💣European History – 1890 to 1945 Unit 10 – The Road to World War II

Key Events and Timeline

• World War I ended in 1918 with the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed harsh penalties on Germany and set the stage for future conflict
• The Russian Revolution of 1917 led to the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922, creating a communist state that would later play a significant role in World War II
• The Great Depression began with the stock market crash of 1929 and lasted throughout the 1930s, causing widespread economic hardship and political instability
• Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and quickly consolidated power, transforming Germany into a totalitarian state under Nazi rule
• Italy, under the fascist leadership of Benito Mussolini, invaded Ethiopia in 1935, demonstrating the aggressive expansionism of fascist regimes
• The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) saw the fascist forces of Francisco Franco, supported by Germany and Italy, defeat the republican government, which was backed by the Soviet Union
• Germany annexed Austria in the Anschluss of 1938 and later occupied the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia following the Munich Agreement
• The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact was signed in August 1939, surprising many and paving the way for the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, which marked the beginning of World War II in Europe

Political Landscape in Europe

• The aftermath of World War I left many European nations struggling with political instability, economic challenges, and social unrest
• The Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I, was seen as overly harsh by many Germans, contributing to the rise of nationalist and extremist political movements
• The Weimar Republic, Germany's democratic government established after World War I, faced numerous challenges, including hyperinflation, political violence, and the growing influence of extremist parties like the Nazis
• The Soviet Union, under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, pursued a policy of rapid industrialization and collectivization, which led to significant human suffering and political repression
• Fascist movements gained popularity in several European countries, particularly in Italy under Benito Mussolini and in Germany under Adolf Hitler
  • These movements emphasized nationalism, authoritarianism, and often promoted racism and expansionism
• The Spanish Civil War served as a proxy conflict between fascist and communist forces, with Germany and Italy supporting the fascist Nationalists and the Soviet Union backing the republican Loyalists
• The failure of the League of Nations to effectively address international disputes and aggression undermined confidence in the organization and collective security

Economic Factors and Great Depression

• The Great Depression, which began in 1929, had a profound impact on the European economy and political landscape
  • The economic downturn led to widespread unemployment, poverty, and social unrest
  • Many countries experienced a significant decline in industrial output and international trade
• The United States, which had become a major global lender during the 1920s, recalled many of its loans, further exacerbating the economic crisis in Europe
• Germany was particularly affected by the Great Depression, as it relied heavily on American loans to pay war reparations and rebuild its economy
  • The economic hardship and political instability in Germany contributed to the rise of the Nazi Party
• The Great Depression led to the implementation of various economic policies and reforms across Europe
  • Some countries, such as the United Kingdom and France, adopted more protectionist trade policies to safeguard their domestic industries
  • Others, like Germany and Italy, turned to fascist economic models, which emphasized state control and autarky (economic self-sufficiency)
• The economic challenges of the 1930s also contributed to the growing popularity of communist and socialist parties in some European countries, as people sought alternatives to the perceived failures of capitalism

Rise of Fascism and Nazism

• Fascism and Nazism emerged as powerful political ideologies in the 1920s and 1930s, particularly in Italy and Germany
  • These ideologies emphasized extreme nationalism, authoritarianism, and often promoted racism and expansionism
• In Italy, Benito Mussolini and his National Fascist Party came to power in 1922
  • Mussolini established a totalitarian state, suppressing political opposition and promoting a cult of personality around himself
  • Italian fascism sought to create a "New Roman Empire" through aggressive expansionism, as demonstrated by the invasion of Ethiopia in 1935
• In Germany, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to prominence during the 1920s and early 1930s
  • The Nazis capitalized on the economic hardship and political instability of the Weimar Republic, using propaganda and scapegoating to gain popular support
  • Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and quickly consolidated power, establishing a totalitarian dictatorship and pursuing a policy of extreme nationalism, racism, and expansionism
• The Nazi regime implemented discriminatory policies against Jews and other minority groups, culminating in the Holocaust during World War II
• The success of fascist and Nazi movements in Italy and Germany inspired similar groups in other European countries, such as the Falange in Spain and the Arrow Cross Party in Hungary
• The aggressive expansionism and militarism of fascist and Nazi regimes contributed significantly to the outbreak of World War II

Appeasement and Failed Diplomacy

• In the years leading up to World War II, European leaders pursued a policy of appeasement, attempting to satisfy the demands of aggressive powers like Germany and Italy in the hopes of avoiding another major conflict
• The League of Nations, established after World War I to promote international cooperation and prevent war, proved ineffective in addressing the growing threats posed by fascist and Nazi aggression
• The Munich Agreement of 1938, signed by Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom, allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in exchange for promises of peace
  • The agreement was seen as a prime example of appeasement, as it failed to prevent further German aggression and instead emboldened Hitler
• The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of August 1939 surprised many observers, as it seemed to contradict the ideological differences between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union
  • The pact included secret protocols dividing Eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence, paving the way for the German invasion of Poland and the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states and parts of Poland
• The failure of the League of Nations and the policy of appeasement demonstrated the ineffectiveness of international diplomacy in the face of determined aggression
• The inability of European leaders to form a united front against fascist and Nazi expansionism contributed to the outbreak of World War II

