The Treaty of Versailles was the catalyst for World War II because the treaty set in motion a chain of events that ultimately led to another big war. The harsh conditions imposed on Germany, the economic instability that followed, the rise of Adolf Hitler, and the failure of collective security all played a significant role in shaping the 1930’s. The conditions imposed on Germany were harsh, which made the Germans feel angry and humiliated. This, in addition to the economic instability that followed, created even more reason for the Germans to have discontent. Additionally, the rise of Adolf Hitler and his aggressive behavior and ideas added to the conflicts that were already happening. The failure of collective security also played a role …show more content…
joined World War I and was not directly responsible for the rise of Hitler, the intervention was a contributing factor to Hitler’s popularity and ultimate control of Germany. Secondly, even though Hitler eventually gained power and control over Germany, it did not start like that. He was imprisoned for trying to overthrow the Bavarian government with support from General Ludendorff’s extremists. Brian Moynahan states in The French Century: The month before, seizing on public anger with the Treaty of Versailles and the occupation, Adolf Hitler attempted to overthrow the Bavarian government with support from General Ludendorff's extremist. The Munich police opened fire on the Nazi columns.Herman Goering was seriously injured, and Hitler was imprisoned. (154) This failed to seize power, and Hitler learned how to use the Germans' resentment of the Treaty of Versailles to gain power and control over them. Lastly, an issue that plays into the treaty is the failure of collective security. As stated previously, collective security is based on the idea that if one nation was attacked, the others would come to its defense. But during this time many allies and countries failed to do so, making it the failure of collective …show more content…
membership of the organization Wilson had done most to promote”(Bottelier 2). The League of Nations was dependent on the treaty’s reception, and the U.S. viewed it suspiciously. Finally, the failure of collective security after World War I greatly weakened the Treaty of Versailles. The League of Nations, established by the treaty as the advocate of peace, lacked the power and commitment of member states to enforce its rulings. This meant that harsh actions by nations like Italy and Japan went mainly unchecked. In Biographies of World Famous Leaders it states “He said that Germany had been willing to keep to this state of affairs if other countries disarmed. As this had not happened, Germany now had to take measures to protect herself”(Sura Books 3). As the countries disregarded the treaty, it could not maintain stable peace. This ultimately influenced Germany to violate the treaty's restrictions on its military, further disrupting the post-war order. In conclusion, the Treaty of Versailles was meant to punish Germany for World War I and create peace. The treaty forced harsh terms on
There is no excuse for the horrible things Nazi Germany did during World War II. But one can get a better idea how that war started by learning about how World War I ended. The Treaty of Versailles was created by the winners of World War I, like France, Great Britain, and the United States, to make peace. So how did it help contribute to an even worse war less than twenty years later? It was mainly because it was too hard on Germany’s territory, military, economy, and national pride.
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, marks the day that WWI descended into armistice. However, the involved countries reached an agreement as to the events following the war on the 28th of June, 1919. The famous Treaty of Versailles was known for its role in ending war. But it was not known for being a double-edged sword, as the ending of war came with the consequence of causing future war. The Treaty consisted of uncontested biases due to Germany's unconditional surrender. The Allies held a gun to Germany's head, with their trigger finger tense. Each article of the Versailles Treaty only made Germany more restless, until 1933 when Hitler produced his own gun and pointed it at the Allies. The Treaty had a series of unproportional effects upon Germany and its people. It caused a rift between the two sides because of the alliances that it formed, brewing tension. The punishments enforced upon Germany were unrealistically huge and it increased the wish among the Germans for the nullification of the Treaty. Finally, the accumulated hatred amongst the people gave birth to potential for a revolution. The Treaty of Versailles is, therefore, an indirect cause to World War II, because of the alliances it caused, the punishments it enforced, and the hatred it developed.
Hitler's Aims and Actions as the Cause of World War II When considering the reasons for the outbreak of war in 1939 it is easy to place the entire blame on Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy in the late 1930s. One British historian, writing a few years after the end of the war, claimed that ‘the Second World War was Hitler’s personal war, in that he intended it, he prepared for it, he chose the moment for launching it.’ In this assignment it is my intention to show that Hitler’s foreign policy was a major factor in causing the conflict but that other reasons, both long term and short term, need to be recognised as well. Probably the first factor that need considering is the Treaty of Versailles, of 1919.
World War Two was the most devastating conflict in the history of humanity. It crippled many nations and caused millions of people to die. One of the major causes of this disastrous war was the Treaty of Versailles which ended the First World War. This treaty was destructive towards the Germans. Germany had to pay large amounts of reparations to the Allied nations at the end of World War One resulting in a Great Depression in Germany. Additionally, the Treaty of Versailles’ war guilt clause forced Germans to admit full responsibility for starting the war. Furthermore, to gain the support of the German populace, Adolf Hitler adopted an effective propaganda campaign. Adolf Hitler employed a successful propaganda campaign to gain the support of the German people combined with the Treaty of Versailles harsh economic and political sanctions ignited World War Two.
