The reason for the Second World War is brief point by point. Causes of World War II

The provocation was organized by Reinhard Heydrich and his subordinate, the head of Group VI-F (sabotage), SS Sturmbannführer Alfred Naujoks, on the instructions of Adolf Hitler.

The role of “those killed during the attack” was intended for concentration camp prisoners who were killed by injection and then brought to the scene of the events. In SS jargon they were called “canned food”; hence the name of the operation.

Adolf Hitler threw back his right arm in a Nazi salute and looked around at the faces of those entering. Before him stood the entire top military elite of the Great German Empire. The commanders-in-chief, chiefs of staff and leading generals of the Wehrmacht arrived on this Tuesday, August 22, 1939, at the Berghof residence to hear from the lips of the Fuhrer the fatal decision: there will be war. “I have gathered you,” Hitler began, “to explain the current political situation, so that it becomes crystal clear to you on what my final decision- act immediately."

From the Fuhrer’s many-hour monologue, the military learned that “never before has Germany’s position been as favorable as it is now”: England is in a threatening situation, France’s position is also not developing in the best way, Soviet Russia is ready to conclude a non-aggression pact with Germany.

“Nobody knows how long I have left to live. Therefore, the clash is now,” Hitler concluded.

In the middle of the day everyone went out to eat. The meeting then continued. With every new minute, Hitler worked himself up into a fit of hysteria. His gaze became more and more fanatical and obsessive.

“Lock your hearts against pity and compassion! - he shouted. - The cruelest course of action! Eighty million people must finally get their rights!”

Suddenly, in a completely calm, icy voice, he announced that the very next day he was ready to announce the exact date the beginning of hostilities against Poland.

“One way or another, war cannot be avoided... I will provide a propaganda pretext for starting a war. How plausible it will be does not matter. The winner is not judged or found out, he said, whether it is true or not. In starting and waging war, it is not questions of law that play a role, but victory.”

When the military left, they could not imagine that the people called upon to provide the “propaganda pretext for starting the war” promised by Hitler were already in full combat readiness. Hitler chose Heinrich Himmler to carry out this mission. This operation forever linked the SS chief with the blood and tears shed during the Second World War.

History of security detachments. Chapter 10 SS and foreign policy

The idea of ​​​​Operation Canned Food was born to Heydrich back in 1938, during the Sudetenland crisis, but then it did not find application, since Great Britain and France made concessions by signing the Munich Agreement.

In connection with the planned attack on Poland, a problem of probable cause arose. And this is where the idea of ​​staging an attack came in handy.

According to Heydrich's plan, SS officers, dressed in Polish military uniforms, were to:

Attack a radio station in Gleiwitz* (now Gliwice, Poland) and broadcast an anti-German proclamation in Polish;
.attack the forestry in Pinchen north of Kreuzburg (now Kluczbork, Poland);
.in Hochlinden, on the section of the border between Gleiwitz and Ratibor (now Raciborz, Poland), destroy the customs point.

Radio station in Gliwice

The leadership of the 23rd and 45th SS Standards, stationed at the site of the proposed operation, was instructed to immediately place at the disposal of the SD 120 personnel who speak Polish.

The following were appointed responsible: for the attack on the customs point - SS Oberführer Herbert Mehlhorn, for the attack on the radio station - SS Sturmbannführer Alfred Naujoks**, for the attack on the forestry - SS Oberführer Otto Rasch, for the provision of Polish uniforms - SS Brigadeführer Heinz Jost, for the delivery of " canned food" - SS Oberführer Heinrich Müller. Melhorn was also supposed to clear the area around Hochlinden of the Wehrmacht and coordinate the actions of the groups of SS Obersturmbannführer Ottfried Hellwig (“Polish soldiers”) and SS Standartenführer Hans Trummler (“German border guards”). General management of the operation was entrusted to Alfred Naujoks, who received the following instructions from Heydrich:

First: regarding this story, you have no right to contact any German institution in Gleiwitz. Second: no one from your group should have documents proving his membership in the SS, SD, police or certifying citizenship of the German Reich.
The code signal was supposed to be Heydrich’s phrase: “Grandmother is dead.”

On August 10, Naujoks with five accompanying people and a translator arrived in Gleiwitz and settled in two hotels. He carried out reconnaissance and found out that capturing the radio station would not be a problem.

In mid-August, Himmler and Heydrich reported their readiness to Hitler, who ordered Admiral Canaris to provide the SD with sets of Polish military uniforms. The uniform was given to Jost by Captain Dingler, an Abwehr officer at the headquarters of the VIII Military District in Breslau.

The group attacking the forestry was supposed to represent militia in civilian clothes, the rest - Polish soldiers.
On August 20, Melhorn gathered everyone in the assembly hall of the SD school, instructed and reported on the essence of the operation. After this, the SS men drove off to their destination in covered trucks.
On August 22, Heydrich received a report of complete readiness. On August 23 (the day the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed), Hitler set the time and date of the action - August 26, 4.30 am.

The first pancake is lumpy

Opponents of the regime from the Abwehr also did not sit idly by. They organized an information leak by drawing up a protocol of Hitler’s speech to the Wehrmacht command on August 22, adding to the words spoken by Hitler a phrase (however, very close to reality) about sending several companies to stage a Polish attack.

This protocol fell into the hands of Hermann Maas, who, with the help of Associated Press Berlin bureau chief Lewis Lochner, forwarded it to the British Embassy. And already in the afternoon of August 25, the political leadership of Great Britain had information about Hitler’s intentions.

Meanwhile, preparations for the provocation continued as usual. Everyone returned to their starting positions.

But on the evening of August 25, two news arrived: the Italian ambassador reported that Mussolini was not ready to support Hitler, and Great Britain had concluded a mutual assistance agreement with Poland. Hitler summoned Keitel, ran out to meet him and shouted:

“Cancel everything! Brauchitsch come to me urgently! I need time for negotiations.”

Keitel immediately called von Brauchitsch:
“The operation that began under the Weiss plan must be stopped at 20.30 due to the changed political situation!”

The war machine, which had gained full speed, was stopped with great difficulty. Heydrich also had to give an urgent order to cancel Operation Canned Food. There were some hiccups here. It was not possible to contact Hellwig's group, which was already on Polish territory, and it attacked the customs point. Only Mueller's intervention prevented bloodshed.

Melhorn and Hellwig blamed each other. During the analysis, it turned out that Hellwig misunderstood the passwords: he believed that “Little Wood Grouse” was a signal of full readiness, and “Big Wood Grouse” was a command to begin the operation. For Melkhorn, the passwords meant: “Little wood grouse” - “in the gun”, “Big wood grouse” - “readiness number one”, “Agatha” - a signal to attack.

Heydrich, who suspected that someone wanted to disrupt the action deliberately, made organizational conclusions: Melhorn and Hellwig were fired from the SD, and their places in the operation were taken by Müller and Trummler, respectively.

On August 31, Hitler set a new date and time - September 1, 4:45 am.

On August 31 at 16.00, a telephone rang in Naujoks’s hotel room. Picking up the phone, he heard: “Call me back urgently!” Naujoks dialed the number known to him for the SD headquarters and asked for Adjutant Heydrich to speak to him. In response, he heard the same high-pitched voice say: “Grossmutter gestorben” (“Grandmother died”). Naujoks gathered all his subordinates and scheduled an action to seize the radio station at 19.30. Muller also received the command and hurried: the “canned food” had to be delivered to the site no later than 20.20.

At 20.00 Naujoks and his subordinates burst into the radio station premises. Seeing the worker Feutzik, he pointed the gun and shouted: “Hands up!” He gave a signal, and the attackers opened fire indiscriminately. The radio station workers were tied up and locked in the basement. It took quite a long time to find a thunderstorm microphone, which used to warn radio listeners about the approaching thunderstorm. Shortly after his discovery, residents of the surrounding area heard a “fiery proclamation” in Polish amid gunfire. The whole operation took no more than 4 minutes. As he was leaving, Naujoks noticed corpses in Polish uniforms carefully laid out by Müller’s men. The same thing happened in other places of the action.

The next day, Hitler addressed the German people, declaring that Poland had carried out an attack on German territory and that from that moment on Germany was at war with Poland. The newspapers came out with screaming headlines.

Speaking in the Reichstag, Hitler announced 14 clashes on the border, three of them major. Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop informed the French ambassador that the Polish army had crossed the border in three places. Hermann Goering told Birger Dahlerus:

The war broke out because the Poles carried out an attack on a radio station in Gleiwitz.
Heinrich Müller went to the scene of the events together with the head of the criminal police, Artur Nebe, to conduct an “investigation”. Nebe also ordered the production of an electrified model demonstrating the course of “events.” Heydrich, who attended one of the demonstrations, confirmed:

"Yes, yes, that's exactly how the war began."

Second World War began... Polish propaganda beat with fanfare: “Polish air raid on Berlin”, the Siegfried Line was broken in 7 places”...

-----------------------
*Gliwice (formerly Gleiwice) is a city in Silesia in southern Poland. First mentioned in 1276. First as a Czech city, then as a Polish city, in 1742 it became part of Prussia. In 1945, after the end of World War II, Gliwice, like all of Silesia, became part of Poland.

