Who started WW2?

[Tiger]

France? Do you think that the French input into the treaty of Versailles put Germany in a position were a leader like Hitler could rise to power and there by causing the war? The British and American input was not anywhere as near as the harsh punishment wanted by the French. If the treaty had been realistic would it have prevented WW2?

I asked this on another forum and got some interesting answers, discuss away!

[syscom3]

It was Germany who instigated hostilities. Once they crossed the border into Checklslovakia in 1938, they were essentialy an outlaw state. Attacking Poland was just a confirmation of their intentions.

[Haztoys]

WW1 never ended...it just started up 20 or so years later


And the Japans could see the time was right to ..Just take what they wanted ...From these who were under them ...Or they felt they were under them...

Just my take of it all..

[v2]

Any questions?

Text of the Nazi-Soviet Pact

The Government of the German Reich and The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Desirous of strengthening the cause of peace between Germany and the U.S.S.R., and proceeding from the fundamental provisions of the Neutrality Agreement concluded in April, 1926 between Germany and the U.S.S.R., have reached the following Agreement:

Article I. Both High Contracting Parties obligate themselves to desist from any act of violence, any aggressive action, and any attack on each other, either individually or jointly with other Powers.

Article II. Should one of the High Contracting Parties become the object of belligerent action by a third Power, the other High Contracting Party shall in no manner lend its support to this third Power.

Article III. The Governments of the two High Contracting Parties shall in the future maintain continual contact with one another for the purpose of consultation in order to exchange information on problems affecting their common interests.

Article IV. Should disputes or conflicts arise between the High Contracting Parties shall participate in any grouping of Powers whatsoever that is directly or indirectly aimed at the other party.

Article V. Should disputes or conflicts arise between the High Contracting Parties over problems of one kind or another, both parties shall settle these disputes or conflicts exclusively through friendly exchange of opinion or, if necessary, through the establishment of arbitration commissions.

Article VI. The present Treaty is concluded for a period of ten years, with the proviso that, in so far as one of the High Contracting Parties does not advance it one year prior to the expiration of this period, the validity of this Treaty shall automatically be extended for another five years.

Article VII. The present treaty shall be ratified within the shortest possible time. The ratifications shall be exchanged in Berlin. The Agreement shall enter into force as soon as it is signed.

[The section below was not published at the time the above was announced.]

Secret Additional Protocol.

Article I. In the event of a territorial and political rearrangement in the areas belonging to the Baltic States (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), the northern boundary of Lithuania shall represent the boundary of the spheres of influence of Germany and U.S.S.R. In this connection the interest of Lithuania in the Vilna area is recognized by each party.

Article II. In the event of a territorial and political rearrangement of the areas belonging to the Polish state, the spheres of influence of Germany and the U.S.S.R. shall be bounded approximately by the line of the rivers Narev, Vistula and San.

The question of whether the interests of both parties make desirable the maintenance of an independent Polish States and how such a state should be bounded can only be definitely determined in the course of further political developments.

In any event both Governments will resolve this question by means of a friendly agreement.

Article III. With regard to Southeastern Europe attention is called by the Soviet side to its interest in Bessarabia. The German side declares its complete political disinteredness in these areas.

Article IV. This protocol shall be treated by both parties as strictly secret.

Moscow, August 23, 1939.

For the Government of the German Reich v. Ribbentrop

Plenipotentiary of the Government of the U.S.S.R. V. Molotov

[timshatz]

Originally Posted by Tiger

Who started WW2

I heard it was a guy name Fred.

[Haztoys]

I keep forgetting the Russian end of it ...American schools would not say ..

FDR 'thought' he had Stalin all figured out ...And covered ...

And did not ...

[schwarzpanzer]

Nice idea for a thread Tiger, though it could get ugly...

IMO there were a few guilty parties, no one country was entirely to blame:

Originally Posted by Haztoys

WW1 never ended...

Yes I agree, in that case; Serbia.

Poland and Czechoslovakia stealing territory that wasn't theirs also instigated it.

Germany should have only taklen back what was hers in the 1st place and no more.

France, of course, but Britain and America weren't blameless (though Britain sent aid to Germany).

I don't think the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact had anything to do with it?

Interesting to see the details though, thanks V2.

- Though I notice no-one dared declare war when the USSR invaded Poland weeks after Germany, wonder why that was...

[reddragon]

I always thought the Japanese invasion of Manchuria was the start of World War II.

[syscom3]

The Japanese invasion of Manchuria and then China was a precursor to a larger war. But I dont think those events in themselves would have started the second world war. Noone was going to go to war over those countries, regardless of the circumstances.

It was Germany's invasion of Poland was what started the whole conflaguration.

And if anyone thinks the US was partly to blame for the start of the war, they have zero facts to base their decleration on. The US didnt not approve of the reperations that Germany was forced to pay. the US was isolationist throughout the 20's and 30's. And the US didnt rearm untill 1939, and it was for the Navy. It wasnt untill 1940 that the army and air corps were built back up.

The facts are clear. Germany started the war.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I agree no matter how you look at it Germany started it. There were many things that helped play a part in the fact such as the failed league of nations and the Versaille Treaty but in the end it was Hitler mad self that started WW2.

[Gnomey]

Agreed Adler, the German aggression in the later half of the 1930's caused the war and Japan's involvement in China increased the scope of the war. There were many contributing factors as you said such as the Versailles Treaty and the League of Nations as well as the whole policy of appeasement followed by France and Britain.

[Wurger]

Originally Posted by Haztoys

WW1 never ended...it just started up 20 or so years later ....

I've heard an opinion that WW2 was still the same WW1 with the twenty-years pause for regrouping and restoration armed forces.I agree with this and a result I must see eye to eye with Hazatoys.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I also agree with that assumption. Another contributing factor was all these secret treaties prior to WW1. There never really was an end to Great War if you think about, just regrouping.

[Twitch]

The Allies of WW I created the conditions that strongly influenced Germany in the direction it went. All they wanted was retribution and punishment for Germany. After stripping the country of anything of value they left it like a turd on the lawn. Had they treated Germany with respect and assisted in the economic rebuild as happened after WW 2 the conditions that spawned a Hitler would have not been present.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I agree I feel that after WW1 Germany was treated unfairly for a war that it did not start.