A level history question?

Question

“The withdrawal of the USA and the USSR form active European diplomacy between 1920 and 1939 caused the Second World War” To what extent would you agree with this statement?

Answer 1

I agree. As soon as the USSR and the USA stepped in, things started looking up. Their withdraw played a part in it.

Answer 2

Well this is an intepretation question.
Structure it in this format:
1. Introduction
2. Certainly the withdrawal of the USA and the USSR from active European diplomacy between 1920 and 1939 played a role in the cause of the second world war because....
3. However, other factors played a role in the cause of the second world war such as....
4.Judgement

I cannot help you with the actual content as I haven't studied this yet but just list all the factors that caused the second world war and decide whether the withdrawal from active European diplomacy is the most important factor or a significant factor, if not the most important. Remember to argue your point all the way through and conclude your arguement in the judgement at the end.

Answer 3

I can't give you a 1500 word essay on the points raised, but I can give you a few directions.

First of all I don't think I agree with the statement that the USSR had withdrawn from the European arena. After the 1917 revolution they had little choice but it was only after the defeat of the Czarist White forces could the Bolshevik government start to focus on the international scene. They certainly were keen to fund revolutionary parties in Europe and took an active part in supplying and training Communist forces which fought for the Republican government in Spain during the 1930s. The Soviet movement was internationist in outlook. Even in 1939 Stalin entered into the disgraceful pact with the Nazis to divide Poland. That well may have helped cause the Second World War, but not by inactivity. In fact it could be argued that Soviet activity was one of the causes of WWII.

The Americans on the other hand were on the surface isolationist when it came to European affairs but underneath were not. During the 1920s and early 1930 the American military main target for war games was against the British Empire, with a view to annexing Canada. The rise of fascism on the continent of Europe was seen as an anti-left movement and therefore a positive virtue. American corporations were keen to back right wing government and do business there, for example Texaco and Franco; GM, IBM and Coke in Nazi Germany.
As far as the British were concerned, American diplomacy was downright isolationist. Look at the views of Ambassador Joseph Kennedy for example.

It therefore could be argued that American complacency and actual support of anti-democrat government also contributed to the outbreak of war

Answer 4

I don't know about the USSR but the USA sponsored the armistace that ended the Great War. Contrary to what most school children are taught, Germany did not lose the war; at the armistace, there were no beligerent forces on German soil. America, under the presidency of Wilson, formulated a peace treaty and left Europe to it. France hijacked the treaty and somehow manged to impose punitive conditions on Germany under the Treaty of Versailles which as early as 1919 was seen as an inevitable cause of a future war. America's attitude was something along the lines of 'Oh fcuk it, fight amongst yourselves, we're out of here.'

Answer 5

I would disagree on this point. Both the USA and USSR were effectively isolationist in doctrine at that time and had been to a large extent prior to this time.

It would be purely hypothetical (and incorrect) to assume that they would have taken any great steps to intervene in the events which led up to the Second World War.

Answer 6

This sounds like a very difficult history question. I don't think anyone could have dissuaded Hitler from starting the second world war even if Russia, the USA and European representatives sat around a table discussing things.

Answer 7

Not at all,
suggesting what, we can't f up without those 2, ha
the USA was a non entity until the second world war as far as Europe was concerned,
besides they could not have done squat to stop the inevitability that was Hitler of that time
the respective military of both was pitiful until well into the war
(post grad history)

Answer 8

I agree. As soon as the USSR and the USA stepped in, things started looking up. Their withdraw played a part in it.

Answer 9

I don't agree with it at all. The monetary penalties that Britain and France insisted placing on Germany and the Great Depression that was worse in Germany because of them was the biggest factor in causing the Second World War. US isolationism was a factor but not the most important one.

Answer 10

This may well have played a part, but there were lots of other factors to consider outside the USA. The economic situation in Germany after World War I left everyone unhappy and disillusioned. Hitler happened to come along and give everyone a hope of improving their own lives by scapegoating others, securing his own popularity on the way. US interference in this, IN MY OPINION, would merely have perpetuated Hitler and not stopped him.