World War II and Russian Revolutions: Causes and Aftermath
Causes and Development of World War II
The National Socialist Germany implemented a policy marked by the demands of the economically powerful industrial and financial class. German ambitions would become the trigger for World War II, with expansionist plans incompatible with the European equilibrium.
Axis Victories
1939
Hitler invaded Poland, and the German army quickly conquered the country. Later, Russia invaded eastern Poland, establishing a line of separation. The Russian Red Army invaded Finland, prompting French and British support for Finland.
1940
The Germans occupied Denmark and Norway with barely any resistance. In France, the German offensive began with Holland and Belgium, which capitulated and allowed the move to France. Paris fell in June, and Petain requested an armistice, which cost France the division of its territory into two areas.
Balance of Power
1941
Germany established alliances with dictatorships in Eastern Europe. Mussolini sought to control the Mediterranean. Hitler authorized Operation Barbarossa, a quick and effective attack against the Soviets. On June 22nd, Germany attacked Russia. The balance of forces between the Allies and the Axis became evident after December 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor without warning, and the U.S. entered World War II as part of the Allied forces.
Allied Victories
The balance between the Allies and the Axis shifted from 1943 onward. German forces at Stalingrad were defeated by the Red Army. In Africa, Montgomery began the counteroffensive at El Alamein. The Italo-German army stationed in Africa was defeated. In Europe, during 1942 and 1943, the Allies advanced. From 1943, German defeats were continuous. Mussolini was dismissed and arrested, and a new government was directed by Pietro Badoglio. The Germans abandoned central Italy and fortified the front of the Apennines until April 1945, when they capitulated. Mussolini was arrested and shot by partisans while trying to escape to Switzerland. Germany launched its latest offensive in late 1944 in the Ardennes. Hitler had mobilized all able-bodied men and gave orders to destroy military and industrial installations. In May, Germany surrendered. In April, Hitler and Goebbels had committed suicide. The war in Europe had ended.
Russian Revolutions of 1917
February Revolution
The trigger for the outbreak was Tsar Nicholas II’s decision to enter World War I due to desires in the Balkans. The war was a cataclysm and sparked a manifestation of women. This discontent became politicized when the Bolsheviks began to conduct strikes. The Duma chose an interim government supported by the bourgeoisie. The Tsar abdicated in March 1917, and Russia became a parliamentary republic.
Bolshevik Revolution
Lenin arrived in April and published his theses. Within months of the start of the Bolshevik revolution, a civil war was anticipated. The first steps taken were:
- Negotiation of peace with Germany through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
- Confiscation of property of the Crown, nobility, and Church.
- Recognition of the right to self-determination for the different peoples of Russia.
- Establishment of workers’ control over enterprises and the nationalization of banks.
Cold War and its Crisis
The end of World War II foreshadowed a long period of tensions. In 1946, Churchill diagnosed the division of the world and urged Western democracies to unite against the communist enemy. The political tension and blocks were not only limited to the European stage. China became part of Moscow’s orbit, as did Iran, thanks to the U.S.