Causes of WWII Treaty of Versailles Great Depression Rise of Dictators/Totalitarianism.

Causes of WWII

Treaty of VersaillesGreat Depression

Rise of Dictators/Totalitarianism

Treaty of Versailles• World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty

of Versailles on June 28, 1919. • The treaty was written by the Allies with almost no

participation by the Germans.• The eventual treaty included fifteen parts and 440 articles.• First the new League of Nations was formed, which

Germany was not allowed to join until 1926. • Germany was given new boundaries, giving land to

Belgium, France, Poland, Lithuania, and Denmark.

Treaty of Versailles

Treaty of Versailles

• Germany lost of all its colonies• Germany’s armed forces were reduced to very low

levels and prohibited Germany from possessing certain classes of weapons

• Germany was forced to accept complete responsibility for initiating WWI

• Germany was imposed enormous reparation payments for all material damages to the Allies

The Treaty of Versailles

The German government signed the treaty under protest.

Treaty of Versailles

Causes of The Great Depression• The 1920s was an era of prosperity• People bought things they couldn’t afford

including stocks on credit and speculation• Led to unrealistic stock prices• Businesses and farmers overproduced goods• October 29, 1929 the stock market crashed• German Mark loses its value and Germany

can’t pay reparations

The Great Depression

• The Dust Bowl– In the 1930’s the Great Plains suffered a

drought – Years of bad farming and grazing practices

damaged the land– Winds picked up dirt and created dust storms– 150,000 square mile region was called the Dust

Bowl

The Great Depression

• EVERYONE was affected by the Great Depression– Millions lost their jobs and homes– Millions lost their life savings– Millions of children were forced to get jobs to

help their families

The Great DepressionPresident Hoover’s Solutions

-Encouraged churches and private charities to aid people in need.-Persuaded business leaders to voluntarily maintain wage rates.-Gave loans to banks and railroads-Approved public works projects- gov’t funded construction that would create jobs such as the Hoover Dam-All of these efforts were “too little too late”

The Great Depression

• Roosevelt and The New Deal– Government programs providing relief and

reform– It didn’t directly end the Great Depression– It did provide jobs for those who would have

been unemployed

The Great Depression• There were people still out of work even after

all of the New Deal programs. • War creates jobs!!!!

– Men and women join the military– Women take non-traditional jobs– Migrants receive jobs in California helping the

war effort– The average family income doubled between 1938

and 1942.

Causes of WWII

• In the summary section of your notes, write a 7-9 sentences explanation of how the Treaty of Versailles and The Great Depression caused WWII.