Causes Of World War II

1)      The origins of World War II lie in the Treaty of Versailles. The penal clauses of that Treaty inevitably meant a hostile Germany that would, given the opportunity, attempt to redress its grievances.

2)      The unavoidable failure of the League of Nations in Manchuria and Ethiopia meant the end of collective security and, consequently, a return to the principle �might is right.�

3)      The policy of appeasement encouraged Hitler to continue his plans for the expansion of the Reich. In particular, the attitude of the Western power at Munich confirmed his opinion that they would not go to war with Germany in defence of an Eastern power.

4)      Agreement between Britain and France and the Soviet Union would have prevented the outbreak of war. This agreement proved impossible only because of the fear and suspicion of Communism in Government circles in Britain and France, who must, therefore, take responsibility.

5)      Nazism meant war: once Hitler had come to power in Germany, a European war was inevitable as the aims and creed of Nazism were bound to conflict with those of other countries. One or more of these would ultimately attempt to resist Hitler.

6)      The creation of a series of weak states in Eastern Europe, especially ones that could not even agree with each other, brought about the war as it meant there was no state, or �bloc� of states, to oppose Hitler in the very area that he had stated he planned to conquer.