Causes and Effects of 20th Century War
,#1 “Economic factors were the most significant cause of war.” Discuss
with reference to two wars, each chosen from a different region (May 2023)
WW2 European theatre + Chinese Civil War
● WW2 European theatre: 1939-1945 between Axis Powers (Germany, Italy) and Allied
Powers (UK, US, France, Soviet Union)
● CCW: 1927-1936 & 1946-1949 between CCP lead by Mao, GMD led by Jiang
Introduction
Paragraph 1: Economic factors play a large role in eliciting war by discontenting people
from current government policy.
● In both WW2 in Europe and CCW, the unpleasantness of people on its government’s
domestic policies urged them to search for alternative rulers, such as Hitler in Germany,
and CCP in China.
WW2: Economic crisis in Germany led to the rise of Germany nationalism and therefore Hitler’s
rise to power, along with his expansionist policy
● Treaty of Versailles: 20 billion gold marks
○ Historian A.J.P Taylor: “Since the Reichstag refused to impose new taxes, the
only alternative was the printing press”
■ Hyper-inflation caused by government inability of printed money
to pay internal war debt → hyperinflation
● Unemployment 1.4 million - 6 million from 1928-1932
○ High unemployment → Weimer's liberal democracy government ended,
brought Hitler to power (forced nations to adopt protectionist policies,
leading to decrease in international cooperation)
● Great Depression
○ In 1928, Nazis had 2% of vote → 1932 after Wall Street Crash, Nazis
gained 37% vote
WW2: Great Depression in the world led to appeasement and isolationism policy which fuelled
Germany’s confidence in expansion without western intervention
● prioritised solving their own economic problems above foreign aggression
○ USA national income fell by 20% between 1929-1932 → isolationism
○ UK iron & steel production fell 50% → appeasement
■ 1936, German remilitarised Rhineland, but had no response from French
and UK
CCW: Economic factors were the most important factor as it lays foundation for the growth of
communist ideology in China
● CCP aim = change society by redistribution of wealth, end power of landlords
and capitalists → create new form of social democracy where workers
dominate the means of production and therefore the state
, ○ gained CCP full support from peasants
Historian Mike Wells and Nick Fellows: “The basis of the communist ideology was a Marxist
belief in the need to change ownership of the means of production. Thus economic change lay
at the heart of the conflict.” (the following informations are from them too)
● GMD failed to effectively deal with economic wealth gap
○ Peasant economic hardship and discontent = key to gaining support for the
revolution
○ GMD favoured middle class and industrial interests, wages for peasants were
low and had poor working conditions.
Paragraph 2: Ideology plays an even more important role in causing a war
WW2: Nazism ideology
Historian Mike Wells and Nick Fellows: “Although it started as a war for the revision of the
Treaty of Versailles, and had other causes of a more usual nature, as far as Hitler was
concerned, these were secondary to his ideological ‘dream’.”
● Nazism ideology:
○ It is the mission of German race (Volk) to create ‘living space’ (Lebensraum) in
Eastern Europe, which can only be done as a strong nation via expansion
○ Historian Mike Wells and Nick Fellows: “From the conquest of Poland in 1939,
WW2 shifted from conflict over balance of power in Europe into driven by Nazi
ideology”
■ Germany expand living space at expense of ‘racially inferior’ people,
enslaved Poles and persecuted Jews in Poland
CCW: nationalism ideology driven by extensive foreign influence
● 1911, a revolt that led to end of Qing dynasty
○ Led by humiliation from Boxer Rebellion
■ 1900, attacked Western missions in northern China, resulted in
China paying compensations → revealed government’s
weakness to secure people’s economic interests against foreign
powers
○ Originated from Sichuan (regional uprising against regime) because people were
discontented with the weakness of the monarchy
● May Fourth Movement
○ China did not regain rights to Shandong province, given to Japan
■ Seemed to confirm China’s weakness and subordination to foreign
powers
○ Demonstrators ask to break away from Confucianism, regional divisions, weak
central government, low economic growth to strengthen China against western
powers
, #2 “Territorial disputes were the main cause of wars.” Discuss with
reference to two wars, each chosen from a different region. (Nov 2020)
WW1 Europe + WW2 Asia
● WW1: 1914-1918 between Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary) and Allied
Power (UK, France, USSR, Italy, US)
● WW2: 1941-1945 between Japan and combined military armies of China, UK, US
Introduction
Paragraph 1: Territorial disputes are important causes for both WW1 in Europe and WW2
in Asia. In WW1, it played a role as a long-term cause which increased tension between
countries.