Ellicia Chiu Mrs. Daly World History: Period 3 4/27/15 How Did the Versailles Treaty Help Cause World War II? The first World War is recorded as one of the “deadliest conflicts in human history”. With over 16 million dead, it was one of the first wars with a high amount of casualties. However, the one that tops the list with around 60 million deaths was World War II.
The Treaty of Versailles was a violation of Wilson’s ideals. The Treaty is one of the most important agreements (or disagreements) that shaped 20th century Europe socially and physically. Woodrow Wilson on January 22, 1917 in an address to the United States Senate called for a peace without victors, but the Treaty signed by the participating nations was everything but that. The blame for the war was placed on Germany and justified the reparations that were outlined by the treaty for the war. The terms of the treaty were very harsh to the Germans and they took on great resentment. It was a fragile peace agreement that would be used as fuel to keep hostilities going 20 years later.
In December of 1918, The Allies of Europe met in Versailles to Sign possibly one of the most changing documents in history. The document they signed nearly turned Europe upside down, broke down and put up many new social barriers, and definitely made history. The Document that the allied forces all gathered to sign was known as the Treaty of Versailles. Initially, the treaty intended to keep peace between the nations, however, forcing Germany to sign the treaty ended up as one of the worst decisions anybody could have made. The forced signing created tensions between Germany and other countries, let Germany rise back up to Power, Created an optimal situation for Germany to wage war, and ultimately caused World War II, resulting in one of the biggest failures in Debate and Diplomacy of all time.
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the factors that led to the inevitability of World War Two. The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty that occurred as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that was held after Germany was defeated in World War One. The Treaty was put into action and required that Germany should accept responsibility for the war; of course Germany was humiliated by this. They were required to pay colossal war reparation payments. This was one of the main reasons the treaty had a severe impact on Germany; it crippled the German economy and critically reduced the living standards of the people. This made it virtually impossible for the German economy to function productively. The effects that the treaty had on Germany directly led to the rise of Hitler who he capitalised on German resentment at their treatment. He provided a focus for the German people and their desire to take back what they once had, and to restore their pride once again becoming a glorious nation.
The Treaty of Versailles caused WWII because of the Allies blaming everything on Germany, they had to pay billions in reparations and had to give up their colonies. To begin with, most of the war has fought in Germany, Belgium, and France. So the Allies could not have blamed the war on the Germans because all the countries were damaged and need to be able to rebuild itself. Since the Allies did not take the Germans opinion instead the war guilt clause made Germany accept the blame for the war. The Treaty unfair Teams lead to an outbreak for another war1. Many of Germany's citizen were unhappy because they were under strict control. The Treaty was biased and made the Germans upset. Which Adolph Hitler methodically undid the Treaty2.
World War II Essay Final World History Background & Beginning of The War Hitler felt that the Treaty of Versailles passed in 1919 was unfair towards the Germans. The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to give up its military and pay $32 billion for damages of World War I. However, when Hitler rose to power in the 1930s, he believed Germany can build greater civilizations since the Aryan race was superior to others. Hitler acted by beginning to take over land.
The Treaty of Versailles, and all of its regulations were set in place by the winners of World War 1. Nationalists in germany, particularly Hitler, disagreed with this treaty. They took control of Germany legally through the new political path set by the treaty (which reformed them to a parliamentary style of government). Hitler’s actions, while in power, were the results of the Treaty of Versailles and were some of the causes of World War 2. These actions could have been avoided had Hitler not risen to power.
The Treaty of Versailles had a very powerful significance on Germany from 1919-1939. Some say that the treaty had a positive or negative impact on Germany. I believe that the treaty caused a negative significance towards Germany when it was signed on June 28,1919. The Treaty of Versailles took away Germany's land also including all of their overseas colonies, cut their population, slashed their industries in half, and issued a mandatory disarmament. The treaty also caused hyperinflation and major economic depression soon after the treaty was signed.
This historical investigation will determine: to what extent was the Treaty of Versailles responsible for starting World War II? The years under investigation are 1919, the time of its ratification, until 1939, the year in which World War II began.
The Spark that Ignited World War II The treaty of Versailles was the spark that ignited one of the most devastating wars ever fought. It led to an unprecedented event that will mark humanity for the rest of its existence, World War II. The way that the treaty was designed and the intentions of the people who signed it was what led the treaty to its destructive result. To understand the effect of the Treaty of Versailles, we have to first look into what led to its signing.
The Treaty of Versailles severely punished Germany and provided the motivation for the second World War only twenty years later, and led to Hitler’s rise in