THE SECOND WORLD WAR

Causes (Dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Versailles, Rise of Fascism and Nazism, Japanese invasion of
China, failure of League of Nations and Hitler’s invasion of Poland). Consequences (brief mention of defeat
of Axis Powers, formation of the United Nations and Cold War between the two power blocs)

Causes for WW2:

1. Dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Versailles

- The Treaty of Versailles created more problems than it solved:
i) Demanded annexation of German territories and creation of many States which caused
bitterness and conflict. Germany was humiliated
ii) Germany was divided into 2 parts for the benefit of Poland
iii) Germany was burdened with a huge war indemnity which she couldn’t pay
iv) Germany’ military power was reduced. This humiliation gave rise to spirit of revenge

- Germany wanted to do away with the harsh treaty which was impossible without
aggressive policy and armaments, thus war was inevitable.

2. Rise of Facism and Nazism

- This rise of Facism in Italy and Nazism in Germany as a result of extreme nationalism
contributed to the causes which led to WW2. Mussolini and Hitler drove the countries
towards the Second World War.
ITALY:
- Italy wanted to revive the glory of the Old Roman Empire so she joined the Anti-Comintern Pact
and entered into a 10 years alliance with Germany to strengthen its power. Moreover, Mussolini
established dictatorship in Italy and opposed the Treaty of Versailles. Italy attacked Abyssinia
demonstrating her imperialistic designs. The League of Nations failed to take action against
Italy which showed its weakness.
GERMANY:
- In Germany, Hitler wanted to re-establish the prestige of Germany in the international
field so he flouted (disregarded) the military causes in the Treaty of Versailles, and
declared re-armament
- Hitler annexed Austria and dismembered (partitioned) Czechoslovakia

3. Japanese invasion of China

- Japan’s ambitions rose after the First World War and she was determined to dominate
the Far East.
- Japan opposed the League, entered Manchuria and set up a government there
- Japan started an undeclared war against China so China appealed to the League to
declare sanctions against Japan but was not given attention by Britain and France
(leading members of the League)
- Japan joined the Berlin-Rome axis to form the Berlin-Rome-Tokyo axis to further its
policy of expansion and conquest
 - Japan left the League of Nations and started occupying Britain and American properties
in China. Thus, war was inevitable under these circumstances.

4. Hitler’s invasion of Poland

Hitler invaded Poland for the following reasons:
1. Germany was divided into 2 parts. A land route to Poland upto the sea was given and even
the Port of Danzing was given to Poland, Germany thus wanted to regain her lost
territories.
2. The city of Danzing was inhabited mainly by Germans. By occupying Danzing corridor it
could connect with East Prussia.
3. Germany signed a Non-aggression Pact with Russia in August 1939. Poland was accused of
committing atrocities against Germans living there.

→ On september 1st 1939, German armies marched into Poland.

→ France and Britain gave Germany an ultimatum. In reply Germany attacked France.
→ Britain and France declared war on Germany

Note: In spite of the declaration of war there was little actual fighting for many months. So,
the period from Sept 1939 to April 1940 was dormant.

5. Failure of League of Nations

- The League of Nations suffered an early blow when the USA did not join it, and in fact,
even those who joined it were uninterested in the principle of collective security.
- For example, it did nothing when Poland with the backing of France captured a part of
Lithuania
- Italy refused to submit to the League’s intervention in its dispute with Greece and this
crisis was settled by direct mediation of Great Britain and France.
- Thereafter, the League was defied or ignored in every crisis.
- The authority of the League was flouted (openly disregarded) by Japan when it captured
Manchuria and by Italy when it conquered Ethiopia.
- The League failed to maintain international peace and countries of Europe lost faith in
its usefulness and entered into mutual alliances.

Consequences of WW2
Note: Allied- Britain, France, USA, Soviet Union
Axis- Germany, Japan, Italy

1. Defeat of Axis Powers

- In November 1942 the Allied forces recaptured the African territories lost by France
which was followed by their victory over Italy and then Germany
- Japan had occupied most of SouthEast Asia. the British forces liberated Myanmar,
Malaya, Philippines and Singapore (MPMS)
- In the Potsdam Conference, the Allies asked Japan to surrender
 - On Japan’s refusal, America dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
afterwhich Japan offered to surrender on the terms of Potsdam declaration and thus
the war ended.
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- Japan and Italy became very weak. Japan was to be occupied by the American army till
1952 after which it would resume sole control of its own affairs.
- Emperor Hirohito was left in charge as a constitutional monarch and the Japanese
parliament retained some of its lawmaking powers. All lands seized by Japan were taken
away.
- As for Germany, it was divided into zones with each zone under the army of each of the
Allied Powers:

FRG- Federal Republic of Germany GDR- German Democratic Republic

Administered by US, UK, France Administered by Soviet Union

Capital - Bonn Capital- East Berlin

Came under capitalist ideology of Came under political ideologies of

Anglo-Americans and their Allies communist Russia

Became part of capitalist bloc Became part of communist bloc

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2. Formation of United Nations Organisation

- The horrors of the 2 world wars and failure of League of Nations led to a meeting of the
Big Three-
i) Roosevelt- President of the USA
ii) Stalin- Premier of the USSR
iii) Churchill- PM of Britain
- They met at Yalta and resolved to convene a conference of the representatives of all
nations at San Francisco to draw up the ‘Charter of the UN’
- UNO was established on Oct 24th 1945.
 3. Cold war
- Cold war is defined as an atmosphere where there is no armed struggle but the rivals
continue to maintain their peace time diplomatic relations along with their hostility
- This cold war was between the USA and USSR. They both had contrasting ideologies and
there was a state of tension between them in which each side adopted policies designed
to strengthen itself and weaken the other
- Both countries formed alliances and began piling up nuclear and conventional weapons.
- There was economic warfare, propaganda, and proxy wars between them.

- USA and USSR continued to maintain diplomatic relations but treated each other with
hostility which led to division of world into 2 power blocs:

Democratic/ Capitalist Bloc Soviet/Communist Bloc

Led by USA Led by USSR

Believed in liberal democracy based on capitalism Believed in Communism based on Marxist theory

Comprised of Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Pakistan Governments of Hungary, Romania, Poland,
etc Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Albania etc were comm

Considered the political and social system of USSR as Considered Western democracy as farce, meant
objectionable and dangerous as it had no place for parliamentary only for rich and upper middle class people
democracy and individual liberty

Projected USSR as an enemy to world peace and communism gave
threat to freedom and liberty in the world
- USA gave economic aid to many countries to maintain it’s
influence and as leader of the Free World took upon itself the
responsibility to prevent spread of communism
Determined to maintain political, military,
economic control of the countries in Eastern
Europe which had been liberated from Nazi
control