Direct and direct Causes of World War 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Direct and direct Causes of World War 2 - Essay Example The war was the most widespread war in human history, and directly involved over 100 million people, from over 30 different nations (Axelrod 15). Most participating countries invested their industrial, economic, and scientific capabilities behind war efforts, erasing the distinction that existed between military and civilian resources. Marked by massive deaths of civilians, strategic bombings of population or industrial center, and first time use of nuclear weapons, there were more than 50 million fatalities, making this war the deadliest conflict to hit human in history (Axelrod 16). Various factors and events are responsible for the outbreak of this war either directly or indirectly. The immediate cause for the outbreak of the Second World War was generally considered by many to be Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939 (Ross 25). Hitler, who was the leader of the Nazi party, had established one of his major objectives as domination of Europe, which was to be sought by force. Britain and France warned Germany against invasion of Poland and that they would declare war against them if they did so, therefore, when Hitler invaded Poland, war broke in Europe (Ross 26). Otherwise, this was just a short-term trigger of the war. There existed other under the surface tensions that had for long brewed tension amongst states, which played a key role in the outbreak of the war. Germany was dissatisfied with the Versailles Treaty.