Download World War II: Causes

Beginning of
WWII
• At the end of
World War I, the
Allied leaders
met in Paris,
hoping to
establish peace.
• However, the
Treaty of
Versailles they
approved
actually became
a contributing
cause of World
War II.
Treaty of Versailles
• The terms of the Treaty of
Versailles included:
• Taking land away from
Germany, including its
overseas colonies
• Reparations to be paid by
Germany for the damage and
destruction caused by the war
• A “war guilt clause” which held
Germany responsible for
causing the war
Rise of the
Nazis
• The crushing
burden of
reparations
crippled the
German economy,
leading to
widespread
discontent and
political
instability.
• The onset of a
global depression
in the late 1920s
and early 1930s
only made the
situation worse.
Fascism in Germany
• Fascism glorified the nation at the
expense of basic civil and human
rights.
• Fascism embraced extreme
nationalism (love for your country)
and terror tactics to gain power.
• In Germany, the National Socialist
German Workers’ Party—also known
as the Nazis—put forth a form of
fascism that approved of using
aggressive action to uphold state
power, and advocated a policy of
racial discrimination against the
Jews.
Adolf Hitler
• In 1923, Hitler was sent to prison
for trying to overthrow the
government.
• He felt that they were not doing
enough for the people of Germany.
• Hitler wrote a book titled Mein
Kampf (meaning “my struggle”)
where he outlined his political
philosophy.
Mein Kampf
• Hitler believed:
• Germany was superior to
all other nations
• Jews posed a major
threat to Germany
• All German-speaking
people needed to be
united under one rule
• Germany needed
lebensraum (meaning
“living space”) for all
“true” Germans
Adolf Hitler
• Many Germans
were unhappy
with the
government and
felt that Hitler
was right.
• Hitler helped his
party force a new
election.
Germany Under Hitler
• In January 1933, Hitler
became Chancellor of
Germany. He
immediately sought
remove anyone who
might limit his power.
• Secret police known as
the Gestapo worked to
enforce his will—often
brutally—by jailing,
beating up, or even
killing Hitler’s political
opponents.
Germany Under Hitler
• Hitler also targeted the Jews.
• He created regulations known as the
Nuremberg Laws, formalizing the
Nazi’s policy regarding the Jews.
• They were designed to “protect” the
“Aryan race” by legally distinguishing
between Jews and Aryans.
• The laws stripped Jews of German
citizenship—including the right to vote
or hold public office—and prohibited
marriages between Jews and Aryans.
Benito Mussolini – Italy
• Italy became fascist in
the 1920s after the
government was
overthrown.
• Like Hitler, Benito
Mussolini gained
power by throwing his
critics into prison,
forcing them to leave
the country, or
executing them.
• Mussolini also used
secret police to
enforce his rule and
propaganda tactics to
uphold his regime.