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Mr. C Chubb
Social Studies 11
October 25, 2016

Antecedents of Nazism and World War II

The First World War began on June 28, 1914, after the death of Franz Ferdinand, and soon the
majority of world was dragged into one of the bloodiest wars in history. After five years of senseless
attrition between the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente; the war was brought to a close with the
signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. Following the signing of the peace treaty by Allied forces and
Germany, there was an understandable push to prevent a major war from ever happening again. Yet in
hindsight, this Long Armistice was just a break from fighting before World War II.1 The ignoble terms of
the Treaty of Versailles provided an opportunity for the Nazis party to gain support from distraught
German Citizens; all the while hindering Germanys economy and government, as well as infringing
political statuses. Moreover, many historians in the twenty first century attribute the rise of Nazism and
World War Two on the onerous terms of the peace treaty; however the failure of the League of Nations,
as well as the Great Depression effectively contributed. But more importantly, the Policy of
Appeasement ultimately led to the growth of Nazism, as appeasement only feeds the appetite of the
aggressor. Collectively, with the Treaty of Versailles, among other factors, the Policy of Appeasement
led to the rise of Nazism and ultimately the outbreak of World War II.

Paragraph 1: The Treaty of Versailles and the Weimar Republic

Topic Sentence: The signing of the Treaty of Versailles developed the German citizens distrust of the
Weimar Republic, while hindering the German economy; enabling the Nazi Party to gain support.

On June 28, 1919, The Treaty of Versailles was signed between the Allied Forces and Germany;
burdening Germany with $33 billion dollars worth of reparations, the War Guilt Clause, and
various territorial clauses.2
- These various burdens not only economically hindered Germany, but also caused the
general public to completely distrust their government (Weimar Republic), which years later
proves to be problematic for German politics.
In order to pay back the reparations, Winston S. Churchill observed, Germany now borrows in
all directions, swallowing greedily every credit which was lavishly offered her.3

1
Cameron Addis, "Versailles to Pearl Harbor," History Hub, http://sites.austincc.edu/caddis/versailles-to-pearl-
harbor/.
2
Margaret MacMillan, Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World (New York: Random House, 2002), 194
3
MacMillan, Paris 1919, 461
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Mr. C Chubb
Social Studies 11
October 25, 2016

Rather than raising taxes, the German government under pressure to pay a large number of
post-war pension bills decided to simply print more money.4
Rather than easing the economic pressure, the printing of more bills further strained Germany's
economy, which significantly contributed to inflation. In fact, it created astronomical
"hyperinflation"; the worst ever seen in the history.5
In 1914, $1 U.S. was equivalent to 4 German Marks, while at the end of 1923, $1 U.S. was
equivalent to 4.2 Trillion German Marks.6
By the end of 1923, a life savings of a hundred thousand Marks would not buy a loaf of bread.
In November, the government started printing new marks called Rentenmarks, which simply
lopped off all of the zeros from what the old money was worth. This helped stabilize things, but
there remained the problem of reparations.7
Due to the hyperinflation and Germanys enormous debt, they were in a state of economic
ruins. Famine and starvation spread throughout as the countrys food production dropped by 40
to 55%.8
As a direct result of Germanys economic ruins, the country was in a state of political instability,
which allowed the Nazi Party to rise, as they seemed to have the solution to hunger and
economic problems. 9
The initial signing of the Treaty of Versailles was met with bitterness throughout Germany.
Many German civilians refused to believe that their army had been defeated on the
battlefield10
In early 1918, Germanys military leaders realized that the war could not be won, and they
withheld that knowledge from the German Public. The surrender therefore came as a shock to
most civilians. To accept defeat was difficult enough, but to accept responsibility for starting the
war, and also be forced to pay reparations, seemed unthinkable.11
- To accept full responsibility for the First World War, was a huge humiliation for the
Germans. Combined with the political instability, the Nazi Party seized the moment in an
attempt to persuade the German Public. In time, the Nazi Partya party that made calls to
the German pride and blamed the problems on minority groupsgained more support from
the proud Germans; further enabling the party to eventually rule Germany.

4
MacMillan, Paris 1919, 463
5
MacMillan, Paris 1919, 463
6
MacMillan, Paris 1919, 467
7
MacMillan, Paris 1919, 468
8
Addis, "Versailles to Pearl,"
9
Addis, "Versailles to Pearl,"
10
Jim Corrigan, Causes of World War II (Stockton, NJ: OTTN Pub., 2005), 16
11
Corrigan, Causes of World, 16
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Mr. C Chubb
Social Studies 11
October 25, 2016

Paragraph 2: Failure of the League of Nations

Topic Sentence: The League of Nations was developed to resolve international disputes peacefully, but
after multiple ineffective resolutions; ultimately enabled Hitler to exploit its weakness.

