CAUSES OF SECOND WORLD WAR

 I. Rise of dictatorship in Italy and Germany: The dictatorship of the Facist party, under

the leadership of Mussolini, was established in Italy in 1922. The dictatorship of the Nazi

party was established in Germany after Hitler came to power in 1933.

2. Treaty of Versailles: An attempt was made at Paris Peace conference in 1919 to

establish just world order. But the treaty was drafted by victors and Germany was told to

sign it. Germany raised many objections. But France had taken its revenge, Germany was

deprived of all its overseas colonies. The treaty of Versailles had imposed humiliating

conditions on the Central powers and sowed the seeds of the Second World War

3. Expansionist policy of the Axis Powers: Germany, Italy and Japan were the Axis 

Powers which had pursued the expansionist policy during the inter-war period. Germany 

brought about the unification of the all-German speaking provinces by the annexation of 

Austria and Czechoslovakia. Italy annexed Ethiopia in 1936 and Albania in 1939. Japan 

invaded China in 1937 and occup