Why was world war 2 allowed to happen when it was clear that Hitler was building up the country for war?

Answer 1

Europe, in particular France and England, had not recovered from the trauma of WWI and for some years followed a policy of appeasement when dealing with Germany's territorial claims and their breaking of all the rules of the surrender they signed at the end of WWI.

In fact, though, I don't think you can say that WWII was "allowed" to happen. Germany, that is Hitler, was determined on his plans and would not negotiate in good faith on any compromise; therefore, with Hitler as Germany's leader, WWII was inevitable. I assume you are not suggesting that some country should have invaded Germany in order to prevent WWII, because that would have started WWII just as much as Germany's invasion of Poland did.

The same is true of the war in the Pacific. Japan had been aggressive for years and had been invading neighboring countries, most obviously China, and their attack on Pearl Harbor guaranteed war in that theater. I don't know how we could have "not allowed" the Pacific war to start either. If we had made the preemptive strike, rather than Japan, the end result would have been the same, war.

You asked the question. Exactly what do you think anyone could have done to prevent that war?

Answer 2

When Hitler was building up the military (totally against the terms of the Versailles Treaty!), it was kept under wraps for awhile. It wasn't popular knowledge about his intentions at that time. Sure, he published books about his intentions, but other countries didn't bother to translate the language and read it! Crazy, huh? So, it took the countries a long time, almost up to the point of war to realize that Germany was up to something. After that realization, it was too late. Germany was the #1 nation in tank power, blitzkrieg war tactics, and was unstoppable. It had to take time to counter the power, and eventually it happened. France is said to have noticed the German threat, and tried to warn the others to help (like the U.S.), but it was the time of the Depression, and the economies were weak around the world. The different countries were stuck in a rut and were too busy worrying about themselves (hence why the Hitler threat went unnoticed for a while). Once the threat became crystal clear, we nabbed it, although with a lot of time and energy involved to get us and everybody else up to speed. Germany's militia was incredible.

Answer 3

Initially, Hitler was building up his country to get it out of depression, and even later when he was strengthening militarily, it was not clear that he would go to war. There is nothing wrong with building up a strong defense. If you mean that other countries should have attacked Germany before it went to war, in order to prevent Hitler from going to war, look what happened when we made a "preemptive" strike against Iraq. In effect, the US started a war under false pretenses and created the biggest mess. Does that mean that the US should have been attacked by UN countries to prevent Bush from starting a war? Where does it stop?

Answer 4

Ever seen a barroom brawl? World Wars are a lot like that.
In order of their invovement; Poland wanted desperately to believe that Hitler was bluffing and naively imagined that somehow they could hold out against tanks & airplanes for six months or so and that by that time their vaunted allies France and Britain would come to their aid, eventually.

Actually if France had rolled over their borders and attacked Germany, even France may have stopped Hitler at this juncture in history.
Britain followed France's lead, sort of, they threw a few bombs and clamped down the sea lanes but otherwise they too sat on the sidelines observing blitzkrieg taking notes for later use.
Norway and Denmark thought that they were 'Good Nordic Types' and that Germany would respect their neutrality. On the excuse that Britain might make use of Norway, Hitler ordered both nations occupied, for their own good.

The Netherlands was equally smug that the Germans would respect their Neutrality. They were actually shocked when Hitler hurtled the German Army against them.

Belgium is the great mystery. They desperateyly wanted to believe that Hitler would respect their neutrality. WHy is unfathonable. Belgium literally crawled under a blanket pretending all was a bad dream that would just go away. When Hitler hit them with a ton of bricks they collapsed. Belgium in World War One fought back. Belgium in World War Two threw up their hands and surrendered.

France actually believed they could defeat Germany. If you like plucky underdogs who don't know when they're wrong then France is your kind of country. Beaten badly by the German Empire in 1870, forced to endure a bloodly stalemate with Grmany during 1914 to 1918, the French were actually convinced that this time they would hammer the Hun. They stood ready behind the Maginot Line drank wine played cards and boasted of how many Germans they would bend over the cannons.

Germany rolled through Belgum, ignored the Magniot line and nearly won the war then and there. France surrendered as quickly as possible. Britain retreated to its Islands and defeated Germany with the aid of America which had been on the sidelines all along pleading to get in the fight, despite the Isolationist. Actually America used the 'down' time too tool up for war and walloped Hitler into dust.

As for Russia, Stalin wanted to believe he could control Hitler, that Hitler would never attack and was actualy shocked Hitler launched his armies.

Some conspiracies enthusiast suggest this was the plan all along. Since Hitler was obviouslly an idiot (hit that thumbs down button for blaspheming der Fuhrer) the Western Allies only stepped in when it was to their advantage.


Pax--------------

PS and to really get the Hitler crowd mad I will say the other blasphemy; Hitler WAS NOT a Military Genius!!

Answer 5

Neville Chamberlain was Prime Minister of England at the time.He knew what Hitler was doing. He decided on a policy of Appeasement with Hitler, meaning " a policy of accepting the imposed conditions of an aggressor in lieu of armed resistance, usually at the sacrifice of principles." Hitler took advantage of this.He thought he could do want he wanted and the British wouldn't interfere, because they wanted to avoid another world war at all costs.Thus, Hitler began his annexation of Austria, Alsace-Lorraine and the Sudetenland knowing the British wouldn't interfere.Chamberlain believed Hitler when he said he would be happy with just the annexations.
He wasn't and the rest is history.
Click on appeasement source for details
Click on Chamberlain source then go to European policy

Answer 6

Politicians had lived through WWI and all that entailed and wanted, at all costs, to avoid a similiar bloodbath. So they leaned over backwards to appease Hitler until it was obvious that war was inevitable. Hitler was bent on world domination and nothing, apart from his assassination, would have stopped that. In the 1903s only dictators invaded other countries without cause.

Answer 7

It is important to note that much of the military rebuilding Hitler did was indeed done in secret.

He had huge factories hidden entirely underground.

The harsh conditions of the treaty of Versailles went largely unchecked by the allies mainly because they were to busy dealing with the depression and trying to assimilate the hundreds of thousands of maimed,disfigured,and physically and mentally challenged war veterans.

Answer 8

"allowed" to happen? Who allowed it? The allies" What could they have done....declared war on germany and remove him from power? I think they did that. If you're asking why didn't they attack sooner, then that's another question. The reason they didn't was the allies were happy with having peace....look at the Munich Agreement and see how happy the Brits were. Little did they know that they were dealing with a megalomaniac.....

Answer 9

simply because politics are more important than reason. Just as today it is perfectlyobvious that several countries are sponsoring terrorism and preparing for war- and yet they cannot be opposed due to a huge propaganda effort. Simply put, some powerfull politicians have greatly invested in "anti-Bushism" and bowing to facts would make them look stupid. So they'll rather see a war (and blame it on Bush of course)

Answer 10

There's only so much anyone could do. At least we learned from it and are taking the fight overseas to korea and the mid-east. Problem is people dont realize what would happen if we kept our peace and let them do their thing.....9/11? genocides? child soldiers? why are any of those things allowed to happen