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====Background==== The second Treaty of Versailles, that ended the first world war (1939-1945) was possibly , is perhaps the most destructive war controversial peace treaty in human history. It is believed that between 35 ; ‘many have judged it to be too harsh and 50 million people died in the conflictothers have judged it to be not harsh enough.’<ref> Bell, Pp. M77. H</ref> Germany and the other defeated Central powers lost territory, had their military forces limited and were obliged to pay reparations. (1986)Germany was especially treated harshly. ''The Origins of German public was outraged when the Treaty’s terms were publicized because they believed that Germany had neither started the war nor been decisively defeated on the Second World War in Europe''battlefield. Oxford: Oxford University Press The Treaty was treated Germany as if had been conquered and they felt that was both their country unfairly and inaccurate. pGermany lost about one-fifth of its territory as a result of the Treaty. 326 Overnight millions of Germans became citizens of other countries, such as Poland.</ref> There are many causes for this conflict, including nationalism The Treaty legally limited the size and scope of the German armed forces which was intended to prevent that the failure country from starting another war. The National Socialists benefitted from the harsh terms of the League Treaty of Nations, Versailles helped the rise of the Party . It allowed them to not only justify their aggressive policies but ultimately portray Germany as the primary cause true victim of the greatest conflict in human history was Nazi ideology and policiesGreat War.<ref>Bell, p. 144.</ref>

=Background= In the 1930s, Europe was a divided continent. There were still bitter disputes over borders. The Treaty of Versailles, that ended had redrawn the first world war is perhaps the most controversial peace treaty in history; ‘many have judged border of Europe but it seemed to be too harsh and others have judged it to be not harsh enough’satisfied no one.<ref>BellFinney, Patrick. ''The Origins of the Second World War''. Penguin Books: Hamondsworth, p.7748.</ref> Germany and These ongoing disputes meant that the other defeated Central powers lost territory, had their military forces limited political class still regularly used nationalism to retain power. There were almost no functioning democracies in Europe at this time and there were obliged to pay reparations. Germany was especially treated harshlymany military dictatorships. The German public continent was outraged when also divided between the Treaty’s terms were publicized because they believed that Germany had neither started left and the war nor been decisively defeated on the battlefieldright. The Treaty Almost every society was treated Germany as if had been conquered internally divided between communists and they felt that was both their country unfairly socialists and inaccuratethose who opposed them. Germany lost about one fifth <ref>Finney, p. 57.</ref> Then in many countries fascism had made great strides often because of its territory as a result fear of the Treatycommunism. Overnight millions of Germans became citizens of other countries, such as Poland. The Treaty legally limited the size Europe was unstable and scope of the German armed forces which was intended to prevent it seemed likely that the country from starting continent would descend into another warconflict. The Nazis benefitted from the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles helped the rise of the Nazis This was to occur in 1939 and it allowed them to not only justify their aggressive policies, but portray Germany as was caused by the true victim ambitions of the Great War.National Socialist government in Germany and its extreme ideology.<ref>Bell, p. 144.</ref>

=Nazi Ideology=The Nazi National Socialist ideology was based upon premised on the idea that the German people were ‘the master race’ and they were biologically superior to other people . It was genuinely believed that Germans were phsyicaly, physically mentally and morally superior to races such as the Slavs in Eastern Europe. This led to the belief that the German people should dominated dominate the other races in Europe. The party’s leader preached that other races such as the Jews were determined to prevent the German people from achieving their destiny.<ref>Paxton, Robert (2005). ''The Anatomy of Fascism''. London: Penguin Books Ltd., p 123</ref> Their ideology also demanded that all Germans live in a German state and they wanted all non-Germans expelled from Germany. The Nazi believed that the German people had the right to ‘living space’ in order to create a great nation. The Nazi’s saw international relations as a struggle for power and that only the strongest nations would survive. As a result, they rejected all forms of international law and ignored the League of Nations, the precursor of the United Nations. Their ideology, under the influence of the German philosopher Nietzsche, developed a moral code where strength was admirable and that might was always right. Because the Nazi’s worshipped power and strength they admired war and they even believed that war was a positive good and necessary for the good of the nation.<ref>Paxton, p. 117.</ref> The believed that a nation’s greatness was determined by its military strength. As Hitler put these ideas into practice he brought Europe to the brink of war.

=The Nazi Party Their ideology also demanded that all Germans live in a German state and Rearmament and Expansionism= they wanted all non-Germans expelled from Germany. The Nazi’s National Socialists believed that the German people had achieved power by constitutional means the right to ‘living space’ in 1933order to create a great nation. They had soon established an authoritarian state with Hitler The Nazi’s saw international relations as a struggle for power and that only the strongest nations would survive. As a result, they rejected all-powerful leader or Führer. The Nazi government was determined to end forms of international law and ignored the League of Nations, the Treaty precursor of Versaillesthe United Nations. Their ideology encouraged them when in government to embark on two policies , reflecting a perverse and distorted version of the beliefs advanced by the German philosopher Nietzsche, developed a moral code where strength was admirable and that greatly destabilized Europe might was always right. Because the National Socialist Party leaders’ worshiped power and led directly to strength they admired war. These were military rearmament and territorial expansionbelieved is was necessary for the good of the nation.<ref>Hillgruber, Andreas (1995). ''Germany and the Two World Wars'', translated by William C. Kirby, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University PressPaxton, p. 67117.</ref>Hitler firmly believed that his nation’s greatness would be determined by its military strength.

