Books with title The Causes of World War II

World War II is generally considered to have begun in September 1939, when the armies of Nazi Germany invaded its neighbor Poland. After Britain and France declared war, the conflict quickly escalated to include most of the major nations of the world. By the time it ended, some 55 million people had lost their lives. The Second World War occurred because of decisions made during the preceding two decades. This book discusses the ramifications of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended the First World War. It explains the rise of militaristic governments in Italy, Germany, and Japan during the 1920s and early 1930s. It examines unsuccessful attempts by League of Nations to resolve conflicts peacefully, and the Western policy of “appeasement” toward the aggressors. Ultimately, each of these diverse issues contributed to the outbreak of global war.

This book examines the main causes of the greatest war of the 20th century and the events that led to its beginning. Readers will learn: why World War II started so soon after World War I had ended; and how Adolf Hitler gained power and led Germany into war; why and how the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. Primary source materials are included.

The disputes that led to the outbreak of World War I were festering for decades before the first shots were fired. This book examines the long term causes, such as the system of alliances and the arms race, as well as examining the lead up to Franz Ferdinand's assassination which was the trigger for war to break out over Europe. It also provides important insights into the prevailing attitudes and key personalities that led to this devastating war. This book is a clear, well-written, authoritative text packed with useful information, fascinating, thought-provoking photographs, paintings, posters, cartoons and maps. It has a wealth of panels that give biographical details of the major personalities, statistical information, eye-witness accounts and poetic responses to the war. The book ends with a comprehensive date list, glossary and a list of further resources.