Who was responsible for WW2?

Question 1

When did the Second World War break out?

Answer 1

3 September 1939

Question 2

What was the short-term spark that ignited the Second World War?

Answer 2

Hitler ignored demands from Britain and France that he should withdraw from Poland

Question 3

Why was Hitler to blame for WW2? (4)

Answer 3

• Wrote in his book Mein Kampf that he would use violence to make Germany strong again
• Foreign policy aims included Lebensraum, building a greater Germany, uniting German speaking people, and destroying the Treaty of Versailles, which meant he had to invade other countries
• Broke the Treaty of Versailles, which was international law
• Invaded Poland, which promoted Britain and France to declare war

Question 4

Why was Chamberlain to blame for WW2? (4)

Answer 4

• Missed opportunities to stop Hitler, because of appeasement
• Failed to act when Hitler remilitarised the Rhineland. At this age the Nazis were not ready for war - if Chamberlain had acted Hitler would have been forced to stop
• Gave the Sudetenland to Hitler without consulting the Czechs, then allowed Hitler to invade a country he had no claim to, which enabled him to strengthen his army
• Excluded Stalin from the Munich Conference, which alienated Stalin and prompted him to sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact

Question 5

Why was Stalin to blame for WW2? (3)

Answer 5

• Signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact despite Hitler wanting to destroy Communism
• The size of the USSR’s armed forces meant Hitler had a huge and powerful ally
• The pact meant that Hitler would not have to fight a war on two fronts, so he was able to invade Poland

Question 6

Why was Japan partially to blame for WW2? (2)

Answer 6

• Invaded Manchuria in 193, walked out of the League of Nations in February 1933, and then mainland China in 1937 - which some historians say was the start of the Second World War
• Signed the Anti-Comintern Pact and the Pact of Steel with Hitler

Question 7

Why was Mussolini partially to blame for WW2? (3)

Answer 7

• Invaded Abyssinia which destroyed people’s confidence in the League of Nations
• In 1938, did not intervene when Hitler carried out Anschluss, which convinced Hitler that he could do as he pleased
• Signed the Anti-Comintern Pact and the Pact of Steel with Hitler

Question 8

Why were the Big Three partially to blame for WW2? (2)

Answer 8

• Treaty of Versailles was resented by Germany and inspired Hitler’s foreign policy - to re-unite German speaking people, build a greater Germany and claim Lebensraum
• By the 1930s, many people felt that Versailles had been too harsh and turned a blond eye when Hitler started to break it

Question 9

Why was American isolation to blame for WW2? (2)

Answer 9

• This made the League weaker, so certain countries were prepared to act more aggressively and risk the outbreak of all-out war, because they didn’t fear military action from the USA
• As a result of the USA’s absence from the League, economic sanctions were useless because aggressive countries could trade with the USA

Question 10

Why was Fear of Communism to blame for WW2? (2)

Answer 10

• Britain and France allowed Hitler to grow strong as they thought Germany could act as a buffer zone against Communism
• Their actions upset Stalin who agreed to the Nazi-Soviet Pact as he felt they would not support him if Hitler attacked

Question 11

Why was The Great Depression to blame for WW2? (3)

Answer 11

• American demanded back loans from Germany as a result of the Depression, this led to the collapse of German industry and more people voting for Hitler, who was making many promises to them
• Some counties (such as Japan and Italy) acted more aggressively in order to secure supplies of raw materials and build empires
• As many countries’ economies were crippled, they did not want to give their army to crisis’ around the world, e.g. Manchuria crisis

Question 12

How was the collapse of the League of Nations to blame for WW2? (2)

Answer 12

• Hitler saw that he could get away with invading other countries without being punished, just like Japan had done in Manchuria and Mussolini had done in Abyssinia
• Major countries (such as the USA) were not members of the League, meaning it was not a forceful military or economic threat; the League did not have its own army