Causes and Events of World War II

Study Notes

On September 3rd, 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany due to Adolf Hitler's invasion of Poland, marking the start of World War II, the largest and bloodiest war in history fought globally.
The hope after World War I to prevent future conflicts was shattered as Europe headed towards another war only 20 years later, despite the memory of the horrors of the previous war.
By the late 1920s, the global economy collapsed, leading to a sharp drop in world economic output, high unemployment rates, and a significant decrease in international trade.
In November 1932, a previously peripheral party with a charismatic leader gained significant support in German elections, winning 37% of the vote, as voters sought radical solutions to economic challenges.
The aftermath of World War II led to significant changes, including the Atlee government's creation of the welfare state in Britain, altering the country permanently.- The National Socialist German Workers Party, known as the Nazi Party, was led by Adolf Hitler who became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933.
Hitler quickly consolidated power by overthrowing the parliamentary system, outlawing all other parties, and merging all State offices.
Hitler's aims included restoring Germany's territorial integrity, regaining lost colonies, creating Lebensraum in Eastern Europe, and defeating France.
Hitler began rearming Germany in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, expanding the Air Force, Navy, and introducing conscription.
In 1936, Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland, defying the Treaty of Versailles and escalating tensions with France.
Austria was annexed into Germany in 1938 with the approval of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax.
Hitler then set his sights on absorbing the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, leading to the Munich Agreement in 1938.
Despite promises of peace, Hitler annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia in 1939, breaking the Munich Agreement.
Hitler's pact with the Soviet Union in 1939 allowed him to focus on invading Poland without fear of Soviet intervention.
The invasion of Poland in September 1939 led to Britain and France declaring war on Germany, marking the beginning of World War II.

Description

Explore the causes and key events leading to the outbreak of World War II, including Adolf Hitler's rise to power, Germany's aggressive expansion policies, and the invasion of Poland that triggered the global conflict.