**Naujocks, Alfred Hellmuth (Naujocks), (1911-1960), secret agent of the secret services of Nazi Germany, who gained the reputation of “the man who launched the 2nd World War.”

Alfred Helmut Naujoks (right)
Naujoks's testimony in Nuremberg:

"Müller said that he had at his disposal twelve or thirteen convicted criminals who were to be dressed in Polish uniforms and whose corpses were to be left at the scene in order to show that these people were allegedly killed during the attack. For this purpose there was an operation with injection of poison was provided, which was to be carried out by a doctor invited by Heydrich; it was also stipulated that there would be gunshot wounds on the corpses after the end of the staging of the attack, representatives of the press and other persons should have arrived at the scene; then a police report should have been drawn up;

Müller told me that he had received orders from Heydrich to place one of these criminals at my disposal to carry out my task in Gleiwitz. The code name he gave to these criminals was “canned food.”

The incident in Gleiwitz, in which I took part, took place on the eve of the German attack on Poland. As far as I remember, the war began on September 1, 1939."

The military-political blocs that formed in Europe sought to achieve their own goals, which could not but lead to war. Great Britain and France sought to direct German expansion to the East, which should have led to a clash between Germany and the USSR, their mutual weakening, and would have strengthened the position of London and Paris in the world. The Soviet leadership did everything to avert the threat of being drawn into a possible European war. This war was supposed to weaken Germany, Great Britain and France, which, in turn, would allow the USSR to maximize its influence on the continent. For its part, Germany, realizing the impossibility of a simultaneous military conflict with a coalition of great powers, hoped to limit itself to a local operation against Poland, which would improve its strategic position for the further struggle for hegemony in Europe with Great Britain, France and the USSR. Italy sought to obtain new concessions from London and Paris as a result of their conflict with Germany, but itself was in no hurry to enter the war. The United States needed a war in Europe to eliminate the possibility of an Anglo-German alliance, to finally take England’s place in the world and to weaken the USSR, which would allow them to become the main world power. Japan, taking advantage of the preoccupation of the other great powers in Europe, intended to end the war in China on its own terms and obtain from the United States consent to strengthen Japanese influence in Far East and, under favorable conditions, take part in the war against the USSR. Thus, as a result of the actions of all the main participants, the pre-war political crisis escalated into a war unleashed by Germany.

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Versailles-Washington system of international relations

European ( Versailles) part of this system was largely formed under the influence of political and military-strategic considerations of the victorious states (mainly Great Britain and France) while ignoring the interests of the defeated and newly formed countries (Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Finland, Latvia , Lithuania, Estonia).

The formation of a new world order in Europe was complicated by the Russian revolution and chaos in Eastern Europe. The victorious states, which played the main role in developing the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, pursued different goals. For France the main importance was maximum attenuation Germany, which made it possible to consolidate French hegemony in Europe and secure its eastern borders. Great Britain And USA were more interested in maintaining the balance of power in Europe, which forced them to take more into account the interests of Germany, which, in the conditions of the collapse Austria-Hungary, revolutions in Russia, the general national revolutionary upsurge and effective Bolshevik propaganda could be used as a stabilizing factor in Central and Eastern Europe.

As a result, the Versailles agreements became a compromise between these extreme positions at the expense of the vanquished, which predetermined the formation of mass communist parties and a revanchist orientation foreign policy Germany. At the same time, England and France tried to use the new states that arose in Europe, both against the Bolshevik revolution and against German revanchism.

Due to the fact that the basis of any system of international relations is “the balance of power, understood as a specific historical relationship specific gravity and the influence of the states included in the system, and primarily the great powers", the lack of a coordinated position of Great Britain and France on the issue of the prospect of European balance and the self-removal of the United States from participation in the functioning of the Versailles system, the isolation of Soviet Russia (USSR) and the anti-German orientation of the Versailles system (with maintaining division political map Europe into winners and losers) turned it into unbalanced and non-universal, thereby increasing the potential for a future world conflict.

Immediately after the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty became known, the President of the Weimar Republic, Ebert, stated that these conditions and the reparations stipulated in them could not be fulfilled by the German people even with the utmost effort of all their forces. He emphasized that under such conditions it is impossible to ensure long-term peace in Europe on the basis of cooperation between peoples and a new bloody war will be inevitable.

The winners of the First World War faced a difficult dual task - to eliminate the threat from Germany and a new danger - the spread of communist ideas from Bolshevik Russia. The solution was found in creating buffer states: the collapse of Austria-Hungary in 1918, the declaration of independence of Hungary, and the proclamation of the never-before-existent Czechoslovakia were legitimized. The re-establishment of Poland was recognized, some East German lands were transferred to it and a “corridor” to the Baltic Sea was allocated. The Baltic states that separated from Russia were recognized, but at the same time the Lithuanian Vilna region became part of Poland, and the German Klaipeda region, on the contrary, went to Lithuania. Transylvania was given to Romania. Another Hungarian region - Vojvodina - became part of the emerging Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes - the future Yugoslavia.

In 1920-1921 in Eastern Europe, the so-called “Little Entente” was formed - an alliance of Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia, the initial goal of which was to contain Hungarian irredentism, as well as to prevent the re-establishment of the Habsburg monarchy in Austria or Hungary. The alliance received the support of France, which signed military agreements with each of the three member states. The Little Entente gave France the opportunity to open a second front in the event of an armed conflict with Germany. At the same time, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Lithuania were seen in France as a counterweight to Germany and the USSR.

The buffer states represented a constant source of tension for Germany in the east and Bolshevik Russia in the west. At the same time, it turned out that almost all the countries of Eastern Europe have territorial claims against each other. Russia was completely excluded from the Versailles process. The Bolshevik leadership of Soviet Russia declared the need for a world revolution and the overthrow of bourgeois governments throughout the world, and therefore was unable to negotiate, and during the peace conference the Whites suffered defeats from the Reds and were heavily dependent on foreign assistance, not representing a distinct entity. Türkiye was deprived of territories outside Asia Minor and the Sanjak, and during the Versailles Conference it almost lost its statehood. Outside the Versailles Conference, there was consideration of the situation in Asia - Japanese claims to govern China, which had practically disintegrated and fallen into chaos by that time.

Washington system, extending to the Asia-Pacific region, was distinguished by a somewhat greater balance, but was also not universal, since its subjects did not include the USSR and China, which could become guarantors against Japanese expansionism in cooperation with the USA and Great Britain. The instability of the Washington system was caused by uncertainty political development China, Japan's militaristic foreign policy, US isolationism, etc.

German remilitarization policy

For their part, Great Britain and the United States were not interested in a sharp weakening of Germany, seeing in it a counterbalance to French dominance in Western Europe. The crisis of 1923 convinced them of the danger of revanchist forces coming to power in Germany. Therefore, in 1924, Great Britain and the United States achieved the adoption of the Dawes Plan, allowing Germany to receive US loans to pay reparations. This allowed Germany to restore its military-industrial potential by 1927. In 1930, an even softer “Jung Plan” was adopted, which provided Germany with a deferment to pay reparations during the crisis.

France and Great Britain tried to blur the special character of Soviet-German relations. This course was actively promoted by German Foreign Minister G. Stresemann, who argued that Germany had more in common with Western countries than with the USSR. To this end, Germany, France and Britain signed the Locarno Agreements. In accordance with its terms, Paris and London guaranteed the inviolability of Germany's western border, but did not give similar guarantees regarding its eastern borders. This posed an immediate danger to Poland, Czechoslovakia and Lithuania. After Locarno, capital, mostly American, rushed to Germany, accelerating the modernization of its industry. The Locarno Agreement created deep distrust of French policy in Eastern Europe, which largely derailed negotiations on the creation of a system of collective security in Europe in the 1930s.

With Hitler's rise to power, the Geneva Disarmament Conference, through the efforts of France, Great Britain, Italy and Germany, turned into a screen covering the legalization of the weapons of the Third Reich. Hitler intimidated the victors of World War I with the communist threat posed by the USSR, presenting his country as a buffer between the West and the Soviet Union. In March 1935, Germany finally ceased to comply with the military articles of the Versailles Peace Treaty of 1919. Universal conscription was introduced in the country and the rearmament of the army began, but this did not meet with any opposition from the Western powers, the guarantors of the Versailles Peace. The Saarland was returned to Germany as a result of a plebiscite. In 1936, the Germans sent troops into the demilitarized Rhineland. By the end of 1936, Germany had 14 army corps and one cavalry brigade. The regular army reached a strength of 700-800 thousand people. In 1936, Germany already had at least 1,500 tanks, and the air force consisted of 4,500 aircraft. A wide network of airfields was deployed throughout Germany. In 1939, the ground forces of the Third Reich numbered 2.6 million people, the Air Force - 400 thousand, the Navy - 50 thousand people.

The rise of Nazism in Germany

Germany, the main loser, remained extremely unstable. A democratic system was introduced in the country (the Weimar Republic), but at the same time the majority of the population was dissatisfied with the low standard of living and very high level inflation. The position of left radicals, including communists, was strong in the country. At a certain point, German society began to lean towards revanchism. After the death of Socialist President Friedrich Ebert, his place was taken by Paul Hindenburg, the leading German military leader of the First World War. The global economic crisis that began in 1929 caused more damage to Germany than to other countries; Despite the emergency decrees of Chancellor Heinrich Brüning on wage cuts and new taxes, the German state budget had a billion-dollar deficit - falling revenues and unemployment were superimposed on national humiliation and onerous reparations.

