Unit 4: WWII Flashcards
The Direct Cause of WWII
The Blitzkrieg invasion of Poland on Sept. 1, 1939 by the NAZIs
All indirect causes of WWII
- Failure of the League of Nations
- Isolation Policy
- The Manchurian Crisis
- The Invasion of Abyssinia
- Formation of the AXIS POWERS
- The Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939
- Lebensraum/Anschluss
- Appeasement Policy and the Munich Pact
- Fascism
- Anti-Semitism
The Failure of the League of Nations Indirectly Caused WWII
The League of Nations was originally put into place after WWI to ensure there would never be another World War. It was meant to bring permanent world peace, through diplomacy and arbitration
- It had no power of its own, beyond the strength of its members. The United States would not join (because of Article X).
- Many nations (like France and Britain) wanted to pursue their own course in world leadership, and therefore did not support the League.
- Countries were becoming isolationists.
Article X
- no other country would provide trade with a country who declared war on another member of the League of Nations
The Isolationist Policy Indirectly Caused WWII
- Non-involvement in world affairs
- Many did not want to become involved in wars that did not directly involve their own countries, as they were fully aware of the realities of war & they were in the grip of the Depression.
The Invasion of Manchuria Indirectly Caused WWII
In Sept. of 1931, Japan invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria.
- Japan had desired Manchuria because it would act as a stepping stone in the taking of the Russian Territory of Mongolia.
- The League did nothing when China asked for help.
- Other countries, like Britain and the US were in the grip of the Depression so many nations could not offer military help, and did not refuse trade with Japan.
- Mussolini observed the inaction of LoN, empowered to invade territories himself
The Invasion of Abyssinia Indirectly Caused WWII
In 1935, the dictator of Italy (Mussolini), after watching the ineffectiveness of the League in handling the Manchurian Crisis, invaded Abyssinia.
- Although the world looked upon his attack with disapproval, nothing was done.
- The League imposed a boycott but with little World support.
- The boycott did not include vital supplies such as oil (although the Canadian delegate, Dr. W. A. Riddell) wanted to).
- Italy had successfully captured Abyssinia. The first to recognize this new title was Adolf Hitler.
The Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939 Indirectly Caused WWII
In 1936 a Civil war broke out in Spain. A right-wing force, led by General Francisco Franco, challenged the existing left-wing Republican government from Morocco.
- Hitler (Germany) and Mussolini (Italy) to publicly announce their support for Franco.
- Germany also took this time to test out her new army and to see how dedicated the major world powers were willing to adhere to the Treaty of Versailles.
- Franco, after three years of fighting, did conquer Spain and he became a dictator (like Mussolini and Hitler) in Spain.
Lebensraum/Anschluss, indirectly causing WWII
Lebensraum (“living space”) was a goal for Hitler. First was Anschluss, the unification of Austria and all other German-speaking territories. By 1938, Austria had been annexed by Germany, along with other German speaking territories.
- He wanted to increase his territory until the Great Powers tried to stop him.
- However, this would lead to more conflict, eventually including war
Appeasement Policy and the Munich Pact Indirectly Caused WWII
Neville Chamberlain, Britain’s PM until 1940, was the strongest proponent of the Appeasement Policy.
Chamberlain, as well as P.M. King, believed that Hitler was a reasonable man and that he could be trusted with holding up his end of agreements.
- Chamberlain thought all was smoothed over with the signing of the Munich Pact, however this was not the case.
- Caused Germany to feel more empowered, and showed that Britain and Canada’s PM could be manipulated for appeasement
- Ex. He was allowed to take Sudetenland (though later took all of Czechoslovakia)
Fascism Indirectly Caused WWII
Fascism is a political ideology, enacted by Mussolini, which stressed a strong central government headed by a dictator. The government controls all national issues and all opposition to the government is eliminated.
- Ensured that no opposition could prevent either Hitler or Mussolini to carry out their plans, especially during WWII
Anti-Semitism
Under Hitler, anti-Semitism became a state policy. Jews were the object of negative propaganda, censorship of all written and art works, and removal of citizenship. The Jewish people were segregated into ghettos as another step toward the extermination of the Jews-Hitler’s Final solution (Holocaust)
- Hitler used the Jewish people of Germany as a scapegoat to explain why they were experiencing so many economic problems.
- Used this as a motivating factor during the war
