(Read the article by Adam Tooze, ‘Formal End of the Second World War’,
History Today, Volume 56, Issue 11, 2006)
Identify historians and their explanations on why Hitler started the Second World War. (8
marks) [Mark will be given for identifying and another mark for the explanation.]
There are several historians who have offered explanations for why Hitler started the Second World War. Here are a few examples:
1. A.J.P. Taylor: Taylor argued that Hitler's foreign policy was driven primarily by opportunism rather than a grand plan. He believed that Hitler took advantage of the weaknesses and divisions among the major powers to push for territorial expansion.
2. Richard J. Evans: Evans argued that Hitler's aggressive expansionist policies were rooted in his racist and anti-Semitic ideology. He believed that Hitler saw war as a means to achieve his vision of a racially pure and dominant German empire.
3. Gerhard Weinberg: Weinberg argued that Hitler's desire for living space, or lebensraum, was a key factor in his decision to start the war. He believed that Hitler sought to acquire territories in Eastern Europe to accommodate the growing population and ensure the economic and strategic security of Germany.
4. Timothy Snyder: Snyder argued that Hitler's war aims were driven by a combination of ideological and strategic factors. He believed that Hitler wanted to conquer Eastern Europe to establish a racial utopia for Germans and ensure Germany's dominance in the long term.
It is important to note that historians' interpretations of Hitler's motivations for starting the war may vary, and these are just a few examples of different perspectives.
In his article 'Formal End of the Second World War,' Adam Tooze discusses the various historians' explanations on why Hitler started the Second World War. Here are some historians and their explanations:
1. A.J.P. Taylor: Taylor argued that Hitler's decision to start the war was not driven by a grand plan but by a series of improvisations and responses to specific situations. He claimed that Hitler reacted to opportunities and challenges as they arose, rather than pursuing a predetermined strategy.
2. Richard Overy: Overy argued that Hitler started the war as part of his long-term ambitions for territorial expansion and racial domination. According to Overy, Hitler intended to create a vast German empire in Eastern Europe and eradicate Jews and other undesirables.
3. Timothy Mason: Mason emphasized the importance of Nazi ideology in Hitler's decision to start the war. He argued that Hitler believed in an ongoing racial struggle and saw war as a natural and necessary means of pursuing German racial supremacy.
4. Ian Kershaw: Kershaw highlighted Hitler's ideological beliefs, particularly his commitment to Lebensraum (living space) and his desire to create an Aryan empire. He argued that Hitler saw war as a means of achieving these objectives and viewed it as essential for the survival and advancement of the German people.
5. Gerhard Weinberg: Weinberg focused on Hitler's foreign policy goals and the political context that influenced his decision. He highlighted the incompatibility between Nazi Germany's expansionist aims and the existing international order. According to Weinberg, Hitler believed that war was necessary to dismantle this order and establish German dominance.
It's important to note that historians may have different interpretations and perspectives on why Hitler started the Second World War.