the US signs so little treaties with the UN.

5. Failure to deal with racism

• The genocide of the Armenians in Turkey - set precedent for Hitler's treatment of the Jews

All we needed for a spark, the spark of Germany violating the Treaty of Versailles. Here's how that happened:

1935

Germany expands its military beyond the Treaty of versailles agreement 100k max. This is the first act Germany declaring it doesn't care about the Treaty of Versailles.

German territory now:



1936

Germany occupies the Rhineland, which is forbidden under the Treaty of Versailles. Britain decides it's not worth it to start a war over the Rhineland.

German territory now:



March 1938

Germany annexes Austria.

• This is called an "annex" not a "takeover" bc many people of Austria supported hitler and wanted hitler to take over. bloodless takeover.

• Event known as the "Anschluss"

German territory now:



October 1938

Germany takes over a component of Czechoslovakia called Sudetenland.

• Under human rights complaints that the germans living there (a minority) werent treated well



The Britain response: Chamberland and Hitler signed the Treaty of Eunuch an agreement that Hitler can takeSudetenland, but cannot take more.

There are famous pictures of Chamberland coming home waving the Treaty of Eunuch document, shouting "EUROPE WILL HAVE PEACE!"

March 1939

Germany invades the rest of Czechoslovakia, against the terms of the Treaty of Eunuch they just signed.



General pattern: Over the past 4 years, Germany wanting more and rest of Europe, particularly Great Britain, allowing Germany to do it. This pattern is called appeasement.

September 1939

Germany invades Poland.



This was the last straw. Britain declares war. France declares war. Canada declares war one week after Britain.