World War II: Causes, Consequences, and Peace Efforts
Causes of World War II
After the Treaty of Versailles, Germany felt humiliated, and Italy was frustrated by unfulfilled promises from the Allies. Fascist policy was based on changing the pre-1919 situation. France and the UK hesitated to stop Germany in the 1930s. During attempts to consolidate peace, Germany signed the Locarno Pact in 1925, accepting the Versailles borders. Hitler’s rise to power and Japan’s imperialist policies altered the international scene. The League of Nations was unable to effectively oppose these changes, paving the way for war.
From 1937, Germany expanded its borders. Hitler aimed to create an empire of Germanic territories, incorporating areas not originally part of Germany. In 1938, the German army entered Austria, annexing it into the Reich. Subsequently, Germany turned against Czechoslovakia, which, despite French assistance, was invaded. An alliance with the USSR could have deterred the Nazis, but the British and French were unwilling. In 1939, Germany signed a pact with Italy. Days before the war, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union, was signed. Stalin believed that European democracies were attempting to direct German expansionism towards the USSR, leading him to accept the pact with Hitler, which included the partition of Poland.
On September 1, 1939, the German army invaded Poland. France and the United Kingdom declared war two days later, marking the beginning of World War II.
Consequences of World War II
The Allies held several conferences to coordinate military actions and define the new map of Europe. Key meetings included Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam.
Demographic Consequences
The death toll was the highest in history, exceeding 50 million. The power of bombs, Nazi extermination policies, widespread famine, and disease all contributed to the immense loss of life. Post-war, the problem of refugees and displaced persons emerged, with approximately 30 million people relocated to other countries.
Material Consequences
The war resulted in countless material losses. Financial and human resources were depleted, except in the United States, which increased its industrial and financial capacity.
Territorial Implications
Borders changed significantly. Germany reverted to its 1918 borders, losing territories to Poland and Russia. Austria was divided into four zones. The USSR expanded its territories westward. Italy lost territories to Yugoslavia and Greece. Japan was occupied by the U.S. China regained Manchuria, and Korea was divided between the U.S. and the USSR.
Post-War Peace Efforts and the UN
The Tehran Conference in 1943 focused on maximum cooperation among the Allies to conclude the war and prepare for peace. At Yalta, Germany was divided into four zones of influence, and the USSR expanded its influence in Eastern European countries liberated by the Russian army.
The United Nations
The UN emerged during World War II. The Atlantic Charter, drafted by Churchill and Roosevelt, laid the groundwork. At the Yalta Conference, Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin agreed on the final draft, which France later joined. Unlike the League of Nations, the new organization was born from an international conference.
The UN was founded at the San Francisco conference, signed by 51 countries, predominantly in the Americas, excluding the defeated nations. The UN’s principles include maintaining peace and security, fostering friendships between nations, achieving international cooperation in solving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian issues, and acting as a center for nations to achieve common goals.
UN Structure
The UN has a complex structure:
- General Assembly: Based in New York, composed of representatives from all member countries.
- Secretary-General: Based in New York, the executive body that enforces the Assembly’s decisions.
- Security Council: Based in New York, consisting of five permanent members with veto power (France, USA, China, Russia, and the UK) and 10 members elected every two years, responsible for maintaining peace, criminal courts, and military operations.
- Economic and Social Council: Based in New York, consisting of 54 members, proposes policies for economic and social development.
- International Court of Justice: Based in The Hague, consisting of 15 judges from different countries.