World War II, a conflict that reshaped the world, started when Poland was invaded by Germany on the 1st of September 1939; however, this event was merely a catalyst for several underlying causes. Many other factors ignited the start of the war. These include Hitler’s foreign policy ambitions, the actions of appeasement from France and Britain due to the ‘Treaty of Versailles’, and Hitler’s fascist rise in power and desire for warfare. Territory expansion was desired in Hitler’s foreign policy, pushing the agreements in the ‘Treaty of Versailles’. His fascination with warfare, stemming from his experiences as a soldier in World War 1, combined with the rise of his Nazi party, intensified his ambitions for military expansion. France and Britain’s …show more content…
This is most notably evident in the Munich agreement of 1938, when Chamberlain allowed Germany to take over Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia. “The Munich Agreement had the opportunity to stop the war and failed due to its weak predecessors and the strong pattern of appeasement towards Hitler that had already been established.” (Chadburn, 2022). This quote symbolises the idea that appeasement, influenced by “memories of the great war and its sufferings” (Source C), instead encouraged Hitler to further expand territory leading to the invasion of Poland. This quote further symbolises that the Munich agreement failed to prevent the war because it followed a continuous cycle of concessions that only boosted Hitler’s aggression and freedom, making him believe that he had the greater power (Imperial War Museum, 2024). By not being firm with Hitler, France and Britain’s policy of appeasement encouraged him to continue with his expansionist policies, ultimately leading to the invasion of Poland. Hitler’s personal fascination with warfare and the rise of his Nazi party significantly contributed to the outbreak of World War II, influenced by his fascist ideas and …show more content…
Hitler’s aggressive characteristics when pursuing his goals made it evident that he was ready for a war, as stated by US Holocaust Encyclopedia; “Fascist Nazi party and leader, Adolf Hitler, had a strong sense of enthusiasm towards the start of another war. . . Fascism caused Germany to aggressively expand, culminating in the start of WW2.” (Holocaust Encyclopedia, 2019). It is evident through this quote that Hitler’s passion for conflict, driven by his fascist ideologies, influenced his aggressive expansionist policies. The combination of Hitler’s fascist ideas and aggressive expansionist policies eventually led to the invasion of Poland, triggering the start of World War II. World War II ignited through the interplay of the factors of Hitler’s foreign policy, the appeasement policy adopted by Britain and France, and the Hitler’s fascist ideas combined with his eagerness towards