The Direct Cause of the Second World War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Direct Cause of the Second World War - Essay Example Although many historians might state that the Second World War was an inevitable explosion of tensions that had built up over the years due to globalization and European control of resources, this paper insists that the unprovoked actions of the German regime under the orders of Adolf Hitler is the immediate cause of the war. Adolf Hitler's Nationalism Adolf Hitler's rise to power is one that was marked by a call for a strong nationalist leader who could restore Germany to its former glory. This therefore gave him the impetus to rise and fill the vacuum that existed in the German society. The First World War (1913 – 1919) came as a big blow to the Austrian-Hungary Kingdom which was the predecessor of the Germany that Hitler inherited. The First World War, had also been fought over the control of natural resources and the expansion of the most powerful nations of the world to control international trade. Germany had entered the war under the leadership of the Kaiser and Ministe rs of the country and most of the war was fought outside Germany (Axelrod 16). After the War, the victorious allies, led by Britain formed the league of nations which forced Germany to surrender by signing the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty failed to punish the Kaiser or Ministers of Germany, Austria and Hungary who were truly responsible for the war (Axelrod 15). Instead, the Treaty of Versailles sought to weaken the Germans by forcing them to cede 13% of their lands to allied nations like France, Poland and Czechoslovakia who had supported the British-led campaign during the First World War. Secondly, the Treaty of Versailles limited the German military capabilities with statutes and placed serious economic strains on the German people. In periods of economic depression, nations often look out for someone to blame and they seek strong leaders who can come up with solutions that would lift the masses out of poverty, this gave the impetus for the rise of Hitler. Hitler is quoted a s saying â€Å"In view of the primitive simplicity of their minds, [the masses] more easily fall victim to a big lie than a little one.† in his unpopular manifesto the main kampf. (Axelrod 27). Axelrod goes further to quote the Joseph Goebbels the Propaganda Minister of the Nazi Party as saying â€Å"That's my trade: hatred. It makes you a long way further than any other emotion.† (30). This new position created alongside Hitler's rise and growth of the Nazi party was clearly steeped in settling old scores and misleading the German people into fighting against other nations and peoples they considered were enemies of the German people. Through this, the Nazi party gradually built a one-party state and established a dictatorship. This clearly shows that with the fertile grounds prepared by the problems and challenges of the 1920s Germany, Hitler could easily come in with his malicious thoughts and ideas meant to punish people that he had brooded hatred against in the pa st. Hitler was able to promise Germans that â€Å"he could lead Germany back to the strength, he could overcome the psychological depression of the past defeat and the economic depression of Germany's contemporary situation† (Weinberg 53). This therefore shows that Hitler presented himself as the kind of savior that Germany needed to retain its past glory. However, Hitler did this by arising through the ranks to become a