Seeds+of+War

​user:Sneed_rocks user:Kurt8938 user:GOSHDARNITMATT user:deeeekaaaay

** The Treaty of Versailles ** The **Versailles Treaty** that was signed and ended The Great War on June 28, 1919 left Germany with limited resources, lost land, a pitiful army, lost over seas colonies, a crippled economy that was unrecoverable, and the blame for the whole war pinned on them. The Germans were bitter about the exclusion from the League of Nations and they needed someone to blame the food shortages and constant payments to pay for their debts from the war on. user:GOSHDARNITMATT **The Great Depression** The crash of the United States economy after the 1929 Stock Market Crash caused fallout that reverberated through out the entire world. Germany was hit extremely hard by the Great Depression. It led to high rates of unemployment, civil unrest, poverty, and despair.

In Germany the Great Depression caused a 33 percent unemployment rate, and in the U.S. caused a 25 percent unemployment rate. A want for food and a steady job forced people to support dictatorships like those created by Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, and other totalitarians. In Germany the Nazi Party was losing its popularity. Due to the Great Depression, and unemployment, the Nazi Party experienced a surge in their membership. The Great Depression more than anything caused the rise of Hitler in Germany, and therefore WWII. user:Kurt8938

** Rise of Fascism **
**Benito** **Mussolini** had become of power in Italy with the Fascist party. He had believed in a very strict control in the industrial part and a strong central government. Fascism had been a reaction to the failure of the free market that use to exist, as well as the fright of communism. Communist Russia threatened Italian industrialists, landlords and owners of property. Italians were fearful of a revolution and that was manipulated to the Fascists needs.In 1935 Mussolini mad himself dictator of Italy and created the new standing Fascist country. Mussolini was trying to change the whole country of Italy's economy over to his Fascist policies, Mussolini was planning to use his economic power to control Italy and reshape the whole state into his own ideological beliefs. user:Sneed_rocks

**The League of Nations**  In order to prevent any sort of conflicts after the war, many countries thought it necessary to create a sort of “committee” which they would call “**The League of Nations**”. The goal of this committee was basically to oversee many countries and prevent any sort of warfare. The founding of it came from the basis for the Congress of Vienna and stemmed off of an idea by Woodrow Wilson. Although the U.S. never joined, the idea was still a big part of moving forward after the war. user:deeeekaaaay ** Expansion of Germany ** **Expansionism** was a certain doctrine that Germany strived for but was unsuccessful as other powers like France, Great Britain, and Russia at capturing and holding land off their own country’s soil. Germany also believed in making their country into a Greater Germany in this effect the nation tried to bring all German people together under a united Germany wherever it’s residence live. Some countries like Austria and Czechoslovakia believed in this same doctrine. user:GOSHDARNITMATT

**The Nazis Assume Power ** Hitler used the burning of the **Reichstag** building a month after he became chancellor to blame Germany's communist party and ban the political parties of Germany that opposed the Nazi Party. When the Nazis past the **Enabling Acts** on March 23, 1933, they successfully took control of Germany. Once Hitler’s rule was assured he went on to purge the Nazi Party. (Also called the **Night of the Long Knives**.) Now that Hitler didn’t have to worry about internal crisis he went on to persecute those who were deemed enemies of Germany. He created the **Nuremburg Laws** which forbade “Jew” to marry “Aryan” and stripped Jews of their citizenship in Germany in September 1935. The first Pogrom happened 3 years later. (Called **Kristallnacht** or **Night of Broken Glass**) It sent more than 30,000 Jews to concentration camps and killed more than a hundred. user:Kurt8938

** The Early Life of Adolf Hitler **  Adolf Hitler was born on the 20th of April, 1889 at a town inn. This town was called **Braunau am Inn** in the upper part of Austria–Hungary. Growing up, Hitler and his family moved many places including Passau, Linz, and Lambach. His father eventually tried his luck in farming and beekeeping at the beginning of his retirement. Although close with his mother, Hitler never became much more than a useless artistic boy to his father. He often beat Hitler and formed his son into the evil dictator he would become. Many psychologists agree that this was the main reason Hitler became who he was. Adding to Hitlers frustration, his father did not approve of his love for drawing; so he sent him to Reaschule Technical school. Hoping he would get out of it and he father would give in, Hitler purposely lacked any enthusiasm for it – this, of course did not work. When Hitler’s father died in 1903 (most likely from hemorrhage), his behavior at Reaschule became more disruptive. He was eventually expelled and moved to another school named Reaschule, this time in Steyr. Not changing any, Hitler went out drinking and got so drunk, he tore his school certificate up and used it as toilet paper. For the next couple of years Hitler found it a struggle to sell many of his paintings and even to get into the **Vienna Academy of Fine Arts** (rejected twice). It even became so tough, he often stayed in a homeless shelter for many weeks. user:deeeekaaaay

To get himself out of this situation, he joined the Army (U.S. equivalent). He served for both France and Belgium, alongside several other Germans. For the most part, he served in the upper part of battle and eventually became gassed. Because of this, he was sent to a field hospital where it was though he had an epiphany. Suffering from hysteria, Hitler found his purpose in life; to exterminate Jews. user:GOSHDARNITMATT