WW1 Europe
● Serbia’s desire to get Bosnia → ultra-nationalists against AH
○ AH annexed Bosnia in 1908, angered the Serbians
■ Serbia had designs on Bosnia since the 1870s, but the Treaty of San
Stefano in 1878 only guaranteed their independence without Bosnia
● Loss of Alsace-Lorraine by France 1871
○ Include important historic provinces (major city of Strasbourg) → blow
to French national pride → major aim for France = recovery of lost
territory
● Morocco Crisis resulted in the Treaty of Fez
○ French = official protector of Morocco → power imbalance
■ increase Germany's fear of encirclement
○ Historian Keely Rogers and Jo Thomas: “although imperial rivalries in
themselves did not necessarily mean war, incidents such as those in Morocco
helped to increase mutual suspicion and hostility”
Paragraph 2: In WW2, the importance of territorial cause is seen from Japan’s aggressive
actions triggered somewhat by seeking land.
WW2 Asia
● 1907 Aims of Imperial National Defence
○ Establish “Cordons of sovereignty” and “Cordons of advantage” →
Korea annexed, becomes Cordons of sovereignty
○ Japan sought to invade more land in China to protect it’s Cordon of
Sovereignty in Korea → lead to invasion of Manchuria and China
● Invasion of Manchuria and China
○ Japan occupied French Indochina → US froze all JP assets
○ 1939 Roosevelt broke Japanese American Commercial Treaty → able to
pose export embargo on Japan
,#1 “Economic factors were the most significant cause of war.” Discuss
with reference to two wars, each chosen from a different region (May 2023)
WW2 European theatre + Chinese Civil War
● WW2 European theatre: 1939-1945 between Axis Powers (Germany, Italy) and Allied
Powers (UK, US, France, Soviet Union)
● CCW: 1927-1936 & 1946-1949 between CCP lead by Mao, GMD led by Jiang
Introduction
Paragraph 1: Economic factors play a large role in eliciting war by discontenting people
from current government policy.
● In both WW2 in Europe and CCW, the unpleasantness of people on its government’s
domestic policies urged them to search for alternative rulers, such as Hitler in Germany,
and CCP in China.
WW2: Economic crisis in Germany led to the rise of Germany nationalism and therefore Hitler’s
rise to power, along with his expansionist policy
● Treaty of Versailles: 20 billion gold marks
○ Historian A.J.P Taylor: “Since the Reichstag refused to impose new taxes, the
only alternative was the printing press”
■ Hyper-inflation caused by government inability of printed money
to pay internal war debt → hyperinflation
● Unemployment 1.4 million - 6 million from 1928-1932
○ High unemployment → Weimer's liberal democracy government ended,
brought Hitler to power (forced nations to adopt protectionist policies,
leading to decrease in international cooperation)
● Great Depression
○ In 1928, Nazis had 2% of vote → 1932 after Wall Street Crash, Nazis
gained 37% vote
WW2: Great Depression in the world led to appeasement and isolationism policy which fuelled
Germany’s confidence in expansion without western intervention
● prioritised solving their own economic problems above foreign aggression
○ USA national income fell by 20% between 1929-1932 → isolationism
○ UK iron & steel production fell 50% → appeasement
■ 1936, German remilitarised Rhineland, but had no response from French
and UK
CCW: Economic factors were the most important factor as it lays foundation for the growth of
communist ideology in China
● CCP aim = change society by redistribution of wealth, end power of landlords
and capitalists → create new form of social democracy where workers
dominate the means of production and therefore the state
, ○ gained CCP full support from peasants
Historian Mike Wells and Nick Fellows: “The basis of the communist ideology was a Marxist
belief in the need to change ownership of the means of production. Thus economic change lay
at the heart of the conflict.” (the following informations are from them too)
● GMD failed to effectively deal with economic wealth gap
○ Peasant economic hardship and discontent = key to gaining support for the
revolution
○ GMD favoured middle class and industrial interests, wages for peasants were
low and had poor working conditions.
