In: Economics
Identify and explain the significance of the major political, economic and social causes and consequences of World War II?
Political reasons of World War II:
Failure of the League of Nations.
Bad economic times and fear of another terrible war made European countries at a mercy of a political bully and oppurtunist like Hitler.
Reversal of versaills treaty
Economic causes of World War II:
The German economy was destroyed by end of WWI. Germany also went through many economic bad times after 1918.
When the Nazis came to power they began to make deals outside of the normal Economic System. This include Barter, the forced confiscation of assets of some companies operating in Germany, and the rejection of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
These and a massive military re-armament rebuilt the German Economy while the rest of Europe sat in economic doldrums.
Great depression
Social causes:
The losses of millions of men in WWI profoundly affected the survivors.
Women had been given important home front roles during the War and then had them taken away when the men returned.
Economic uncertainty and the military after shocks in Eastern Europe, Spain, and the middle east all created post war uncertainty.
The rise of Communism and Fascism played on fears for the future.
People desperately wanted security and employment.
The result of this was the rise of powerful forces that created WWII
Consequences of World War II:
1. End of colonialism and imperialism.
2. End of dictatorship in Germany and Italy.
3. Germany was divided into West Germany and East Germany. West Germany was controlled by Britain, France and USA. East Germany by USSR.
4. 5 crore deaths (2.2 crore soldiers and 2.8 crore civilians)
5. Economics problems – Unemployment, low growth etc.
6. Emergence of two power blocks – USA and USSR. This resulted in cold war.
7. Emergence of third world Countries.
8. UNO was set up in 1945.