Under these conditions, the National Socialist Workers' Party began to gain increasing popularity in Germany - an organization that proclaimed as its goals both national revival and social protection population. The National Socialists said that the cause of the problems was the infringement of the German nation - the Versailles system in international politics, Jews and communists within the country. Simple slogans, a penchant for theatricality and the emotionality of the leader of the National Socialists, Adolf Hitler, attracted the attention of voters, and then the German elite, financial and industrial circles, the military, and the Prussian nobility. In mid-1930, in accordance with the “Jung Plan,” the amount of reparations was reduced, and with the announcement of a moratorium by the United States, Germany stopped paying reparations altogether. At the beginning of 1933, Hindenburg appointed Hitler as head of government - chancellor. A few months later, having staged a provocation with the arson of the Reichstag (the building of the German parliament), Hitler accused his main opponents, the communists, of treason. This occasion was used to establish the National Socialist party dictatorship, which quickly turned into Hitler's personal dictatorship. All parties except the National Socialist were dissolved and their leaders imprisoned in concentration camps.

German and Italian expansionism

Even before coming to power, in the summer of 1932, Hitler, at a meeting of his like-minded people, voiced a plan to create a German “racial empire” designed to dominate Europe and the world. “We will never achieve world domination,” he said, “if a powerful, steel-hard core of 80 or 100 million Germans is not created at the center of our development.” In addition to Germany, this “core” included Austria, Czechoslovakia, and part of Poland. Around this “foundation of great Germany” there was supposed to be a belt of small and medium-sized vassal states: the Baltic states, Poland, Finland, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Ukraine, and a number of southern Russian and Caucasian states.

In 1936-1939. The leadership of Nazi Germany, without resorting to direct military confrontation, under the pretext of fighting the communist threat, began to introduce a force component into its foreign policy, constantly forcing Great Britain and France to make concessions and conciliation (the so-called “appeasement policy”). During these years, Nazi Germany created a bridgehead for a future war. In March 1938, Hitler carried out the “Anschluss” of Austria, and then organized the “Sudetenland Crisis” - a “national movement” of Germans in the west and north of Czechoslovakia for joining Germany. On September 29-30, 1938, the Munich Agreement was signed on the German occupation of the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia under the pretext of “ensuring the security of the German population” of this region (which constituted the overwhelming majority in it). Subsequently, Czechoslovakia was dismembered (with the participation of Poland and Hungary).

Fascist Italy pursued a no less aggressive policy. In 1935-1936, the invasion of Ethiopia was carried out, which caused condemnation from the world community and even led Italy to withdraw from the League of Nations in 1937, but the entire territory of Ethiopia was occupied and included in the Italian colonial possessions in Africa. Against the background of economic sanctions imposed on Italy, in the summer of 1936 there was a rapprochement with Germany, which refused to join European sanctions and supplied Italy with the raw materials it needed.

By the end of 1938, the Versailles system in Europe had practically ceased to exist, and the Munich Agreement significantly strengthened Germany. Under these conditions, the German leadership set itself a new foreign policy goal - to achieve hegemony in Europe, securing the role of a great world power.

In March 1939, Germany occupied the Czech Republic, turning it into the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, and Slovakia into its satellite. On March 22, 1939, a German-Lithuanian agreement was signed in Berlin on the transfer of the Memel region with the port of Memel to Germany.

At the same time, Hitler openly made claims against Poland, demanding the annexation of the Free City of Danzig to Germany and the construction of extraterritorial highways and railways through Polish Pomerania.

As a result of the aggressive actions of Germany and Italy in March-April 1939, a pre-war political crisis began in Europe - a period of immediate alignment of military-political forces in anticipation probable war. It was these actions that forced Great Britain and France to begin probing the position of the USSR in search of allies to contain German expansion.

Diplomatic activity in Europe on the eve of the war

In Soviet and Russian historiography It is generally accepted that the goals of Great Britain and France in the negotiations that began in Moscow were as follows: to remove the threat of war from their countries; prevent a possible Soviet-German rapprochement; demonstrating rapprochement with the USSR, reach an agreement with Germany; to drag the Soviet Union into a future war and direct German aggression to the East. As for the goals of the USSR at these negotiations, this issue is the subject of debate. As a rule, it is believed that the Soviet leadership set three main tasks for diplomats - to prevent or delay the war and to disrupt the creation of a united anti-Soviet front. Supporters of the official Soviet version believe that the strategic goal of the Soviet leadership in the summer of 1939 was to ensure the security of the USSR in the context of the emerging crisis in Europe; their opponents point out that Soviet foreign policy contributed to the clash between Germany and Great Britain and France in anticipation of a “world revolution.”

On April 17, in response to proposals from Great Britain and France, the USSR invited these countries to conclude a mutual assistance treaty. On May 3, when it became clear that Great Britain and France did not accept the Soviet proposal, V. M. Molotov, who also remained the head of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, was appointed People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs instead of M. M. Litvinov. On May 14, the Soviet side again proposed concluding an Anglo-French-Soviet alliance, a military convention and providing joint guarantees to the small countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Meanwhile, on May 22, the so-called “Pact of Steel” was signed between Germany and Italy, and the very next day, speaking to the military, Hitler outlined the main goal of German foreign policy - returning to the number of “powerful states,” which required expanding the “living space ", which was impossible "without invading other people's states or attacking other people's property."

The negotiations between the USSR and Great Britain and France that began in Moscow, however, proceeded sluggishly and clearly reached a dead end. In addition, the Soviet leadership became aware of secret contacts that were taking place simultaneously between Germany and Great Britain. During the secret negotiations that were held in London, the delimitation of spheres of influence, plans to seize new and exploit existing world markets, including the “markets” of Russia, China and a number of other countries, were discussed.

On May 31, at a session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Molotov’s speech criticized the position of Great Britain and France. Under these conditions, Molotov noted, “we do not at all consider it necessary to abandon business ties” with Germany and Italy. Thus, Moscow sought to put pressure on both Great Britain and France, and Germany.

Meanwhile, the German leadership grew more confident that Great Britain was not yet ready for war, and in these conditions they should not tie their hands to an agreement with Great Britain, but fight with it. Germany also entered into contacts with the Soviet leadership, proposing to improve relations with the USSR on the basis of delimiting the interests of the parties in Eastern Europe. On August 8-10, the USSR received information that German interests extended to Lithuania, Western Poland, Romania without Bessarabia, but, in the event of an agreement with Germany, the USSR would have to abandon the agreement with Great Britain and France. The Soviet leadership invited Germany to conclude a full-fledged non-aggression pact. Germany accepted all Soviet proposals, including regarding the secret additional protocol on the delimitation of spheres of interest in Europe.

On the night of August 23-24, 1939, a Non-Aggression Treaty was signed in Moscow between the USSR and Germany, as well as a secret additional protocol to it in the event of a “territorial and political reorganization” of the Baltic states and Poland. Latvia and Estonia were within the sphere of interests of the USSR. At the same time, Lithuania received Vilnius (at that time Polish), and the border of interests in Poland ran along the Narew, Vistula and San rivers. The question of Polish independence, according to the protocol, could “be finally clarified” later, by agreement of the parties. Also, the USSR emphasized its interest in Bessarabia, and Germany emphasized its disinterest in it.

At the rate Russian historian M. Meltyukhova, the Soviet-German non-aggression pact can be considered a significant success of Soviet diplomacy, which was able to use the European crisis to its advantage, outplay British diplomacy and achieve its main goal - to stay out of the European war, while gaining significant freedom of action in Eastern Europe , wider room for maneuver between the warring factions in their own interests, while blaming London and Paris for the breakdown of the Anglo-French-Soviet negotiations.

Introduction

1. The world situation on the eve of World War II

Conclusion

Introduction

The Second World War was the largest military conflict in human history. More than 60 states with a population of 1.7 billion people took part in it. Military operations took place on the territory of 40 countries. The total number of fighting armies was more than 110 million people, military expenditures were more than 1384 billion dollars. The scale of human loss and destruction was unprecedented. More than 60 million people died in the war, including 12 million in death camps: the USSR lost more than 26 million, Germany - approx. 6 million, Poland – 5.8 million, Japan – approx. 2 million, Yugoslavia - approx. 1.6 million, Hungary – 600 thousand, France – 570 thousand, Romania – approx. 460 thousand, Italy - approx. 450 thousand, Hungary – approx. 430 thousand, USA, UK and Greece - 400 thousand each, Belgium - 88 thousand, Canada - 40 thousand. Material damage is estimated at 2600 billion dollars. The terrible consequences of the war have strengthened the global tendency to unite in order to prevent new military conflicts, the need to create more effective system collective security than the League of Nations. Its expression was the establishment of the United Nations in April 1945. The question of the origin of the Second World War is the subject of acute historical struggle, since it is the question of guilt in the most serious crime against humanity. There are several points of view on this issue. Soviet science on the question of the causes of World War II gave an unequivocal answer that the culprit was the militaristic Axis countries with the support of other capitalist countries. Western historical science accuses countries of inciting war: Germany, Italy, Japan. Modern researchers of this problem, they consider the entire range of documents currently available and come to the conclusion that it is unlawful to blame only one country.

