1. The Treaty of Versailles: The harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I, left Germany feeling humiliated and resentful. The treaty required Germany to give up territory, pay reparations, and disarm its military. This created a sense of nationalism and revanchism in Germany, which eventually led to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.
2. The Great Depression: The Great Depression, which began in 1929, caused widespread economic hardship in Europe. This led to political instability and the rise of extremist parties, such as the Nazi Party in Germany and the Fascist Party in Italy.
3. The rise of fascism and militarism: Fascism is a political ideology that emphasizes the importance of the nation and the state. Militarism is the belief that military power is essential to national security. These ideologies were on the rise in Europe in the 1930s, and they contributed to the outbreak of war.
4. The failure of the League of Nations: The League of Nations was an international organization that was created after World War I to promote peace and cooperation. However, the League was unable to resolve the conflicts that led to World War II.
5. The Munich Agreement: In 1938, the Munich Agreement was signed by Germany, Italy, France, and Great Britain. The agreement allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia. This agreement was a major victory for Hitler, and it showed the world that the Western powers were willing to appeasement Germany in order to avoid war.
6. The invasion of Poland: On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. This invasion was the final straw that led to the outbreak of World War II.