The Second World War

The Second World War: Causes and Impact on Africa

The war begun from September 1939 to August 1945; it was fought between the antagonistic imperialistic nations in two camps i.e. the Berlin-Rome-Tokyo axis Vs the allied forces being led by Britain, France, USA and Russia, the Berlin-Rome-Tokyo axis was defeated and surrendered.

The war was a global military conflict that in terms of live lost and material destruction was the most devastating war in human history. It began in 1939 as a European conflict between Germany and an Anglo-French polish coalition but eventually widened to include most of the nations of the world.

It ended in 1945, leaving a new world order of a super powers dominated by the United States and the Union on Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) the second world war reached in every part of the world in the five continents and in 7 seas.

More than 50 million of people lost their lives in this disastrous war, more than 22 million were soldiers and more than 28 million were civilians. The real cause of this war is not known but most historians concur that it was the combination of factors that led to the outbreak of the world war II.

It was also unique in modern times for the savagery of the military attacks unleashed against civilians, and for the adoption by Nazi Germany of genocide (of Jews, Roma [Gypsies], homosexual and other groups) as a specific war aim.

The most important determinant of its outcome was industrial capacity and personnel. In the last stage of the war, two radically new weapons were introduced, the long range rocket and the atomic bomb.

The Causes of the Second World War

Analyse the causes of the second world war

The Versailles peace treaty of 1919, many world historians do agree that the seed that led to the second world war was sown during the Versailles peace treaty settlement, the Versailles men who had reduced Germany to a military cipher and had reorganized Europe and the world as they saw fit, this created more enemies than friends for example, Hitler promised to overturn the Versailles treaty, for having humiliated Germany to that extent, he secured additional support from Germany peasants, Turkey, Italy too were ill-treated by the treaty and opted to revenge. Thus the outbreak of World War II in 1939

Formation of hostile camps, after the failure of league of nation Germany was very successful to create an alliance with Italy, Tokyo and Japan, thus the Berlin-Rome-Tokyo axis which forced French to form the Anglo-French hegemony which was later on joined by other countries and formed the allied forces versus central power, it was these camps that the second world war was organized it provide confidence and increase enmity between the military camps that made the war inevitable.

Hitler and Mussolini foreign policy, this were characterized by expansionism aggression hatred revenge and domination, Adolf Hitler the leader of the Germany national socialist (Nazi) party, preached a brand of fascism predicated on anti-Semitism and racism. Hitler promised to overturn the Versailles treaty and secure additional Lebensraum (living space).

German people who he contended deserved more as members of the superior race he wanted to make the capital of the world to be at Berlin, this created the outbreak of World War II when they attempted to fulfill their desires e.g. 1935 Mussolini attacked Ethiopia, in 1938 Hitler attacked Austria, 1939 Hitler attacked Poland as that resulted the outbreak of world war II.

Military preparedness and re armament, when Hitler came to power in 1933 having denounced the disarmament clauses of the Versailles treaty, created a new air force, and re introduced conscription, in march 1936 Hitler dispatched German troops into the Rhine land he withdraw

Germany from the league of nations and begun manufacturing more weapons preparing for revenge, this act attracted other countries to do the same thing e.g. Britain and France increased their military budget to prepare weapons. Such military readiness brought tension which brought the war in 1939.

Imperialism, German begin the war because she wanted to regain her lost imperial interesting Africa like in Tanganyika as well as to get more colonies in Africa, for Italy she fought to get more colonies and territories, France wanted to maintain and defend her imperialistic gains from Germany, while Russia was interested in the Balkans and Britain wanted to maintain her status quo as the shark of the sea with the colonial empire.

Factors that led the War to Spread Worldwide

Analyse the factors that led the war to spread worldwide

The Second World War was centered in Europe but after a period of time spread worldwide this was due to some factors; among of them are colonialism, expansion of military alliances, imperialist interests, the rise and spread of socialist and capitalist ideologies in the world.

The Impact of the Second World War on Africa

Assess the impact of the second world war on Africa

Involvement of Africa into the war, some Africans were recruited to fight on the behalf of their colonial power for instance the British colonies recruited the King African Riffles (KAR) to fight on the side of allied forces.

The rise of African nationalism, especially after the return of ex-soldiers who begun to mobilize their fellow Africans to fight against colonialism after getting awareness, it was attributed both on internal and external forces.

Formation of United Nations (UN), especially after the collapse of League of Nations whereby African countries became members of UN especially those that became independent.

Destruction of African agriculture and economic activities, since the war reached in African soil like in Somali, Kenya, Libya and other parts, African property were destroyed.

Intensive exploitation of African resources by the colonialists in order to compensate the losses incurred during the war although this led to large scale nationalism in Africa.

The rise of USA as a leading capitalist nations, which introduced open door policy neo colonialism as compensate what for having not colonized like European nations.

Spread of socialist ideologies in Africa e.g. Ujamaa village in Tanganyika, commons mans charter in Uganda and consciousness in Zambia.

Death and suffering, since many Africans fought on the side of their colonial master, around 100,000 were mobilized in east and southern Africa whereby, many of them died; there was outbreak of diseases and hunger that killed many Africans.

Formation of none allied movement (NAM), this was formed in 1955 in Bandung Indonesia whereby neutral nations who did not belong in side i.e. capitalism or communism.

Collapse of Italian colonialism in Africa, the war marked the end of Italian imperialism in Africa following the defeat of central axis Italy lost her colonies of Libya and Eritrea.

Transfer of mandatory territories to the UN trust ship and the trust territories were put under the supervision of the UN which included Tanganyika, Namibia, Rwanda, Burundi and many others.

Intensification of exploitation in the colonies, measures were taken in the colonies to increase raw materials in the metro pole, a lot of exports were needed from the colonies to rebuilt the war ruined Europe, for example new taxes were introduced, land alienation, forced cropping and processing industries.

Development of rural urban protest, which was attributed to extreme exploitation in the colonies, mass discontent was developed both in the rural and workers in the urban centers who manifested in the form of strikes and riots.

Introduction of new economic, social reforms and social policies in the colonies for example import substation industries were encouraged in relation to education the curriculum was changed and the emphasis was put on hand work and agriculture as to envisage qualitative and quantitative production.

Environment degradation in the colonies, this was due to the over use of the environment during that period as to create enough commodity for export in the metro pole for example land became exhausted.

State intervention in the colonial economy, the colonial state became increasingly involved in organizing, coordinating and controlling commodity production in the colonies whereby it involved in marketing of export commodities by creating export marketing boards for example coffee marketing board in Kagera and Lint marketing board in Uganda.

Activity 1

Do the following Assignment

1.     The First World War did not come as thunderstorm but from clear environment. Discuss.

2.     How did the great depression affect Africa and what were the solutions to the problem?

3.     What was the impact of great depression of 1929-1933 on the colonial economies ofAfrica?

4.     Explain the reasons that led the east African nations to participate in both world wars.

5.     Explain causes and effects of First World War.

6.     How did the First World War led to the Second World War?

7.     Discuss the impacts of world wars in Africa.

8.     To what extent the world wars were imperialist wars and explain their effects on eastAfrica.

9.     Explain the reasons that made east african colonies to participate in world war II

10. Discuss the origin and impacts of economic slump of 1929-1933 on Africa.

11. What were the causes for the outbreak of second world war

12. Asses the impacts of the second world war