Outbreak of WW2 in Europe Flashcards
Reasons
Weaknesses of the League of Nations
Appeasement
Hitler’s Expansionist Policy
What are the weaknesses of the LoN?
(Back of end of WW1)
Structural weaknesses
- Limited membership, (Only WW1 victors as permanent members, US did not join)
- Authorisation of any action requires unanimous vote by 2/3 vote, hard to obtain vote for any decision
The League lacked the backup of member nations with powerful economies and militaries
Could not enforce sanctions that would devastate the aggressor nation’s economy and might
Could not deter them from starting conflict. As a result, the sanctions enforced were often weak and had little impact, which emboldened aggressor nations to continue sparking conflict.
Many LON members economically and militarily weak
Due to WW1 and the Great Depression in 1929 - stock market crash in the NY Stock Exchange. The USA, world’s largest economic and military power at the time, did not join the League, as they refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles and preferred to solve conflicts on their own terms. Germany and the Soviet Union were not allowed to join until much later, due to Germany’s WW1 involvement and fears of communism.
Lack of authority & credibility
- Could not stop aggressor nations
- Could not stop Italy, Japan & Germany from their expansionist goals
- 31/ 40-odd nations in the LON, taken part in the war on Allies’ side. The League also did not have its own army and the working r/s between the General Assembly and the Council not clearly defined.
(EL) Lacked credibility - overwhelming presence of Allied countries, and was naturally biased towards the allied countries than the axis. This made the league untrustworthy and unreliable in resolving disputes. Moreover, the League could not agree with each other to make decisions and enforce sanctions - ineffective in solving conflict.
(EL) It lacked authority -> insufficient power to enforce strong military sanctions on aggressor countries that would devastate their economy and deter them from starting conflicts. Sanctions would have little to no impact, emboldening them to continue terrorising other countries and causing conflict.
Failures of LoN
Failure of Disarmament
(EV) World Disarmament Conference: Germany insisted on matching other powers’ armament level -> France refused to disarm -> US and UK refused to commit to the level requested by France.
General unwillingness to disarm & compromise their own military capabilities-> prioritised protecting national interests and defend against aggressors.
Failure of disarmament -> aggressors still retained capacity for war -> was no deterrent to stop them from engaging in conflicts on large scale.
Contributed to a tense atmosphere of distrust and tension -> war in Europe.
Key failures of League in the ’30s
Japan set up a puppet government in Manchuria named Manchukuo,
League refused to recognise it, wanting it returned to China
Japan left LoN & continued pushing into China
impt Italy invaded Abyssinia in 1935 -> LON placed an embargo on rubber and metal, and not on arms -> not fully implemented as no country wanted war with Italy / would mean alliance with Hitler.
Britain did not impose a naval blockade at Suez Canal.
- Lacked strong member nations to enforce strong sanctions.
No strong economic sanctions -> weak sanctions -> little to no impact.
Emboldened Hitler and Mussolini, Japan that the LON will not take action to stop him -> war in Europe.
Hitler’s expansionist policy a)
Withdrawal of LoN & World Disarmament/Geneva conference
Hitler demanded that France disarm to the level of Germany or Germany should be allowed to rearm to the level of the French.
The French objected -> excuse to withdraw from the conference and LON.
It was not bound by the League or obliged to accept the League’s decisions.
This allowed Hitler to pursue his aggressive foreign policy -> rearmed Germany -> enhanced its military capabilities -> achieve expansionist aims of establishing a greater Germany by conquering other countries.
Hence, this brought Germany into direct clashes with other countries -> higher tensions -> war in Europe.
Hitler’s expansionist policy b)
Conscription & rearmament
TOV: no airforce, 100k soldiers, limited navy
By 1935, 2500 plane Luftwaffe
300k army, (planned for 550k)
Rearmed Germany -> enhanced its military capabilities -> more capable of starting wars -> further enabled Hitler to carry out his expansionist policies -> conquering nations.
Heightened tensions -> brought Germany into direct conflict with the Allies -> war in Europe
Hitler’s expansionist policy c)
March 1936, Hitler remilitarised the Rhineland.
He used the signing of the Franco-Soviet Pact to justify the remilitarisation as a defence action against possible threats from France and the USSR.
The LON condemned Hitler’s action but did nothing else as it was distracted by the Abyssinian crisis.
Further emboldened Hitler to carry out his policy & continued to demand for more
Hitler’s expansionist policy d)
Involvement in Spanish Civil War
Hitler sent soldiers and warplanes to support Spanish Nationalist forces.
The LON took no action against Germany.
Also, the lack of intervention by Britain and France strengthened Hitler’s view that they were weak and reluctant to stand up against aggression -> emboldened him -> war.
Hitler’s expansionist policy e)
Anschluss
German-speaking Austrians supported Anschluss -> 99.75% voted to unify 2 nations.
In reality, Hitler wanted to get access to the resources in Austria (e.g. coal, iron, gold) to boost Germany’s economy and military power.
Allies did not counter -> confidence to push expansionist policy -> lack of consequences -> war.
Hitler’s expansionist policy f)
Annexation of Sudetenland, Invasion of Czechoslovakia
Sudetenland had 3 million Germans. Relate to Hitler’s aims.
Due to the Munich Agreement, Chamberlain allowed Germany to take over Sudetenland to avoid war.
In March 1939, Hitler invaded the entire Czechoslovakia.
Chamberlain warned Hitler if he invaded Poland, Britain and France would declare war -> increased tension -> war.
Hitler’s expansionist policy g)
Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression Pact
23 August 1939, the Non-Aggression Pact was signed.
Would not attack each other and resolve disputes in a friendly manner.
ensured that Stalin would not intervene in his invasion of Poland and removed Hitler’s fear of fighting a war on 2 fronts, which could jeopardise his chance of victory.
This made it easier for Hitler to carry out the invasion of Poland -> exacerbated tensions -> started WWII in Europe.
Stalin also wanted to buy time to boost military power to buy time.
Hitler’s expansionist policy h)
Invasion of Poland
Hitler’s invaded Poland on 1 September 1939.
Chamberlain realised it was too late. Britain and France declared war on 3 September 1939 -> ending appeasement policy.
Reasons for appeasement (& post war attitudes)
- Fear of another major war
- Leaders war weary& Pacifist, did not want another war after destructive WW1, USA isolationist, cared about about self-interest - Weaknesses of LoN
Failure in getting countries to disarm.
Ineffectiveness in handling conflicts and crises (i.e. 1935 Abyssinian Crisis and 1931 Manchukuo).
Idea of personal interest which outweighed collective interest. - Buying time to rearm
WWI had weakened Britain and France’s economies and militaries.
There was a need to buy time to rearm to acquire the power to suppress Germany. - Sympathy of Germans over TOV
Many British politicians felt that the terms of the Treaty of Versailles were too harsh on Germany.
They felt that Hitler’s demands were only for self-determination (acceptable).
Perception that if they made good relationships, a war could be avoided. - Chamberlain’s misjudgement of Hitler
Chamberlain saw Hitler was interested in reuniting the Germans, not abolishing the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
Chamberlain believed whatever Hitler said which in reality, were lies.
6.Fear of communism
British and French leaders saw Stalin’s Communism as a greater threat than Hitler’s Nazism/Fascism.
To Chamberlain, Nazism was like a barrier/buffer zone against communism with Germany’s militarisation acting as a shield.
