CAUSES OF THE

WAR
Long-term causes
• Treaty of Versailles 1919
→ humiliation and desire of revenge
• The Great Depression 1929
→ Nazis got more support and votes. Hitler promised employment
• Totalitarism (fascism and nazism) → aggressive
international policy
• Weakness of democracies → appeasement
• Appeasement policy
– Held by Neville Chamberlain
– Aims:
• avoid another European war
• Get time to produce more weapons in UK
• Hitler considered that Chamberlain was tolerant about his expansionist
policy

“Our Government is much more afraid of Communism than it is of Fascism.”

British journalist John Langdon-Davies, 193
The Anschluss and the first nazi expansionism

• March 1938: Germany joins with Austria (“Anschluss”),

against the treaty of Versailles. Britain and France do nothing.
Hitler claimed he was uniting all German speaking people in
one ‘greater Germany’.
• September 1938: Munich Conference
→ Hitler agrees not to take over any more land
→ Britain & France agree that Germany may take over part of
Czechoslovakia (Sudetenland)
• March 1939:
– Hitler ignores the deal he made at Munich, and takes over the rest of
Czechoslovakia (Bohemia and Moravia). Britain & France humiliated.
– Germany occupies Memel territory (Lithuania)

• April 1939: Mussolini invades Albania

• May 1939: Pact of Steel between Italy and Germany
→ obliged Germany and Italy to aid the other country immediately, militarily or
in the event of war being declared, and to collaborate in military and wartime
production.
• Inefficacity of the League of Nations
Unable to keep peace
International relationships before War

• Alliances between Germany-Italy-Japan

– Rome-Berlin Axis (1936)
– Anti-Comintern Pact (1937)
– Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
• Treaty Germany-Soviet Union
– Non-Aggression Treaty (August 1939)
→ Invasion of Poland (september 1939)
Immediate causes. The steps to War

Hitler’s actions Japanese Italian conquests

expansionism
• Annexation of
Sarre (1935)
• Rhineland
remilitarization (1936)
• “Anschluss” (March
1938): Austria
• Annexation of
Sudetenland (Sept.
1938) after the Munich
Agreement
• Bohemia-Moravia
(March 1939)
•Non-Aggression
Treaty (August 1939)
→ invasion of Poland
Immediate causes. The steps to War

Hitler’s actions Japanese Italian conquests

expansionism
• Annexation of • Invasion of
Sarre (1935) Manchuria and
• Rhineland creation of Manchu-
remilitarization (1936) Kuo (1932)
• “Anschluss” (March •Sino-japanese war
1938) (1937)
• Annexation of
Sudetenland (Sept.
1938) after the Munich
Agreement
• Bohemia-Moravia
(March 1939)
•Non-Aggression
Treaty (August 1939)
→ invasion of Poland
Immediate causes. The steps to War

Hitler’s actions Japanese Italian conquests

expansionism
• Annexation of • Invasion of • Invasion of Ethiopia
Sarre (1935) Manchuria and (1935)
• Rhineland creation of Manchu- •Conquest of Albania
remilitarization (1936) Kuo (1932) (1939)
• “Anschluss” (March •Sino-japanese war
1938) (1937)
• Annexation of
Sudetenland (Sept.
1938) after the Munich
Agreement
• Bohemia-Moravia
(March 1939)
•Non-Aggression
Treaty (August 1939)
→ invasion of Poland
DEVELOPMENT OF
THE WAR
The outbreak of the War in Europe

• The Nazi-Soviet Pact (August 1939) –Ribbentrop-Molotov

Pact-
→ invasion of Poland by Germany (1sr Sept.) and Soviet Union
→ Invasion of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania by the Soviet Union

France and UK declare

war on Germany (3rd
September)
The war. Axis victories (1939-1942)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

“Blitzkrieg”
The war. Axis victories (1939-1942)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

“Blitzkrieg”
1940:
• Denmark,
Norway,
Holland,
Belgium
• France →
satellite gov. in
Vichy
• Battle of Britain
The war. Axis victories (1939-1942)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

