The road to the Second World War (15/5/24)

• Treaty of Versailles


  • Harsh punishments on Germany, including territorial losses, military restrictions, and massive reparations (payments for war damages) many felt were unrealistic
  • Ignoring self-determination, as President Woodrow Wilson's idea of self-determination (allowing ethnic groups to form their own nations) wasn't fully followed, creating new tensions in Central and Eastern Europe
  • Focus on punishing Germany rather than creating lasting peace, which fueled a desire for revenge
  • Weakening of Austria-Hungary, a large empire, creating several new countries with unresolved ethnic tensions, further contributing to a sense of chaos in Europe
• Harsh punishments on Germany

  Resentment and economic hardship, seen as contributing factors to the rise of Nazism and World War II
• Ignoring self-determination


  Created new tensions in Central and Eastern Europe, where newly formed countries had ethnic minorities within their borders
• Focus on punishing Germany


  Humiliation and anger in Germany fueled a desire for revenge
• Weakening of Austria-Hungary


  Instability further contributed to a sense of chaos in Europe
• World War I dramatically reshaped the map of Europe:

  • The Austrian-Hungarian empire was split into six new countries(Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland, Romania)
  • The Soviet Union(former empire of Russia) lost territory to the new Baltic states and to Poland.
  • Poland got parts of Germany; bugger against Bolshevik Russia
• How did class polarisation facilitate the rise of fascist forces in Europe? Include a European example in your answer.

  As a result of class polarisation in Europe, the Adolf Hitler’s German Reich and Musollini’s Italy was in rise. Due to class polarisation widened by the Great Depression many seeked a leader that will bring them out of poverty back and make Germany(Hitler) or Italy(Musollini) prosperous again for all.
• What factors explain the appeasement politics towards Adolf Hitler? Fear, pacifism, economic depression, Treaty of Versailles.
• Factors that contributed to the appeasement of Adolf Hitler in the 1930s

  • Fear of Another World War
  • British Public Opinion
  • Misjudging Hitler's Intentions
  • Weakness of France
  • Internal British Concerns
  • Focus on Communism
• Fear of Another World War

  The Great Depression had left Europe economically and emotionally fragile. Memories of the horrific casualties of World War I made many leaders desperate to avoid another conflict at all costs. Appeasing Hitler seemed like a way to maintain peace.
• British Public Opinion

  Public opinion in Britain, especially among the working class, strongly opposed war. Many believed Germany had been unfairly punished by the Treaty of Versailles and were sympathetic to their desire to revise it.
• Misjudging Hitler's Intentions

  Some leaders, like British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, believed Hitler's territorial demands were limited and could be satisfied through concessions. They hoped appeasement would prevent a wider war and allow time for Britain to rearm.
• Weakness of France

  France, Britain's main ally, was hesitant to confront Germany alone. They had suffered greatly in WWI and were not prepared for another war.
• Internal British Concerns

  Britain also had concerns about its vast empire. They worried that war in Europe would lead to rebellions in their colonies, which they were already struggling to control.
• Focus on Communism

  Some leaders viewed the rise of communism in the Soviet Union as a bigger threat than Nazi Germany. Appeasement of Germany was seen as a way to contain Soviet expansion.
• Appeasement is now widely seen as a failed policy
• The stab-in-the-back myth was a false belief widely held in Germany after World War I. It claimed that Germany didn't lose the war fair and square on the battlefield. Instead, the theory went, Germany was betrayed by its own people on the home front.

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• • How can we explain that both Hitler and Mussolini rose to power via democratic and peaceful ways?
  • They have risen in power by trying to attract poor people to vote for them. Due to class polarisation back then in Italy and Germany which was deepened by the Great Depression. Hitler in Germany and Mussolini in Italy rose in power by spreading the idea of a better life for the poor and more equality. People went for it so they rose in power, but when they got to power both of the leaders started using a lot of propaganda to manipulate their people and spread their ideas across Europe.