1. The situation in the world on the eve of World War II

In the two decades after the First World War, acute economic, socio-political and national problems have accumulated in the world, especially in Europe.

As in the 19th century, one of the main geopolitical problems of Europe was the objective desire of a significant part of the Germans, who historically lived in addition to Germany: in Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, to unite in a single nation state. In addition, Germany, which experienced national humiliation after its defeat in the First World War, according to many German politicians, sought to regain its lost position as a world power. Thus, specially created favorable conditions for a new wave of growth of German expansionism.

The rivalry between other powers and their desire to redistribute spheres of influence in the world also persisted. World economic crises of the 20-30s. accelerated the growth of military-political confrontation in the world. Realizing this, many political and statesmen in Europe, America and Asia they sincerely sought to prevent or at least delay war. In the 1930s, negotiations were held on the creation of a collective security system, agreements on mutual assistance and non-aggression were concluded. And at the same time, again, two opposing blocs of powers were gradually but steadily emerging in the world. The core of one of them was Germany, Italy and Japan, who openly sought to resolve their internal economic, social, political and national problems through territorial seizures and plunder of other countries. The second bloc, which was based on England, France and the United States, supported by large and small countries, adhered to a policy of containment.

From the entire previous history of mankind, it is known that under these conditions, it was historically inevitable and normal in the pre-nuclear era to resolve the conflict of interests of the great powers through war. In this respect, the Second World War differed from the First World War only in the increased scale of military operations and the associated disasters of peoples, and it is often presented as another round or rematch in the struggle of old geopolitical opponents. However, along with the obvious similarities between the first and second world wars, there were significant differences.

Almost all Germans believed that their country had been treated unfairly in 1919. And they expected that when Germany accepted the Fourteen Points and became a democratic republic, the war would be forgotten and there would be mutual recognition of rights. She had to pay reparations; she was forcibly disarmed; It lost part of the territory; in other parts there were Allied troops. Almost all of Germany was eager to get rid of the Treaty of Versailles, and few saw the difference between the annulment of this treaty and the restoration of the dominant role that Germany played in Europe before its defeat. Germany was not alone in feeling resentment. Hungary was also dissatisfied with the peace settlement, although its dissatisfaction meant little. Italy, seemingly among the victors, emerged from the war with almost empty handed- so it seemed to her, at least; Italian dictator Mussolini, a former socialist, called it a proletarian country. In the Far East, Japan, also among the victors, looked increasingly disapprovingly at the superiority of the British Empire and the United States. And, in truth, Soviet Russia, although it eventually joined those who defended the status quo, was still dissatisfied with the territorial losses it suffered at the end of the First World War. But the main driving force among the dissatisfied was Germany, and Adolf Hitler became its spokesman from the moment he entered the political arena.

All these grievances and claims were not dangerous in the 20s, during the short period of restoration of the pre-war economic order, with more or less unlimited foreign trade, a stable currency, private enterprises in whose activities the state hardly interfered. But this recovery was destroyed by a large-scale economic crisis that broke out in 1929. A catastrophic decline in foreign trade began, mass unemployment - over 2 million unemployed in England, 6 million in Germany and 15 million in the USA. A sharp currency crisis in 1931 - with the abolition of the gold standard - shook the sacred pound sterling. In the face of this storm, countries concentrated their activities within their own national systems; and the more intensely this happened, the more industrialized the country was. In 1931, the German mark ceased to be a freely convertible currency, and the country switched to barter foreign trade. In 1932, Great Britain, which traditionally adhered to the principle of free trade, established protective tariffs and soon extended them to its colonies. In 1933 just president-elect Roosevelt carried out the devaluation of the dollar and, independently of other countries, began to pursue a policy of economic recovery.

The economic struggle began largely unexpectedly. At first it was a struggle of all against all, then its character changed and the division of the world intensified. Soviet Russia has always been a closed economic system, although this did not protect it from the consequences of the global crisis. Some other great powers, primarily the United States, as well as the British and French empires, could, at worst, make do with internal resources. Germany, Japan and other major industrial powers lost: they could not provide for themselves, they needed imported raw materials, but the crisis deprived them of the opportunity to obtain it in the normal way through foreign trade. Those who ran the economies in these countries undoubtedly felt that their countries were suffocating and that they needed to create their own economic empires. The Japanese elected the simplest way and sent their troops first to Manchuria and then to the coastal regions of China. But Germany, still bound by the Treaty of Versailles in the early 1930s, did not have such an easy way out. She had to fight through economic means; this increased her isolation, the autarky imposed by the will of circumstances.

At first, German leaders were reluctant to fight economically, then Hitler came to power in January 1933. He perceived autarky as a good thing. Subsequently, there was debate about what gave birth to Hitler and the National Socialist movement he led. The country's economic troubles brought Hitler to power, but his fight against the Treaty of Versailles had already created a certain reputation for him. In his opinion, the crisis in Germany was caused by defeat, and those means that will help overcome the crisis will lead Germany to political victory. Autarky will strengthen Germany for political victories, and these in turn will contribute further development autarky.

Here, right up to the Second World War, there was a hidden contradiction. The USA and England regretted the need to wage an economic struggle and considered it a temporary matter. For the Japanese and Germans, economic struggle was a constant factor and the only way to become great powers. This led to paradoxical consequences. Usually the stronger power is more aggressive and restless, because it is convinced that it is able to capture more than it has.

The outbreak of the Second World War was preceded by aggressive actions of Japan, Italy and Germany in various areas globe. The countries of the fascist-militarist bloc, united by the Berlin-Rome-Tokyo "axis", embarked on the path of implementing a broad program of conquest. Initiatives of the Soviet Union aimed at creating a system of collective security, according to various reasons did not receive the support of England and France and did not lead to the achievement of a coordinated policy of containing aggression. Having sealed Hitler's dictatorship with their signatures in Munich, Chamberlain and Daladier pronounced the death sentence on Czechoslovakia (September 1938).

In the first years of the so-called peaceful existence, the USSR struggled to establish more or less acceptable diplomatic relations with capitalist countries. Throughout the 20s and 30s, foreign trade was given not only economic but also political importance.

1934 - The USSR joins the League of Nations, where it makes its proposals regarding the creation of a system of collective security and resistance to conquerors, which, however, do not find support. At the beginning of 1934, the Soviet Union came up with a convention on the definition of the attacking party (aggressor), which emphasized that aggression is an invasion of the territory of another country with or without a declaration of war, as well as bombing the territory of other countries, attacks on sea ​​vessels, blockade of coasts or ports. The governments of the leading powers reacted coldly to the Soviet project. However, Romania, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and later Finland signed this document in the USSR. In the 30s, the Soviet government actively developed relations with fascist Germany, which grew into active efforts to organize collective resistance to aggressive fascist states. The idea of ​​​​creating a collective security system and the practical work of Soviet diplomacy were highly appreciated and recognized by the progressive world community. Joining the League of Nations in 1934, concluding alliance treaties with France and Czechoslovakia in 1935, appeals and specific actions in support of one of the powers subjected to aggression - Ethiopia, diplomatic and other assistance to the legitimate republican government of Spain during the Italian-German intervention, readiness to provide military assistance under the treaty of Czechoslovakia against Nazi Germany in 1938, and finally, a sincere desire to develop joint measures to support aggression on the eve of the Second World War - this is a brief chronicle of the consistent struggle of the Soviet Union for peace and security.

2. Analysis of the causes of World War II

The Second World War was prepared and unleashed by the states of the aggressive bloc led by Hitler's Germany.

The emergence of this global conflict had its roots in the Versailles system of international relations, based on the dictates of the countries that won the First World War and put Germany in a humiliating position. Thus, conditions were created for the development of the idea of ​​revenge and the revival of a hotbed of militarism in the center of Europe.

German imperialism restored and expanded its military-economic base on a new material and technical basis, and it was assisted in this by large industrial concerns and banks of Western countries. Terrorist dictatorships dominated in Germany and its allied states - Italy and Japan, and racism and chauvinism were instilled.

The aggressive program of Hitler's "Reich", which set a course for the enslavement and extermination of "inferior" peoples, provided for the liquidation of Poland, the defeat of France, the displacement of England from the continent, the mastery of the resources of Europe, and then the "march to the East", the destruction of the Soviet Union and the establishment on its territory "new living space". After establishing control over Russia's economic wealth, Germany hoped to launch another round of conquests to extend the power of German monopolies over large areas of Asia, Africa and America. The ultimate goal was to establish world domination of the "Third Reich". On the part of Hitler's Germany and its allies, the war was imperialistic, aggressive, and unfair from beginning to end.

The bourgeois-democratic regimes of England and France, which advocated the preservation of the traditional values ​​of Western society, did not realize the universal threat of Nazism. Their inability and unwillingness to subordinate selfishly understood national interests to the common task of defeating fascism, their desire to solve their problems at the expense of other states and peoples led to a war in conditions most favorable to the aggressors.

The leadership of the Western powers entered the war based on the desire to weaken competitors and maintain and strengthen their own positions in the world. They did not intend to destroy fascism and militarism, betting on the collision of Germany and Japan with the Soviet Union and their mutual exhaustion. Feeling distrustful of the Soviet Union, British and French leaders did not make significant differences between the policies of the Nazi rulers of Germany and the course of the authoritarian Stalinist leadership of the USSR. The strategy and actions of the Western powers on the eve and at the beginning of the war caused enormous damage to the peoples of these countries, led to the defeat of France, the occupation of almost all of Europe, and the creation of a threat to the independence of Great Britain.

