Y4 History Hitler's Aggression sample essay

SAMPLEESSAY “HitlerwasresponsiblefortheoutbreakofWWII.” Howfardoyouagreewiththisstatement?[25m] INTRODUCTIONThe statement given suggests that Hitler and his actions were mainly responsible for startingWorld War II (unpack the question). There could havebeennowar without Hitler. It wasHitler’svision of Lebensraum (Living Space), Union of all ethnic Germans to establish a GreaterGermany and determination to reverse the Versailles settlement which led to war. Hitlerconsciously built up Germany’s army and weapons with theintentionof takingit towar. At eachstage of the road to war from1936 to 1939, it washisbeliefs, actions, anddecisionsthat ledtothe outbreak of World War II. However, it would be rather myopic to place the blame fully onHitler asBritainandFrancewereunwillingtouseviolencetostophisaggression.there were opportunities provided through the Appeasement policy for Hitler to achieve hisforeignpolicyaimsbygivingintohisdemands.The Appeasement policy caused Britain and France toturnawayfromcollectivesecuritybasedon common interests. (Alternate perspective), It also brought about inaction fromthe Allies toeffectively counter Hitler’saggression. Hitler wasemboldenedtogofurther inhisexpansionwitheach successful step he took inhisaggressiveforeignpolicy. ThisescalatedtensionsinEuropeand threatened peace in the 1930s as it eventually led to the outbreak of WWII in Europe in1939.Overall, my stand is that Hitler was the main driving force for the outbreak of WWII andAppeasement wasanattempt tolimit Hitler’sseriousactsof aggressionbut failed. GIVENPERSPECTIVEPREMISE1Hitler's foreign policy was based on the concept ofLebensraum,or"livingspace," which hebelieved was necessary for the German people to thrive. To achieve this, Hitler sought toexpand German territory and influence throughout Europe and beyond, which ultimately led tomilitary conflict. Hitler began to pursue his foreign policygoalsalmost immediatelyafter comingto power in 1933. He first withdrewGermanyfromtheLeagueof Nations, which was aninternational organization established after World War I to promote peace and cooperationamong nations. Hitler also began tore-armGermanyinviolationoftheTreatyofVersailles,which limited the size and capabilities of the German military after World War I. In 1936, Hitlerordered the German army toreoccupytheRhineland, which was a demilitarizedzonebetweenGermany and France. This move violated the Treaty of Versailles and alarmed theFrenchandBritishgovernments,buttheychosenottorespondwithmilitaryforce. ThisemboldenedHitler topursue further territorial gains. In1938,HitlerannexedAustriaintoGermany, whichwasknownas the Anschluss. This violated the Treaty of Versailles and was another step towards Hitler'sgoal of creating a greater German empire. Later that year, Hitler demanded thecessionoftheSudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia with a large German-speaking population. When theCzechoslovakian government refused, Hitler threatened war, and the Munich Agreement wassigned, which allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland in return for a promise not to seekfurther territorial gains. However, Hitler broke his promise and invaded the rest of

