World War II: Causes, Fascism, and Imperialist Expansion
Causes of World War II
The Great Depression’s Impact
The Great Depression fostered a climate of international instability. Social unrest, including hunger, a low standard of living, and widespread unemployment, destabilized political systems and contributed to the rise of fascism.
The Rise of Fascism
Fascism triumphed in Germany and Italy, leading to policies of rearmament and expansion.
Imperialist Expansion
Germany
After Hitler’s rise to power, Germany withdrew from the League of Nations, signaling its rejection of the international order. Germany initiated a policy of rearmament, introducing compulsory military service and creating the German air force. The remilitarization of the Rhineland violated the Treaty of Versailles. Germany pursued a policy of expansion known as Lebensraum (living space).
- 1935: Annexation of the Saar region after a plebiscite.
- 1938: Occupation of Austria and forced referendum to annex Austria to Germany.
- Occupation of the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia, citing the presence of three million Germans.
- The Munich Agreement: Britain, France, and Italy agreed to the annexation in exchange for Hitler’s promise not to harm the rest of Czechoslovakia.
- 1939: Invasion of Czechoslovakia and its dissolution as a country. Annexation of Memel in Lithuania.
Italy
- 1939: Italy occupied Albania.
- Italy and Germany signed the Pact of Steel.
Japan
Japan pursued a policy of militarism and expansion in Asia, seeking a source of raw materials and export markets. Japan expanded into:
- Manchuria: Creation of the satellite state of Manchukuo.
- China: Condemned by the League of Nations, Japan withdrew from the organization.
- Northern Indochina: Invasion and occupation began in 1940.
Japan aligned with Germany through the Anti-Comintern Pact, due to shared opposition to the USSR. The U.S. was considered an enemy in the Pacific.
Positions of England, USA, and USSR
During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), Italy and Germany supported the Nationalist rebels against the constitutional government. The war exposed the weakness of democracies, which followed a policy of non-intervention. Western states feared direct conflict, leading to tacit support for Hitler’s actions towards Franco. England, under Prime Minister Chamberlain, led this policy. The reasons for this policy were:
- The belief that Hitler would cease expansion after achieving his aspirations of creating a Greater Germany.
- The perception of Hitler as a useful ally against the USSR.
- The need to intensify the construction of weapons, ships, aircraft, and innovative technologies in England.
The U.S. followed a policy of non-intervention in Europe. The Soviet Union was isolated from Europe and the U.S., lacking allies in the face of the German threat. This led to a rapprochement between the USSR and Germany, culminating in the signing of a non-aggression pact in 1939. Secret clauses dealt with the division of Poland between Germany and the USSR, and the USSR’s control over the Baltic republics.