In 1920 the League of Nations was developed with the united goal of resolving future
international disputes peacefully, rather than through the use of military power.12
Article 11 of the Leagues Covenant stated: Any war or threat of war is a matter of concern to
the whole League and the League shall take action that may safeguard peace.13
- Moreover, if negotiable terms failed to resolve a conflict, countries would supposedly
proceed to stop international trade with the aggressor (country), and if further assistance
was needed, the League nations would use military force.
In 1931, Japan was hit by the Great Depression and its citizens turned away from the
government and rather looked to the military for a solution. Hence, Japan invaded Manchuria
(China), as it simply qualified as a viable source for raw materials and trade and was the
unavoidable requisite of the industrialisation of Japan.14
The League, despite the Japanese propaganda offensive called for a peaceful settlement of the
Manchurian occupation, but no firm action was taken to back this up.15
Roundly condemned by foreign statesmen for this act of naked aggression, the Japanese
walked out on the League of Nations, but the League didnt act to stop their Manchurian
invasion16
- In other words, the League had no control over what countries were and werent a part of
League, and thus it was becoming clear that the League had little power to produce an
effective opposition to an aggressor.
Years later in October 1935, Italy invaded Abyssinia. But the Abyssinians did not have to strength
to withstand an attack and appealed to the League of Nations for help. The League condemned
the attack and called on member states to impose trade restrictions with Italy.17
- Furthermore, these trade restrictions were not carried out as they would have little effect.
Italy could trade with non-member countries such as America; only further articulating
that despite the Leagues efforts, they simply were not providing solutions.
After Japans invasion of Manchuria and Italys conquering of Ethiopia (Abyssinia), Hitler
realized how impotent the international community (i.e. League of Nations) would be in the face
of naked aggression.18
- After the two previous failures of the Leagues, dictators were keen to exploit this weakness.

12
Corrigan, Causes of World, 58
13
Corrigan, Causes of World, 62
14
Stephen McGlinchey, "E.H Carr and The Failure of the League of Nations," E - International Relations
15
McGlinchey, "E.H Carr,"
16
Addis, "Versailles to Pearl,"
17
Addis, "Versailles to Pearl,"
18
Addis, "Versailles to Pearl,"
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Mr. C Chubb
Social Studies 11
October 25, 2016

Germany itself decided to test the strength of the League; as it remobilized the Rhineland, in
which it was able to conquer the French with no opposition from the league. Hitlers plan
then became successful, and had the French and the League of Nations effectively caused
the Germans to retreat, Hitlers bluff would have been revealed, hindering his ability to
carry out the rest of his plans and possibly preventing the Second World War.

Paragraph 3: The Policy Of Appeasement

Topic Sentence: Many of Europes politicians practiced appeasement as they felt the treaty was too
restrictive for Germany, but what they didnt realize is that appeasement only feeds the appetite of
the aggressor.

Appeasement meant concessions to disgruntled nations in the hope that the concessions
would alleviate their grievances and lessen their tendency to take aggressive action.19
- In this case Germany was the disgruntled nation as the Treaty of Versailles harshly restricted
the country.
Their guilt feelings over the Treaty of Versailles inclined the appeasers to take a soft line
whenever Germany complained about the severity of the treaty restrictions.20
- In other words, the other European nations in some sense turned a blind eye to Germany;
as they were not paying attention to Germanys growing military power.
In the early 1920s, French insistence on complete fulfillment of the Versailles treaty alarmed
the appeasers, who feared that France would force Germany to take up arms again.
Consequently, they argued that war could be prevented only by non-fulfillment of the treaty
terms21
- But the appeasers argument regarding the non-fulfillment of the treaty terms is self
contradicting in itself, as they didnt realize that appeasement only feeds the appetite of
the aggressor.
When Hitler came to power, the arguments in favour of appeasement increased. Whatever
faults the new Germany might possess, the appeasers believed that it could not have been as
great a threat as the threat of Communist Russia. They believed that German rearmament
should be accepted and changes must be made in the Treaty of Versailles.22
By the time Neville Chamberlain became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1937,
appeasement had become entrenched as British foreign policy.23

19
Keith Eubank, World War II: Roots and Causes, 2nd ed. (Lexington, Mass.: D.C. Heath, 1992), 129
20
Eubank, World War II: Roots, 130
21
Eubank, World War II: Roots, 130
22
Eubank, World War II: Roots, 133
23
Eubank, World War II: Roots, 131
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Mr. C Chubb
Social Studies 11
October 25, 2016

