How World War 2 Began

A detailed account of the origins of the Second World War.
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0:00 Intro
2:17 Wilson's New World
21:09 The Spread of Extremism
29:39 Fascism in Italy
36:53 Hitler Takes Germany
1:00:49 - Japan Takes Manchuria
1:10:20 - Italy Takes Ethiopia
1:19:47 - Germany Breaks the Treaty
1:26:07 - The Symbolism of the Spanish Civil War
1:29:17 - Japanese Militarism Spreads
1:31:43 - Last Steps Before War
1:48:57 - Conclusion
Sources:
Paris 1919 - Margaret MacMillan
A History of Political Theory - George Sabine
The Dark Valley - Piers Brendon
The Road to War - Richard Overy
Appeasement - Tim Bouverie
The Third Reich in Power - Richard Evans
Blood and Power - John Foot
The Rising Sun - John Toland
Adolf Hitler - John Toland
The Coming of the Third Reich - Richard Evans
The Spectre of War - Jonathan Haslam
The Moralist - Patricia O'Toole
The Age of Extremes - Eric Hobsbawm
The Deluge - Adam Tooze
Japan Prepares for Total War - Michael Banhart
Oxford's Fascism Reader - Ed. Roger Griffin
The Origins of the First and Second World Wars - Frank McDonough
The Origins of the Second World War Reconsidered - Ed. Gordon Martel
Europe - Norman Davies
Mein Kampf - Adolf Hitler
Hitler's Second Book - Adolf Hitler
Documents on Nazism - ed. Jeremy Noakes & Geoffrey Pridham
A History of the Twentieth Century - Martin Gilbert

[@realryanchapman]

As you can probably tell, this was not a small effort. I spent eight months on this video: five across 2023 and also the first three months of 2024. I hope you enjoy it and that it was time well spent. I say this on all of my videos but cannot emphasize it enough here; the only reason I'm able to take on a production like this is because of people who choose to support me either on Patreon or through the membership program here. It's the only way I was able to make a living doing this work during the quiet production months. So as always, a huge thank you to all of you who have been doing that. If you're interested, the membership program is only $1 a month and comes with access to more casual/intimate videos that I upload between the main channel videos. I'm sure criticism will come in and I'll have notes that I want to add to the video, but for now that's all I have to say. Enjoy! Edit: I just wanted to say that I'm touched by the outpouring of support for this video so far. I have never gotten so many donations through comments before or have received such positive feedback for a single video. I feel it's best to not be on here constantly replying to comments, but I do see and appreciate it. Thank you. - Ryan

[@chosk80]

Waited so long for your new video. This is going to be awesome.

[@NixonThr336ix]

@RyanChapman doesn’t the USSR share responsibility with Germany since Their allied invasion of Poland is what started the war

[@realryanchapman]

​@@NixonThr336ix If there was a fourth country mentioned it would be the USSR, but their role was more convoluted. They started participating fairly late in the cycle of aggression, they invaded Poland after Britain and France declared war on Germany, and they were soon turned on by Germany. In the section you're talking about I was just naming the basic facts that everyone more or less agrees on (that Germany, Italy and Japan were the aggressors). Their alliance with Germany was widely seen as a last-minute shock before war broke out that did facilitate it, but the war was going to occur either way (as Hitler, quoted in this video, made clear many times). Edit: It's worth adding that the USSR did play a huge role in starting the war by spreading communism and the fear of communism around the world (by just the nature of their existence and also through Comintern), which led to right-wing dictatorships in the aggressor countries, which of course was covered at length in the piece itself.

[@twelvecatsinatrenchcoat]

@@NixonThr336ixI have a pet theory that Austria is responsible for both World Wars even though everyone blames Germany. Austria DEFINITELY caused WWI. And a certain painter with certain crazy ideas was also Austrian. They did BOTH and no one ever talks about it. That country has World Wars in it's DNA.

[@NixonThr336ix]

@@realryanchapman that’s mostly allied shame not wanting to admit most of Europe wasn’t liberated they only *changed Adolph for Stalin

[@Dan-qp1el]

Humans never change. The worst mistake the people of the United States can make, is feeling like it can't happen here.

