WH Topic 11: 20th Century Wars — WHT11.1 Causes
Introduction
The 20th century witnessed two world wars and countless regional conflicts, each shaped by a mix of economic, ideological, political, and territorial causes. Understanding both the long-term roots and immediate catalysts is essential for analyzing war’s outbreak.
Key Focus: Analyze how these causal factors interacted and triggered wars—short-term sparks, long-term trends, and key examples.
Economic Causes
- Imperial Rivalry: Competition for colonies, markets, and raw materials generated tensions among great powers (e.g., Anglo-German naval rivalry, scramble for Africa).
- Economic Crisis: The Great Depression (1929) led to mass unemployment, radicalization, and reliance on militarism for recovery (e.g., Nazi Germany, militarist Japan).
- Trade Disputes & Blockades: Protectionism and economic sanctions fueled resentment and strategic calculations before major wars.
Ideological Causes
- Nationalism: Intense loyalty to the nation encouraged competition, conflict, and willingness to use force (e.g., Balkan nationalism before WWI).
- Political Ideologies: Fascism, communism, and anti-communist reactions led to polarization and subversion (e.g., Spanish Civil War, WWII).
- Racial & Religious Hatred: Myths of racial superiority and religious differences justified wars and mass violence.
Political & Territorial Causes
| Cause | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Power Politics & Alliances | Secret treaties, shifting alliances, great power blocs prepared for war or feared encirclement | Triple Entente & Triple Alliance (WWI), Axis vs. Allies (WWII) |
| Border Disputes | Contested territories and irredentism (desire to reclaim lost lands) | Saar, Alsace-Lorraine, Sudetenland, Manchuria |
| Weak International System | Failure of the League of Nations; inability to stop aggression by Italy, Japan, Germany | Ethiopia (1935), Spain (1936), Manchuria (1931) |
Short-Term and Long-Term Causes
- Long-Term: Imperialism, arms races, alliance-building, unresolved grievances set the stage for conflict.
- Short-Term: Assassinations, diplomatic crises, coups, or rapid escalation (e.g., assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, Hitler’s invasion of Poland in 1939).
Concept: Most 20th-century wars, especially world wars, were triggered by an interplay of slow-burning tensions and dramatic acute events.
Conclusion
The causes of 20th-century wars were multidimensional: economic rivalries, ideological hostilities, political ambitions, and territorial disputes all contributed. Short- and long-term causes combined to create the conditions in which war was not just possible, but likely.