World War 2

The origins of the Second World War are generally viewed as being traced back to
the First World War (1914-1918). In that war Germany under the ultra-nationalis
tic Kaiser Wilhelm II along with its allies, had been defeated by a combination
of the United Kingdom, United States, France, Russia and others.
The war was directly blamed by the victors on the miltant nationalism of the Kai
ser's Germany; it was Germany that effectively started the war with an attack on
France through Belgium.
France, which had suffered a previous defeat at the hands of Prussia (a state th
at merged one year later with others to form Germany) in the Franco-Prussian War
in 1870, demanded revenge for its financial devastation during the First World
War (and its humiliation in the earlier war) ensured that the various peace trea
ties, specifically the Treaty of Versailles imposed tough financial reparations
and restrictions on Germany.
A New Republic
A new democratic German republic, known as the Weimar Republic, came into being.
After some success it was hit by hyperinflation and other serious economic prob
lems.
Right wing nationalist elements under a variety of movements, but most notably t
he Nazi Party of Adolf Hitler, sought to blame Germany's "humiliating" status on
the harshness of the post-war settlement, on the weakness of democratic governm
ent, and on the Jews, whom it claimed possessed a financial stranglehold on Germ
any.
Hitler was appointed Reichskanzler (Chancellor) on January 30, 1933, by the aged
President von Hindenburg.
Hitler's government exercised much of its power through the special emergency po
wers possessed by the President under the constitution.
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