Causes Of WW2

Question 1

What were the main causes of World War II? (13)

Answer 1

• Conflicts between communism and fascism.
• Build up of armaments.
• Weakness of the league of Nations.
• Hitler’s aims and foreign policy.
• The Nazi Soviet pact.
• The worldwide economic depression.
• The Treaty of Versailles.
• Appeasement.
• Italy and Japan is foreign policy.
• Absence of the USA.
• British and French self interest.
• Spanish Civil War.
• Lack of trust between Britain France and the USSR.

Question 2

German Rearment 1933-36 events:

Answer 2

• 1933: Hitler tells generals the army will be trebled, Oct: withdrawls from Geneva and the League
• 1934: tries to take over Austria but stopped by Mussolini
• 1935: March; saar returned, Luftwaffe had 2500 planes + 300,000 soldiers
• 1936: 7th March; remilitarisation of the Rhineland, 16th March: conscription reintroduced, Nov: anti-comintern pact

Question 3

What was the ‘Stressa Front’ (1935) and why did it fail?

Answer 3

• Agreement between Italy, France and Britain to stand united against the remilitarisation of Germany
• Failed because of vague terms

Question 4

The Saar: why was it valuable, what happened to it and what were the effects?

Answer 4

• Value: coalfields, factories, railway centres
• 1935 plebiscite: after 15 years, referendum to reamin under the League of go back to Germany
• Results: 9/10 wanted to return to germany
• Help to Hitler: valuable land, boost to ego, helped reputation, peaceful

Question 5

What was the ‘Anglo-German Naval agreement’ (1935) and why was it hypocritical?

Answer 5

Stating: Germany could rearm up to 35% of Britain’s navy
Justification: they were going ti do it anyway
Hypocritical: two months before, Britain signed the Stressa Front

Question 7

What was the ‘Remilitarisation of the Rhineland’ (1936) and what were the effects?

Answer 7

• Hitler broke the T. of Versailles and put troops on the Rhineland.
• Timing:
  • League was busy with the Abyssinian crisis
  • Franco-Soviet Pact was signed to surround Germany.
• Hitler’s pacts: with the allies to show he wasn’t a threat and just wanted to protect its own land. Claimed the Treaty was unfair.
• Lack of reaction:
  • The League was busy with the Abyssinian Crisis
  • Britain thought Germany’s actions were justified
  • French had built the Maginot Line so they felt safer
• Effects:
  • Hitler succeeded.
  • He gained control back over the Rhineland
  • Learnt France wasn’t willing to fight and that Britain sympathised
  • Was worth another gamble

Question 8

Why did other countries enter the ‘Spanish Civil War’ (1936-39) and what did they collaborate?

Answer 8

• Attraction:
  • war between similar ideologies (fascist vs communist)
  • Oppportunity to try out new artillery, planes, techniques,…
• Involvement:
  • Germany: 16,000 soldiers, 6,000 aircraft, £0.5 million, tanks,
  Condor Legion: 45 fighter planes, 45 bombers, 3 dive-bombers.
  • Italy: 73,000 soldiers, 760 aircraft, 160 tanks, 18,000 guns.
  • USSR:1000 soldiers, 1000 aircraft, 900 tanks, 1500 guns+ammunition
  • International Brigades: 40,000 foreign soldiers.

Question 9

What was the ‘Rome-Berlin Axis’ (1936)?

Answer 9

Agreement between Italy and Germany to work together in present amd future conflicts.

Question 10

What was the ‘Non-Intervention Committee’ (1936)?

Answer 10

An agreement between Britain, France and 27 other countries (including Germany and Italy) to not get involved in the Spanish Civil War.

Question 11

What were the effects of the Spanish Civil War on Europe?

Answer 11

• Strong alliance between Germany and Italy.
• Testing ground for ornaments.
• Non-intervention committee showed Britain and France’s weakness.
• USSR lost faith in Britain and France to stand up to fascism.
• Divided from surrounded by three fascist powers.
• Divert attention from Hitler’s actions.
• Germany gained access to Spanish resources.
• International Brigade is boost support for a war against fascism.

Question 12

What was Autria like after the war and why did many Austrians want to be united with Germnay?

