1. WWII Underlying and Immediate Causes (1931-1939)

2. The Underlying Causes of WWII
Explanation
1. The Treaty of Versailles
- lasting resentment by Germans over ‘harsh’ treatment (i.e. war guilt, reparations…)
Formation of new countries after
WWI
- new countries formed from old ones (leads to tension and border conflicts)
3. Failure of the League of Nations
- failed to stop aggressive countries at expense of others (isolationism)
4. Rise of dictators
- several countries turning to ‘extremism’ in the 20’s and 30’s to solve their problems

3. 1. The Treaty of Versailles
What is the message conveyed by this cartoon? How does the cartoonist get that message across?

4. 2. New Countries Formed after WWI
What new countries can you see on the map?

5. 3. The Rise of Dictators in Europe
What can you conclude by looking at this map? What can you infer?

6. 4. Failure of the League of Nations
What symbolism is used to get the point across here?

7. Your task

8. Timeline Activity
Working in small groups, locate the events leading up to WWII using your textbooks or the internet, and place them correctly on the timeline provided (The Heat Goes Up)
Prizes for 1st , 2nd, and 3rd place
Here are the events…

9. IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:
Athenia is sunk
Manchurian Crisis
Saar Valley is returned to Germany
Canada declares war
Spanish Civil War
Italy invades Abyssinia
Great Britain declares war
Hitler becomes Chancellor
Non-Aggression Pact with USSR
Anschluss (Germany annexes Austria)
Hitler takes all of Czechoslovakia
Hitler invades Poland
Hitler moves troops to de-militarized Rhineland
Munich Pact (Hitler gets the Sudetenland)

10. The Manchurian Crisis (1931)
Japan invades China – unprovoked attack

11. The Rise of Dictators – Hitler Becomes Chancellor (1933)
Democratically elected, and appointed by the President – 2nd in command

12. Italy Invades Abyssinia (1935)
Italy invades – League of Nations threatens sanctions only

13. Saar Valley Returns to Germany (1935)
Germany is given back a coal-rich region taken by the Treaty of Versailles

14. Spanish Civil War (1936)
Hitler and Mussolini (Italian dictator) join forces with the rebels and test out their new weapons of war

15. ‘Anschluss’ - Austria is annexed (March, 1938)
Germany ‘peacefully’ annexes (takes over) Austria. Claiming the German people needed more LEBENSRAUM (living space), the German borders are expanding…where will he look next?

16. The Munich Pact (September, 1938) “Peace in our time”
Britain signs a treaty that gives Hitler a part of Czechoslovakia (Sudetenland)…Hitler promises he’s done with expanding Germany’s borders…

17. Hitler takes all of Czechoslovakia (March, 1939)
Ooops…he lied. He then takes over all of Czechoslovakia proving he has been playing the Allies all along…

18. Non-Aggression Pact (August, 1939)
Wisely, Hitler signs a pact with Josef Stalin to protect his eastern border from invasion…he offers part of Poland in return

19. Hitler invades Poland (Sept.1, 1939)
Proving he had bigger plans in mind, Hitler then sends the German Luftwaffe (airforce) and Wehrmacht (army) into Poland. Great Britain insists he withdraws or else…

20. Great Britain declares war (Sept.3, 1939)
With no German response, Great Britain has no choice but to declare war on Germany

21. Athenia is sunk (Sept.3, 1939)
A British ship carrying Canadian and American passengers is sunk by a German U-boat…how would this affect popular opinion?

22. Canada declares war (Sept. 10, 1939)
Mackenzie King asserts…
’Parliament must decide!’ asserting Canada’s independence

23. W A R

24. Could WWII have been avoided?
THE RESULTS OF APPEASEMENT

25. Warm-up activity 2 corners activity – what would you do? Scenario:
A mother is walking through a crowded grocery store with her 2 year old son. While in the middle of shopping, her son breaks out into an uncontrolable tantrum – screaming and crying uncontrollably. The mother then reaches into her purse and pulls out a sucker. The 2 year old immediateley stops crying, and she continues her shopping.
Agree or disagree with her actions? If you agree with how she solved the problem, move to the front of the class. If you disagree with how she handled it, move to the back.

26. The Results of Appeasement

27. Appeasement: The Cause ofWWII?
Definition: the policy of making concessions in order to maintain peace
Why did the Allies ‘appease’ Hitler?
ANY THOUGHTS?
The Allied leaders wanted to avoid another costly and painful war
They hoped that diplomacy and negotiation could save a fragile peace
The believed that Hitler was an honest, sensible man and that some German demands were reasonable
“No sacrifice can be too great, which can save war.” –PM M. King

28. The Problem with Appeasement
Although appeasement may have temporarily avoided war, many historians have argued that this policy actually led to WWII…
Examine the handout ‘Was Appeasement a Mistake?’, and complete the following activities:
Create a chart listing each argument as either a ‘mistake’ or ‘not a mistake’
On the reverse side, complete all questions as well as Extension 3