The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to accept blame for WWI and pay reparations, causing hyperinflation in Germany during the 1920s. Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933 by promising to restore the country's economy and greatness. He blamed Jews and communists for Germany's problems. Germany, Italy, and Spain had fascist governments led by Hitler, Mussolini, and Franco respectively. The Spanish Civil War allowed German and Italian forces to gain military experience. Britain and France pursued a policy of appeasement in the 1930s by giving into some of Hitler's demands to avoid war, but Germany took over Austria and Czechoslovakia. When Germany invaded Poland on September 3, 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany,

1. The Causes of WW2

2. Communism
• A political system where the government
controls the nations’ wealth and where
private ownership is very limited.

3. The Treaty of Versailles
• The peace treaty that ended WW1 and forced
Germany to accept the blame for starting the
war.

4. Reparations
• Money which has to be paid as compensation
for doing something wrong.

5. Hyperinflation
• A condition in which prices increase rapidly as a
currency loses its value.
• During the 1920s prices rose at a very fast rate
and the Germans’ standard of living fell. Money
became worthless.
• An item that cost 70 German marks in 1921
required 4200 million marks to buy in 1923.
Peoples savings were quickly used up buying
basic items of food.

6. Hyperinflation continued:
• Source:
As soon as I received my salary I rushed out to buy
the daily necessities. My daily salary, as editor of the
periodical Soziale Praxis, was just enough to buy one
loaf of bread and a small piece of cheese and some
oatmeal…
An acquaintance of mine, a clergyman, came to
Berlin from a suburb with his monthly salary to buy a
pair of shoes for his baby; (by the time he arrived at
the shop) he could buy only a cup of coffee.
Dr Frieda Wunderlich, quoted in Bry, Wages in Germany 1871-1945, Princeton, 1960.

7. Hyperinflation continued:
Source Questions:
1. Identify the effects of hyperinflation that are
described in this source.
2. If you were living in Berlin during this
time, would it be better to be paid
daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly? Explain
your answer.
3. Suggest ways in which people living in
Germany in 1923 might have been able to
obtain basic everyday food items.

8. Adolf Hitler • In the early 1920s Adolf Hitler made
his first attempt to gain power in
Germany, when he was unsuccessful
he turned to fascist methods to
encourage people to support him. In
1933 Hitler became Germany’s leader
and the Nazi party took control over
Germany.
Hitler became popular in Germany
because he:
• Said he would create more jobs and
make people better off financially
• Said he would restore Germanys
greatness
• Promised to reunite all German
speaking people into one country
• Blamed the Jews and communists for
all Germany’s problems
• Was a skilful public speaker
• Organized large rallies to promote his
ideas
• Used violence against those who
opposed him

9. Fascism
A political ideology which
dictates that individuals should
serve the state, which should
be governed by a strong
leader who embodies the
national will.
Characteristics of Fascism:
• Control by one man who was
supported by most people
• The use of force to overcome
any opposition
• A belief in the superiority of
ones own nation
• Opposition to communism
• A desire to expand territory
• http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=rp34b2_8qMk&NR=1

10. The Spanish Civil war
In 1936, General Franco, a
Spanish fascist, led a military
revolt against Spain’s
republican government. In this
civil war, over half a million
people died. Both Hitler and
Mussolini supplied Franco with
troops, bombers and transport
aircraft. In all 50,000 Italian,
and 10,000 German troops
went to Spain. Hitler used the
war to train his men, and the
Luftwaffe (German airforce)
pilots perfected their dive-
bombing technique.

11. Appeasement
The name given to the
policy that Britain and
France pursued towards
Germany from the mid
1930s until 1939; their
intention was to give in
to some of Hitler’s
demands in the hopes
of avoiding war.

12. The Declaration of WAR!
3rd September 1939
http://www.youtube.com/watch http://www.ww2australia.gov.a
?v=qtrOJnpmz6s u/wardeclared/index.html

13. Comprehension Questions: The Causes
of WW2
1. What was the name of the treaty Germany was forced to sign at the end
of WW1?
2. Why did Germany have to pay reparations?
3. Identify the European countries that had fascist governments in 1939.
4. Outline how Hitler became Germany’s leader in 1933.
5. Identify reasons that the Spanish civil war was important for the Fascists.
6. Explain why Britain and France followed a policy of appeasement
towards Germany during the 1930s.
7. Which two countries did Germany take over during the appeasement?
8. Why did Britain and France declare war on Germany on 3rd September
1939?
9. Identify reasons for Australia’s involvement in the war.