Answer 12

• It was a divided between left and right. In 1934 for a short Civil War began and there were riots in the streets.
• Many people supported Hitler because most Austrians spoke German and wanted to join it.

Question 13

What happened in Austria in 1934 and what were the consequences?

Answer 13

• In July 1934, after the short Civil War, a Nazi group of right-wingers tried to take over the government, killing chancellor Dollfuss.
• There was also an attempted Anschluss, however it was stopped by Italian troops at the border.

Question 14

How did Mussolini’s attitude towards Austria change between 1934 and 1937?

Answer 14

• In 1934, Italy was not an ally of Germany, and when it attempted and Anschluss, Italy was firm on stopping it.
• However by 1937, Italy was now an ally, which meant that the Chancellor of Autria had no protection from the Germans if they were to invade Austria.

Question 15

What did Hitler do when he met with the Chancellor of Austria in February 1938 and what did it result in?

Answer 15

• He threatened Schuschnigg for hours, and handed him a list with the 10 demands.
• The main demand was that an Austrian Nazi, Seyss-Inquart, must be given the post as minister of interior, giving Hitler control over the police.
• In retaliation, Schuschnigg organised a plebiscite in which the answer to the question was bound to say yes, making Hitler think twice before invading Austria.
• Hitler then demanded the vote be postponed and the Chancellor resign, because if not, German troops would storm Austria.
• Schuschnigg and every minister resigned except Seyss-Inquart.

Question 16

How was Hitler ‘invited’ into Austria in 1938?

Answer 16

• After resignation of every Minister, Seyss-Inquart, now Minister of Interior had the power over the police and matters of the state.
• On the 12th of March 1938, he invited German troops to cross the border.
• Hitler was greeted with cheering.

Question 17

What’s happened after Hitler entered Austria in 1938? (Opponents and plebiscite)

Answer 17

• The gestapo arrested Austrian opponents of Nazis and send them to prison camps or killed them.
• 183,000 Jews were deprived from civil rights.
• In March, a plebiscite was held in which people decided whether they wanted the Anschluss or not.
• During the vote, German soldiers entered the to intimidate and guarantee victory.
• 99.75% voted for the Anscluss, however the results were clearly rigged.

Question 18

How did the major powers react to the ‘Anschluss’ (1938)?

Answer 18

• Italy: no protest
• France: protested but no force
• Britain: protested but no force. However, strated to rearm.

Question 19

How did the ‘Anschluss’ (1938) strengthen Hitler’s position?

Answer 19

• Got Austrian soldiers, weapons, gold, iron ore,…

- Showed strength of Germany and self-interest of Allies.

Question 20

How did the ‘Anschluss’ (1938) threaten Czechoslovakia?

Answer 20

• Czechoslovakia was now surrounded by Germany and Austria, meaning it was vulnerable from attack.

Question 21

What was the German People’s party in Czechoslovakia, who led it, and what did they want?

Answer 21

• A political party in the Sudetenland
• Led by Konrad Hentein
• Main demand was to transfer the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia to Germany.

Question 22

Why was the Czechoslovakian government unwilling to give the Sudetenland away?

Answer 22

• Very valuable industry, raw materials
• Strategic defence area
• If they did then other ethnicities in Czechoslovakia would ask for independance.

Question 23

What was Hitler’s plan to invade Czechoslovakia?

Answer 23

• Konrad Heinlein, financed by Nazis met with Hitler. Hitler openly supported him.
• In April 1938, Hitler told Heinlein to make impossible demands for independence, which the Czech government would certainly reject
• That way, violent riots could be staged.
• Demonstrations and murders took place to make it look as if the government had no control over the Sudetenland.

Question 24

What were the risks/not of Hitler’s plan to invade Czechoslovakia in 1938?

Answer 24

• Czechoslovakia was well equipped for war.
• It had powerful allies.
  + French were unwilling to fight and it would take 2 years for them to prepare for war.
  + Soviets were more ready but had political and economic difficulties and a war with Japan.

Question 25

What was the policy of appeasement?

Answer 25

To avoid fighting a war, Britain would agree to any of the demands that seemed reasonable made by Germany.

