Causes of WWII

Why did World War Two break out after the "War to End All Wars"? Had people forgotten how gruesome global conflicts could be? What were some of the leading causes that contributed to fighting in three different theatres: Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific?

Today's class was a bit full-on, an extended powerpoint that hopefully kept most of you captivated for at least some of the class. Obviously many of the most interesting parts of WWII include the study of the battles, the inventions, the technology - however understanding the key causes helps us understand the scope and sequence of the fighting.

Class Activities:

1. Review of interesting points in Hitler article - discussion of the why historical emphasis tends to focus on the actions of Hitler and place less emphasis on other dictators such as Stalin.

2. Powerpoint - Causes of WWII: This is linked along the side in the WWII section. There is a handout to go along with it that will be a helpful outline for your study.

3. Cartoon Review - Sequence of events: Road to War

Homework: Bonus - read over appeasement article and discuss what you would have done in Chamberlain's place. Assignment is described on the back of ppt notes sheet.