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Nothing was the same; what was left behind was mourning and nightmares. September 1, 1939, a day that changed the history of the world, a day that created a devastating situation for many countries. It was the beginning of World War II. The war that lasted six years, it brought hardships, pain and suffering to all involved and to the history of the world. What happened to cause the Second World War? The two primary causes of the war were the failure of the League of Nations and the rise of a dictator in Germany. One of the main causes of World War II was the failure of the League of Nations.
The League of Nations was an international organization that resulted from Wilson’s fourteen points, to help keep world peace. Unfortunately, the League of Nations failed in maintaining peace and could not prevent the breakout of another World War. The League of Nations proved a failure for many reasons. They could not resolve the worldwide economic crisis, the Great Depression in the late 1930’s. Also, they were unable to control wars after World War I. For instance, Japan was one of the members of the League of Nations; it declared war against Manchuria in 1931.
The League of Nations tried to solve Japan’s war issues. As a result, Japan quit the League of Nations, creating a lack of unity. Countries like Britain and France abandoned the concept of collective security for the appeasement, which let Adolf Hitler build a German military. Also due to the lack of an armed force, the League of Nations could only rely on economic sanctions. These were the League’s main weapon and used occasionally, but the sanctions could not be forceful enough without the help of the USA.
Perhaps the biggest source of weakness of the League of Nations was the absence of the superpower of the United States. Without the United States, a major economic and military power, the decisions made by the League were less effective. The greatest failures of the League was not stopping Hitler’s remilitarization of the Rhineland, occupation of the Sudetenland and Anschluss of Austria, which had been forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles. Britain completely ignored these actions. This was the start of the appeasement.
The second cause of World War II was the rise to power of Adolf Hitler in Germany. After World War I, the Great Depression deepened in Germany during the early 1930s. Many Germans blamed their country’s economic woes on the Treaty of Versailles, which forced Germany to give up territories, resources, and pay reparations. The number of unemployed grew; people were desperate for an effective leader that could strengthen Germany. Looking for a way to rebuild, Adolf Hitler emerged at the perfect time. He promised to get people back to work, and undo the Versailles Treaty.
In a time of chaos, people chose to trust and support Hitler. Therefore, Hitler and the Nazis were successful in the elections. The number of Nazi seats in the Reichstag rose from 12 in 1928 to 230 in July,1932. In 1933, Hitler came to power, and made Germany a dictatorship. In 1936, Hitler ordered German troops to enter the Rhineland, disobeying the Treaty of Versailles. France and Britain were not prepared to start another war. Hitler’s next step was to begin taking back the land that had been taken away from Germany.
In March 1938, German troops marched into Austria. Hitler promised that Anschluss, annexation of Austria, was the end of his expansion. The other countries ignored Hitler’s actions. Hitler did not keep his word and six months later demanded the possession of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia. Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of Britain, met with Hitler during September 1938 to try to reach an agreement that would prevent war. The Munich Agreement stated that Hitler could have the Sudetenland but he must promise not to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia.
Once again, Hitler did not keep his promise and in March 1939 invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. Hitler had lost all credibility. France and Britain believed that Poland would be his next target, and they promised that they would take military action against Hitler if he invaded Poland. Chamberlain believed that faced with the prospect of war against Britain and France, Hitler would stop. Chamberlain was wrong. German troops invaded Poland on 1 September 1939, beginning WWII. Many different positions, peace or power, can cause a world war.
With so many powerful individuals, all wanting something different, it was just a recipe for disaster. The two primary causes of World War II; the failure of the League of Nations and the rise of Hitler were related to each other. Hitler played an important role in starting the war, but without the failure of the League of Nations to stop Hitler; Hitler’s power would have thwarted and World War Two could have been prevented. ———————– Annie Wang 2011-10-12 History 12