This lesson will focus on the causes of World War II involving the rise of Adolf Hitler. In order to understand the causes of World War II, you must first understand the impact of World War I. From 1914 to 1918, two major empires were embroiled in a deadly and destructive war that pitted the Central Powers against the Allied Powers. In the end, the Allied Powers prevailed, and both sides worked toward a peaceful resolution. There were many ideas on how to achieve peace.
American president Woodrow Wilson outlined a plan for world peace after the war. His plan included fourteen points of peace, the fourteenth being the creation of the League of Nations, an international organization created to maintain peace and handle international disputes. Germany was not allowed to join the League of Nations as punishment for its role in starting World War I.
French leader Georges Clemenceau and British leader David Lloyd George supported Wilson’s idea for the League of Nations, but it faced strong opposition from the U.S. Senate. In the end, the League of Nations proved to be unsuccessful; however, leaders were able to sign a treaty to bring about postwar peace.
Click here to read more about Wilson’s Fourteen Points.
Watch the following video and then answer the questions below.
Why was the Treaty of Versailles called the unhappy peace agreement?
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While the treaty ended the war, the Germans felt that the agreement was unfair, but they signed it anyway. British and French leaders wanted to use the treaty as revenge and to obtain reparations from Germany.
How did Adolf Hitler use the impact of the treaty to his advantage?
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Many Germans were angered by the terms of the treaty. When Hitler came into power, he channeled the anger of the people into strong nationalism.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919 and effectively ended the war. Some of the main terms of the treaty are listed below.
| War guilt clause (Article 231) | Germany was blamed for starting World War I. |
| Reparations (Articles 231-247) | Germany was required to pay more than six million dollars for war damages. |
| Disarmament & demilitarization (Articles159-213) | Germany was required to reduce its army and navy; Germany also had to limit the amount of weapons it had. |
| Territorial requirements (Articles 118-158) | Germany was forced to give up some of its territories. |
Click here to access links to the articles of The Treaty of Versailles.
The provisions of the treaty became the root causes of World War II. Those who wrote the treaty wanted to make sure that Germany would never start another war.
The terms angered the German people. Many Germans felt that the treaty was harsh and forced them to shoulder all of the blame for World War I. Germany could not afford to pay the reparations, and soon Germany was in the middle of an economic depression. The German economy all but collapsed, and inflation caused Germany to become virtually worthless. Germans became displeased with the government and elected a new leader, Adolf Hitler.
Hitler came into power during a time when European countries were recovering from the destruction of World War I. Many of the countries were politically and economically unstable. The people were looking for new leadership that would bring peace and stability to the region. The instability of these countries and the desire for new leadership led to the rise of fascism. This new phase of leadership would later lead to another destructive world war.
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