The start of World War II was shaped by several important political events:

1. Treaty of Versailles (1919): This agreement placed heavy fines on Germany, making them pay a total of $132 billion gold marks. This caused a lot of economic trouble and anger among the German people. Many Germans felt the treaty was unfair and called it a "Diktat," which means it was forced upon them.

2. Rise of Totalitarian Governments:

   • Germany: Adolf Hitler gained power in 1933. He pushed for strong nationalism and military power. The Nazi Party used the tough economic times caused by the Great Depression, with unemployment hitting over 30% in 1932, to gain support.
   • Italy: Benito Mussolini created a fascist government to try to bring back the glory of ancient Rome.
   • Japan: Military leaders took charge and focused on expanding Japan's territory in Asia, which included invading Manchuria in 1931.

3. Expansionist Actions:

   • Germany: In 1936, Germany broke the Treaty of Versailles by sending troops into the Rhineland. Then, in 1938, they took over Austria.
   • Italy: In 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia, showing their aggressive plans for expansion.

4. Failure of the League of Nations: After World War I, the League was created to keep peace. However, it was weak and couldn’t enforce disarmament or stop attacks. It failed to act when Japan invaded Manchuria and when Italy invaded Ethiopia.

5. Munich Agreement (1938): This was a plan to avoid conflict by allowing Germany to take the Sudetenland. This act of giving in made Hitler bolder and weakened the sense of safety in Europe.