The causes of the Second World War are linked closely to the end of the First World War. The basic causes of world war (II) were nationalistic tensions, unresolved issues and other resentments resulting from the world war (I). However, the culmination of events that led to war was the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany which was provoked by additional events before the invasion which contributed to the commencing of World War II. The major causes of world war (II) include the unfairness of the treaty of Versailles, the drawbacks of the League of Nations, the worldwide economic depression that includes the Manchurian crisis and the ruling of Hitler of Nazi Germany alongside with Hitler's plans, the Munich agreement and Chamberlain's appeasement policy.
World W I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. It was drawn up by the conquerors of the war which included Great Britain, United States, France and other allies such as Italy. The Big three met in Versailles to compose a treaty that would bring about peace after the tragedy from the First World War but instead, drawing up the treaty became one of the causes of the Second World War. This was because the other countries felt that Germany was the cause of world war (I) and suggested that Germany needed to pay for all the reparations. They believed that "A smaller and impoverished Germany would be less of a threat to its neighbours". However, Germany believed that the treaty was unfair because they lost ten percent of land, all overseas colonies, 12.5 percent of their population and sixteen percent of its coal fields and almost half of its iron and steel industry. Their army was reduced to ten thousand men and in addition to that they had to bear the disgrace of being blamed for starting the First World War. The overall reaction from Germany was an outrage. Hitler felt that it was ridiculously unreasonable and as a result, he demanded for a change.
