CAUSES of World War II [AP Euro Review—Unit 8 Topic 7]
TLDRThis video script delves into the factors leading to World War II, often seen as an extension of World War I. It highlights the policy of appeasement, particularly by Britain and France, which allowed Germany to rearm and expand under Hitler's leadership without facing consequences. The script also discusses the antagonism between the Soviet Union and Western powers, contributing to the inability to present a united front against fascism. Key events like the annexation of Austria, the Munich Agreement, and the invasion of Poland are detailed, culminating in the declaration of war by Britain and France, thus commencing World War II.
Takeaways
- 🌐 World War I was initially known as the 'Great War' or the 'war to end all wars', but its naming as World War I implies the existence of a World War II.
- 🏰 Post-WWI, Germany was required by the Treaty of Versailles to demilitarize and reduce its territory, but under Hitler, it rearmed and expanded, violating the treaty.
- 🇬🇧🇫🇷 The policy of appeasement by Britain and France allowed Hitler to rearm and expand without facing consequences, fearing the costs of another war.
- ⚔️ Growing antagonism and distrust between the Soviet Union and Western powers, including the U.S., prevented a united front against the expansion of fascist states.
- 🇮🇹 Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, one of the few African states not colonized by Europe, threatened British control of the Suez Canal and led to only mild sanctions.
- 🗺️ Hitler's territorial expansion began with the remilitarization of the Rhineland, testing the resolve of Britain and France, who responded with appeasement.
- 🇦🇹 The annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938, known as the Anschluss, was justified by a rigged vote showing overwhelming support, which was clearly manipulated.
- 🤝 The Munich Agreement saw Britain and France concede to Hitler's territorial demands in exchange for a promise of no further expansion, which was later broken.
- 🇨🇿 Hitler's takeover of the Sudetenland and other parts of Czechoslovakia met with little resistance from Britain and France, further emboldening him.
- 🤝 The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact allowed Hitler and Stalin to agree not to attack each other and to divide Poland between them, giving Hitler the confidence to invade Poland.
- 🇵🇱 The invasion of Poland by Germany in 1939 was the catalyst for Britain and France to declare war on Germany, marking the beginning of World War II.
Q & A
What was the original name for World War I?
-The original name for World War I was the Great War, also known as the war to end all wars.
Why was the policy of appeasement adopted by Britain and France towards Germany after World War I?
-The policy of appeasement was adopted because the human and capital cost of World War I was staggering, and Britain and France were not eager to start another war to stop Hitler's rearmament and territorial expansion.
What were the consequences of the Treaty of Versailles for Germany?
-The Treaty of Versailles mandated that Germany demilitarize and shrink their territory, which were violations that Hitler later reversed, leading to the rise of a fascist state.
How did the antagonism between the Soviet Union and Western European states contribute to the conditions that led to World War II?
-The antagonism and distrust between the Soviet Union and Western European states prevented them from presenting a united front against the expanding fascist states, allowing Germany and Italy to rearm and expand without significant opposition.
What was the significance of Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in 1935?
-Italy's invasion of Ethiopia was significant because it was one of only two African states that had never been colonized by Europe, and it threatened Britain's control of the Suez Canal in Egypt.
What was the Munich Agreement and what did it entail?
-The Munich Agreement was a pact in which Britain and France agreed to all of Hitler's territorial demands in exchange for his promise not to seek any more territory. However, this agreement was later violated by Hitler.
What was the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact and what were its main stipulations?
-The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact was an agreement between Germany and the Soviet Union where they agreed not to attack each other for a decade and to split Poland between them, giving Hitler the confidence to invade Poland without Soviet opposition.
Why did the invasion of Poland by Germany lead to the declaration of war by Britain and France?
-The invasion of Poland was the last straw for Britain and France, as it violated the Munich Agreement and showed that Hitler was not respecting international agreements, leading them to declare war on Germany and start World War II.
What was the Anschluss and how did it lead to the annexation of Austria by Germany?
-The Anschluss was the annexation of Austria by Germany, facilitated by a rigged vote where 99% of Austrians supposedly agreed to be absorbed into Germany, which was a clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles.
What was the significance of the re-militarization of the Rhineland by Germany?
-The re-militarization of the Rhineland was significant as it was an act of defiance against the Treaty of Versailles, which prohibited German armament in this territory. It was also a test by Hitler to see if Britain and France would enforce the treaty, which they did not.