CzechoslovakiainMarch1939. This ledBritainandFrancetoguaranteethesecurityof Poland,which was seen as the next likely target of Hitler's aggression. InSeptember1939,GermanyinvadedPoland, which led to the declaration of war byBritainandFrance, andthebeginningofWorldWar II. GIVENPERSPECTIVEPREMISE2Furthermore, Hitler hadtheintentionforWorldWarIItohappen. In his autobiography andpolitical manifesto, Mein Kampf, Hitler outlined his plan forcreatingagreaterGermanempire,whichhebelievedrequiredawarofconquest. He wrote that "the great foreignpolicyaimmustbetoobtainfortheGermanpeoplethelandandsoiltowhichtheyareentitledonthisearth,"and that "war is not just a necessary evil, it is also a tonic...the highest and most gloriousexpression of human activity." Fromthe moment he came to powerin1933, Hitler began torearmGermanyandbuildupitsmilitarycapabilities, in violationof theTreatyof Versailles. Thisincluded expanding the army, navy, and air force, and increasing the production of warmaterials. By the late 1930s, Germany had the most powerful military in Europe. Hitler'saggressive foreign policy, whichaimedtoexpandGermany'sterritoryandinfluence, wasaclearindication that he was willing touseforceanddestroytheexistingstatusquo to achieve hisgoals. HeannexedAustriaandtheSudetenland,andtheninvadedCzechoslovakiaandPoland,tippingthebalanceofpower so much that theAllieshadnochoice, despitetheir great aversiontowar, but todeclarewar onNazi GermanywhenHitlerinvadedPolandon1Sept1939, leadingto the outbreak of World War II. Hence, it was Hitler's aggressive foreign policy, which wasbased on the concept of Lebensraumand the desire to expandGermanterritoryandinfluence,that led to a series of territorial gains and violations of international agreements, culminating intheinvasionof Polandandtheoutbreakof WorldWar II. TRANSITIONTOALTERNATIVEPERSPECTIVEWhile Hitler indeed played a large role in causing WorldWar II, thereisalsoaneedtoexaminethe policy and diplomatic blunders made by leaders from the Allied countries that played asignificant role in causing the outbreak of World War II. AsWinstonChurchill put it - “WorldWarII had never beenaneasier war tostop.” Therehadbeennumerousopportunitiestoprevent theoutbreakof thewar, but all weremissed. ALTERNATIVEPERSPECTIVEPREMISE1Some historians blame Britain &FrancetheWWII duetotheir Appeasement policywhichmadeitdifficulttoconfrontGermany’sescalatingactsofaggressionthroughtheLeagueofNations.The League which was dominated by Britain and France, was largely ineffective in its role ofkeeping the peace of Europe and the world. First, thefailureof collectivesecurityfacilitatedtheoutbreak of World War II. The League of Nations, which was established after World War I topromote international cooperation and prevent future conflicts, failed to prevent the aggressionof Germanyinthe1930s. TheineffectivenessanddelayedresponsefromtheLeagueof Nationsset the foundation for enabling the outbreak of thewar. AstheLoNwasnot backedbyall of thekey powers, especially the fact that theUSSRandUSAwerenot members, meant that theLoN

lacked the necessary military power to enforce its decisions, which made it ineffective indeterring aggression. Its lack of effectiveness was highlighted by its failure to prevent theJapanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and the Italian invasion of Abyssinia in 1935. Hitlertook advantage of this weakness and continued his expansionist policies, knowing that theLeague would be unable to stop him. This encouraged Hitler to become more aggressive asthere was inadequate deterrence of aggression from the LoN. This allowed Hitler to annexAustria and Czechoslovakia without any opposition, emboldening himto pursue his aggressiveexpansionist policies further. The ineffectiveness of the LoN meant that it was sidelined andignored, not just by Germany, but also by Britain and France as they pursued Appeasement topreserve peace, during the crises that Hitler provokedinCzechoslovakiaandPolandin1938-9.Overall, the failure of the League of Nations created a power vacuumthat allowed Hitler topursue his expansionist policiesunchecked. Theresultinguncontrolledspiralingof tensionsandconflicts ultimately led to the outbreak of World War II in 1939. Hence, the western powers didnot take proper measures to keep Hitler in check and this allowed him to become moreambitiousanddaring. ALTERNATIVEPERSPECTIVEPREMISE2aSome historians blame the Appeasement policy for theresurgenceofNazi Germanyasamilitarypowerby1938-9.ItweakenedEurope'salliances,betrayedweakerstates,anddelayedtheprocessofrearmament, all of which ultimately led to the devastating outbreak of WWII thatengulfed the world. There were several missed chances to stop Hitler in his tracks, but theywere all missed because the Allied leaders, such as Chamberlain, were unwilling to risk a war