The expansion of aggression threatened the independence of many states. For the peoples of the countries that became victims of the invaders, the struggle against the occupiers from the very beginning acquired a liberating, anti-fascist character.

Confident that England and France would not provide real assistance to Poland, Germany attacked it on September 1, 1939. The Polish people offered armed resistance to the aggressors, despite their significant superiority in forces. Poland became the first state in Europe whose people rose up to defend their national existence and waged a just, defensive war. The Nazis were unable to completely encircle the Polish army. A large group of Polish troops managed to escape to the east, but they were captured by the Nazis and, after stubborn fighting on September 23-25, capitulated. Some units continued to resist until October 5. In Warsaw, Silesia and other areas, the civilian population actively came out in defense of independence. However, since September 12, the general direction of military operations has practically ceased. On September 17-18, the Polish government and military command crossed into Romanian territory.

Poland turned out to be unprepared in military-political terms to defend national independence. The reason was the backwardness of the country and the disastrous course of its government, which did not want to “spoil relations” with Germany and pinned its hopes on Anglo-French help. The Polish leadership rejected all proposals to participate together with the Soviet Union in a collective rebuff to the aggressor. This suicidal policy led the country to a national tragedy.

Having declared war on Germany on September 3, England and France saw it as an unfortunate misunderstanding that should soon be resolved. “The silence on the Western Front,” wrote W. Churchill, “was broken only by an occasional cannon shot or a reconnaissance patrol.”

The Western powers, despite the guarantees given to Poland and the agreements signed with it, did not actually intend to provide active military assistance to the victim of aggression. During the tragic days for Poland, the Allied troops were inactive. Already on September 12, the heads of government of England and France came to the conclusion that help to save Poland was useless, and made a secret decision not to open active hostilities against Germany.

When the war began in Europe, the United States declared its neutrality. In political and business circles, the prevailing opinion was that the war would bring the country's economy out of crisis, and military orders from the warring states would bring huge profits to industrialists and bankers.

None of the pre-war diplomatic events now arouses such interest as the Soviet-German non-aggression pact of August 23, 1939. Much has been written about it by Soviet historians. When considering a contract, it is important to proceed from the reality that existed at its conclusion, and not to be guided by considerations taken out of the context of time.

In accordance with the initial plans, the Nazis planned to begin the main military operations to ensure “living space” in 1942-1945. But the current situation brought the start of these operations closer. Firstly, the militarization of Germany and the rapid growth of its armed forces created internal difficulties for the Nazis: the country was threatened by a financial and economic crisis, which could cause discontent among the population. The simplest and quick way To overcome the difficulties that arose, the Nazis saw the expansion of the economic base by seizing the wealth of other countries, and for this it was necessary to start a war as soon as possible.

Secondly, Germany and other fascist-militarist states were pushed to a more rapid transition to aggressive actions by the connivance of the ruling circles of the Anglo-French-American camp. The compliance of the ruling circles of the Western powers to the fascist aggressors was especially clearly demonstrated by the Munich Agreement in September 1938. By sacrificing Czechoslovakia, they deliberately pushed Germany against the USSR.

In accordance with the concept of conquest adopted by the military-political leadership, Germany intended to deliver successive attacks on its opponents with the goal of defeating them one by one, first the weaker ones, and then the stronger ones. This meant the use not only of military means, but also various methods from the arsenal of politics, diplomacy and propaganda with the task of preventing the unification of Germany's opponents.

Knowing about the expansionist plans of Nazi Germany, the Western powers sought to direct its aggression against the USSR. Their propaganda tirelessly spoke about the weakness of the Red Army, the fragility of the Soviet rear, and presented the USSR as a “colossus with feet of clay.”

In the Nazi press one could also find many statements about the weakness of the USSR. This fueled the hopes of the ruling circles of the Anglo-French-American camp that German expansion would be directed eastward. However, the German General Staff in 1938-1939. (unlike 1940-1941) he assessed the Red Army as a very serious enemy, a clash with which he considered undesirable for now.

Based on an assessment of the strength of its opponents, the fascist leadership identified Poland as the first victim of aggression, although shortly before this, Ribbentrop suggested that the Polish government pursue a “common policy towards Russia.” And when Poland refused to be a vassal of Berlin, the Nazis decided to deal with it militarily, taking into account the fact that the war with the Soviet Union, as a very strong enemy, was postponed by them to a later date.

From the beginning of 1939, intensive preparations for a military campaign against Poland began in Germany. A plan was developed, called "Weiss". It provided for the application of "unexpected strong blows"and achieving "quick successes". By order of the Chief of Staff of the Supreme High Command of the German Armed Forces. W. Keitel dated April 3, 1939, the implementation of the Weiss plan was to begin "at any time, starting from September 1, 1939." Political leadership of Germany sought to “isolate Poland as much as possible” and prevent interference in Polish affairs by England, France and the Soviet Union.

The measures taken by Germany to prepare an attack on Poland were no secret to the governments of England, France, the USSR and other countries. The world was aware of the danger of fascist aggression. Sincerely striving to create a collective front for the defense of peace, to unite the forces of non-aggressive countries, on April 17, 1939, the Soviet government turned to England and then to France with specific proposals to conclude an agreement on mutual assistance, including a military convention, in the event of aggression in Europe . It proceeded from the fact that the most decisive and effective measures to prevent war, especially the firm position of the great powers regarding the problem of collective salvation of the world.

The governments of England and France greeted the Soviet proposals with restraint. At first they took a wait-and-see attitude, and then, realizing the danger that threatened them from Germany, they changed their tactics somewhat and agreed to negotiations with Moscow, which began in May 1939.

The seriousness of the USSR's intention to reach an equal agreement on military cooperation with England and France was especially evident at the special negotiations of the military missions of the three powers, which began on August 12, 1939 in Moscow. The negotiating partners were provided with a detailed plan, according to which the USSR pledged to field 136 divisions, 9-10 thousand tanks and 5-5.5 thousand combat aircraft against the aggressor in Europe.

In contrast to the Soviet Union, the governments of England and France, as is known from open archives, acted insincerely during the negotiations in Moscow and played a double game. Neither London nor Paris wanted to establish equal allied relations with the USSR, as they believed that this would lead to the strengthening of the socialist state. Their hostility towards him remained the same. Agreement to negotiations was only a tactical step, but did not correspond to the essence of the policy of the Western powers. From exhorting and encouraging fascist Germany with concessions, they moved on to intimidating it, trying to force Germany to come to an agreement with the Western powers. Therefore, in negotiations with the USSR, England and France proposed agreements that would only put the Soviet Union at risk, and were not bound by their obligations towards the USSR. At the same time, they tried to secure his support in case Germany, contrary to their wishes, moved not to the east, but to the west. All this testified to the desire of England and France to put the Soviet Union in an unequal, humiliating position, and to their reluctance to conclude an agreement with the USSR that would meet the principles of reciprocity and equality of obligations. The failure of the negotiations was predetermined by the position taken by the governments of Western countries.

The ineffectiveness of the Anglo-French-Soviet negotiations negated the efforts of the USSR government to create a coalition of non-aggressive states. The Soviet Union continued to remain in international isolation. He was in danger of a war on two fronts with very strong opponents: Germany in the west and Japan in the east. From the point of view of the leadership of the USSR, the danger of an anti-Soviet conspiracy by the entire imperialist camp also continued to exist. In this extremely difficult situation, fraught with grave consequences, the government of the USSR had to think first of all about the security of its own country.

Since May 1939, when negotiations between the USSR and England and France began, employees of the German Foreign Ministry persistently entered into contacts with representatives of the USSR in Berlin, and in various unofficial ways made it clear that Germany was ready to move closer to the USSR. Until mid-August 1939, while there was hope for concluding an Anglo-Franco-Soviet treaty on mutual assistance, the Soviet government left the German side’s probing unanswered, but at the same time closely monitored its actions.

On August 20, Hitler addressed a personal message to Stalin, proposing to receive on August 22 or at the latest August 23 the German Foreign Minister, who “will be invested with all emergency powers to draw up and sign a non-aggression pact.” Thus, a minimum of time was allocated for making extremely important decisions.

The Soviet government was faced with a direct question: to reject the German proposal or to accept it? The proposal, as is known, was accepted. On August 23, 1939, a Soviet-German non-aggression pact was signed for a period of 10 years. It meant a sharp turn in the foreign policy of the Soviet Union, had a significant impact on the military-political situation in the world, and also to some extent influenced internal life in the USSR.

The agreement was accompanied by a secret protocol that delimited the parties' spheres of influence in Eastern Europe: Estonia, Latvia, Finland, and Bessarabia were included in the Soviet sphere; in German - Lithuania. It did not directly talk about the fate of the Polish state, but in any case, the Belarusian and Ukrainian territories included in it under the Riga Peace Treaty of 1920 should have gone to the USSR.

When Stalin made the decision to conclude an agreement with Germany, the Japanese factor also played a role. The treaty with Germany, according to Stalin, saved the USSR from such a threat. Japan, shocked by the “betrayal” of its ally, later also signed a Non-Aggression Treaty with the USSR.

