Important causes for the World War II

The Treaty of Versailles

Germany had been humiliated by her defeat in the World War I and by the Treaty of Versailles she had lost majority of her precious lands to the Allied Powers. Germany had to give away Polish Corridor, Dazing, Memel Territory, and Upper Silesia. Other economically rich lands like Saarland and the Rhineland was placed under the administration of France. The Germans were bitter over the loss of lives, property and land and the problems of relocation and was waiting for an opportunity to take retaliate.

Failure of the League of Nations

The League of Nation was a total failure as it was a powerless body that could not take immediate action or prevent wars .Moreover, not all nations joined it. For instance, America being a world power after the World War I did not join it as the Republicans party that won elections after the war was not in favor of America being a member of the League of Nations. Even Russia was not permitted to be a member of the League of Nations as it was moving towards Communism Besides, Germany was punished for initiating the War and so was not given membership in the League of Nations.

The World War I and the Great Depression

The consequences of the World War I was severe and there was massive loss of life, property and economy from which most of Europe never recovered. America became a super power after the war and other European countries started to depend on America for foodstuff, financial and industrial support. These countries soon rebuilt their economy and normalcy was restored. With industrial revolution, there was mass production and fall in prices. Soon industries started to layoff employees as the goods were not being sold and as a result unemployment started to rise. On October 24, 1929, the Wall Street Stock Market at New York crashed. And people sold their shares at the best possible price thus incurring a huge debt. This had adverse consequences.

• Banks in America and in other countries went bankrupt
• Countries imposed high import duties to protect their home economies.
• The Commonwealth nations were formed by Britain which included former colonies like Canada and Australia
• America became isolationist
• Russia on the other hand developed her economies while the west suffered economic crisis
• Germany under Adolph Hitler took advantage of the situation, rebuilt the country and began his aggressive and racist policies
• Japan too went on a loss due to the depression which destroyed her silk market in America
• Military leaders took control over Japan during this time and attacked China with a hope to get raw materials for her industries and market for her finished goods.

When America entered the World War II, countries were sure of a victory and as such the focus was on providing the army with arms and ammunition to win the war rather than on economic depression which had almost came to an end.

Rise of Adolph Hitler in Gemini and Benito Mussolini in Italy

Both Adolph Hitler and Mussolini followed aggressive policies in order to build their empires. Under Adolph Hitler, German began an expansionist policy .He secretly built a strong army, air force and made it compulsory for the people to join the military service. In addition, Hitler was aware that the League of Nations was not a strong body to take immediate action and that other countries would not interfere after the World War I, Hitler reoccupied Rhineland without much difficulty. In 1936, Hitler also entered to an agreement with two important nations; one was known as the Rome-Berlin Axis Pact, which allied Hitler's Germany with Mussolini's Italy and the other was the Anti - Comitern Pact which allied Germany with Japan. Next, he marched his troops to Austria in 1938, where the people were willing to be apart of the German Union. When Austria asked Britain, France and Italy for aid none of them dared to come to support Austria. Hitler then demanded that Sudetenland be handed over to him. To appease Hitler, Germany, Britain, France and Italy on September 1928, signed the Munich Agreement by Hitler would be allowed to take only Sudetenland region and not the rest of Czechoslovakia. However, over ceding the agreement, Hitler occupied the whole of Czechoslovakia in 1939 and none of the Great Powers intervened in this matter. After this, Hitler's troop marched to Poland on 1st September 1939 and occupied it again without much resistance from other powers. In Italy parliamentary form of government was overthrown by Fascists under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. He like Hitler glorified war and brut force. He too believed in aggression and was a true match to Hitler in Germany. These two dictators allied in the Rome - Berlin Axis and along with Japanese warlords tried to conquer their neighbors through open war.

Rise of Japan as an imperialistic power

Japan had plans to conquer large areas of China and also the islands in the Far East. To this ,United States stood against Japan's violation international treaties, destroying the freedom of China and Japan followed a policy of militarism and attacked China under the slogan Asia for the Asiatics. disrupting America's interest in the Orient. By this time, Japan had entered into an alliance with Germany and Italy and was ready to carry out her imperialistic plan of capturing as many countries as possible. In 1941, United States wanted Japan to withdraw troops from China and Indo China. But in reaction, Japan suddenly bombed Pearl Harbor on December7,1941 thereby attacking Americans and British outposts in the far East. This triggered America to join the World War II.