4 ms·

I strongly take issue with the idea that peace treaty of WW1 caused WW2. The treaty wwas dead in the water before Hitler ever came to power. WW2 happend becaus

by nickik 10y ago

I strongly take issue with the idea that peace treaty of WW1 caused WW2. The treaty wwas dead in the water before Hitler ever came to power. WW2 happend because a fascist party managed to gain power after the greatest economic crisis in german history. This is somewhat related to WW1 and the Peace Treaty but saying the Peace Treaty is the reason is not substainable.

m_developer 10y ago
But wasn't that economic crisis in a large part caused by the reparations Germany had to pay, as specified in the peace treaty?
- nickik 10y ago
  No not really. If anything one could argue that Germany was not willing to devaluate because it would increase debt. However it would have still been smart to do. Both the hyperinflation and the great depression did not happen because of war payments, maybe one could argue the german political class did stupid things because of the treaty.
jcranmer 10y ago
> I strongly take issue with the idea that peace treaty of WW1 caused WW2. The treaty wwas dead in the water before Hitler ever came to power. Hitler's prestige within Germany was strongly bolstered by his ability to unwind provisions of the Versailles treaty. For example, the remilitarization of the Rhine valley (demilitarized by Versailles), the annexation of Austria (forbidden by Versailles), or the reestablishment of military conscription.
- nickik 10y ago
  The problem is that by the time Hitler did this stuff the Treaty was already full of holes, totally defunct, and France already had to garantie not to take the same kind of military action again. So yes, it is true that it gave Hitler prestige put Hitler had already a lot of control of the state and was already preparing for war at that time. The war happened because Hilter and co wanted war. Hilter came to power because of a economic crisis. The rest is just Hitler gambling again and again, not the root cause.
dragonwriter 10y ago
> I strongly take issue with the idea that peace treaty of WW1 caused WW2. The treaty wwas dead in the water before Hitler ever came to power. The treaty directly led to the economic crisis which led to Hitler coming to power; even if the treaty was dead by then, it's work in setting the stage for WWII was done.

by nickik 10y ago

m_developer 10y ago

But wasn't that economic crisis in a large part caused by the reparations Germany had to pay, as specified in the peace treaty?

nickik 10y ago
No not really. If anything one could argue that Germany was not willing to devaluate because it would increase debt. However it would have still been smart to do. Both the hyperinflation and the great depression did not happen because of war payments, maybe one could argue the german political class did stupid things because of the treaty.

jcranmer 10y ago

> I strongly take issue with the idea that peace treaty of WW1 caused WW2. The treaty wwas dead in the water before Hitler ever came to power. Hitler's prestige within Germany was strongly bolstered by his ability to unwind provisions of the Versailles treaty. For example, the remilitarization of the Rhine valley (demilitarized by Versailles), the annexation of Austria (forbidden by Versailles), or the reestablishment of military conscription.

nickik 10y ago
The problem is that by the time Hitler did this stuff the Treaty was already full of holes, totally defunct, and France already had to garantie not to take the same kind of military action again. So yes, it is true that it gave Hitler prestige put Hitler had already a lot of control of the state and was already preparing for war at that time. The war happened because Hilter and co wanted war. Hilter came to power because of a economic crisis. The rest is just Hitler gambling again and again, not the root cause.

dragonwriter 10y ago

> I strongly take issue with the idea that peace treaty of WW1 caused WW2. The treaty wwas dead in the water before Hitler ever came to power. The treaty directly led to the economic crisis which led to Hitler coming to power; even if the treaty was dead by then, it's work in setting the stage for WWII was done.