World Wars I and II: Just Two Parts of the Same?

World War II can be viewed as merely the second act of World War I instead of being deemed a war in itself. This is because many of the causes of World War II in Europe were created at the end of the first world war in the Treaty of Versailles along with the policy of appeasement. Another cause of World War II was the Great Depression. The Great Depression allowed the Fascist and Nazi governments to take hold in Italy and Germany. With these governments installed the world now had to face two dictators who would stop at nothing to conquer new territory.

In March of 1935 Hitler announced that Germany would no longer obey the Treaty of Versailles. Germany then goes on to rearm its military forces and to stop making reparation payments. At this point Hitler was prepared to back down if the Allies acted against him. However the Allies did nothing because they were looking to avoid war at all costs. The Allies also had domestic economic problems of their own. Another reason that no other country tried to stop Hitler was that many people were beginning to see the Treaty of Versailles as being severely unfair to the Germans. Thus began the policy of appeasement. Hitler would go on to make more and more demands of Britain, France, and the United States only to be appeased with no fear of being stopped.

When the Allies and the League of Nations did finally condemn Hitler's actions Hitler simply followed Mussolini's lead and pulled Germany out of the League. Mussolini had pulled out of the League in 1935 after invading Ethiopia. This had been Italy's last ditch effort for more territory. Germany was also looking for more "living space". Hitler, rather than just taking the land as Italy did, used the Treaty of Versailles' self-determination ideal to procure his land. Hitler began his quest for "living space" by taking over those lands populated by Germans. This included Austria and the Rhineland. Because of the self-determination ideal Britain and France did nothing to stop him. After all Hitler was only trying to unite the German people. However, in September of 1938 Hitler invades the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia. Hitler claims that approximately 3 million Germans are being persecuted there. This just about brings Germany into war with Britain and France. But Hitler calls for a conference with the British Prime Minister Chamberlain. At the Munich Conference Chamberlain continues the policy of Appeasement and gives Hitler the Sudetenland. Chamberlain returns to Britain declaring that he has achieved "peace in our time". Hitler announces that this was to be his "last territorial demand in Europe". Hitler was telling the truth. From here on out he simply took what he wanted instead of wasting time on any demands.

In March of 1937 Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia and again Britain and France do nothing to stop him. Then in August of 1937 Germany and Soviet Russia sign a non-aggression pact and agree to split Poland between themselves. This to fell under self-determination since Poland had originally been part Russian and German. However, Britain and France are allied with Poland. So when the German invasion of Poland comes in September 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany. This begins the second act of world war.

Both World Wars began out of territorial greed and the alliance system. World War I grew out of Austria-Hungary's quest to keep Serbia and Bosnia at all costs. But this greed alone did not start the war. Germany had allied itself to Austria-Hungary and had given the a "blank check" to go into Bosnia. But Russia had agreed to protect Bosnia and had also allied itself with France. So soon after Austria-Hungary invaded Bosnia a world war began. In the case of World War II it was Germany and Italy's (to a smaller degree) territorial greed that led to war. But it wasn't until the Germans invaded Poland that the war broke out. Poland had allied itself to Britain and France so that when it was invaded the two great powers declared war on Germany.

World War I had been a war with everyone playing the defender. However, in World War II there was one clear aggressor: Germany. Germany had declared that they would no longer obey the Treaty of Versailles and had begun to demand more and more land. The policy of appeasement was instituted in World War II for the first time as well. Hitler continued to make his demands and was faced with no opposition for almost four years.

Leading up to the outbreak of World War II in Europe Germany along with the Allies appeasement played the most prominent roles. Mussolini played a bit role by taking Ethiopia and dropping out of the League of Nations when he was condemned. This had shown Hitler that the Allies would not be able to use force to stop him from gaining territory. But it was Hitler who drove the world toward war. And it was the Allies who through their policy of appeasement allowed him to.