The decision of the USSR government to conclude a non-aggression pact with Germany was forced, but quite logical in the conditions of that time. In the current situation, the Soviet Union had no other choice, since it was not possible to achieve the signing of a mutual assistance treaty with England and France, and there were only a few days left before the predetermined date for Germany’s attack on Poland.

From a moral point of view, the Soviet Union, having concluded a non-aggression pact with Germany, suffered certain damage in world public opinion, as well as in the international communist movement. The unexpected change in the policy of the USSR and in relations with Nazi Germany seemed unnatural to progressive-minded people. They could not know everything that was known to the Soviet government.

In the context of a rapidly changing situation and the growing danger of the German army reaching the Soviet-Polish border, using the opportunities provided by the “secret additional protocol,” on September 17, the Soviet government sent its troops into Western Ukraine and Western Belarus, which were transferred to Poland under the Riga Peace Treaty of 1921 Officially, this was justified by the fact that Poland had become a convenient field for all sorts of accidents and surprises that could pose a threat to the USSR, and the treaties concluded between the USSR and Poland had ceased. The Soviet side declared its duty to protect the lives and property of the population of Western Ukraine and Western Belarus. Moscow's assertion that the Polish state had actually ceased to exist was contrary to the norms of international law, because a temporary occupation could not erase the fact of the existence of the state as a subject of international law.

The reaction of Polish society to the entry of the Red Army into the eastern regions of Poland was painful and even hostile. The Ukrainian and Belarusian population, for the most part, welcomed the Red Army units. Soviet troops were stopped approximately at the “Curzon Line,” defined back in 1919 as the eastern border of Poland. According to the Treaty of Friendship and Border, signed by the USSR and Germany on September 28, 1939, the border of “mutual state interests” was established along the San and Western Bug rivers. Polish lands remained under German occupation, Ukrainian and Belarusian lands went to the USSR. Recognizing the ethnic dividing line as a border between two states meant a gross violation of international law. Stalin's serious political mistake was his promise to develop friendship with Nazi Germany. Immoral in essence, it actually whitewashed fascism, deformed people’s consciousness and trampled on the principles of Soviet foreign policy.

The signing of the Soviet-German treaties had severe consequences for the anti-war movement, led to disorientation of the left. The Executive Committee of the Comintern, weakened by repression, was unable to resist Stalin's dictates. At his request, the leadership of the Comintern refused to consider fascism the main source of aggression and removed the slogan of the Popular Front. The outbreak of the war was called imperialistic and unfair on both sides, with emphasis placed on the fight against Anglo-French imperialism. The Comintern did not have a clear position on the issue of the struggle for the national liberation of peoples subjected to Nazi aggression.

In the plans of England and France, a significant place was occupied by the war between Finland and the USSR, which began at the end of November 1939. The Western powers sought to turn a local armed conflict into the starting point of a united military campaign against the USSR. Providing extensive military assistance to Finland, England and France developed a plan to land a 100,000-strong expeditionary force to capture Murmansk and occupy the territory south of it. A project was also hatched to attack the USSR in the Transcaucasus region and carry out air strikes on the oil fields of Baku.

For seven months there was no fighting on the Western Front. British and French weapons and material resources exceeded the military-economic potential of Germany, which at that time was not ready for a long war. But London and Paris still made it clear to Hitler that he was given freedom of action in the East. In countries Western Europe the atmosphere of complacency generated by the “strange” war, which was essentially a continuation of the previous Munich policy, remained. Meanwhile, Germany was intensively preparing for an offensive on the Western Front.

Main conclusions

The Second World War was generated by a whole complex of various complex reasons. The discovery in the 90s of historical, military, diplomatic, and intelligence archives in many countries of the world that participated in this war caused the emergence of a huge flow of literature, some of which reveals the reasons for the preparation and beginning of the Second World War and the course of world events in the pre-war years. But the causes of the war are still the subject of controversy and debate in many countries around the world.

1) One of the causes of World War II was territorial disputes and claims that arose after World War I as a result of the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, ended the First World War. It was signed on the one hand by the victorious countries - Britain, France, USA, Italy, Japan, Belgium, on the other hand - by defeated Germany. Germany returned Alsace and Lorraine to France, large territories were taken from Germany and returned to Poland, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, German and Ottoman colonies were divided between the victorious countries. As a result of this war, the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian empires collapsed, and on their ruins 9 new states with disputed borders arose - Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, the future Yugoslavia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Poland. The country that lost its territories wanted to return them, and the countries that received these territories wanted to preserve them. The desire for a new redistribution and seizure of European territories, and at the same time the plunder of other countries - this is one of the reasons for WWII.

2) The next reason for the war matured and took shape in Germany itself. Since the time of the King of Prussia and the German Emperor Wilhelm II in Germany, the views of pan-Germanism, the superior race - the Aryans, views of other peoples as inferior, as manure for German culture, have been instilled among the German elite and ordinary Germans. Therefore, the bitterness of defeat after the First World War, national despair and humiliation, the desire to come to the aid of those compatriots who remained in other countries after the division were very acute, inciting in the Germans hatred and desire for revenge, revenge, psychological readiness for war, as well as desire find a “scapegoat” for your misfortunes and blame the bitterness of failure on him. According to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany had to pay huge reparations, could have a small army of volunteers of 100 thousand people, armed with light weapons, could not have tanks, military aircraft, or heavy artillery. Universal conscription was abolished, the German navy was captured and sunk by the victors, the building of warships and the establishment of a General Staff was prohibited. However, on April 16, 1922, Germany and the USSR signed the Treaty of Rapallo, according to which Germany could restore its military power on Soviet territory. German tank crews trained in Kazan, German pilots in Lipetsk, the German concern Junkers designed military aircraft in Fili, and German factories for the production of heavy artillery and chemical weapons were built in Central Asia. This allowed Germany to quickly restore its military production in subsequent years. In 1924, under the Dawes Plan, Germany was able to obtain loans from the United States to pay off reparations, and then, due to the crisis, received a deferment in the payment of reparations. This allowed Germany to restore its military-industrial potential by 1927, and then by the beginning of the 30s to overtake the victorious countries. In the wake of revanchist sentiments, the National Socialist Party began to gain increasing popularity among the German public, and Nazi leader A. Hitler attracted the attention of Germans from top to bottom with his aggressive slogans. Hitler's main slogans were the idea of ​​a "superior race", which gave the average person a feeling of superiority over other peoples, atoned for the bitterness of defeat and romanticized, allowed brutal violence and militarism, the idea of ​​the need for "living space" for the Germans, and also called the cause of all problems for the Germans - Versailles system, communists and Jews within the country. At the beginning of 1933, Hitler was appointed head of the German government - chancellor, and after that - brazenly, contrary to the Treaty of Versailles, completely ignoring it, universal conscription was introduced in the country, aviation, tank, artillery and other factories were built. The corresponding military units are created and the armed forces and economy of Germany are surpassing the victorious countries. By September 1939 Germany has an army of 4.6 million people, France - 2.67 million, Great Britain - 1.27 million, USSR - 5.3 million. Preparations for World War II are in full swing in Germany.

3) One of the reasons for the worldwide nature of this war was Japan’s aggressive policy. The fact is that in 1910 - 30. China was in a state of fragmentation. The Japanese Empire, which had meager Natural resources, wanted to take advantage of China’s weakness to gain control over its richest resources and markets, and therefore pursued aggressive policies, conflicts, and military campaigns there. In November 1936, Germany and Japan concluded the Anti-Comintern Pact, which Italy joined a year later. By the end of the 1930s, the Japanese army occupied the entire northeast of China, and in 1937. The full-scale Sino-Japanese War began, which in 1939 became part of the Second World War and lasted until 1945. At the same time, on April 13, 1941, a neutrality agreement was signed between Japan and the USSR in Moscow for a period of 5 years.

A short work cannot examine all the causes of the Second World War; for this, historians write monographs and multi-volume studies; debates about its causes have been going on in world science for more than 60 years.

Conclusion

war destruction damage conflict

The emergence of the Second World War, compared to the First World War, took place in an immeasurably more intense mutual struggle between powers. Kaiser's Germany, which had colonies in Africa, in the Pacific Ocean and widely enjoyed Turkey's possessions in the Middle East, after its defeat in the war of 1914 - 1918. lost all overseas possessions. The victory of the Great October Socialist Revolution reduced the spheres of capitalist exploitation and led to a strengthening of the national liberation movement, which weakened the deep imperialist “rear areas.” At the same time, the struggle in foreign markets - the alpha and omega of imperialist foreign policy - has become even more “vitally necessary” for capitalist countries than before the First World War. The severe crises of overproduction of 1923 - 1924, 1929 - 1933 had a significant impact on the aggravation of foreign policy contradictions. The preparations for a new world war began by the imperialists long before the formation of its main centers and resulted in a whole system of coordinated and purposeful actions and activities covering all areas public life. It was especially intense and intense in the diplomatic and military spheres, reflecting (often in hidden form) the severity of the contradictions that were tearing apart the capitalist world. In the conditions of the growth of state-monopoly capitalism, the development of massive regular armies, and secret diplomacy, this preparation in aggressive countries led to an ever-increasing increase in the share of the national budget, uncontrollably spent on ensuring predatory plans for a new redivision of the world. The most powerful and developed military-economic base was located in Germany, where, with Hitler’s rise to power, the Wehrmacht was created and technically re-equipped. During 1933 - 1935 a small group of financial and industrial tycoons who dominated the country's economy created a centralized military-bureaucratic machine that was supposed to mobilize the nation's resources for the war. This was also facilitated by the criminal cooperation of international monopoly associations of the USA, England, France and Germany, which put weapons into the hands of revanchists and fascists. The preparation for the Second World War was associated with the gradual restructuring of the entire bourgeois system of ideological and psychological impact to the masses. The establishment of fascist political regimes was accompanied by monstrous social demagoguery aimed at intoxicating the population, especially young people, with the ideas of class “cooperation” and class “harmony”, nationalism that reached extreme racism and chauvinism. The media were used to praise the cult of power, inciting zoological hatred towards nations against which aggression was being prepared.

