Why Did War Break Out In 1939 Research Paper

Kaitlyn Burst
There were important long-term factors which help to explain why war broke out in 1939. One factor was the Versailles Treaty. It was important because the treaty contributed to the tensions between the countries. The Treaty of Versailles made war in Europe inevitable. Hitler hated the Treaty of Versailles for it reminded the Germans of their defeat in WW1. He believed it was unjust and he hated the Germans who signed it. The Treaty of Versailles had taken away their territory, for example, the Polish Corridor, limited their armed forces, demilitarized the Rhineland, and forbid them from uniting with Austria. Hitler promised if he became the leader he would reverse the treaty. He wanted German-speaking people, such as Czechoslovakia to rejoin Germany and give extra living space to Germans in Eastern Europe. Hitler planned to overturn all the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and destroy it.
This was because the role of the League was never really achieved. Their job was to be “peacemakers,” solving international disputes. In Manchurian and Abyssinia however, the League couldn’t stand up to the aggression of Japan and Italy. As a result of their failure, Hitler believed he could take advantage of the League and overturn the terms of the treaty.
Economic factors also played an important role. The worldwide economic Depression weakened the League. It destroyed the idea of international peace and set countries against each other. Dictators came to power due to the depression. Citizens started to blame their governments for poverty and unemployment. They confided in dictators for they promised them what they were asking for. The Depression also led to Japan and Italy invading Manchurian and Abyssinia and Hitler coming to