Paragraph 2: Ideology plays an even more important role in causing a war
WW2: Nazism ideology
Historian Mike Wells and Nick Fellows: “Although it started as a war for the revision of the
Treaty of Versailles, and had other causes of a more usual nature, as far as Hitler was
concerned, these were secondary to his ideological ‘dream’.”
● Nazism ideology:
○ It is the mission of German race (Volk) to create ‘living space’ (Lebensraum) in
Eastern Europe, which can only be done as a strong nation via expansion
○ Historian Mike Wells and Nick Fellows: “From the conquest of Poland in 1939,
WW2 shifted from conflict over balance of power in Europe into driven by Nazi
ideology”
■ Germany expand living space at expense of ‘racially inferior’ people,
enslaved Poles and persecuted Jews in Poland
CCW: nationalism ideology driven by extensive foreign influence
● 1911, a revolt that led to end of Qing dynasty
○ Led by humiliation from Boxer Rebellion
■ 1900, attacked Western missions in northern China, resulted in
China paying compensations → revealed government’s
weakness to secure people’s economic interests against foreign
powers
○ Originated from Sichuan (regional uprising against regime) because people were
discontented with the weakness of the monarchy
● May Fourth Movement
○ China did not regain rights to Shandong province, given to Japan
■ Seemed to confirm China’s weakness and subordination to foreign
powers
○ Demonstrators ask to break away from Confucianism, regional divisions, weak
central government, low economic growth to strengthen China against western
powers
, #2 “Territorial disputes were the main cause of wars.” Discuss with
reference to two wars, each chosen from a different region. (Nov 2020)
WW1 Europe + WW2 Asia
● WW1: 1914-1918 between Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary) and Allied
Power (UK, France, USSR, Italy, US)
● WW2: 1941-1945 between Japan and combined military armies of China, UK, US
Introduction
Paragraph 1: Territorial disputes are important causes for both WW1 in Europe and WW2
in Asia. In WW1, it played a role as a long-term cause which increased tension between
countries.
WW1 Europe
● Serbia’s desire to get Bosnia → ultra-nationalists against AH
○ AH annexed Bosnia in 1908, angered the Serbians
■ Serbia had designs on Bosnia since the 1870s, but the Treaty of San
Stefano in 1878 only guaranteed their independence without Bosnia
● Loss of Alsace-Lorraine by France 1871
○ Include important historic provinces (major city of Strasbourg) → blow
to French national pride → major aim for France = recovery of lost
territory
● Morocco Crisis resulted in the Treaty of Fez
○ French = official protector of Morocco → power imbalance
■ increase Germany's fear of encirclement
○ Historian Keely Rogers and Jo Thomas: “although imperial rivalries in
themselves did not necessarily mean war, incidents such as those in Morocco
helped to increase mutual suspicion and hostility”
Paragraph 2: In WW2, the importance of territorial cause is seen from Japan’s aggressive
actions triggered somewhat by seeking land.
WW2 Asia
● 1907 Aims of Imperial National Defence
○ Establish “Cordons of sovereignty” and “Cordons of advantage” →
Korea annexed, becomes Cordons of sovereignty
○ Japan sought to invade more land in China to protect it’s Cordon of
Sovereignty in Korea → lead to invasion of Manchuria and China
● Invasion of Manchuria and China
○ Japan occupied French Indochina → US froze all JP assets
○ 1939 Roosevelt broke Japanese American Commercial Treaty → able to
pose export embargo on Japan
