Causes of World War II

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Table of Contents

Introduction and background of the study
Statement of the problem
Major causes of World War II
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction and background of the study

The World War II was a result of national tension among the superpowers of the World War I (Duiker & Spielvogel 24). There are numerous explanations about what caused the World War II. Historians and scholars link the World War II with the unsolved disputes of World War I.

However, modern research on history shows that the major causes of World War II were political imbalance, economic stress and the need for military supremacy (Hart 43). Lack of political agreement among the victors of World War I in Europe is explained as the main cause of World War II.

The World War I had left many countries in Europe helpless and they relied on the victors for their political and economical survival. During that Germany, Britain and France were very influential in Europe and controlled both political and economic activities in the region and other parts of the world (Henig 22).

After the World War I, several political and economic issues were left unsolved and countries in Europe continued to compete for political, economic and military supremacy. This was as a result of the superpower’s desire to extend their territory and acquire more resources to replace what was lost in the World War I.

Additionally; Europe was experiencing hard economic times after the 1930s Great Depression (Roberts 88-89). Consequently, countries ignored the political structure established after the World War I and started invading the weaker ones making them their territories. Although there are several factors that directly and indirectly contributed to the rise of the World War II, lack good political structures was the major cause (Conrad Stein 89).

Statement of the problem

Immediately after the World War I, most of the countries in Europe were left disorganized both politically and economically. The influential ones such as France, Germany and Britain did not make effective political agreements that could unite all the survivors of the World War I (Conrad Stein 115).

Each of them struggled alone to re-establish itself and become the leader of the others. Although some of the countries in Europe tried to unite the victors of the World War I so that they can maintain global harmony, countries like Germany and Japan failed to support the move and went ahead attacking other countries in order to increase their economic and military superiority. For instance, in Europe Germany invaded Poland while in Asia Japan invaded China.

On September 1^st 1939 the German troops led by Hitler invaded Poland contrary to the warning given by France and Britain. Consequently Britain and France declared war on Germany after failing to address the matter politically with Hitler (Conrad Stein 127).

Major causes of World War II

Lack of global political balance among the World War I victors was the major factor the led to the rise of the World War II. After the World War I, the global community did not establish effective political strategies that could regulate the superior from exploiting the inferior ones (Plowright 62).

On the contrary, all the victors of World War I embarked on invading the less powerful countries in order to extend their territories and improve their economic abilities and military superiority. On the other hand, some countries such as France, Britain and Italy were not in support of superior countries invasion of the inferior ones and were ready to do everything possible to stop such moves.

This was the reason why Britain and France declared war against Germany and Japan thereby propelling a war among them and their supporters (Gruhl 117). Therefore the desire by the Germans under Hitler to conquer other countries and the desire by the Japanese to expand their territory was the key cause of the war in Europe and subsequently the World War II.

The idea of political imbalance among the leading nations after the World War I was also a contributing factor to the World War II. After the World War I, the superpowers from Europe established a political agreement that all nations, regardless of their political, military and economical abilities, should respect the sovereignty of every nation.

However, severe sanctions were put on countries such as Japan and Germany to prevent them from cruel activities witnessed during the World War I. Countries such as Britain and France ensured that the peace agreement signed treated the Germans harshly in order to put their brutal leader, Hitler, in control.

For instance, the agreed peace treaty restricted the German military, reduced its territory both in Europe and in oversea colonies. Worst of all, Germany was required to pay a penalty of over $33 billion as war damages. Following the great depression in Europe,

The sanctions put on Germany in a severe situation and Hitler was not ready to adhere to the demands of the treaty. He therefore re-organized his country and Germany was ready for the war (Plowright 115).

One of the political agreements that were formed after the World War I is the League of Nations. However, there was a problem of appeasement and isolation among the member nations that made the agreement unsuccessful in preventing another war to occur. The truth is that after the World War I, the peace treaty made was unfair to the Germans and this made it even worse because the Germans believed that they were never defeated during the World War I.

Although the Germans were the ones who introduced the idea of the peace treaty after the World War I, they their leaders made the people believe that they had not lost in the battlefield (Finney 45). On the other hand the super Powers failed to make the League of Nations a success. This allowed the likes of Germany to re-organize themselves and declare war on other countries. There was no political support from the superpowers to push through the peace treaty (Henig 80).

The political system that existed in Europe after the World War I was based on the ideologies of few leaders who valued their personal interest and that of their individual nations before those of the international community. Every country in Europe had its own political interests in the treaty and this made individual like Hitler to break the treaty.

Consequently, Britain and France declared war on countries that failed to respect the treaty and the end result was the World War II. Some countries in Europe had also given in to the political requirements of the superpowers whereby they weakened their military hoping that there could be no more war in the future. This made it easier for Germany and other countries that were ready for the war to invade them (Finney 116).

Formation of the League of Nations after the World War I to solve international disputes is also another major factor that led to the rise of the World War II. The league was formed on political grounds and most of the leaders involved in its formation had national goals in mind and very few had international interests.

The league was also formed by the superpowers of the World War I in order to protect their own interests and avoid further invasions. Some of the influential countries such as the USA isolated themselves from the league and this made it to lack political support that could make it effective.

The process of admitting members of the league was also made on political grounds and this made it to lack international support. Countries like the US embarked on the politics of isolation after the World War I. Leaders in the US did not bother much with the international politics and this made it possible for countries in Europe and Asia to continue with the war (Dowswell 73).

The politics of the time were based on nationalism, totalitarianism, and Fascism. The fascists supported the use of military in order to achieve national goals and international cohesion. These included the likes of Italy, Germany and Japan among others. Leaders such as Hitler, Mussolini, Italy and the Japanese imperialists were based on expansionism. They wanted to conquer many territories as possible countries and expand their power and territory (Finney 146).

Conclusion

It is evident from the study that most of the causes of World War II were politically driven (Eubank 98). Although some economic and military factors also contribute to the war, it is the lack of proper international political systems that allowed some leaders to use their military against other nations. Consequently, countries that felt invading other nations was unfair opposed the move using military means and this graduated to the World War II.

Works Cited

Conrad Stein, R. World War II in Europe: From Normandy to Berlin, NJ, United States: Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2011 print.

Dowswell, P. The Causes of World War II, New York, NY, United States: Paw Prints, 2008 print.

Duiker, W. J, & Spielvogel, J. World History: Since 1500, New York, NY, United States: Cengage Learning, 2008 print.

Eubank, K. World War II: Roots and Causes, New York, NY, United States: San Val, Incorporated, 2006 print.

Finney, P. Remembering the Road to World War Two, New York, NY, United States: Taylor & Francis, 2010 print.

Gruhl, W. Imperial Japan’s World War Two: 1931-1945, NJ, United States: Transaction Publishers, 2010 print.

Hart, C. The Second World War: 1939 – 45, CA, United States: Evans Brothers, 2007 print.

Henig, R. B. The Origins of the Second World War: 1933-1941, KY, United States: Taylor & Francis Group, 2005 print.

Plowright, J. Causes, Course and Outcomes of World War Two, New York, NY, United States: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007 print.

Roberts, P. World War II: The Essential Reference Guide, CA, United States: ABC-CLIO, 2012 print.

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