As a result of the actions of German fascism, the European continent, which had made a colossal contribution to the treasury of world civilization and culture, by the mid-30s was faced with a dilemma: either soon turn into a powerless colony of the “Third Reich”, or unite and overthrow the aggressor in the fight against the aggressor. his plans. It was necessary to make a choice as soon as possible, since the first foreign policy actions of the Hitlerite state showed its complete opposition to the interests of freedom-loving peoples.

The production of military equipment and weapons in the capitalist world, especially in the aggressor countries - Japan, Germany, Italy - grew rapidly. The aggressors chose best practices recruitment of mass armies, improved them organizational structure, logistics and logistics support, deployed troops in the proposed theaters of military operations and operational directions. The foundations of various kinds of aggressive theories were developed, among which priority was given to “lightning war.”

The peculiarity of the historical situation at the birth of the Second World War was that world imperialism viewed Germany and Japan as a military-political force opposing the Soviet Union and capable of crushing it with a blow from two sides. England, France and the USA, which occupied a leading position in the capitalist world, through various kinds of diplomatic intrigues, secret deals, economic and political agreements, contributed to the development of Japanese aggression in the Far East, the remilitarization of Germany and its transformation into the main weapon in the fight against revolutionary movements and the USSR. The anti-Soviet orientation of the ruling circles of England, France and the United States in the 20s and early 30s was reflected in attempts to prevent the Soviet Union from building socialism, to discredit the successes of the new system, to prove the impossibility of agreements between countries with different social systems, to convince the public of the whole world of the inability the socialist state and its army to resist the pressure of fascism.

In the works of some historians, the idea is often conveyed that the question of the origin of the war is so clear that there is no need to deal with it. At the same time, consideration of the causes of wars is very relevant today. The history of the origins of the Second World War showed what a terrible threat to humanity is posed by connivance and secret diplomacy.

List of used literature

1. Bezymensky, L.A. Soviet- German treaties 1939: new documents and old problems // New and recent history. -1998. -No. 3. -WITH. 18-32

2. Foreign policy of the Soviet Union during the Patriotic War. T. 1-3. - M. 1986.

3. The World History. Edited by G.B. Polyak, A.N. Markova. Moscow, UNITY: 1997;

4. World history: in 3 hours. Part 3./ O.A. Yanovsky, O.V. Brigadina, P.A. Shuplyak. -Minsk: Unipress LLC, 2002. -464 p.

5. Deborin G.A. The Second World War. - M., 1988.

6. Documents and materials on the eve of the Second World War. Volume 1-2. - M., 1988.

7. History of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union. T. 1-6. - M., 1989.

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On November 11, 1918, the First World War ended. Two major military-political blocs opposed each other: the Entente (England, France, Russia) and the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Prussia). For the first time, military operations took place on land and sea on three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. About 9 million people died on the battlefields; more than 20 million were injured. The war caused serious material damage to many countries and peoples.

This war showed that the latest achievements of science and technology can be used not only as means of creation, but also for destruction (the use of poisonous gases, tanks, aviation, heavy artillery). Having seen the consequences of the war, the world had to realize the danger that further contradictions between the major powers could bring. But it was the First World War that sowed the seeds of the even more terrible and destructive Second World War.

Typically, historians identify two main reasons for the outbreak of World War II:

The rise to power of fascist regimes in a number of countries.

Exacerbation of contradictions between the countries of the capitalist world (USA, England, France) and the USSR.

There is a third reason. We'll talk about her specifically. Let's look at the first reason:

The emergence of fascism and its spread occurred at a time when Western European civilization was experiencing a severe post-war crisis.

In March 1919, the first fascist party was created, led by Mussolini. Already in October 1922 they organized a campaign against Rome. Without waiting for the outcome of this event, the king of Italy abdicates the throne and transfers power into the hands of Mussolini. Italy becomes one of the most aggressive countries of the fascist bloc. Its goal is to transform Italy into a modern Roman Empire.

In October 1919, the German Workers' Party emerged in Germany.

In 1920, Adolf Hitler became the leader of the party. In 1933 he comes to power in the country. In March 1935, Germany began general military mobilization and created aviation. In June of the same year, an agreement was signed between England and Germany, according to which Germany received the right to increase its fleet five times, and also begin to create a submarine fleet.

It was from this time that Germany took the path of military conquest and enslavement of other peoples.

A new step towards the outbreak of World War II was the Italian-German intervention in Spain, where in 1936 a fascist organization led by Franco rebelled against the Spanish Republic. Germany and Italy not only supplied the rebels with weapons and money, but also sent their armed forces(more than 200 thousand people).

The USSR did not stand aside. Throughout the civil war, he officially supplied weapons to the Spanish Republican forces and unofficially sent military forces there.

In the summer of 1938, the governments of France and England officially recognized Franco's fascist government.

By the beginning of the twentieth century, Japan was making an unprecedented leap in the development of productive forces. In a short time, numerous factories and factories appeared, railways, shipyards, modern fleet.

Since the late 80s of the XIX century, racist views have been widely developed (the idea of ​​​​the superiority of the Japanese over other peoples appears). Under the pretext of protection from the Europeans, Japan begins to prepare for the invasion of Asia. Not being a fascist country, Japan is embarking on the path of aggressive external expansion.

In November 1936, Germany and Japan concluded the “Anti-Comintern Pact,” which Italy joined a year later.

Thus, by 1937, the formation of the bloc of fascist states Germany - Italy - Japan, which was embarking on an active aggressive foreign policy, had ended in the world.

Let's look at the second reason:

October 25, 1917 is a turning point in the history of Russia. Four years later, a new state appeared on the map - the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which declared itself the bearer of a new socialist culture. The USSR became the enemy of the rest of the capitalist world.

In turn, capitalist countries treated the USSR in the same spirit. They regarded the thesis of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) about the inevitability of the world socialist revolution as a program of Soviet expansionism and did not distinguish between the totalitarian regimes in Germany and the USSR.

From my point of view, Western countries carried out the so-called policy of appeasement.

Now let's look at the third reason. In my opinion, it is not just the main one, but the only one; moreover, it is radically different from those mentioned earlier.

So, the third reason:

One of the main culprits in starting World War II is the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Marx and Engels predicted a world war, but they did not call on the proletariat to prevent it; on the contrary, the coming world war is necessary. War is the mother of revolutions, world war is the mother of world revolution. The results, Engels believed, would be “general exhaustion and the creation of conditions for the final victory of the working class.”

Marx and Engels did not live to see the World War, but they found a successor - Lenin.

In the fall of 1914, Lenin adopted a kind of minimum program: if as a result of the First World War the revolution does not occur, then it is necessary to capture at least one country, and then use it as a base for the subsequent world revolution.

By putting forward a minimum program, Lenin did not lose perspective. But according to the program, as a result of the First World War, revolution is possible in only one country. How then will the world revolution happen? Resulting in? In 1916, Lenin gives the answer to this question: as a result of the Second Imperialist War (“Military Program of the Proletarian Revolution”).

As we remember, a year later there is a revolution in Russia, Lenin urgently returns from abroad. In Russia, he and his small but militarily organized party seize state power. Lenin's moves are simple, but precisely calibrated. At the first moment of the formation of a communist state, he announces the “Decree of Peace.” This is very good for propaganda. But Lenin needed peace not for peace, but in order to stay in power.

In March 1918, Lenin concluded the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany. At this time, Germany's position was already hopeless. Does Lenin understand this? Of course, that’s why the peace is signed by:

Frees Lenin's hands to fight for the strengthening of the communist dictatorship in the country.

Gives Germany significant resources and reserves to continue the war in the West.

The defeat of Germany was already close, and Lenin concluded a “peace”, according to which Russia not only renounced its rights to the role of winner, on the contrary, without a fight, Lenin gave Germany a million square kilometers of fertile land and industrial areas of the country, and also paid indemnity in gold. For what?!

But why. The Brest-Litovsk “peace” made millions of soldiers unnecessary, who became uncontrollable by anyone. The Brest-Litovsk “Peace” became the beginning of a brutal civil war, much bloodier than the First World War. While everyone fought against everyone, the communists strengthened and expanded their power, and then a few years later they subjugated the entire country.