“Blitzkrieg”
1940: 1941:
• Denmark, • Yugoslavia
Norway, • Greece, Crete
Holland, • Egypt
Belgium
• France → November 1942:
satellite gov. in • Allied victory
Vichy in El Alamein
• Battle of Britain
The war. Axis victories (1939-1942)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

“Blitzkrieg”
1940: 1941:
• Denmark, • Yugoslavia June 1941:
Norway, • Greece, Crete • Operation
Holland, • Egypt Barbarossa
Belgium • Gate of
• France → November 1942: Leningrad (until
satellite gov. in • Allied victory 1944)
Vichy in El Alamein
• Battle of Britain
The war. Axis victories (1939-1942)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

“Blitzkrieg” 1941:
1940: 1941: • Indochina
• Denmark, • Yugoslavia June 1941: • Attack to Pearl
Norway, • Greece, Crete • Operation Harbour
Holland, • Egypt Barbarossa • Birmania,
Belgium • Gate of Indonesia, Hong
• France → November 1942: Leningrad (until Kong
satellite gov. in • Allied victory 1944) 1942
Vichy in El Alamein • Singapur
• Battle of Britain • Java
The war. Allied offensives (1942-1945)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

1942-1943
June 1942
• Battle of Americans stop
Stalingrad→ Japanese
soviet
superiority
The war. Allied offensives (1942-1945)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

November 1942
American and
British landing in
Morocco and
Algeria 1942-1943
June 1942
• Battle of Americans stop
May 1943 Stalingrad→ Japanese
• Axis fired from soviet
Northern Africa superiority
July 1943
• Invasion of
Sicilia → Italy
The war. Allied offensives (1942-1945)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

November 1942
American and
British landing in
Morocco and
Algeria 1942-1943
6 June 1944 June 1942
• Normandy • Battle of Americans stop
May 1943 Stalingrad→
landings Japanese
• Axis fired from soviet
Northern Africa superiority
July 1943
• Invasion of
Sicilia → Italy
The war. Allied offensives (1942-1945)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

November 1942
American and
British landing in
Morocco and
6 June 1944 Algeria 1942-1943
June 1942
• Normandy • Battle of Americans stop
landings May 1943 Stalingrad→ Japanese
• Liberation of • Axis fired from soviet
Paris (3 August) Northern Africa superiority
July 1943
• Invasion of
Sicilia → Italy
The war. Allied offensives (1942-1945)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

November 1942
American and
British landing in
Morocco and
Algeria 1942-1943
6 June 1944 • Battle of
June 1942
• Normandy May 1943 Stalingrad→
Americans stop
landings • Axis fired from soviet
Japanese
• Liberation of Northern Africa superiority
Paris (3 August) July 1943 Oct. 1944
• Invasion of • The red Army
Sicilia → Italy
enters Hungary
1944
• Germans out of
Greece
The war. Allied offensives (1942-1945)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

November 1942
American and
British landing in
Morocco and
Algeria 1942-1943
June 1942
6 June 1944 • Battle of Americans stop
• Normandy May 1943 Stalingrad→
Japanese
landings • Axis fired from soviet
• Liberation of Northern Africa superiority
July 1943 Feb.1945
Paris (3 August) Oct. 1944
• Invasion of • The red Army Iwo Jima
Sicilia → Italy
enters Hungary Battle
1944
• Germans out of
Greece
The war. Allied offensives (1942-1945)

Medit. and
Western front Eastern front Pacific
North Africa

November 1942
American and
British landing in June 1942
Morocco and Americans stop
Algeria 1942-1943
Japanese
6 June 1944 • Battle of
• Normandy May 1943 Stalingrad→
landings soviet Feb.1945
• Axis fired from
• Liberation of Northern Africa superiority Iwo Jima
Paris (3 August) July 1943 Oct. 1944 Battle
• Invasion of • The red Army
Sicilia → Italy
enters Hungary April 1945
1944
• Germans out of • Landing in
Greece Okinawa
The end of the war