In 1937 appeasement would no longer satisfy Hitler (whom Chamberlain regarded as a German
politician with strong feelings about the Versailles treaty and the suffering German People).
Nevertheless, Chamberlain prescribed a more vigorous form of appeasement than had his
predecessors.24
- Chamberlain pushed for intensive discussion and, if necessary, face to face negotiations
between heads of states. He believed that Germany would become more peaceful if
southeastern Europe were opened to German economic exploitation, thereby ridding the
country of the need for a massive army and providing the German economy with a market.
For Chamberlain practiced appeasement, not out of cowardice or fear, but out of a positive
belief that appeasement would open the way to peace for all.25
The appeasers did ignore one important fact: a policy of appeasement could end only with
Germany restored to its former strength.26
Given the German population, industry, educational system, and above all geographical
position, appeasement had to result in German domination of Central Europe and perhaps in an
attempt to dominate all of the continent as well.27
- In fact in March 1938, Germany remobilized the Rhineland, annexed Austria, and then took
over the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia. Then, when Germany took over the remainder
of Czechoslovakia, and the rest of the world realized what Germany was up to, it was
already too late. Had the other nations not adopted the policy of appeasement and stopped
Germany early from taking over Austria and Czechoslovakia, Germanys plan would not have
been successful.

Paragraph 4: The Impact of the Great Depression on Nazism

Topic Sentence: Germany was slowly recovering from the Treaty of Versailles when the Great
Depression struck; causing the downfall of the Weimar Republic and the uprising of Hitler and Nazism.

In 1923-29 there was a short period of economic recovery after the First World War, but the
Great Depression of the 1930s led to a worldwide recession. Germany was particularly affected
because it depended heavily on American loans, as the Weimar Republic desperately needed
money to cover reparations.28
The Weimar Republic was severely affected by the Great Depression triggered by the Wall
Street crash in 1929. The crash and subsequent economic stagnation led to increased demands

24
Eubank, World War II: Roots, 137
25
Eubank, World War II: Roots, 137
26
Eubank, World War II: Roots, 141
27
Eubank, World War II: Roots, 142
28
MacMillan, Paris 1919, 492.
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Social Studies 11
October 25, 2016

on Germany to repay the debts owed to the U.S. As the Weimar Republic was very fragile in all
of its existence, the depression proved to be devastating.29
Spending cuts and tax hikes, put into effect by emergency decree, had the result of increasing
unemployment in Germany by 2.1 million.30
In 1932, about 6 million Germans were unemployed, German banks were put under
government control, and there was an epidemic of German bankruptcies. Many blamed the
Weimar Republic. This was made apparent when political parties on both right and left wanting
to disband the Republic altogether made any democratic majority in Parliament impossible.31
- As Germany sank further and further into an economic depression, the public became
increasingly angry with the Weimar Republic and they essentially lost hope in there
government. The German public saw their government as a weak and feeble democratic
system, and they were fed up with their current political system.
Pre-Great Depression, the Nazi Party share in the German federal election of May 1928 was
2.6% of the popular vote (810,000), and 12 seats in the 491 seat Reichstag.32
Hitler seemed like a marginal nutcase to most by 1928, but after the 1929 crash left six million
unemployed, the public yearned for order amidst the chaos. Order was the Nazis specialty.33
- Hitler seized the moment, realizing that due to the general publics physiological weakness,
he could lure them into his conspiracies.
By the early 1930s, the chancellors (appointed by the president) were overriding the Reichstag,
culminating in Chancellor Hitler.34
In July 1932, the Nazi party received 13.5 million votes, 37% of all votes cast, and more than any
other party had received.35
Political maneuvering by President Hindenburg and von Papen prevented Hitler being offered
the chancellorship, as right-winged politicians believed that could manipulate Hitler and use the
entirety of Nazis supporters to promote their domestic interests and win further concessions for
Germany in Foreign policy.36
Months later on January 30, 1933, President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler Chancellor
of Germany. The German people celebrated with a torchlight vigil. This key appointment
allowed Hitler, over the next year and a half, to consolidate power.37
- After consolidating his power, Hitler began to expand and in 1936 took back the Rhineland
Region, ceded to France after WWI. He continued his expansion into Czechoslovakia, and

29
Corrigan, Causes of World, 34
30
Addis, "Versailles to Pearl
31
Corrigan, Causes of World, 35
32
Addis, "Versailles to Pearl
33
Addis, "Versailles to Pearl
34
Addis, "Versailles to Pearl
35
Addis, "Versailles to Pearl
36
Eubank, World War II: Roots, 67
37
Eubank, World War II: Roots, 68
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Social Studies 11
October 25, 2016

then into his home country, where Austrian Nazis helped expedite a mostly bloodless
takeover called the Anschluss. Following, Hitler invaded Poland to retrieve lost territory,
and Britain and France declared war on Germany; thus beginning the Second World War.38

38
Corrigan, Causes of World, 43
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Social Studies 11
October 25, 2016

Annotated Bibliography
Addis, Cameron. "Versailles to Pearl Harbor." History Hub. http://sites.austincc.edu/caddis/versailles-to-
pearl-harbor/.

