Causes of WW2 by Justina Da Dalt

1933 - Hitler becomes Chancellor; Germany begins rearmament & leaves disarmament talks / League of Nations

jdadalt — 2025-10-14 17:08:44 UTC

Once in power, Hitler started acting to reverse the Treaty of Versailles: rebuilding the military (secretly at first), withdrawing from international bodies meant to limit German arms or arbitrate disputes. This marked a shift from complaint/political opposition to open challenge.

7 March 1936 - Remilitarisation of the Rhineland

jdadalt — 2025-10-14 17:11:07 UTC

Hitler sent German troops into the Rhineland area (which had been demilitarised under Versailles). Britain and France did not intervene. This was a gamble by Hitler: if opposed militarily, it could have been disastrous for him. Its successful execution boosted his confidence and prestige.

12 March 1938 - Anschluss (Union with Austria)

jdadalt — 2025-10-14 17:12:24 UTC

Nazi Germany annexed Austria. Many Austrians welcomed it; the international response was weak. This is another example of Hitler uniting German-speaking people and revising Versailles.

September 1938 - Munich Agreement / Sudetenland crisis

jdadalt — 2025-10-14 17:13:34 UTC

Leaders of Britain and France (notably Chamberlain) agreed to let Germany annex the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in the hope of avoiding war (“appeasement”). Hitler promised no further territorial claims (which he later broke). This policy of appeasement emboldened him.

March 1939 - Occupation of Czechoslovakia / final breach of appeasement

jdadalt — 2025-10-14 17:15:06 UTC

Germany invaded and took over the rest of Czechoslovakia. This exposed how unreliable Hitler was and that appeasement failed. Britain and France began to see that more forceful deterrence (or threat) would be needed.

23 August 1939 - Nazi-Soviet Pact (Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact)

jdadalt — 2025-10-14 17:17:13 UTC

Germany and the Soviet Union made a non-aggression pact that secretly agreed the division of Poland. This removed the risk Hitler faced of a two-front war (east & west), making it easier for him to invade Poland without fearing Soviet intervention

1 September 1939 - Germany invades Poland – Outbreak of World War II

jdadalt — 2025-10-14 17:18:10 UTC

This invasion triggered Britain and France to declare war on Germany (3 September). This was the final act in the series of causes: Hitler tested responses, exploited weaknesses, and ultimately crossed the threshold that could no longer be ignored.