The start of WWII took place on September 1, 1939 with the invasion of Poland by the German army.
Germany demanded that Poland return the zone called the “Polish corridor” and the port of Danzig. These had been lost during World War I. As the Poles refused to do so, Hitler marched on the country.
Two days later, on September 3, England and France declared war on Germany.
The conflict would last six years and would only end on May 8, 1945. It is estimated to have left 50 million dead.
Causes of World War II
World War II occurred due to a number of factors. It is necessary to remember the end of the First World War to understand them.
When the 1914-1918 hostilities ended, the victors imposed a series of economic sanctions and territorial losses to punish Germany through the Treaty of Versailles.
Germany had to return the territories of Alsace and Lorraine to France, and eastern lands were ceded to Poland. In addition, it had to bear the costs of the conflict by paying high indemnities.
As the country needed to pay off its debt, it was hit by a financial crisis marked by inflation, currency collapse and mass unemployment.
These factors contributed to facilitate the creation and expansion of ideologies such as the Nazism. The latter claimed that the cause of Germany's problems was caused by an international conspiracy and by the Jews.
Convinced by this speech, part of the Germans supported the leader of the Nazi party, Adolf Hitler, electing him in 1933.
The invasion of Poland and the start of World War II
Germany disagreed on many points of the Treaty of Versailles and opposed the re-demarcation of the eastern border.
A “Polish corridor” was established in the region, a territorial strip that included the port of Danzig. This was ceded to Poland so that the country had an outlet to the sea.
However, with this concession, Germany lost territory and access to raw materials from Ukraine, Siberia, Caucasus and Romania.
After Adolf Hitler came to power, Germany reoriented its economy towards war and the country's finances began to improve.
Even against the Treaty of Versailles, Germany resumed arms production in 1935 and established compulsory military service.
Germany expansion
hitler began to promote an expansionist policy with the intention of uniting all Germanic peoples.
Thus, it annexed Austria in 1938 and part of Czechoslovakia in 1939, provoking protests from England and France.
However, the Nazi advance was not initially contained because the great powers saw in their actions a way to stop communism in the Soviet Union. In addition, these countries did not want to enter into a new conflict, after the slaughter that meant the First War.
Hitler, in turn, signed with the leader of the Soviet Union, Stalin, a non-aggression pact for five years. Likewise, they agreed that if Germany invaded Poland, the USSR could also do so and they would divide their territory.
The Soviet Union thus contributed to the invasion of Poland. With the conquest of Poland, England and France declared war against Germany, starting World War II.
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