Name _____________________

What Caused the War?

World War II started in 1939 and ended in 1945. It started because
of problems left over from another big war, World War I. After
World War I ended, many countries were upset because they felt
that they were being treated unfairly. One of those countries was
Germany.

In Germany, a man named Adolf Hitler became the leader. He

promised the people of Germany that he would make their country strong and
powerful again. He blamed many of Germany's problems on certain groups of
people and made many people believe him. This caused a lot of hate and fear.

Hitler also didn't like the rules that were put on Germany after World War I. So, he
decided to break them. He started to take over other countries without asking
them if it was okay. This made many countries like Britain and France very angry.
But at first, they were scared to start another war, so they let him do it. But when
Hitler invaded Poland, they said, "Enough is enough," and declared war on
Germany. This was the start of World War II.

At the same time, far away in Asia, another powerful country, Japan, was also
trying to take over other countries. Japan attacked the United States at a place
called Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, which led the United States to enter the war, too.

World War II was a very sad time. Many people fought and many people died.
But it's important to remember this part of history so we can learn from it. We
need to remember that hate, fear, and unfairness can lead to very big
problems. It reminds us that it's always important to treat each other with
kindness and respect, and to stand up when someone is being unfair.

Answer the following questions:

1. What was one reason why World War II started?

2. Who was Adolf Hitler and what role did he play in starting World War II?

3. How did other countries initially respond to Germany's actions?

4. How did Japan get involved in the war and cause the United States to enter as
well?

5. What are some important lessons we can learn from World War II?

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