Context of the Second World war

• When did WW2 begin

  When Germany invaded Poland on 3rd September 1929, 21 years after the end of WW1
• Alliances

  Germany was in an alliance with Italy and Japan, known as the Axis powers. Allies. 

  Britain and France joined together as the 
• What did the USSR and Germany sign

  A non-agression pact, known as the Nazi-Soviet Pact in August 1939

  • The USSR united with the Allies in 1941 when Germany broke the pact and invaded Russia. The USA did not enter the war until December 1941 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. They also joined the Allied forces.
• Orthodox view on the beginning of WW2

   Many historians have argued that Hitler’s foreign policy (a governments strategy in dealing with other nations) was intentionally aggressive. They state that he followed a careful plan for expansion in the 1930s. He broke the Treaty of the remilitarisation (moving military forces back into an area) of the Rhineland and Anschluss (the German term for the union of Germany and Austria) with Austria. These historians believe that Hitler prepared for the possibility of war. The evidence for this is Germany’s large-scale rearmament programme.
• Other perspective of the start of WW2

  Perspective criticises other world leaders. Revisionist historians don’t believe Hitler wanted a war+argue Hitler was a normal German leader in his foreign policy aims. The Great Depression increased support for Nazi Party. Key LON eg Britain+France didn’t have money/desire to stand up against aggressive nations. thus League was weak. Many leaders exploited this. Japan invaded Manchuria+Italy claimed Abyssinia. In a political environment of militarism+nationalism, Hitler’s actions didn’t stand out. They were similar to other extremist/autocratic leaders.
• More perspectives for beginning of war

  Revisionist historians believe that the Treaty of Versailles caused the war. The treaty was harsh enough to make many Germans hate it but weakly enforced. Both consequences allowed Germany to rebuild its power. 

  Some historians believe in elements of both arguments. They state that Hitler was a strategist with clear foreign policy aims. However, he would not have achieved these aims without the weakness of European leaders and the failure of the League of Nations.