Question 26

Why was the policy of appeasement followed by Britain? (8)

Answer 26

• Britain couldn’t afford another war.
• It couldn’t have found its own empire against war.
• It had too many enemies.
• France and the USSR or USA when is ready to support Britain.
• Bombing of cities was now possible.
• Harsh Treaty of Versailles: reasonable demands.
• Needed time to rearm.
• Hitler wanted to stop communism.
• Fear of repeating horrors of World War I.

Question 27

Why should Britain not have followed the policy of appeasement?

Answer 27

• Germany didn’t have an army as strong as the Allies did.
• The Russians could help defeat Germany.
• Appeasement meant agreeing to many unjust demands.
• Trusting Hitler was proven to be unwise.
• In appeasement, a powerful country took advantage of a small country.
• It would give Germany more resources.

Question 28

What was the meeting at Berchesgaden?

Answer 28

• 15th of September 1938, Hitler and Chamberlain met at Berchesgaden.
• Hitler demanded the transfer of the Sudetenland to Germany.
• Chamberlain agreed that areas with more than 1/2 a million Germans should be handed over after a plebiscite.
• Chamberlain persuaded the French and Czechs to agree.

Question 29

What was the meeting at Bad Godesberg?

Answer 29

• 22nd of September 1938, Chamberlain and Hitler met at Bad Godesberg.
• Hitler demanded for troops to be allowed in the Sudetenland and to give land to the Poles and Magyars.
• Chamberlain refused and started to prepare for war.
• Last moment: Hitler agreed to talk, Mussolini propose a conference.

Question 30

What was the meeting at Munich?

Answer 30

• 29th of September 1938: Britain, France, Germany, Italy (Czechs and USSR not invited) meet.
• Chamberlain agreed for Sudeten land to be given, if not the Czechs would fight alone.
• Hitler promised to make no more territorial demands and never to go to war with Britain (‘Piece of Paper’).
• 1st of October: Germans march into the Sudetenland.
• Poles and Magyars march into Teschen and Slovakia and sieze 10,000 km² of territory.

Question 31

What was Hitler’s plan to invade Czechoslovakia (1939) amd what did he do in March 15th?

Answer 31

• The German government would claim that Germans in Bohemia and Moravia were being ill treated by Czechs.
• It would claim that they had lost control and that Germany had to intervene to avoid a civil war.
• Hitler bullied Hocha, the president, into allowing German troops into Czechoslovakia by threatening to bomb Prague.
• 15th of March: German troops marched into Prague and made Bohemia and Moravia a ‘protectorate’.

Question 32

Which area did Hitler seize on March 23th, 1939 and why and what was his next target?

Answer 32

• German troops occupied Memel, a German port seized by Lithuania in 1923.
• This was because it had a border with West Prussia, which was Hitler’s next target.
• Hitler wanted control of the Polish Corridor given to Poland in the Treaty of Versailles

Question 33

What was the Polish guarantee?

Answer 33

• 29th of March 1939, Britain promised Poland that it would protect itagainst any threat to its independence.
• The French government also joined in.
• Didn’t scare Hitler: only four days later, he gave secret orders to his Armed Forces to get ready and invade Poland by the 1st of September.

Question 34

What was the ‘Pact of steel’ (1939) and what were Britain and France’s reactions?

Answer 34

• 22nd of May 1939:Hitler and Mussolini signed the Pact of steel, strengthening the ties between their countries. They agreed to help each other in times of war.
• As a result, Britain and France guaranteed Greece and Romania that they would protected its independence.

Question 35

Why did the British and French approach the USSR in 1939?

Answer 35

• Because of Germany’s threat to Poland the only country that was able to defend them what is the USSR.
• Britain and France wanted Russia to help to defend Poland and they thought that because Russia was Communist, it would make sense for them to fight against German fascism.
• They also wanted Russia on their side because if a war came, Germany would need to divide its forces in two fronts.

Question 36

Why did Stalin not trust Britain and France in 1939, what did he propose and what was the reaction?

Answer 36

• He had been left out of the Munich conference.
• Suspected he was being used for their own advantage.
• Stalin proposed a full military alliance, promising to fight together in war.
• However, the British and French had doubts because they disliked communism, and thought the Russian army wasn’t ready to fight.
• Therefore, the negotiations went very slowly and didn’t achieve anything.

Question 37

What did Germany propose Russia in 1939 and why did it agree to this?