How did the actions of fascist Italy and Germany lead to the conditions that precipitated World War II?
-The territorial expansions and rearmament of fascist Italy and Germany, along with the policy of appeasement and the inability of the Soviet Union and Western European states to unite against them, created a power vacuum that allowed these fascist states to grow unchecked, ultimately leading to the outbreak of World War II.
Outlines
🔍 Origins of World War II: The Appetizer to a Greater Conflict
This paragraph sets the stage for the discussion of World War II by highlighting the irony in World War I being initially known as the 'Great War' or the 'war to end all wars,' which is now commonly referred to as World War I due to the subsequent World War II. It introduces the concept of 'appeasement' as a policy that inadvertently allowed fascist states like Germany under Hitler to rearm and expand, violating the Treaty of Versailles. The summary emphasizes the reluctance of Britain and France to engage in another war after the devastating costs of World War I, leading to a policy of non-intervention that emboldened Hitler's aggressive actions.
🌐 Geopolitical Landscape and the Policy of Appeasement
This paragraph delves into the geopolitical context that enabled the rise of fascist powers. It explains how the policy of appeasement, particularly by Britain and France, allowed Germany to rearm and expand its territory without facing consequences. The paragraph outlines the Treaty of Versailles' restrictions on Germany and how Hitler's actions defied these terms. It also touches on the division between the Soviet Union and Western powers, which prevented a united front against the fascist expansion, setting the stage for the events leading up to World War II.
🇮🇹 Italy's Expansion and the Failure of International Response
The paragraph discusses Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, which was significant as Ethiopia was one of the few African states not colonized by Europeans. The successful conquest by Italy raised concerns for Britain due to the threat it posed to the Suez Canal. However, the international response was weak, with only economic sanctions imposed by the League of Nations, reflecting the overall policy of appeasement and reluctance to engage in conflict.
🇩🇪 Hitler's Territorial Ambitions and the Munich Agreement
This section details Hitler's territorial expansions, beginning with the remilitarization of the Rhineland, which was a test to gauge the reactions of Britain and France. The annexation of Austria through a rigged vote, known as the Anschluss, and the subsequent Munich Agreement, which was an attempt by Britain and France to appease Hitler by conceding to his territorial demands, are also covered. The paragraph highlights the failure of the policy of appeasement and the lead-up to World War II.
🤝 The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact and the Outbreak of World War II
The final paragraph of the script describes the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, which included a secret agreement to divide Poland between Germany and the Soviet Union. This pact provided Hitler with the confidence to invade Poland without fear of Soviet opposition. The invasion of Poland marked the final straw for Britain and France, leading to their declaration of war on Germany and the official start of World War II.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡World War One
💡Appeasement
💡Treaty of Versailles
💡Fascist States
💡Re-armament
💡Soviet Union
💡Munich Agreement
💡Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
💡Invasion of Poland
💡Self-Determination
💡Sudetenland
Highlights
World War One was originally known as the Great War, intended to be the war to end all wars, but the existence of World War II reveals this was not the case.
Post-World War One, complex factors allowed fascist states to re-arm and expand, leading to World War II.
Germany, as the losing side of WWI, was mandated by the Treaty of Versailles to demilitarize and reduce its territory.
Adolf Hitler led Germany to rearm and conquer territory, violating the Treaty of Versailles.
The policy of appeasement allowed Germany to act without facing consequences, due to the reluctance to engage in another war.
The antagonism and distrust between the Soviet Union and Western powers prevented a united front against fascist expansion.
Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in 1935 was significant as it was one of two African states never colonized by Europe.
Britain's control of the Suez Canal was threatened by Italy's successful conquest of Ethiopia.
Germany's re-militarization of the Rhineland was a test by Hitler to gauge the reaction of Britain and France.
The annexation of Austria by Germany, known as the Anschluss, was achieved with a rigged vote.
The Munich Agreement allowed Hitler's territorial demands in exchange for a promise of no further expansion.
The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact provided Hitler with the confidence to invade Poland without Soviet opposition.
Hitler's invasion of Poland in 1939 led to Britain and France declaring war on Germany, marking the start of World War II.
The video provides resources for AP Europe review and an AP Euro review pack to help students succeed.
The speaker, Laurent, encourages viewers to review and prepare for their exams with the provided resources.
Transcripts
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