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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>

In ====National Socialist Ideology====[[File:Adolf_Hitler_Portraet.jpg|thumbnail|250px|left|Portrait of Adolf Hitler in 1933]]The National Socialist ideology was premised on the idea that the 1930s, German people were ‘the master race’ and they were biologically superior to other people. It was genuinely believed that Germans were physically mentally and morally superior to races such as the Slavs in Eastern Europe was a divided continent. There were still bitter disputes over bordersThis led to the belief that the German people should dominate the other races in Europe. The Treaty of Versailles had redrawn party’s leader preached that other races such as the border of Europe but it seemed Jews were determined to have satisfied no oneprevent the German people from achieving their destiny.<ref> FinneyPaxton, PatrickRobert (2005). ''The Origins Anatomy of the Second World WarFascism''. London: Penguin Books: Hamondsworth, p. 48.</ref> These ongoing disputes meant that the political class still regularly used nationalism to retain powerLtd. There were almost no functioning democracies in Europe at this time and there were many military dictatorships. The continent was also divided between the left and the right. Almost every society was internally divided between communists and socialists and those who opposed them.<ref>Finney, p. 57.123</ref> Then in many countries fascism had made great strides often because of a fear of communism. Europe was unstable and it seemed likely that the continent would descend into another conflict. This was to occur in 1939 and it was caused by the ambitions of the Nazi government in Germany and its extreme ideology.

=Nazi Ideology=The Nazi ideology was based upon 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, mentally and morally superior to races such as the Slavs in Eastern Europe. This led to the belief that the German people should dominated 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 National Socialists 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 reflecting a perverse and distorted version of the influence of beliefs advanced by the German philosopher Nietzsche, developed a moral code where strength was admirable and that might was always right. Because the Nazi’s worshipped National Socialist Party leaders’ worshiped power and strength they admired war and they even believed that war is was a positive good and necessary for the good of the nation.<ref>Paxton, p. 117.</ref> The Hitler firmly believed that a his nation’s greatness was would be determined by its military strength. As Hitler put these ideas into practice he brought Europe to the brink of war.

==The Nazi Party and ==Rearmament and Expansionism==== The Nazi’s Hitler had achieved power by constitutional means in 1933. They had He soon established an authoritarian state with Hitler himself as the all-powerful leader or Führer. The Nazi German government was determined to end the Treaty of Versailles. Their ideology encouraged them when in government to embark on two policies that greatly destabilized Europe and led directly to war. These were military rearmament and territorial expansion.<ref>Hillgruber, Andreas (1995). ''Germany and the Two World Wars'', translated by William C. Kirby, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, p. 67.</ref>

Under the Treaty of Versailles, the German army was limited to 100,000 men and Hitler ignored these limitations and expanded the military. He also began an ambitious rearmament program. This at first did not alarm other nations but as the German army and navy grew in numbers they became extremely worried. This was especially the case after the German army occupied the Rhineland, which was technically, under a de<dh-militarized zone. Hitler was technically breaking international law but the western allies were reluctant to challenge Germany over their rearmament program. Rearmament was a key Nazi policy based upon its ideology of power and militarism. The growing might of Germany alarmed its neighbors and by 1939 there was a full blown arms race throughout Europe and various nations were readying for war. ad/>

Nazi ideology demanded that Under the Treaty of Versailles, the German army was limited to 100,000 men. After 1933, the Germany take ignored these limitations and expanded the land it need to become a powerful nationmilitary. It The country also required that all Germans be united in the Third Reichbegan an ambitious rearmament program. This led at first did not alarm other nations but as the Nazi government to embark on a policy of expansion German army and this included recovering lands lost to navy grew in numbers they became extremely worried. This was especially the French, Czechs and Poles. Beginning in 1936 case after the German army had reoccupied occupied 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 Presswhich was technically, p. 78.</ref> Nazi Germany then engineered under a unification between it and Austria, in what was known as the Anschlussde-militarized zone. Hitler and was technically breaking international law but the Nazi’s then turned western allies were reluctant to challenge Germany over their attention to Czechoslovakiarearmament program. There Rearmament was a large ethnic German population in the Sudetenland region key component of Czechoslovakia and the Nazi’s wanted them to re-join Germany. <ref>Young, p. 111.</ref> Hitler threatened war and Britain and France, who had adopted a National Socialist's 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 The growing might of the country, despite the Munich agreement. This became known as the ‘Rape of Czechoslovakia’.<ref>Hillgruber, Andreas (1995). ''Germany alarmed its neighbors and the Two World Wars'', translated by William C. Kirby, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, p. 67.</ref> The Nazi ideology meant that territorial expansion 1939 there was a full blown arms race throughout Europe and disregard various nations were readying for international treaties was part of government policy. As a result, Hitler adopted an aggressive foreign policy that made war inevitable.

==Road Immediately Germany began aggressive efforts to seize land that it felt entitled to War==In 1939 . It also required that all Germans be united in the Third Reich. This led the rest government to embark on a policy of Europe were preparing for war. The British expansion and this included recovering lands lost to the French , Czechs and Poles. Beginning in 1936 the German army had been betrayed reoccupied the Rhineland in defiance of international law and humiliated by the ‘Rape of Czechoslovakia’Versailles Treaty.<ref> HilgruberYoung, Andreas Robert (19951996). ''Germany France and the Two Origins of the Second World WarsWar'', translated by William CNew York : St. Kirby, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Martin's Press, p. 6778.</ref> Hitler had won territory without war Germany then engineered a unification between it and had largely dismantled Austria, in what was known as the Treaty of VersaillesAnschluss. Germany again then turned their attention to Czechoslovakia. There was a large ethnic German population in the leading country in EuropeSudetenland region of Czechoslovakia and the German government wanted them to re-join Germany. However<ref>Young, Nazi ideology and its extreme views meant that Hitler had to seek ever more land and engage in confrontations with other nationsp. 111. The Nazi’s sought </ref> Germany then threatened war in order to further their objectivesCzechoslovakia. In 1939Britain and France, despite the tensions in Europe, Hitler demanded the return from Poland who had adopted a policy of territory that was inhabited by ethnic Germans. If Warsaw had agreed appeasement to thisprevent a war, it would have lost its only port. The Nazi government was warned not encouraged the Czech’s to invade Poland by France and Britaingive up the Sudetenland. 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 warAfter occupying the Sudetenland, Hitler ordered an invasion. Nazi ideology demanded that Germany have ever more territory and that this could only be secured through war. Furthermore, then occupied the ideology rest of the German government was one that stressed country, despite the value of war and stated that the Germans Munich agreement. This became known as the ‘master race’ would win this conflict. In September 1939, the German army invaded Poland and the Second World War had started in Europe‘Rape of Czechoslovakia’.<ref>BellHillgruber, P. M. H. Andreas (19861995). ''The Origins of Germany and the Second Two World War in EuropeWars'', translated by William C. Kirby, Cambridge, Mass. Oxford: Oxford Harvard University Press. , p. 34667.</ref>Territorial expansion and disregard for international treaties was a key part of government policy. These aggressive actions made war inevitable.

====Conclusion====In the 1930s Europe was very unstable. The Nazi seizure rise of fascism and the ascent of power Nazis in Europe was to destabilize Germany destabilized Europe. Their racist and nationalistic ideology meant that they believed other nations and people were their enemies and that . More importantly,the Nazis promoted a toxic belief that the Germans as were the ‘master race’ were and above any international law and any laws or moral standards. Their These beliefs led pushed them to build up the German armed forces and to seize other countries territories and this directly led to towards war in with Europe, that spread around the world. <div class="portal" style="width:85%;">

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