Lenin’s calculation was accurate: the exhausted German Empire could not withstand the intense war. The war ended with the collapse of the empire and revolution. In devastated Europe, on the ruins of the empire, communist states are emerging that are strikingly similar to Lenin’s Bolshevik regime (suffice it to recall the Soviet republics in Hungary, Slovakia, Bavaria, numerous armed uprisings of workers under the slogans: “All power to the Soviets!”). Lenin exults: “We are on the threshold of a world revolution!”

Lenin creates the Comintern, which defines itself as the World Communist Party and aims to create a World Soviet Socialist Republic.

But the world revolution did not follow. The communist regimes in Bavaria, Slovakia, and Hungary turned out to be unviable, and Lenin could only support them morally at that time. Although the Red Army in Ukraine was ordered to begin advancing in the direction of Hungary in order to provide it with the necessary assistance.

It was only in 1920 that Lenin, who had sufficiently strengthened his position within Russia, immediately sent huge forces to Europe to push the revolution.

Russia was gripped by the excitement of the imminent world revolution. So, back on May 9, 1920, Pravda published an appeal: “To the West, workers and peasants! Against the bourgeoisie and landowners, for the international revolution, for the freedom of all peoples!” Newspapers wrote enthusiastically about the storming of Warsaw by the Western Front (under the command of Tukhachevsky), about the battles on the outskirts of Lvov, which were waged by the Southwestern Front (where J.V. Stalin was a member of the Revolutionary Military Council), published Tukhachevsky’s order to his troops: “Fighters of the workers’ revolution! Direct your gaze to the West. The fate of the world revolution is being decided in the West. Through the corpse of white Poland lies the path to a world fire. We will carry happiness and peace to the working people of the West with bayonets!

The banners of the combat units of the Western Front sparkled with the slogans: “To Warsaw!”, “To Berlin!”, meetings and rallies of the Red Army soldiers ended with a choral cry: “Give Warsaw!”, “Give Berlin!”.

The manifesto of the Second Congress of the Comintern was published to the whole world: “The Communist International is the party of the revolutionary uprising of the international proletariat: Soviet Germany, united with Soviet Russia, would immediately be stronger than all capitalist states combined. The Communist International declared the cause of Soviet Russia its cause. The International Proletariat will not sheathe the sword until Soviet Russia joins as a link in the federation of Soviet republics around the world."

But there was no common border between the USSR and Germany, so it is necessary to destroy the dividing barrier - a free and independent Poland. These plans were not destined to come true. The Red Army was defeated and fled.

By the way, why was Germany the target of the USSR? Let's remember 1920. Until recently, Germany was the largest empire, a country that dictated its terms to the rest of the world. Germany in 1920 is disarmed and humiliated, the country is in a severe economic crisis. The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, turned Germany into a third-rate state. Germany lost 67.3 thousand square kilometers of territory in Europe and all its colonies. The military articles turned out to be especially humiliating: the army should not exceed 100 thousand people, the officer corps - 4 thousand, there should not be heavy artillery, aviation, tanks, submarines, the General Staff and all military educational institutions were liquidated, universal conscription was abolished; Germany was not allowed to have military missions in other countries, and its citizens were not allowed to undergo military training in the armies of other states. It was necessary to pay multimillion-dollar reparations to the Entente. The country is ready for the proletarian revolution. According to the leader of the USSR, Germany is the key to power in Europe.

Was the Soviet-Polish war an aggressive one on the part of Poland? Józef Pilsudski, the head of the Polish state, and his entourage interpreted Lenin’s decree on the abolition of the secret 18th-century treaties regarding the partitions of Poland as an automatic restoration of the Polish state within the borders of 1772. This interpretation (in relation to the Russian side) was, in general, fair, because the text of the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of August 29, 1918 on the renunciation of treaties by the government of the former Russian Empire with the governments of the German and Austro-Hungarian empires, the kingdoms of Prussia and Bavaria, the duchies of Hesse, Oldenburg and Saxe-Meiningham and the city of Luben read as follows: “Article 3. All treaties and acts concluded by the government of the former Russian Empire with the governments of the kingdom of Prussia and the Austro-Hungarian empires, in view of their contradiction to the principle of self-determination of nations and the revolutionary legal consciousness of the Russian people, who recognized the inalienable right of the Polish people to independence and unity, are hereby irrevocably abolished.”

In February 1919, Pilsudski and his supporters passed through the Sejm Commission on Foreign Affairs a demand for the withdrawal of Soviet troops (the resolution of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee dated June 1, 1919, signed by M.I. Kalinin, proclaimed the formation of a military union of Soviet republics: Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus to repel the advance of common enemies) “beyond the borders of 1772.” Without waiting for an answer, the Polish government decided to expel Soviet troops from the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The defeat of Tukhachevsky's hordes in Poland had very unpleasant consequences for the Bolsheviks. Russia, which the Bolsheviks had seemingly completely drowned in blood and brought under their control, suddenly stirred up in a desperate attempt to overthrow the communist dictatorship. The workers of St. Petersburg, the cradle of the revolution, went on strike. Workers demand freedom. A squadron of the Baltic Fleet is on the side of the rebels. The sailors of Kronstadt, the same ones who gave power to Lenin, demand that the Soviets be cleansed of communists. A wave of peasant protests swept across the country. In the Tambov forests, peasants create an anti-communist army (remember how the opponents of Soviet power would later be called “Tambov wolves”).

Tukhachevsky washes away the shame of his strategic failure with someone else's blood. Tukhachevsky's atrocities in Kronstadt became legendary. The monstrous extermination of peasants in the Tambov province is one of the most terrible pages in the history of Russia.

On September 25, 1920, after the unsuccessful war with Poland, Lenin spoke at the IX All-Russian Conference of the RCP (b). The text of his speech was not published until 1992, although the approximate content of Lenin’s speech was well known abroad. Let me give you an excerpt:

“We have a new task ahead of us. The defensive period of the war against world imperialism is over, and we can and must use the martial law to start an offensive war. We beat them when they attacked us. We will now try to attack them to help the Sovietization of Poland We will help the Sovietization of Lithuania and Poland... We decided to use our military forces to help the Sovietization of Poland. This led to the further general policy. We did not formulate this in an official resolution recorded in the protocol of the Central Committee and representing the law for the party before the new congress. We said among ourselves that we must test with bayonets whether the social revolution of the proletariat has matured in Poland.”

In 1923, almost all power was concentrated in the hands of Stalin. Stalin's point of view was similar to Lenin's.

As we see, from the moment of its creation, the USSR pushed Europe into chaos and destruction in order to realize the great dream - the World Socialist Revolution. This leads to the inevitable conclusion: the Second World War was simply necessary for the Bolsheviks.

Called the Second World War, it began not even a year ago, on the day when Nazi Germany attacked Poland. The outbreak of World War II was inevitable from the moment the war ended in 1918, which led to the redistribution of almost all of Europe. Immediately after the signing of all the treaties, each of the redrawn countries, from which part of the territories were taken away, began its own small war. While it was carried on in the minds and conversations of those who did not return from the front as winners. They relived the events of those days again and again, looked for the reasons for the defeat and passed on the bitterness of their own loss to their growing children.

It was this hatred of enemies cherished for decades, resentment from the oppression of the new owners of cities and villages, the need to get used to a different, unusual life that made the beginning of the Second World War possible. But all these reasons to resume the war were in the field of psychology. There were also real historical preconditions that led to the outbreak of hostilities, in which almost the entire

Official reasons for the start of World War II

According to historical research, scientists identify the following reasons:

• territorial disputes, which arose as a result of the redistribution of Europe by England, France and After the collapse of the Russian Empire as a result of its withdrawal from hostilities and the revolution that took place in it, as well as due to the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, 9 new states immediately appeared on the world map. Their boundaries were not yet clearly defined, and in many cases disputes were fought over literally every inch of land. In addition, countries that had lost part of their territories sought to return them, but the winners, who annexed new lands, were hardly ready to part with them. The centuries-old history of Europe did not know the best way resolution of any, including territorial disputes, except for military operations, and the outbreak of the Second World War became inevitable;
• To olonial disputes. It is worth mentioning here not only that the losing countries, having lost their colonies, which provided the treasury with a constant influx of funds, certainly dreamed of their return, but also that the liberation movement was growing within the colonies. Tired of being under the yoke of one or another colonialist, the inhabitants sought to get rid of any subordination, and in many cases this also inevitably led to the outbreak of armed clashes;
• rivalry between leading powers. It is difficult to admit that Germany, erased from world history after its defeat, did not dream of taking revenge. Deprived of the opportunity to have its own army (except for the volunteer army, the number of which could not exceed 100 thousand soldiers with light weapons), Germany, accustomed to the role of one of the leading world empires, could not accept the loss of its dominance. The beginning of World War II in this aspect was only a matter of time;
• dictatorial regimes. A sharp increase in their number in the second third of the 20th century created additional preconditions for the outbreak of violent conflicts. By devoting huge armies and weapons, first as a means of suppressing possible internal unrest, and then as a way to conquer new lands, European and eastern dictators with all their might brought the beginning of the Second World War closer;
• existence of the USSR. The role of the new socialist state, which arose on the ruins of the Russian Empire, as an irritant for the United States and Europe cannot be overestimated. The rapid development of communist movements in a number of capitalist powers against the backdrop of the existence of such a clear example of victorious socialism could not but inspire fear, and an attempt to wipe the USSR from the face of the earth would inevitably be made.