The causes of World War II are complex and multifaceted, rooted in long-term geopolitical tensions, economic instability, and aggressive nationalism. The main causes include:
- The harsh Treaty of Versailles (1919) that ended World War I imposed severe reparations and territorial losses on Germany, causing deep resentment and a desire for revenge among Germans.
- The worldwide economic depression of the 1930s worsened political instability and allowed extremist ideologies like fascism to rise, especially in Germany, Italy, and Japan.
- The rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, who promoted aggressive militarism, nationalism, and territorial expansion, rejecting the Treaty of Versailles.
- Failure of the League of Nations to prevent aggression by Axis powers, including Japan’s invasion of Manchuria and Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia.
- Western powers' policy of appeasement, which emboldened Germany to annex Austria, seize Czechoslovakia, and finally invade Poland.
- The signing of the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact in 1939, which secretly divided Poland between Germany and the Soviet Union, removing the threat of a two-front war for Germany.
- Immediate trigger: Germany’s invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, which led Britain and France to declare war on Germany, marking the official start of World War II.
These causes combined created a volatile environment that exploded into global conflict starting in 1939.
