World War II Origins: Fascism, Crisis, and Expansion
Source and Cause of the War
The 1930s were a period of instability. Two major factors contributed to the origins of World War II: the expansionism of fascist dictatorships and the economic crises of the 1930s. The economic crisis created a climate conducive to the exacerbation of nationalism and totalitarian solutions. A number of events ended the brief period of international cooperation inaugurated by the Locarno Pact and the Kellogg-Briand Pact. With Hitler in power in Germany, it soon became clear the weakness of the League of Nations as a guarantor of peace. The disarmament conference was the great object of European diplomacy. Germany recognized the principle of equal rights, but due to a lack of understanding, Hitler and Germany abandoned the League of Nations. Hitler violated the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. The German dictator planned to dominate all of Europe. He aimed to create a large, racially national state. He would then provide living space through expansionism and war.
The first step was to annex Austria, an attempt initially prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles. The annexation was aborted by the prompt intervention of Mussolini. Hitler annexed the Saar after a plebiscite in which the population favored incorporation into Germany. The Nazi government then proposed to restore compulsory military service, form an army of 36 divisions, and create an air force, the Luftwaffe. France, attempting to react diplomatically to isolate Germany, achieved a conference in France, signing an agreement with Italy and the UK to ensure the independence of Austria and counter Hitler’s armament policies. A network of alliances completed another pact of mutual assistance with the Soviet Union, and the Soviet-Czechoslovakian pact. Germany seemed to be diplomatically isolated.
Italy was a weak link in the anti-German coalition. Italy invaded Ethiopia, provoking opposition from European powers. The League of Nations condemned this action and decided to adopt economic sanctions against Italy. Mussolini’s response was to break the Stresa Front covenants, move closer to Germany, and leave the League of Nations. Hitler’s occupation of the Rhineland, a demilitarized zone, broke the Treaty of Versailles. European powers accepted the situation. The passivity of democracies was perceived by Hitler and Mussolini as a test of a policy of weakness towards accomplished facts.
The Spanish Civil War
The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War revealed the weakness of democracies. A non-intervention agreement was signed by 25 countries. The agreement became worthless, as Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy helped the rebel soldiers with troops and materiel against the Republic, while the USSR helped the Republic with weapons and techniques. The Spanish Civil War facilitated the alliance between Hitler and Mussolini, forging an alliance christened the Rome-Berlin Axis. Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact against the Soviet Union. Hitler took the initiative. The democracies’ fear led them to a policy of appeasement.
Hitler’s Expansionist Plans
Hitler unveiled his plans at a meeting with his closest collaborators, reflected in the Hossbach Memorandum or Protocol. He raised that to achieve autarky and rearmament, it was necessary to drastically apply the idea that Germany needed living space in new territories. This expansionist policy was planned to resort to war. Hitler announced his initial objectives: the annexation of Austria, then the incorporation of Czechoslovakia. After Hitler’s diplomatic successes and the weak response of democracies, German troops entered Vienna, and Hitler announced a plebiscite to ratify the annexation of Austria into the German Reich.