Causes of WWII

Goal of the Day

• 7.2.3 World War II – Analyze the
causes, course, characteristics, and
immediate consequences of World
War II by explaining the causes of
World War II, including aggression and
conflict appeasement that led to war
in Europe and Asia (e.g., Versailles
Treaty)

• Students will be able to explain

the causes of World War II.

2
 Before we Begin..
• 1. What document ended World War I? What
types of reparations did Germany have to make
by signing this document?

• 2. After signing the document from question

number 1, explain to me the state of Germany’s
economy and how Hitler was able to rise to
power.

• 3. What were the three ideologies that Germany,

Italy, and the Soviet Union rose to power through
after World War I? What is name of the
government that these 3 ideologies fall under?

• 4. What was the United States’ original stance on

WWII?

3
 Before we Begin..
• 1. What document ended World War I? What types
of reparations did Germany have to make by
signing this document? Treaty of Versailles

• 2. After signing the document from question

number 1, explain to me the state of Germany’s
economy and how Hitler was able to rise to power.
Economic Depression

• 3. What were the three ideologies that Germany,

Italy, and the Soviet Union rose to power through
after World War I? What is name of the
government that these 3 ideologies fall under?
Totalitarianism

• 4. What was the United States’ original stance on

WWII? Isolationism

4
 The 4 Causes of WWII
• Treaty of Versailles

• Economic Depression

• Rise of Totalitarian Regimes

• Isolationism

5
 The 4 Causes of WWII
• Treaty of Versailles

6
 Treaty of Versailles
1. Treaty of
A. Versailles
Germany lost land to
surrounding nations
B. War Reparations

1) Allies collect $ to
pay back war debts to
U.S.

2) Germany must
large amount of
money

3) Bankrupted the
German economy &
Lloyd George,
7 Georges Clemenceau, and Woodrow Wilson embarrassed Germans
during negotiations for the Treaty
 The 4 Causes of WWII
• Treaty of Versailles

8
 The 4 Causes of WWII

•Economic Depression

9
 Economic Depression
2. Economic
Depression
A. The Depression
made Germany’s debt
even worse
B. Desperate people
turn to desperate
leaders
1) Hitler seemed
to provide
solutions to
Germany’s
problems
10

1923 - Wallpapering with German Deutchmarks

 Economic Depression
2. Economic
Depression
2) Hitler provided
scapegoats for
Germany’s problems
(foreigners, Jews,
communists, mentally
ill)

3) Kristallnacht -
vandalism &
destruction of Jewish
property &
synagogues
11
 The 4 Causes of WWII

•Economic Depression

12
 The 4 Causes of WWII
• Treaty of Versailles

• Economic Depression

• Rise of Totalitarian Regimes

13
 Totalitarianism
3. Rise of Totalitarian Regimes
A. In a Totalitarian country, individual rights are
not viewed as important as the needs of the nation

Communist Fascist
Dictatorship Dictatorship
(USSR) (Germany, Italy)
Fascism: military
Totalitariani government based
sm on racism &
nationalism with
strong support
from the business
community
Military
Dictatorship
14
(Japan)
 The 4 Causes of WWII
• Treaty of Versailles

• Economic Depression

• Rise of Totalitarian Regimes

15
 The 4 Causes of WWII
• Treaty of Versailles

• Economic Depression

• Rise of Totalitarian Regimes

• Isolationism

16
 Isolationism
4. Isolationism of Major Powers
A. U.S. Isolationism/Neutrality
1. Great Depression (problems at
home)
2. Perceptions of WWI
a. WWI did not seem to solve
much
b. People began to think that
we had got into WWI for the
wrong reasons

17
 Isolationism
4. Isolationism of Major Powers
3. Opposition to war
• Pacifism-Opposition to all
war
•Destruction of WWI pushed
many governments to see
peace at any price

18
 Isolationism
4. Isolationism of Major Powers

B. This led to policies of

“Appeasement”
1. Appeasement: give dictators
what they want in order to
keep peace

19
 The 4 Causes of WWII
• Treaty of Versailles

• Economic Depression

• Rise of Totalitarian Regimes

• Isolationism

20
 “We need to talk”
• On Monday, some of the class was
fired up to discover that the United
States did not join WWII until 1941.

• It is time to take a stand!

21
 Directions
• 1. Make a chart that matches what I
have drawn on the board.

• 2. Pick a side. Do you believe that the

United States should have joined WWII
when the war began(1939) or did they
join at the appropriate time(1941)?

• 3. Support your stance. For whatever

side you choose, be able to support
your stance with evidence/examples.
Use notes from previous classes to
help guide your thoughts.
22
 Directions
• 4. Be ready to share your best arguments of
your stance with the class. My 1939 people
go to the left side of the class room, my 1941
people go to the right side. Turn your desks
so that you are facing the opposing side.

• 5. 1939 share out your arguments first. Then,

1941 share yours. Write down in your charts
the arguments from the opposing side.

• 6. For fun, lets argue each others points. Take

the next few minutes with the people on your
side to the points on your chart from the
opposing side. Use evidence and reasoning to
make your counter arguments.
• Remember- This is for fun and everyone is entitled
to their opinion. Do not bash one another.

23
 The 4 Causes of WWII
• Treaty of Versailles

• Economic Depression

• Rise of Totalitarian Regimes

• Isolationism

24
 Goal of the Day
Students will be able to explain the
causes of World War II.

25
 US Assistance
Roosevelt provided aid to the Allies:
Lend-Lease - 1939
•US “lent” war materials
to cash-strapped Great
Britain
Atlantic Charter
•US secretly meets with
England to set goals for
war
•Final destructions of
Nazi tyranny
26 London Firefighter Tackles an Air Raid Blaze
 Meanwhile … in the Pacific
Pearl Harbor - December 7, 1941 -“a date which will live in infamy”

What?
•Surprise attack by
the Japanese
(General Tojo Hideki)
on American forces
in Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii
Effect
? •
1941 US declares war
on Japan & other Axis
27
powers
USS Arizona Sinking in Pearl Harbor