Wednesday, January 13, 2010

World War II (1939-1945): Causes & Impacts

WORLD WAR II (1939-1945)

The bloodiest conflict in history, World War II (1939-1945) consumed the globe from 1939 to 1945. World War II (1939-1945) was fought predominantly in Europe and across the Pacific and eastern Asia, and pitted the Axis powers of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Japan against the Allied nations of Great Britain, France, China, the United States, and Soviet Union. While the Axis enjoyed early success, they were gradually beaten back, with both Italy and Germany falling to Allied troops and Japan surrendering after the use of the atomic bomb.

CAUSES OF THE WAR

Historians have suggested many reasons why World War II (1939-1945) broke out in 1939. The seeds of World War II were sown in the Treaty of Versailles which ended World War I. Crippled economically by the terms of the treaty and the Great Depression; Germany embraced the fascist Nazi Party. Led by Adolf Hitler, the rise of the Nazi party mirrored the ascent of Benito Mussolini's fascist government in Italy. Taking total control of the government in 1933, Hitler remilitarized Germany, stressed racial purity, and sought "living space" for the German people. In 1938, he annexed Austria and bullied Britain and France into allowing him to take the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia. The following year, Germany signed a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union and invaded Poland on September 1, beginning the war.

1. Follies of Victors of World War I (1914-1918)
2. Extreme Nationalism
3. Economic Depression
4. Problem of Nations Minorities
5. Failure of League of Nation
6. Failure of Disarmament
7. Ideological Differences
8. Hostility towards Soviet Russia
9. Policy of Appeasement
10. Division of World in two Armed Camps

COURSE OF THE WAR

On September 1, 1939, the beginning of the German attack, Great Britain and France sent Adolf Hitler an ultimatum - either withdraw German forces from Poland or Great Britain and France would go to war against Germany. On September 3, with Germany's forces penetrating deeper into Poland, Great Britain and France both declared war on Germany.

1. Hitler's Invasion of Poland, 1st September 1939
2. Declaration of War by Britain on Germany, 3rd September 1939
3. Division of Poland between Germany & Russia
4. Russian attack on Finland & Baltic States, June 1940
5. tripartite pact, 1940 (Germany, Japan & Italy)
6. German attack on Denmark & Norway, April 1940


7. German raid on Luxemburg, Belgium & Holland, May 1940
8. German invasion of France, June 1940
9. German operation against Greece & Yugoslavia
10. German invasion of Russia, June 1941
11. US Policy of Isolation
12. Pearl Harbor Attack (Hawaii) 1942
13. Allies Victories over Italy in May 1945
14. Atomic Bombs on Japan 1945

IMPACT OF THE WAR

The most cataclysmic conflict in history, World War II (1939-1945) reshaped the globe and laid the foundation for the modern world. Use these links to follow the action from the invasion of Poland to the dropping of the atom bomb. Commencing with the Nazi-Soviet Pact and ending with the detonation of two nuclear bombs, World War II (1939-1945) consisted of a string of events that increased tension between the West, in which America emerged the dominant power, and the East, led by the Soviet Union. This build up of tension led to a disintegration of relations between the two superpowers and effectively started the Cold War.

The effects of World War II (1939-1945) had far-reaching implications for the international community. Many millions of lives had been lost as a result of the war. Germany was divided into four quadrants, which were controlled by the Allied Powers — the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. The war can be identified to varying degrees as the catalyst for many continental, national and local phenomena, such as the redrawing of European borders, the birth of the United Kingdom's welfare state, the communist takeover of China and Eastern Europe, the creation of Israel, and the 4 divisions of Germany and Korea and later of Vietnam. In addition, many organizations have roots in the Second World War; for example, the United Nations, the World Bank, the WTO, and the IMF. Technologies, such as nuclear fission, the computer and the jet engine, also appeared during this period.

1. Enormous Destruction of Men & Money
2. Bi-polar world
3. Scarcity of Foodstuff & Essential Goods
4. Impetus to National Movements in Asia & Africa
5. Division of Germany
6. Sharpening the Ideological Conflicts
7. Process of De-colonialization
8. Establishment of International Organization
9. Democratization of Foreign Policy
10. Rise of Principle f Self-dominance

IMPACT OF THE WAR ON BRITAIN

In late 1938, Britain attempted to appease Germany and avoid another world war by signing the Munich Pact. This gave Germany "permission" to invade the contested Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia.
When Hitler invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia a few months later, it was clear that this attempt at appeasement did not work. In March 1939, Britain announced that it would support Poland if Germany invaded it. Germany invaded anyway. (In secret, Hitler and Stalin had signed an agreement dividing up Poland between the two powers.) Great Britain lost over 300,000 fighting men and over 60,000 civilians in World War II (1939-1945).

1. Serious Strain in Financial Sphere
2. Loss of Human & Material Resources
3. Withdraw of over-sea Investment
4. Precarious Economic Conditions
5. End of Coalition Government
6. Loss of Colonies in Asia & Africa
7. Reconstruction & Settlement of People
8. Tumbling Economy
9. Government of Labor Party

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