How on earth do we get out of this economic meltdown mess?

[BrilloPad]

Not really, it is fairly well-known that it was the biggest factor.

The Treaty of Versailles, including the reparations demanded by the allies, sent Germany into economic collapse. The Nazi party gained popular support for promising to make Germany great again, and to take back what had been taken from them.

That is why, after WW2, the allies instead helped rebuild Germany.

WHS

In fact I got the idea from my grandfather. He lost 2 brothers at Gallipoli(sp?) and another 2 brothers in WW1. But he felt that the allies caused WW2 by the treaty of versailles. If he felt that after such a loss then he must have a point?

[PM-Junkie]

I honestly can't believe what I am reading.

WW2 came about as a direct result of the Great Depression. Are you seriously trying to claim that WW2 would have occurred had there not been a depression?

The Great Depression and the effect it had on Germany in the early 1930's enabled Hitler to come to power, and to use the excuse of the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, and the Jews, as an excuse and a cover for expansionist and fascist ideals. No depression = no Hitler = no WW2.

Appeasement by the major powers allowed Hitler to rearm and expand german territory until war was inevitable.

WW2 was caused by the depression, gross failings by politicians, and the scheming and conniving of some of the most evil men in history. The provisions of the treaty of Versailles were merely an excuse.

[BrilloPad]

I honestly can't believe what I am reading.

WW2 came about as a direct result of the Great Depression. Are you seriously trying to claim that WW2 would have occurred had there not been a depression?

The Great Depression and the effect it had on Germany in the early 1930's enabled Hitler to come to power, and to use the excuse of the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, and the Jews, as an excuse and a cover for expansionist and fascist ideals. No depression = no Hitler = no WW2.

Appeasement by the major powers allowed Hitler to rearm and expand german territory until war was inevitable.

WW2 was caused by the depression, gross failings by politicians, and the scheming and conniving of some of the most evil men in history. The provisions of the treaty of Versailles were merely an excuse.

Saw a program a couple of years ago about hitler : it was interesting that his party never had a majority of votes. But the party with the majority allowed him to be chancellor as party of a power sharing deal.

The depression was certainly necessary for WW2 : but so was Versailles. It caused alot of resentment in Germany : and was considered repressive and unnecessary by alot of British.

My grandfather was of no doubt that Versailles was the major cause of WW2. He was alive. He lost alot of relatives. Surely his opinion counts?

[OwlHoot]

Saw a program a couple of years ago about hitler : it was interesting that his party never had a majority of votes. But the party with the majority allowed him to be chancellor as party of a power sharing deal.

The depression was certainly necessary for WW2 : but so was Versailles. It caused alot of resentment in Germany : and was considered repressive and unnecessary by alot of British.

My grandfather was of no doubt that Versailles was the major cause of WW2. He was alive. He lost alot of relatives. Surely his opinion counts?

W H (your granddad) S

Yes, the depression was one cause. But most Brits who attended the Versailles conference thought the French were too vindictive. Field Marshall Haig was on record as saying afterwards that we'd have to start all over again in 20 years.

[Sysman]

W H (your granddad) S

Yes, the depression was one cause. But most Brits who attended the Versailles conference thought the French were too vindictive. Field Marshall Haig was on record as saying afterwards that we'd have to start all over again in 20 years.

I distinctly remember this from history lessons at school. Faced with punitive reparations, Germany started printing money like there was no tomorrow, leading to hyperinflation.

[Doggy Styles]

I distinctly remember this from history lessons at school. Faced with punitive reparations, Germany started printing money like there was no tomorrow, leading to hyperinflation.

Indeed, it is standard text at GCSE.

After WW2 we tried the reverse policy and helped the Germans (and Japs) rebuild, and they've been good as gold ever since.

[ratewhore]

We keep hearing this, together with that Beckett woman's advice to buy houses (as the turning point will occur quicker than most realise). I personally will be staggered if we come so quickly out of such a deep recession. What do others think?

I think governments and the banking industry are trying to get us back to where we were, which is a society based on debt.

Ultimately we are a society employing people to produce crap we don't need in order to increase the profits of shareholders. I personally believe a readjustment in mindset is required. You can't run the world turning one pound of real money into ten pounds of debt and not extect it to come tumbling around your ears at some point.

If we try and get back to that we will be back here again in 20 years time...

[sasguru]

I think governments and the banking industry are trying to get us back to where we were, which is a society based on debt.

Ultimately we are a society employing people to produce crap we don't need in order to increase the profits of shareholders. I personally believe a readjustment in mindset is required. You can't run the world turning one pound of real money into ten pounds of debt and not extect it to come tumbling around your ears at some point.

If we try and get back to that we will be back here again in 20 years time...

True but what do we do instead? Engineering and manufacturing? That will take a generation or more to turn around again.
Sadly we don't have the leadership whereby someone with vision comes along and grabs the issue by the scruff of the neck.

[Doggy Styles]

Back in caveman days, if you tried to borrow four or five year's worth of food you'd get a wooden club over your head.

I like considering what cavemen would have done, being as they must have got something right over all those years to survive and evolve.

[Cyberman]

I honestly can't believe what I am reading.

WW2 came about as a direct result of the Great Depression. Are you seriously trying to claim that WW2 would have occurred had there not been a depression?

The Great Depression and the effect it had on Germany in the early 1930's enabled Hitler to come to power, and to use the excuse of the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, and the Jews, as an excuse and a cover for expansionist and fascist ideals. No depression = no Hitler = no WW2.

Appeasement by the major powers allowed Hitler to rearm and expand german territory until war was inevitable.

WW2 was caused by the depression, gross failings by politicians, and the scheming and conniving of some of the most evil men in history. The provisions of the treaty of Versailles were merely an excuse.

There is no doubt that the depression helped Hitler, but there is also no doubt that he would have found other means of achieving power if that event had not occurred. WW2 would still have happened IMO.