** Fear of Communism ** Due to the October Revolution most of the Germans feared the possibility of a communist like revolution will revolt in the country of Germany. To counter act this fear the Freikorps appointed the SA to extinguished the rebellions with constant street battles between SA and armed communist rebels. Germany first invaded the Rhineland. This was Hitler’s first step in his rule as Chancellor of Germany. Since both France and Germany weren’t ready to start another war, Hitler’s weak forces easily took over. Hitler also demanded that Czechoslovakia surrender Sudetenland back to Germany. The Prime Minister of Britain, Neville Chamberlain, during 1938 tried reaching an agreement with Hitler that wouldn’t end in war. Eventually the Munich Agreement was created which stated that Sudetenland would be handed over to Germany, so long as they wouldn’t invade the rest of Czechoslovakia. Hitler, who was not a man of his words, invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia in 1939. Despite requests for help from Czechoslovakia Britain and France took no action against Hitler. Everyone was afraid that Poland would be his next target. user:GOSHDARNITMATT  Germany’s Reclamation of Lost Countries ** Germany first invaded the **Rhineland**. This was Hitler’s first step in his rule as Chancellor of Germany. Since both France and Germany weren’t ready to start another war, Hitler’s weak forces easily took over. Hitler also demanded that Czechoslovakia surrender Sudetenland back to Germany. The Prime Minister of Britain, **Neville Chamberlain**, during 1938 tried reaching an agreement with Hitler that wouldn’t end in war. Eventually the **Munich Agreement** was created which stated that **Sudetenland** would be handed over to Germany, so long as they wouldn’t invade the rest of Czechoslovakia. Hitler, who was not a man of his words, invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia in 1939. Despite requests for help from Czechoslovakia Britain and France took no action against Hitler. Everyone was afraid that Poland would be his next target. user:Kurt8938
 * Lebensraum ** **Lebensraum** was the belief that Germany was inclined to expand it’s borders into other nations mainly in the East. Lebensraum was first used in Africa where the South African German colonies were held. Germany had many imperialistic motives behind the whole expansion and while Germany had colonies in Africa there were genocides against the local people of South Africa which historians believed gave the Third Reich the motives to murder the Jewish people. Due to the land lost after The Great War the German people had a personal stake in the gainin g of land ordeal. The concept of Lebensraum was first used in World War Two by Hitler was the annexation of Poland in 1939. user:GOSHDARNITMATT
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**<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Weimer Republic ** Established in 191, this parliamentary form of government was created in order to replace the current imperialistic one in place. Although never referred to as the "Weimer Republic" (the name given by historians), the "//Deutsches Reich//" as it was officially named, was formed because change needed to be made. This according to the people who saw if it their best interest to elect councils made up of soldiers, local leaders, etc. This revolution spread all throughout Germany, effecting many towns and cities. Feeling that they had to do something, the Majority Social Democrats (MSPD) started to lead the pack in this so called revolution. They soon demanded that Kaiser Wilhelm ll step down. After not doing so, Prince Max of Baden said the words for him and created the German Republic. Many thought that this proclamation should be stated by someone of a higher power, so on the same day of November 9, 1918, Karl Liebknecht announced a **Free Socialist Republic**. user:deeeekaaaay <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Munich Conference** The Munich Conference was an agreement allowing the annexation of Czechslovakia. the act is seen as a FAILURE of trying to please Germany. the Conference was held to agree with the Sudetenland territories the Adolf Hitler had demanded on his rage. The agreement was signed by Germany, Italy, France, and Britain. Sudetenland was very important Czechoslovakia, it was a great importance strategically. Most of Czechslovakia's defensive stations as well as banks were all in the Sudetenland. Britain and France gave the Sudentenland to Germany and th at was seen as Germany now having ALL of Czechslovakia because of the great importance. Fran ce and Britain did not expect Hitler to continue his demands and had failed to please Hitler.Hitler had broken the thought of pleased by taking apart the rest of Czechslovakia. The Conference of Munich left Britain and France looking dumb and weak.<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12.1pt;"> user:Sneed_rocks

As tensions were rising, an attack from Germany was in the horizon. Because of this tension, Chamberlain decided that action must be taken. On March 31st 1939, he declared in the House of Commons that if Poland was going to be attacked or threatened, surely Britain and France would assist them. A treaty of alliance soon came to form which included Poland, Britain, Greece, Romania, as well as Turkey. This, of course, did not stop Hitler's plan to take over Poland Hitlers only defense now lay on the shoulders of the Axis powers, He wanted Germany, Italy, and Japan to be against the Allied Powers and to support his efforts. Japan was reluctant to Hitlers plan though. Hitler turned to Mussolini and on May 22nd 1939, Hitler and Mussolini signed what was called the "Pact of Steel". The pact of Steel made it to if one country of the Axis power was in need of aid, the other countries must give it. Hitler thought that if he had this “bond” of his helping countries, it might degrade Poland and he might be able to take it over in its weakened state. The only country who still remained neutral was Russia. So, in 1939, the “Non- Aggression Pact” was signed and put into play. user:deeeekaaaay
 * Hitler-Stalin Pact **

​ "Causes Of World War 2." //World War 2 Insightful Essays//. Web. 31 Mar. 2010. []. "Causes of World War II -." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Web. 31 Mar. 2010. []. "Causes of World War Two." //History Learning Site//. Web. 31 Mar. 2010. []. "World War Two - Main Causes." //History on the Net Main Page//. Web. 31 Mar. 2010. [].
 * Bibliography **

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