The Causes of World War II

His nationalistic and passionate speaking skills gained him the respect of many Germans in very bad times. As Hitler rose to power the future destruction of Germany began. The Treaty of Versailles played a significant role in the country of Germany after World War I. The Big Three constructed the treaty with all of their own ideas and they came up with a deal that took Germany out of the national picture until World War II. The treaty effected Germany economically, militarily, socially, and politically.

The series of catastrophic events that took place in Germany from 1918 onward helped pave the way for Hitler's rise to power. Through propaganda, Hitler used the turmoil's of the German people to expand his power. More than anything it was economics driving the population into the hands of a man who seemed like Germany's last resort. On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed. Under the terms of the treaty, Germany was forced to accept responsibility for causing the war and had to pay immense war reparations for all the damage that had been done.

Hitler's use of the SA forced people into voting for him. Hitler knew he could not keep these promises, but he made the People of Germany believe him, he was able to touch people's emotions, his rally's created excitement and positivness in the German people. Hitler was their last chance to help restore Germany to her to respectability and powerfulness. Hindenburg seeing Hitler's popularity grow, had to think of something to protect the Weimar but at the same time keep control of Hitler. There are many reasons for Hitler being made Chancellor.

Germany had to give up the territory it had acquired in the war. This hit Germany hard because the country was losing the territories that offered some sort of economic help. The country lost any chance to repair the economy. Furthermore, the army had to be cut down to only 100,000 soldiers, and the army was not allowed tanks. The three main points to the treaty were: Germany “had to admit full responsibility for starting the war”(treaty), the country had to pay for the reparations, and the League of Nations was created.

It also made sure that they took full responsibility for starting the First World War, and placed restraints on their maximum army size and possible military actions - which was meant to abolish any chance of a ‘weakened’ Germany rising to power again to spark another war. As great as the attempt was, it failed drastically bringing another war upon the then, very unstable continent. This treaty upset and angered the German citizens, hurting them and their families. Germany had been in a great depression since the end of the war, and the money which they had to pay to France hindered the chances of them ever recovering from it. There was hunger and famine in the streets, people were poor, and in need of a great leader to guide them through.

From the Treaty of Versailles, to the rise of Hitler, and the failure of the League of Nations, there were many causes that lead up to World War II. World War I left Germany with many shortfalls, thus leaving them in the hands of the Treaty of Versailles. Rather unfair of a Treaty, this left Germany once again looking for another way out. A country resented by many had no other choice but to feel optimistic toward Adolph Hitlers empty promises… making it substantially simple for him to gain power so quick. Throw in the Great Depression, and you have a vastly unstable world, which the Germans believed Hitler would lead them out of.

This helped Hitler because many Germans resented this clause and he could use this to his advantage by protesting Germanys innocence to the masses at Nazi rallies. Another important factor is the reparations clause. This is an important factor because it stated that Germany had to pay £660 Million for the war and when Germany couldn't pay the instalments led to the French taking over the Ruhr region of Germany which in turn led the government ordering a strike. This strike meant Germany didn't have any money to pay the allies. To solve this problem the government printed more money but without the economy to support it caused massive hyperinflation and the first German depression.

East Prussia was a great source of money for Germany and th... ... middle of paper ... ..., first in inflation and then in the Great Depression. He promised a way out of economic hardship and the reassertion of Germany’s claim to status as a world power.” (pg. 806) The treaty of Versailles was humiliating; it forced Germany to accept the full responsibility for the war. The treaty also commanded that no German troops could be stationed in their industrial heartland; it capped their military size for the country; it took away foreign holdings and forced Germany to pay reparations that were crippling. The treaty of Versailles paved the rise of Hitler and the Nazis just as the World War I did for the Communist revolution in Russia.

The Great Depression, in addition to losing World War I, created a German populace that was humiliated. This allowed Hitler, with his soaring nationalist rhetoric, to take win a large share of the electorate in the early 1930’s. This is because Hitler appealed to their humiliation and promised to restore Germany to his past glory. Thus, the Great Depression was absolutely essential in making Germany into an aggressor. However, it was unimpacted by the Treaty of Versailles.

After the First World War and the treaty of Versailles in 1919 lots of people thought that the treaty was unjust and humiliating for the German people. The Germans had to be limited to a lot of important things. So Hitler came into power in 1929 and gave the German people a choice, vote for him and he would abolish the treaty and make the country great or keep living in poverty. Hitler wanted to also expand the German territory that included uniting with Austria and taking back land that was taken from the Germans in the treaty of Versailles. There were lots of Germans and where the land had been taken from them, there was no room for any more Germans so that meant the poverty increased because of the lack of food.