As you view the lecture, consider the following questions:  What were the causes of WW2?  How did Canada become involved in WW2?  How did Canada’s foreign policies in the 1930s contribute to the start of WW2?  What evidence is there that prejudice and discrimination against Jews existed in Canada?

The Treaty of Versailles  American President Woodrow Wilson offered a peace plan called the “Fourteen Points”  this plan was designed to prevent future wars.  This plan proposed that world organization known as the “The League of Nations” would be made up of countries from around the world that would settle disputes peacefully.  Also, Woodrow’s “fourteen points” recommended that no revenge be taken on the countries that lost WW1.  However, not all of his points were included in the Treaty. Consequently, ignoring such recommendation would pay a terrible price.  Instead the Treaty humiliated Germany. Germany military was also removed from the Rhineland, which was on the border of France.  The final humiliation was that Germany had to agree that it “accepted the responsibility” for all the loses and damages during WW1.

1.Why do you think Canadians did not care about that was happening in the rest of the world during the 1930s? 2.What the purpose of the 14 points? 3.Why did the allies not accept the 14 points?

 Wilson’s dram to create an international organization to solve disagreements between countries peacefully seemed to be realized. The US never ended up joining the league, which greatly ruined its reputation.  After WW1 the American government returned to its policy of isolationism.  ISOLATIONISM: This attitude of “minding ones own business” was adopted by many countries and became a major cause of WW1.

 Countries like Canada that did join the League of Nations promised to stop aggressor countries from attacking other countries.  It was believed that with these aggressor countries, combined with the use of force by member countries would stop imperialism and prevent future wars.

 In 1931 the first serious test of the League’s power occurred when Japan invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria.  China appealed the League to stop the aggressor but the League did nothing.  Italy also tests the League when Mussolini invades Ethiopia Africa in  Prime Minister King of Canada refused to agree to any trade or military action against Mussolini because he was afraid of starting another war.

1.What was the stated purpose of the League of Nations? 2.Why did the US not join the League of Nations? What effect dud this have? What effect did it have? 3.What did the League of Nations plan to do to stop aggressor countries? 4.Why did the League of Nations fail to help China in 1931? What was the result? 5.What methods did the Fascist use to increase their power? 6.Why did Hitler copy the Italian Fascists? 7.What groups were the target of Nazi racism? 8.In what ways did Hitler break the terms of the Treaty? 9.What might have happened if France and Britain had called Hitler’s bluff?

The policy of Appeasement means giving into the demands of the dictators, which can make the dictators even more hungry. “a man of deep sincerity”…Mackenzie King.

Hitler convinced King that once Germany regained its territories it had lost after WW1, “he would be satisfied…and….would not risk a large war”. Prime Minister Chamberlain was Hitler’s greatest political victim. Chamberlain firmly believed that the only way to prevent another war was to give into some of Hitler’s demands. Chamberlain was dedicated to maintaining world peace and believed that Hitler would stop the spread of Communism. Despite Hitler’s promise to respect the independence of Austria—German troops forced takeover is called “Anschluss”.

 The Munich conference agreed the German takeover of the Sudetenland in return for a written promise from Hitler that he would make no further territorial demands.  Under the intense British and French pressure Czechoslovakia agreed to the German takeover and Hitler was once again triumphant.  On August 23, 1939, the world was shocked to learn the Nazi-Soviet Pact made by Hitler and Stalin.  These ruthless dictators hated each other and it seemed impossible that they would make an alliance.  The Nazis invaded Poland on September 1,1939. Over one million soldiers poured into the country using a method of attack called the Blitzkrieg or lighting warfare.

Checkpoint 1.Why did so many people support appeasement? 2.Why did the policy of appeasement not work? 3.How did the fear of Communism help the Nazis? 4.What were Churchill’s views of Hitler? What influence did he have on world leaders? 5.At what point did people finally realize that Hitler was not to be trusted?