Military Buildup and Alliances

• In the years leading up to World War II, many European countries engaged in significant military buildup and formed alliances to protect their interests and counter potential threats
• Germany, under Nazi rule, pursued a policy of rearmament in violation of the Treaty of Versailles
  • The German military, or Wehrmacht, expanded rapidly during the 1930s, with a focus on modern technologies such as tanks and aircraft
  • Germany also developed the Luftwaffe, a powerful air force, and the Kriegsmarine, a modern navy
• Italy, under Mussolini's fascist regime, also engaged in military buildup and modernization
  • The Italian Royal Army (Regio Esercito) and the Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina) were expanded and equipped with modern weapons
• The Soviet Union, despite its initial cooperation with Germany through the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, also undertook a massive military buildup during the 1930s
  • The Red Army was modernized and expanded, with a focus on tanks and aircraft
• France and the United Kingdom, alarmed by the growing threat of German and Italian aggression, began to increase their military spending and modernize their armed forces
  • The French Army focused on defensive strategies, constructing the Maginot Line along the border with Germany
  • The British Royal Navy remained a dominant force, while the Royal Air Force (RAF) was expanded and modernized
• The formation of alliances, such as the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and later Japan) and the Allied Powers (France, the United Kingdom, and later the United States and the Soviet Union), reflected the growing tensions and divisions in Europe
• The military buildup and alliance formation contributed to the escalation of tensions and the eventual outbreak of World War II

Immediate Triggers of the War

• The German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, is considered the immediate trigger for the outbreak of World War II in Europe
  • Germany justified the invasion by claiming that Poland had provoked border incidents and that ethnic Germans were being mistreated in Polish-controlled territories
  • The invasion followed the signing of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, which had secretly divided Poland into German and Soviet spheres of influence
• In response to the German invasion of Poland, France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939, fulfilling their obligations under the Anglo-Polish military alliance
• The Soviet Union, acting in accordance with the secret protocols of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, invaded eastern Poland on September 17, 1939
  • The Soviet invasion, combined with the German attack, resulted in the swift defeat and partition of Poland between Germany and the Soviet Union
• The German invasion of Denmark and Norway in April 1940, known as Operation Weserübung, further escalated the conflict and demonstrated Germany's aggressive expansionism
• The fall of France in June 1940, following the German invasion and the Dunkirk evacuation of Allied troops, marked a significant turning point in the war and left the United Kingdom as the sole major Allied power fighting against Germany in Western Europe
• Italy's entry into the war on June 10, 1940, as an ally of Germany, expanded the conflict to the Mediterranean and North Africa
• The immediate triggers of World War II in Europe demonstrated the failure of appeasement and international diplomacy to prevent the aggressive actions of Nazi Germany and its allies

Impact on Society and Culture

• World War II had a profound impact on European society and culture, both during the conflict and in its aftermath
• The war resulted in massive loss of life, with millions of military personnel and civilians killed, including the systematic murder of six million Jews and millions of other victims in the Holocaust
• The conflict led to significant destruction of infrastructure, cities, and cultural heritage sites across Europe
  • The bombing campaigns conducted by both the Axis and Allied powers devastated many urban areas, such as the German city of Dresden and the British capital, London
• The war displaced millions of people, creating large numbers of refugees and forcing populations to flee their homes
  • The postwar period saw significant population transfers, such as the expulsion of ethnic Germans from Eastern European countries
• The Holocaust and other atrocities committed during the war led to a profound reexamination of human nature and the capacity for evil
  • The Nuremberg trials, which prosecuted Nazi leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity, set important precedents for international justice
• The war accelerated social changes, such as the increased participation of women in the workforce and the erosion of traditional class structures
• The postwar period saw a significant shift in the political landscape of Europe, with the division of the continent into Western and Soviet spheres of influence
  • This division, known as the Iron Curtain, led to the Cold War and the ideological confrontation between capitalist democracies and communist states
• The war also had a lasting impact on art, literature, and popular culture, with numerous works reflecting on the experiences and traumas of the conflict
  • Examples include the novels of Erich Maria Remarque, the poetry of Paul Celan, and the films of Roberto Rossellini and Alain Resnais
• The legacy of World War II continues to shape European identity, politics, and culture to this day, serving as a reminder of the devastating consequences of war and the importance of international cooperation and understanding