The political alliances that formed in the 1930s played a huge role in setting the stage for World War II. Many different things caused changes in the relationships between countries after World War I. Some of these factors were the tough punishments given to Germany, the rise of harsh leaders, economic troubles, and the failure of peace agreements.

The aftermath of World War I

• After World War I, the Treaty of Versailles was imposed on Germany in 1919. This treaty upset many people in Germany because it was very strict and took away some of their land.
• The feelings of humiliation among the German people helped extremist ideas to grow.
• France and Britain, who were allies, wanted to stop future wars. However, their harsh treatment of Germany caused more problems in Europe.

The rise of fascism and totalitarianism

• During the 1930s, many countries began to have authoritarian leaders. The most well-known were Adolf Hitler in Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy.
• These leaders promoted aggressive nationalism, believing that expanding their military was crucial for national pride.
• The Soviet Union, led by Joseph Stalin, also became an important player, even though its communist beliefs were different from fascism.

Economic conditions

• The Great Depression hit countries all around the world very hard.
• This economic trouble created social unrest and pushed people to support extreme political movements.
• Countries like Germany, Italy, and Japan turned to building up their military and expanding their territories to try to fix their economic problems.

Failure of the League of Nations

• The League of Nations was created after World War I to help keep peace and stop wars. Unfortunately, it didn’t work well.
• Big powers, like the United States, didn’t join or left, which made the League weak.
• Countries like Japan and Italy faced little challenge when they invaded other nations, which hurt the League's goal of collective security.

As these political changes happened, the alliances shifted, mainly dividing countries into the Axis Powers and the Allies.

Formation of the Axis Powers

• The Axis Powers were formed through agreements that supported military growth and authoritarian governments.
• Italy and Germany strengthened their bonds through the Pact of Steel in 1939, agreeing to help each other in potential wars.
• Japan joined the Axis in 1940, wanting to expand its territory in Asia and fight against communism.

Appeasement and the failure of diplomacy

• Throughout the 1930s, Britain and France followed a policy of appeasement toward Germany to avoid another huge conflict.
• The Munich Agreement in 1938, which let Hitler take parts of Czechoslovakia, showed this approach.
• This appeasement made Axis leaders bolder, allowing them to expand without worrying about serious consequences.

Shifts in alliances leading to the outbreak of war

• In 1939, the non-aggression pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union changed the balance of power in Europe.
• Known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, this agreement allowed Germany to invade Poland without fear of the Soviets stepping in. This set off World War II on September 1, 1939.
• The pact showed a temporary cooperation between two very different ideologies for strategic reasons.

As the 1930s went on, these changing political alliances—mixed with economic challenges, rising extreme beliefs, and failed diplomatic efforts—helped create the conditions that led to World War II. Understanding this complicated network of alliances is important for grasping the strategies and responses that countries used during the worldwide conflict that followed.