This web based journal provides and in-depth summarization of historical events / progress
from the signing of the Treaty of Versailles to that attack on Pearl Harbour. The author,
Cameron Addis, who obtains a Ph.D, discusses and analyzes the international affairs between
the two World Wars. For that reason, this secondary source is designed to act as a
summarization, rather than an detailed account of each individual event. The journal is laid out
in chronological order, and contains a variety of photographs as well as maps to further paint
the image of the current affairs. Cameron tends to focus on the impacts of various events,
rather than the events themselves, ensuring readers understand the overall significance. A
bibliography for text or images is missing from the journal, and Camerons views are objective
and show no bias. In retrospect, this is an introduction to the events in the interwar period, as it
reveals the long term effects of historical events during this period.

Corrigan, Jim. Causes of World War II. Stockton, NJ: OTTN Pub., 2005.

This book describes the historical past events regarding the interwar period between the signing
of the Treaty of Versailles to the attack on Pearl Harbour. The author, Jim Corrigan, who
specializes in World War II History and ethnic studies, articulates the many causes of World War
II in a concise, yet detailed manner. In other words, this secondary source is designed to act as a
foundation to ones research, as this book provides a broad range of evidence, which one can
take and further expand on specific elements. The book is laid out in chronological order of the
events, and contains a few vital photographs that add depth to the overall significance of the
causes. The book also contains detailed biographies of notable figures that played a key role in
shaping the course of the interwar period. Jim Corrigan tends to analyse specific events, but
emits most of the statistical data. Jims views on the subject are objective and no bias is present,
while the book contains a lengthy bibliography. Overall, this book is useful to anyone who is
starting out there research on the causes of World War II as it can be used as a stepping stone
for further research.

Eubank, Keith. World War II: Roots and Causes. 2nd ed. Lexington, Mass.: D.C. Heath, 1992.

This book analyses the lesser known, yet equally important affairs that are directly related to the
cause of World War II. The author, Keith Eubank, concludes that multiple series of small events
had a greater impact on starting the war, compared with the bigger more know events such as
the Treaty of Versailles. Moreover, this secondary source critically analyzes the opinions and
statements of political figures, revealing the motives behind opposing forces. This book isnt laid
out in chronological order, but rather the importance of each event regarding the causes of the
war. The book contains no other form of media other than text, as no other illustrations are
needed. Although the book focusses more on the statements and opinions of individuals, no
bias is present as Jims objective view takes into account opposing forces equally. In other
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words, this book is an excellent source for looking in-depth into the causes of World War II from
different perspectives of notable figures.

MacMillan, Margaret. Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World. New York: Random House, 2002.

This book solely describes the lead up and post-era regarding the Treaty of Versailles and
analyzes the effect the treaty had on not just Germany, but the rest of the world as well. The
author, Margaret MacMillan, who received her PhD from Oxford, offers a scintillating view into
the dramatic and fateful days of the singing of the treaty, while further elaborating on its post-
signing effects. This book is a work of narrative history; using the actions and statements of
notable figures to further piece together a non-fiction narrative. Using relevant background
information and events, Margaret is able to arrange the various effects of the treaties in a
interconnecting fashion. Nonetheless, this book has no apparent bias, but does lack certain
global perspectives. The information that is relatively distributed throughout the book mainly
follows chronological order. Overall, the book focusses on the process of creating the Treaty of
Versailles, while providing adequate information regarding its effects on other nations.

McGlinchey, Stephen. "E.H Carr and The Failure of the League of Nations." E - International Relations.
http://www.e-ir.info/2010/09/08/e-h-carr-and-the-failure-of-the-league-of-nations-a-historical-
overview/.

This web based journal provides a contrasting range of historical writings on the League of
Nations, both during the interwar years (1919-1939) and in more contemporary times, to
uncover why certain commentators accounted for the failure of the League of Nations. The
author, Stephen McGlinchey, collects accounted opinions and details from different professors
and journalists alike regarding the failure of the organisation associated with the outbreak of the
Second World War. The journal breaks down different events into various perspectives, which
aid the evidence supporting the Leagues failure. Likewise, this journal is made up of articles by
different authors (written during the interwar years and post WWII), all of which have
contrasting views, yet Stephen is still able to tie them together in a way so that they are not
disconnected from one another. Moreover, the journal provides excellent insight into how the
League of Nations fell apart and ultimately how it lead to World War II.