What events, from 1937 to 1939, led to the outbreak of war in 1939, and how did war spread between 1937 and 1941?

Essay by Vicky_PollardHigh School, 11th gradeA-, October 2006

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France and Britain declared war on Germany in 1939 and by 1941 a global war had began. The events in Europe which lead to the outbreak of war were the Munich Crisis, Anschluss, the invasion of Poland and the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. The war spread because Germany invaded and occupied countries, they launched Operation Barbarossa and Japan attacked the Untied States.

Anschluss (the union of Austria and Germany) led to the outbreak of war. In 1938 Hitler threatened the Austrian Chancellor with war if he did not take Nazis' into his government. Kurt Von Schuschnigg called a plebiscite to see if Austrians wanted to join Germany. Hitler responded angrily and on the 11 March he demanded Schuschnigg resign and be replaced with a Nazi government. The Austrians gave way because they received no support and feared fighting Germany alone, German troops entered the country and it became part of Germany on 13 March 1938.

This event led to the outbreak of war because Hitler blatantly defied the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations did nothing to stop him. This, in turn, increased Hitler's confidence and encouraged him to continue his aggressive actions and breaking the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

The Munich Crisis led to the outbreak of war in 1939. In 1938 Hitler demanded the Sudetenland, although this was forbidden in the Treaty of Versailles. Mussolini, Daladier, Chamberlain and Hitler met on the 29 September 1938 at the Munich conference. They decided they would not defend Czechoslovakia and allow Hitler to attack it, but in return Hitler would demand no more land. This appeasement of Hitler led to war because Hitler was able to gain the defenses and factories of the Sudetenland which gave him more military and economic power, which increased his confidence...