Causes of World War Two:

 

MAIN CAUSES

 

Totalitarianism in Axis nations which opposed:

    democratic ideals and civil liberties

    dignity of individual

    world peace

    the continued existence of democracy

 

Militarism: Axis nations

    built large armies and arsenals

    developed new methods of warfare and weapons

    glorified war as ultimate crusade for the “Fatherland”

 

Nationalism and Racism

    Italian revival of Roman empire

    “Master Race” of Nazism

    Japanese ethnocentrism

 

Imperialism: by the “have-nots’” of the world:

    Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere

    Mediteranean as future “Italian Lake”

    German territorial acquisitions

 

RELATED CAUSES:

 

Failure of Appeasement policy and Munich Conference 1938

 

Lack of Collective Security:

    U.S. neutrality and European unwillingness to act

    Unwillingness of West to enter collective security pact with Soviets

    League of Nations lacked power to act

 

Treaty of Versailles:

    caused German bitterness and hardship

   

American Neutrality:

    refusal to trade with any nations gave the  advantage to well armed

        Axis powers

    implied that U.S. was unwilling to intervene against Axis aggression