THE CAUSES OF WORLD WAR II

1
THE CAUSES OF WORLD WAR II Yr11 Revision
2

• THE MAIN CAUSES OF WWII
• Treaty Of Versailles
• Appeasement
• Hitlers Foreign Policy
• Failure of the League of Nations
• The Nazi-Soviet Pact

3
THE LEGACY OF THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES All
Germans hated the Treaty of Versailles this
caused lasting bitterness. Hitler was able to
exploit this bitterness which helped him win
power in Germany in 1933, he promised to reverse
the Treaty and also to gain more lebensraum for
Germany. By the 1930s many in Britain felt that
the treaty had been too harsh and that Germany
should be allowed back some of its losses.
4

• THE FAILURE OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
• The League had been moderately successful in the
  1920s but faced with major international disputes
  in the 30s was unable to act effectively. This
  encouraged Hitler further in his actions.

• Manchuria
• Abyssinia
• Disarmament

5

• APPEASEMENT- WHY?
• Lack of public support for war
• Memories of WW1
• British armed forces not equipped to
  fight Nazi Germany
• The lack of support from the USA
• Many had come to believe the Treaty of Versailles
  was unfair
• Britain was in the grip of severe economic
  depression.
• The Govt was unsure as to whether it could rely
  on the support of the Empire.

6

• THE PROBLEMS OF APPEASEMENT
• It relied to much on Hitler keeping his word
• It allowed Germany to grow too strong in
  comparison to GB and France
• It scared the USSR Stalin believed that Britain
  and France would not stand up to Hitlers plans
  to expand eastward, therefore he pursed a
  separate policy which led to the NAZI SOVIET
  PACT.
• It encouraged Hitler to be aggressive