Under the Treaty of Versailles, the German army was limited to 100,000 men ====Rearmament and Expansionism==== Hitler ignored these limitations and expanded the militaryhad achieved power by constitutional means in 1933. He also began soon established an ambitious rearmament program. This at first did not alarm other nations but authoritarian state with himself as the German army and navy grew in numbers they became extremely worriedall-powerful leader or Führer. This was especially the case after the The German army occupied the Rhineland, which government was technically, under a de-militarized zone. Hitler was technically breaking international law but determined to end the western allies were reluctant to challenge Germany over their rearmament programTreaty of Versailles. Rearmament was a key Nazi policy based upon its Their ideology of power encouraged government to embark on two policies that greatly destabilized Europe and led directly to war. These were military rearmament and militarismterritorial expansion.<ref>Hillgruber, Andreas (1995). The growing might of ''Germany alarmed its neighbors and the Two World Wars'', translated by 1939 there was a full blown arms race throughout Europe and various nations were readying for warWilliam C. Kirby, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, p. 67. </ref>

Nazi ideology demanded that Germany take the land it need to become a powerful nation. It also required that all Germans be united in the Third Reich. This led the Nazi government to embark on a policy of expansion and this included recovering lands lost to the French, Czechs and Poles. Beginning in 1936 the German army had reoccupied the Rhineland in defiance of international law and the Versailles Treaty.<ref>Young, Robert (1996). ''France and the Origins of the Second World War'', New York : St. Martin's Press, p. 78.</ref> Nazi Germany then engineered a unification between it and Austria, in what was known as the Anschluss. Hitler and the Nazi’s then turned their attention to Czechoslovakia. There was a large ethnic German population in the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia and the Nazi’s wanted them to redh-join Germany. <ref>Young, p. 111.</ref> Hitler threatened war and Britain and France, who had adopted a policy of appeasement to prevent a war, encouraged the Czech’s to give up the Sudetenland. After occupying the Sudetenland, Hitler then occupied the rest of the country, despite the Munich agreement. This became known as the ‘Rape of Czechoslovakia’.<ref>Hillgruber, Andreas (1995). ''Germany and the Two World Wars'', translated by William C. Kirby, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, p. 67.<ad/ref> The Nazi ideology meant that territorial expansion and disregard for international treaties was part of government policy. As a result, Hitler adopted an aggressive foreign policy that made war inevitable.

=Road to War=In 1939 Under the rest Treaty of Europe were preparing for war. The British and French had been betrayed and humiliated by the ‘Rape of Czechoslovakia’.<ref> HilgruberVersailles, Andreas (1995). ''Germany and the Two World Wars''German army was limited to 100, translated by William C000 men. KirbyAfter 1933, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, p. 67.</ref> Hitler had won territory without war the Germany ignored these limitations and had largely dismantled expanded the Treaty of Versaillesmilitary. Germany again was the leading The country in Europealso began an ambitious rearmament program. However, Nazi ideology and its extreme views meant that Hitler had to seek ever more land and engage in confrontations with This at first did not alarm other nations. The Nazi’s sought war but as the German army and navy grew in order to further their objectivesnumbers they became extremely worried. In 1939, despite This was especially the case after the German army occupied the tensions in EuropeRhineland, Hitler demanded the return from Poland of territory that which was inhabited by ethnic Germans. If Warsaw had agreed to thistechnically, it would have lost its only portunder a de-militarized zone. The Nazi government Hitler was warned not technically breaking international law but the western allies were reluctant to invade Poland by France and Britain. London and Paris both signed a treaty with Poland and they guaranteed her security and sovereignty. Despite knowing that any invasion of Poland would plunge Europe into war, Hitler ordered an invasion. Nazi ideology demanded that challenge Germany have ever more territory and that this could only be secured through warover their rearmament program. Furthermore, the ideology of the German government Rearmament was one that stressed the value a key component of war and stated that the Germans as the ‘master race’ would win this conflictNational Socialist's policy. In September 1939, the German army invaded Poland and the Second World War had started in Europe.<ref>Bell, P. M. H. (1986). '' The Origins growing might of the Second World War in Germany alarmed its neighbors and by 1939 there was a full blown arms race throughout Europe''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 346and various nations were readying for war.</ref>

=Conclusion===Road to War====In 1939 the 1930s rest of Europe was very unstablewere preparing for war. The Nazi seizure British and French had been betrayed and humiliated by the ‘Rape of power Czechoslovakia’.<ref> Hilgruber, Andreas (1995). ''Germany and the Two World Wars'', translated by William C. Kirby, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, p. 67.</ref> Hitler had won territory without war and had largely dismantled the Treaty of Versailles. Germany again was the leading country in Europe was to destabilize Europe. Their racist However, the National Socialist ideology and nationalistic ideology its extreme views meant that they believed Hitler had to seek even more land and engage in confrontations with other nations . Germany sought war in order to further its objectives. In 1939, despite the tensions in Europe, Germany demanded the return from Poland of territory that was inhabited by ethnic Germans. If Warsaw had agreed to this, it would have lost its only port. The German government was warned not to invade Poland by France and Britain. London and people were their enemies Paris both signed a treaty with Poland and they guaranteed her security and sovereignty. Despite knowing that any invasion of Poland would plunge Europe into war, Germany invaded. Furthermore, the ideology of the German government was one that stressed the value of war and stated that the Germans as the ‘master race’ were above international law and any moral standardswould win this conflict. Their beliefs led them to build up In September 1939, the German armed forces army invaded Poland and to seize other countries territories and this directly led to war the Second World War had started in Europe.<ref>Bell, that spread around P. M. H. (1986). ''The Origins of the worldSecond World War in Europe''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 346. </ref>

====Conclusion====In the 1930s Europe was very unstable. The rise of fascism and the ascent of Nazis in Germany destabilized Europe. Their racist and nationalistic ideology meant that they believed other nations and people were their enemies. More importantly,the Nazis promoted a toxic belief that Germans were the ‘master race’ and above any international laws or moral standards. These beliefs pushed them towards war with Europe.   ====References====