Second World War (1939–1945)

Second World War (1939–1945)

Causes of the Second World War

1. The Treaty of Versailles (1919)

• The Treaty of Versailles had in itself the germs of the Second World War.

• Germany was very badly treated. She was forced to sign the treaty at the point of a bayonet, in a spirit of revenge.

• To tear away the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler joined hands with Mussolini of Italy.

2. Nationalist Movements of Germany & Italy

• The rise of the national movement in Germany & Italy added fuel to the fire.

• Although Hitler tried to assure the world that he meant peace, he could not conceal his ambition for long.

• He embarked on a career of aggression, which ultimately led to war.

• The same was the case with Mussolini, who had established his dictatorship in Italy in 1922.

3. Conflict of Ideology between Dictatorship & Democracy

• Countries like Germany, Italy & Japan represented the ideology of dictatorship, while Great Britain, France & USA represented the ideology of democracy.

• Mussolini described the conflict between the two ideologies thus: The struggle between the two worlds can permit no compromise. Either we or they.

4. Inefficiency of the League of Nations

• Unfortunately, when hostility was growing between the two camp, there was no effective international organisation that could bring the leaders of the two camps onto a common platform and bring about a reconciliation between them.

• The League of Nations was practically dead.

5. Colonial & Commercial Rivalry

• The colonial and commercial rivalry between England and France on one side, and Germany and Italy on the other, brought them into conflict with each other.

6. Aggressiveness of the Berlin-Rome-Tokyo Axis

• Hitler had become very aggressive

• He annexed the Saar Valley, occupied the Rhineland and Austria, captured Czechoslovakia, etc.

• Mussolini attacked Abyssinia (Ethiopia)

• Japan attacked China

• This aggressive mood of the Fascist Powers got its fullest expression when they formed an Axis providing for mutual aid in the international sphere.

Immediate Cause

The immediate cause of the war was the refusal of Poland to surrender. Germany gave an ultimatum to Poland regarding:

1. Surrender of the port of Danzig

2. The right to establish a rail link between Germany and East Prussia through the Polish corridor.

These two demands were rejected by Poland. So Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Britain and France, as they were under treaty obligations to aid Poland, declared war against Germany on September 3, 1939.

Course of War

• On one side were Germany, Italy, and Japan, called the Axis Powers (or Central Powers), and on the other were Great Britain, France, USSR, USA, China, et c. called the Allied Powers (or Allies).

• Germany had to face defeat once again. Hitler, Goebbels & Himmler committed suicide (April 30, 19,45) and their successors surrendered unconditionally on May 7, 1945.

• After the fall of Germany, the USA and the UK concentrated their focus on Japan.

• On Aug. 6, 1945, an atomic bomb, Little Boy, was dropped on the city of Hiroshima.

• Japan was asked to surrender, and when it refused, another atom bomb, Fat Man, was dropped on Aug. 9, 1945, on the city of Nagasaki.

• It is estimated that more than one lakh persons were killed and thousands more slowly dying of radiation poisoning.

• On Aug. 14, 1945, Japan conveyed its acceptance of the Allied demand to surrender, but the actual surrender took place on Sep. 2, 1945.

• With the Japanese surrender, the Second World War came to an end.

Effects of World War II

1. After about 15 months of preparatory work, the peace treaties were given a final shape by the 21 participating countries, and they were signed on Feb. 10, 1947, in Paris by the representatives of the five enemy states and the Allied Powers.

2. As regards Germany, it was occupied by the Big Four.

3. After its fall in May 1945, it was divided into four zones, each of which was administered separately by one of the occupying powers.

4. Berlin came under joint occupation.

5. Ultimately, out of one Germany came two countries — West Germany and East Germany.

6. Italy was also deprived of its colonies.

7. As regards Japan, a peace treaty was signed with it at San Francisco in 1951.

8. The United Nations Organization (UNO) was established on October 24, 1945.

9. The USA and USSR emerged as the two most powerful nations in the world.

10. The emergence of Russia (USSR) gave rise to the desire for freedom in colonies that were under European control in Asia.

11. The British Empire thus rapidly lost its leadership as more and more of its colonies won independence.

12. France also lost much of their past glory.

13. Nearly all the Eastern European countries embraced communism, and communist rule was also established in the Chinese mainland.

WW II: Axis vs Allies

The Axis Powers or Central Powers

• Germany

• Italy (entered June 1940)

• Japan (entered Dec. 1941)

The Allies or Entente Powers

• Great Britain

• France

• USSR (entered June 1941)

• USA (entered Dec. 8, 1941)

• China (entered Dec. 1941)

Important Axis Leaders of WW II

• Adolf Hitler (Nazi dictator of Germany)

• Benito Mussolini (Prime Minister of Italy)

• Hirohito (Emperor of Japan)

• His Prime Ministers: Hideki Tojo & Fumimaro Konoe

Important Allied Leaders of WW II

• Franklin D. Roosevelt – up to April 12, 1945

• Harry Truman – after April 12, 1945 (Presidents of the USA)

• Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of Britain)

• Joseph Stalin (Premier of the USSR)

• Paul Reynaud & Charles De Gaulle (Prime Ministers of France)

• Chiang Kai-shek (Head of the Nationalist Government of China)

Final Thoughts

The Second World War was one of the most devastating conflicts in human history, shaped by deep-rooted causes such as nationalism, ideological clashes, aggressive expansion, and the failures of diplomacy. Triggered by Germany’s invasion of Poland, it engulfed nations across the globe in a brutal confrontation between Axis and Allied powers.

The war not only resulted in catastrophic loss of life but also led to massive geopolitical shifts. In its aftermath, the world saw the collapse of colonial empires, the rise of the USA and USSR as superpowers, and the creation of the United Nations to prevent such global conflicts.

WWII serves as a grave reminder of the consequences of unchecked aggression, the dangers of totalitarianism, and the critical importance of international cooperation for peace and stability.