Answer 37

• The British and French were asking Russia to fight for Poland, and the Germans were asking the opposite – to agree to not fight with anyone over Poland.
• Hitler offered Stalin half of Poland if he agreed to not defend it.
• Russia agreed to sign the Nazi Soviet pact because:
  • It had economic and political problems
  • It couldn’t trust Britain and France to help it at war
  • It wanted part of Poland

Question 38

What did the ‘Nazi-Soviet Pact’ (1939) states and how did it help Hitler?

Answer 38

• Stated: If the USSR agreed not to fight Germany over Poland, they would get half of its territory.
• Advantages to Hitler:
  • Germany didn’t have a war at two fronts
  • It didn’t have to fight Russia over Poland

Question 39

What were the aims of Italy’s foreign policy?

Answer 39

• Rebuild the Roman Empire.
• Build up Italian Armed Forces.
• Create alliances with other countries.
• Show other powers Italy was a force to be reckoned with.

Question 40

What were Italy’s actions before Abyssinia?

Answer 40

• It received 50 million lire in compensation as a result of the Corfu incident in 1923.
• Mussolini extended Italian influence to the Balkan areas with treaties.
• It’s signed the Locarno treaty in 1925 and the Kellogg- Briand Pact in 1928.
• It prevented the Anschluss in 1934.

Question 41

What were Italy’s actions after Abyssinia?

Answer 41

• 1936–1939: Italy sent troops to the Spanish Civil War.
• Italy signed the Rome Berlin axis in 1936.
• Italy joined the Anti-Commintern Pact in 1937.
• Left the league of Nations in 1937.
• Mussolini allowed Germany to take control of Austria in March 1938.

Question 42

What were the events of Italy’s road to war?

Answer 42

• September 1938: Munich conference proposal.
• April 1938: Italy invades Albania.
• May 1939: Park to the steel with Germany.
• June 1940: Italy enters war

Question 43

Why did Japan follow an aggressive foreign policy in the 1930s?

Answer 43

• Influence of the great depression: reliance on imports and wanted to secure a raw materials.
• Influence of military: aggressive expansionists controlled the government.
• Desire of an Empire: in East Asia.
• Threat of USSR in the West: Anti-Commintern Pact 1936.
• Defeat of France and Holland: colonies with raw materials open to attack.

Question 44

What did the Japanese expansion between 1932–34 consist on?

Answer 44

• Japanese took provinces in North China as buffer zones (they were rich in raw materials).
• Japanese vs. Soviets along a 2000 km border from Korea to outer Mongolia.
• Aman declaration 1934: Japan had special rights in China / no other country could intervene in East Asia.

Question 45

What were the three policies the Armed Forces wanted of the Japanese government to follow?

Answer 45

• Navy Chiefs wanted to take over Pacific Islands and coasts for roaw materials.
• Strengthen Manchuria and North China for war against USSR.
• Occupy more of China: rivers, valleys, cities,…

Question 46

What was the ‘Anti-Comintern Pact’ (1936)?

Answer 46

• Comintern: International Communist Organisation.
• Pact 1936: Between Germany and Japan. React to developments, agree to oppose communism, and consult if attacked by USSR.
• 1937: Italy joins.

Question 47

What was the ‘Marco Polo bridge incident’ (1937) and what were the consequences?

Answer 47

• July: Japanese provoke Chinese into a fight on the Marco Polo bridge near to Beijing.
• Japanese attacked bases in Beijing and occupied the city.
• Followed by a full scale invasion of China southwards.
• 1938: 1 million Japanese troops in China – reign of terror.
• Not full control – not enough men.
• Nationalists in cities and Communists in countryside.

Question 48

What was the international reaction to Japan’s invasion of China?

Answer 48

• League: comdemned Japan, advised to cut trade - ignored.
• Britain:
  • Had valuable trading links in Asia (e.g. Shanghai).
  • No military force – 10 weeks for the battlefleet to reach Singapore.
  • Japanese attacked a Royal Navy ship in 1938, but British only demanded an apology and compensation.
• USA: had valuable trading links and stood neutral towards foreign affairs.
• USSR:
  • 1937 – signed non-aggression pact with China.
  • Soviet forces in the border were reinforced.
  • Battle of Nomaham in 1939.