From 1939 to 1945, the World War 2 was a global conflict. Divided into two opposing military alliances, the Allies and the Axis, it involved many of the world’s major powers. Tens of millions of people, both military and civilian, died in the war. There were many factors contributing to World War II, including political and economic strains, territorial conflicts and ideological differences. We will explore the main reasons for the start of the World War 2 in this article.
Political factors
The aftermath of the First World War can be traced back to the political factors that led to the outbreak of the Second World War. The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, forced Germany to pay huge reparations, which the German people felt were punishing. This led to the rise of the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler, who promised to restore Germany’s glory and undo the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy culminated in the invasion of Poland in 1939, starting the Second World War, which included the annexation of Austria and Czechoslovakia.
Economic Factors
Economic factors contributing to the outbreak of WWII included the Great Depression, which began in 1929. This economic downturn led to widespread unemployment and poverty, which helped extremist political movements such as the Nazi Party in Germany to rise. The Nazi Party appealed to the German people by promising to restore Germany’s economic strength and prosperity. However, its economic policies, such as autarky and military rearmament, ultimately led to the start of World War 2.
Territorial Disputes
Territorial disputes were also a major factor in the start of the Second World War. The Treaty of Versailles had redrawn the map of Europe, creating new nation states and leaving others with disputed borders. The most significant of these disputes was between Germany and Poland over the city of Danzig (now Gdansk), which had been made a free city under the League of Nations. Hitler saw a symbol of Germany’s humiliation after the First World War in the Polish Corridor, which separated East Prussia from the rest of Germany. His demand for the return of Danzig to Germany and the annexation of the Polish Corridor was the catalyst for the invasion of Poland and the start of the Second World War.
The invasion of Poland
The invasion of Poland was the immediate trigger for the start of the Second World War. On the 1st of September 1939, German troops invaded Poland from the west, while Soviet troops invaded from the east. The Polish army was quickly overwhelmed and within a few weeks Germany had occupied most of the country.
The Reaction of the Allies
The invasion of Poland was met with outrage by the Allied powers, particularly Britain and France. They issued ultimatums to Germany demanding the withdrawal of German forces from Poland. When these ultimatums were ignored, Britain and France declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939.
The reasons for the start of the World War 2 are complex and varied. The Treaty of Versailles, Hitler’s rise to power, the policy of appeasement and the failure of collective security all contributed to the start of the war. The war claimed millions of lives and led to the destruction of entire cities. Political leaders reshaped the world after the war, despite all these losses. The lessons learned from the Second World War are still relevant today, and it is important to remember how global conflict affects all of us. We can work to prevent such a tragedy from happening again by understanding the factors that led to the start of the World War 2.