The Origins of WWII

David Dean Barrett Discussion

I spend a lot of time reading and writing about WWII and have some partially formed ideas about the origins of the war, but I haven't ever made it a priority to take a look at the scholarship on this specific issue. I would appreciate your suggestions.

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My book on China and the establishment of the anti-Axis alliance could help.
Macri, F.D. Clash of Empires in South China. University Press of Kansas, 2012.

I'm assuming you mean mean the war in Europe (The Pacific struggle begins with Japanese incursions in Manchuria in 1931.

Europe -- Two absolutely essential books 1) A J P Taylor, Origins of the Second World War. An old bestseller, it is still controversial, with implications that British missteps only encouraged Germany, but Taylor's depth of knowledge on 1930s western Europe diplomacy has to be taken into account. 2) R. J. Overy, same title, Origins of the Second World War. About 30 years after Taylor, using more research in eastern European countries and documents still classified in British archives when Taylor wrote his book. They both need to be read.

David Farber's book, Munich 1938, is recent (2010?) and well written, draws on more recent research in Russian archives and elsewhere, and brings out the personalities of the leaders and key players as war becomes almost inevitable.

If you really want to dig into motivations by the chief aggressor, Hitler, start with Eberhard Jäckel, Hitler's World View: A Blueprint for Power. It is also somewhat controversial but will provide a lot of food for thought.

Anthony Read and a co-Author wrote Deadly Embrace in the late 1980s -- on how Germany wooed Russian non-aggression pact in 1939. It's more a popular book, but would be suitable if you wanted students to read something that's clear and memorable.

I hope this helps.

I focus on the origins of war with Japan in To Have and Have Not: Southeast Asian Raw Materials and the Origins of the Pacific War (University of California Press).

There are 2 volumes worth your consideration, maybe 3:
Shirer's Rise and Fall of Nazi Germany; is an older work but much original material and source references. he personally witnessed part of the history in Germany.

Kennedy, Freedom From Fear: A more recent volume more than 1000 pages about the Depression, 1932-1945 US history.

There is also Churchill's 5 vol History of WW II, the first 2 volumes from 1950s.

A 4th if you really wish to go further, is Pres. John Kennedy's Why England Slept, written I think while he was at Harvard.

How War Came: The Immediate Origins of the Second World War by Donald Cameron Watt is another possible source to consult.

Stephen Satkiewicz

Another thought about Shirer's work on the Rise and Fall of Nazi Germany, looking toward the origins of WW II, focus into those chapters discussion of the Weimer Republic, how WW I ended, and the Fascist Party in Germany rise thru free elections and the overthrow internally of German Democracy, post-WW I. Their practice of subversion and 5th Column overthrow while being a minority inside govt. deserve attention.