Causes of World War II (The Road to War: Causes of Conflict)

World War II is generally considered to have begun in September 1939, when the armies of Nazi Germany invaded its neighbor Poland. After Britain and France declared war, the conflict quickly escalated to include most of the major nations of the world. By the time it ended, some 55 million people had lost their lives. The Second World War occurred because of decisions made during the preceding two decades. This book discusses the ramifications of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended the First World War. It explains the rise of militaristic governments in Italy, Germany, and Japan during the 1920s and early 1930s. It examines unsuccessful attempts by League of Nations to resolve conflicts peacefully, and the Western policy of “appeasement” toward the aggressors. Ultimately, each of these diverse issues contributed to the outbreak of global war.