Europe Pacífic
25 April 1945
• Battle of Germany
28 April
• Mussolini is shot by the partisans
30 April 1945
• Hitler’s suicide
7 May 1945
• Unconditional surrender of the
Germans
8 May 1945
End of War in Europe
The end of the war

Europe Pacífic
25 April 1945 6 August 1945
• Battle of Germany • Atomic bomb on Hiroshima
28 April
• Mussolini is shot by the partisans
30 April 1945
• Hitler’s suicide
7 May 1945
• Unconditional surrender of the
Germans
8 May 1945
End of War in Europe
The end of the war

Europe Pacífic
25 April 1945 6 August 1945
• Battle of Germany • Atomic bomb on Hiroshima
28 April 9 August 1945
• Mussolini is shot by the partisans
• Atomic bomb on Nagasaki
30 April 1945
• Hitler’s suicide
7 May 1945
• Unconditional surrender of the
Germans
8 May 1945
End of War in Europe
The end of the war

Europe Pacífic
25 April 1945 6 August 1945
• Battle of Germany • Atomic bomb on Hiroshima
28 April 9 August 1945
• Mussolini is shot by the partisans
• Atomic bomb on Nagasaki
30 April 1945
2 Sept. 1945
• Hitler’s suicide
• Surrender of Japan
7 May 1945
• Unconditional surrender of the
Germans
8 May 1945
End of War in Europe
CONSEQUENCES OF
THE WAR
The impact of the war

- 50-60 million
deaths
- Displacements
(30 million
Europeans)
- Mass destruction (towns and cities, industry)

→ Fall of industrial and agricultural production

→ Higher inflation

Economic growth of countries outside the war

Two powers: USA and USSR
The human impact
● Questioning the moral and political values of
European civilisation: barbarism?
● Discovery of nazi atrocities (holocaust, genocide,
concentration camps…=
● Atomic bombs
● Massacres by the Soviets
the Holocaust
 THE PEACE
CONFERENCES
Tehran Conference (Nov-Dic. 1943)
Tehran Conference (Nov-Dic. 1943)

Agreements
•Operation Overlord (Battle of Normandy -June 1944)
•Other military measures

• Roosevelt
• Stalin
• Churchill
Yalta Conference (Feb.1945)
Yalta Conference (February 1945)

Main agreements:
•Denazification (eradicate Nazism)
•Division of Germany and Austria
• Roosevelt (USA) •Division of Berlin and Vienna
•They decide the creation of the United Nations.
• Stalin (URSS)
•Organisation of democratic elections in Europe
• Churchill (UK)
Postdam Conference (August 1945)
Postdam Conference (August 1945)

Main agreements:
• Devolution of territories annexed by Germany after
1937
• Four “D” plan: denazification, demilitarization,
• Truman (USA)
decartelization and democratization
• Stalin (URSS) •Line Oder-Neisse as border between Germany and
• Atlee (uk) Poland
•Germany’s punishment (Nuremberg trials)

Hard negotiations between western powers and Soviet Union

(capitalism / socialism)

→ Europe divided in two areas of influence:

- The East, ruled by Soviet Union
- The West liberated by the US and British forces.
The new map of Europe (The Paris Conference)
THE UNITED NATIONS

1. When and how was it founded?

2. What are its aims?
3. How is it organised (government bodies)?
4. What are its most important agencies?

1.- It was founded on April-June 1945 (San Francisco Conference) to assure

international peace an security, and to avoid a conflict like WW2.
2.- To preserve international peace and security, economic and social cooperation
between nations, sovereign equality between its members and promote the
maintenance of peace. Right of self-determination of peoples.
3.- GENERAL ASSEMBLY: all the members are represented. 1 state = 1 vote. Issues
recommendations.
SECURITY COUNCIL: the highest executive body. 15 members (5 are permanent
and have the right to veto)
SECRETARY GENERAL: responsible for the administration of the UN
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE