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GS Paper 1 GS Paper 2
World War II
GS Paper 3 GS Paper 4
10 Jul 2020 17 min read

Tags: GS Paper - 1 World War I World War II Decolonialisation

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Introduction
Prelims Test Series 2022
World War II, also called Second World War, was a concict that
involved virtually every part of the world during the years 1939–45. Distance Learning Program

The principal belligerents were the Axis powers—Germany, Italy, and Prepare For State PCS

Japan—and the Allies—France, Great Britain, the United States, the Practice Quiz
Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent, China.
Mains Answer Writing Practice
It was the biggest concict in history that had lasted almost six years.
Daily Current Affairs and
Nearly some 100 million people had been militarised, and 50 million Editorials

had been killed (around 3% of the world's population).

Archives by Date

Date From Date To

Go
Causes of War
The major causes of World War II were numerous. They include the impact
of the Treaty of Versailles following WWI, the worldwide economic
depression, failure of appeasement, the rise of militarism in Germany and Archives by Month & Year
Japan, and the failure of the League of Nations.

2024 January
Treaty of Versailles

Go
Following World War I, the victorious Allied Powers met to decide
Germany’s future. Germany was forced to sign the Treaty of
Versailles.

Under this treaty, Germany had to accept guilt for the war and to pay What’s New
reparations. Germany lost territory and was prohibited from having a
large military.
Mains Practice Question (GS paper 1) -
"Discuss the impact of the Non-
The humiliation faced by Germany under this treaty, paved the way for Cooperation Movement on India's
the spread of Ultra-Nationalism in Germany. struggle for...."
01 Apr 2024
Failure of the League of Nations
Editorial Quiz (30th March 2024)
The League of Nations was an international organization set up in 01 Apr 2024

1919 to keep world peace.

Editorial Quiz (29th March 2024)
It was intended that all countries would be members and that if there 30 Mar 2024
were disputes between countries, they could be settled by negotiation
rather than by force. Editorial on Chandigarh's Mayoral
Election: A Catalyst for Municipal
The League of Nations was a good idea, but ultimately a failure, as Reforms
29 Mar 2024
not all countries joined the league.

Also, the League had no army to prevent military aggression such as India-China Border Affairs - Article
Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia in Africa or Japan’s invasion of Manchuria 29 Mar 2024

in China.
India Joins Sri Lanka in Seabed Mining
Race - Article
Great Depression of 1929
29 Mar 2024

The worldwide economic depression of the 1930s took its toll in

Black Carbon Emissions and PMUY -
different ways in Europe and Asia. Article
29 Mar 2024
In Europe, political power shifted to totalitarian and imperialist
governments in several countries, including Germany, Italy, and Spain. PRS Capsule - February 2024
In Asia, a resource-starved Japan began to expand aggressively, 29 Mar 2024

invading China and maneuvering to control a sphere of incuence in

Sansad TV Discussions on Citizenship
the Paci`c. Amendment Act: Unpacked
29 Mar 2024
Rise of Fascism
Editorial Quiz (28th March 2024)
Victors’ stated aims in World War I had been “to make the world safe 29 Mar 2024
for democracy,” and postwar Germany was made to adopt a
democratic constitution, as did most of the other states restored or
created after the war.

In the 1920s, however, the wave of nationalistic, militaristic

totalitarianism known by its Italian name, fascism.

It promised to minister to peoples’ wants more effectively than

democracy and presented itself as the one sure defense against
communism.

Benito Mussolini established the `rst Fascist, European dictatorship

during the interwar period in Italy in 1922.

Rise of Nazism

Adolf Hitler, the Leader of the German National Socialist (Nazi) party,
preached a racist brand of fascism.
/
Hitler promised to overturn the Versailles Treaty, restore German
wealth & glory and secure additional Lebensraum (“living space”) for
the German people, who he contended deserve more as members of
a superior race.

In 1933 Hitler became the German Chancellor, and in a series of

subsequent moves established himself as dictator.

Moreover, in 1941 the Nazi regime unleashed a war of extermination

against Slavs, Jews, and other elements deemed inferior by Hitler’s
ideology.

Policy of Appeasement

Hitler openly denounced the Treaty of Versailles and began secretly

building up Germany’s army and weapons.

Although Britain and France knew of Hitler’s actions, they thought a

stronger Germany would stop the spread of Communism from
Russia.

An example of appeasement was the Munich Agreement of

September 1938. In the Agreement, Britain and France allowed
Germany to annex areas in Czechoslovakia where German-speakers
lived.

Germany agreed not to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia or any

other country. However, in March 1939, Germany broke its promise
and invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia.

Even then, neither Britain nor France was prepared to take military
action.

Key Turning Points of the World War II

The Start

Three years of mounting international tension - encompassing the

Spanish Civil War, the union of Germany and Austria, Hitler's
occupation of the Sudetenland and the invasion of Czechoslovakia
led to deterioration of ties between Axis Power and Allied Powers.

However, the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 and

, subsequently two days later, Britain and France declared war on
Germany.

This marked the beginning of World War II.

Phoney War

The western Europe was very quiet during the `rst few months of the
war.

This period of war is known as 'phoney war'.

Preparations for war continued in earnest, but there were few signs of
concict, and civilians of the western european countries (allied
powers) evacuated to safe places.

Ribbentrop Pact

By the early part of 1939 the German dictator Adolf Hitler had
become determined to invade and occupy Poland.

Poland, for its part, had guarantees of French and British military
support should it be attacked by Germany. Hitler intended to invade
Poland anyway, but `rst he had to neutralize the possibility that the
Soviet Union would resist the invasion of its western neighbour.

Secret negotiations in August 1939, led to the signing of the German-

Soviet Nonaggression Pact in Moscow.

Further, Russia followed Germany into Poland in September and

Poland was carved up between the two invaders before the end of the
year.

Winter War 1940

The 'winter war' between Russia and Finland concluded in March, and
in the following month Germany invaded Denmark and Norway.

Denmark surrendered immediately, but the Norwegians fought on -

with British and French assistance - surrendering in June 1940.

Fall of France 1940

After war with scandenavian countries got over, Germany invaded

France, Belgium and Holland.

During this phase, the western Europe encountered the Blitzkrieg - or

'lightning war'.

Blitzkrieg: Germany's combination of fast armoured tanks on land,

and superiority in the air, made a uni`ed attacking force that was both
innovative and effective.

Despite greater numbers of air and army personnel in Allied

powers, they proved no match for German Forces.

In France an armistice was signed with Germany, with the puppet

French Vichy government.

Having conquered France, Hitler turned his attention to Britain, and

began preparations for an invasion.

Battle of Britain 1940

Lasting from July to September 1940, it was the `rst war to be fought
solely in the air.

German took decisions to attack from air`elds and factories to the

major cities, but somehow the Royal Air Force managed to squeak a
narrow victory.

This ensured the - ultimately inde`nite - postponement of the German

invasion plans.

War Getting Global

With continental Europe under Nazi control, and Britain safe - for the
time being - the war took on a more global dimension in 1941.

Following the defeat of Mussolini's armies in Greece and Tobruk,

German forces arrived in North Africa and invaded Greece and
Yugoslavia in April 1941.

Operation Barbarossa

After facing defeat in Britain, Hitler broke the Ribbentrop Pact and
invaded Russia in 1941.

The initial advance was swift, with the fall of Sebastopol at the end of
October, and Moscow coming under attack at the end of the year.
+
The bitter Russian winter, however, like the one that Napoleon had
experienced a century and a half earlier, crippled the Germans.

The Soviets counterattacked in December and the Eastern Front

stagnated until the spring.

Pearl Harbour

The Japanese, tired of American trade embargoes, mounted a

surprise attack on the US Navy base of Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, on 7
December 1941.

This ensured that global concict commenced, with Germany

declaring war on the US, a few days later.

Also, within a week of Pearl Harbor, Japan had invaded the

Philippines, Burma and Hong Kong.

American Entry Into the War

Through the Battle of Midway 1942, the US entered World War II. In
this battle, US sea-based aircraft destroyed four Japanese carriers
and a cruiser, marking the turning point in World War II.

Also, the news of mass murders of Jewish people by the Nazis

reached the Allies, and the US pledged to avenge these crimes.

Reversal of German Fortunes

By the second half of 1942, British forces gained the initiative in

North Africa and Russian forces counterattacked at Stalingrad.

In February 1943, Germany surrendered at Stalingrad to Soviet Union.

This was the `rst major defeat of Hitler's armies.

Further, German and Italian forces in North Africa surrendered to the

Allies.

As the Russian advance on the Eastern Front gathered pace,

recapturing Kharkiv and Kiev from Germany. Moreover, Allied
bombers began to attack German cities in enormous daylight air
raids.

The Russians reached Berlin (capital of Germany) on 21 April 1945.

* Hitler killed himself on the 30th, two days after Mussolini had been
captured and hanged by Italian partisans.

Germany surrendered unconditionally on 7 May, and the following day

was celebrated as VE (Victory in Europe) day. The war in Europe was
over.

Nuclear Bombing And The End

Plans were being prepared for an Allied invasion of Japan, but fears
of `erce resistance and massive casualties prompted Harry Truman -
the new American president to sanction the use of an atomic bomb
against Japan.

Such bombs had been in development since 1942, and on 6 August

1945 one of them was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

Three days later another was dropped on Nagasaki.

No country could have withstand such attacks, and the Japanese

surrendered on 14 August.

With the surrender of Japan, World War II was `nally over.

Aftermath of World War II

New Superpowers

World War II brought about changes in the status of countries and

continents. Britain and France lost their positions of preeminence as
superpowers and yielded place to the USA and the USSR.

Start of Decolonisation

After the war, Britain and France were confronted with various
.
domestic and external problems. Both of them could no longer hold
onto their respective colonies Thus, the post-war world witnessed the
end of colonialism in Africa and Asia.

Birth of UN

One of the momentous results of the war was the birth of the United
Nations Organisation.

Although the League failed to deliver, mankind did not altogether lose
its hopes of making the world a safer and happier place to live in.

The UN Charter enshrines the hopes and ideals of mankind on the

basis of which countries can work together to maintain lasting peace.

However, the establishment of the UN was agreed, much before the

end of World War II under the Atlantic Charter.

Start of Cold War

After the end of the war, a conference was held in Potsdam, Germany,
to set up peace treaties. The countries that fought with Hitler lost
territory and had to pay reparations to the Allies. Germany and its
capital Berlin were divided into four parts.

The zones were to be controlled by Great Britain, the United States,

France and the Soviet Union.

The three western Allies and the Soviet Union disagreed on many
things and as time went on Germany was divided into two separate
countries: East Germany, which had a Communist government and
West Germany, which was a democratic state .

This laid the foundation of the Cold War.

New Economic World Order

Bretton Woods Conference, formally United Nations Monetary and

Financial Conference, meeting at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
(July 1–22, 1944), during World War II to make `nancial
arrangements for the postwar world after the expected defeat of
Germany and Japan.

It drew up a project for the International Bank for Reconstruction and

0 Development (IBRD-now known as World Bank) to make long-term
capital available to states urgently needing such foreign aid, and a
project for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to `nance short-
term imbalances in international payments in order to stabilize
exchange rates.

Also, the US dollar was established as a reserve currency for the

world trade.

India and World II

World War II had taken an immense toll on the British Empire. Britain
had lost a lot of capital and they were looking to their colonies to help
them get the status of world power back. However, Mahatma Gandhi
at this time organized Indians against the British.

Also, World War II broke out to contain Hitler's intention of having

German colonies beyond its borders, the same colonial occupation
that Britain had already been practicing for centuries.

Thus, after the war, people all over the world started supporting
voices against British occupation over its colonies.

When the Labour Party came to power in 1945 in Britain it inclined

towards internationalism and racial equality, among other liberal
principles.

Soon after coming into power, Prime Minister Clement Attlee (Labour
Party) began the process of granting India its independence in 1947.

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