Question

With reference to the causes of the Second World War answer the following:

Explain how the ideologies of Fascism and Nazism led to the Second world war.

Answer 1

(i) Fascism : Italy had to spend a lot of money during the First World War on her army and war equipment. She was under heavy debts. The Italian government was faced with serious problems of poverty, hunger, disease and unemployment, Riots and strikes broke out all over the country. The government was not strong enough to maintain law and order in the state. In this situation of general lawlessness, the Fascist seized the power in Italy. They had an imperialistic attitude. Italy turned towards Germany and Japan and concluded a treaty of friendship leading to Berlin-Rome-Tokyo Axis in opposition to Franco-British Alliance. In 1940, Italy entered the Second World War.
Nazism: Hitler preached the Gospel of Victorious sword. He broke the bonds of the Treaty of Versailles and began to build up Germany's armed forces. In March 1938, he made his first move to occupy Rhineland that had been demilitarised by the Treaty of Versailles. He then captured Vienna. Soon he turned his attention to Sudetenland. The Czech government accepted the Munich Pact in the interest of Peace and Hitler's troops occupied Sudetenland. Soon in March 1939, Germany invaded rest of Czechoslovakia without any justification. Hitler wanted to occupy Danzig corridor because it was mostly occupied by Germans and also he could connect East Prussia with Germany. On 1st September 1939 Germans stormed into Poland. On 3rd September Britain and France declared war on Germany. Thus, the Second World War began.