[@monkeeseemonkeedoo3745]

I agree it can also happen here. But we shouldn't jump from that to conclude that say, a portion of the population are already fascists, like so many do when it comes to republicans. That descent, like the video showed, requires a enemy to justify violence against. The scary thing to me, is that so many common people are so eager to label other common people as the enemy. It's self-fulfilling

[@destroytheboxes]

Or that the U.S. isn’t the bad guy. That would also be a mistake to make

[@monkeeseemonkeedoo3745]

@@destroytheboxes Is anyone not a 'bad guy' in your view?

[@JinKee]

War. War never changes.

[@hamzamahmood9565]

​@LibertyGoose American people are more critical of themselves than any other country probably. Constantly feeding into doomerism for a 100 years now

[@Ladondorf]

"An era of a weakening middle. Even a hollowing middle. And the expansion of the further-left and the further-right." Sounds a lot like today.

[@thug588]

WAOW 🤯🤯

[@basedfemboi9401]

How things always are

[@dandare1001]

I agree. I think that the Far-Left and Far-Right are not the cause. I think they are a symptom. The real cause is the increasing inequality in the advanced economies. Most people are becoming worse off and then will naturally choose an extreme Left or Right-wing as the cure, instead of looking at why lives are becoming more difficult. Most people, whichever side they choose, want very similar things- decent and safe lives, and to be rewarded for hard work. That's what people aren't getting. The Left-Right division is only making things worse.

[@Thomas...191]

There are alot of parts of this peice that remind me of today. I think this is purposeful on Ryan's part. So many dynamics are similar. Democracies that are war phobic, totalitarian states that have militaristic expansionist ambitions, faith in democratic institutions is low, more financial catastrophes loom, global cooperation between great powers seem at a low point... The greatest change in dynamics is a MAD one: that being nukes. And there are many more differences but the parallels can't help chill one to the bone.

[@ChristoffelTensors]

@@Thomas...191except every “democracy” in the west are the ones pushing for war.

[@janusjones6519]

One important thing you left out, which seems to be the case with all content about the Paris peace conference was the fact the China never signed the treaty. This was because despite being on the Allied side and contributing thousands of labourers to france to assist the war effort, many of whom dies digging trenches and building fortifications on the front line, the treaty ceded German colonial possessions in China to japan instead of returning them to China. This event almost single handedly cause the rise of nationalism in China. combined later with the League’s failure to defend China when Japan annexed Manchuria, it lead to disillusionment with Western values and democracy and a turn toward Communism as an alternative.

[@billyferal5558]

The chapter on the rise of nationalism in China is coming in the 3rd book...

[@MrTrda]

Interesting…. Thank you for that insight

[@erinmarieee23]

Damn. That explains so much.

[@MRR-mw4rv]

Thank you for this comment, this actually explains so much of the consequences in China and even the current world affairs

[@markwriter2698]

China talks a lot about the hundred years of humiliation.

[@richarddehoop2824]

Imagine being born in Western Europe at around 1880. You grow up in a world of endless growth, new inventions and advancements in science around every corner and above all a long peace. You do not even know what war is like. Then you live through the horrors of The First World War, maybe even serve in it. When it is all over the world you go back to is unstable volatile and violent. A hunch op optimism in the 20s is crushed by the economic crisis in 1929. And then in the last years of your life you see the world sliding back into the horror of The Second World War.

[@dabo5078]

Well no before 1880 you had the frnaco prussian war and innumerous other conflicts.

[@leburiktarsa2518]

As a Ethiopian and who knows its history, I was amazed by the recognition and accuracy of the historical account though the atrocities were understated. Ethiopia was member of league of nation and is Founding member of United Nations.

[@meet_abel]

hey man i am ethiopian too this is cool.

[@Kim_YoJong]

Hahaha

[@Austin-gj7zj]

@@Kim_YoJong what's funny?

[@vladimirrashkovsky6274]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGrYnqp7nc5qqassi=oq8f6-bG8FpF6z72

[@Kim_YoJong]

@@Austin-gj7zj Ethiopia thinking it matters

[@OverNine9ousend]

When a single dude makes a better non padded full info documentary, so better that it surpasses big Media houses. You sir, have a sub. Good work!

[@Jd-tu6oz]

You are the only channel i pay membership for, joined after watching only one of your videos. Quality work deserves respect.

[@obscuremusictabs5927]

Nice try, Ryan.

[@shrock9241]

Ye

[@Romulo_V]

What you said 28:18 - 28:39 is exactly what I've learned from studying history extensively since the 4th grade. I'm 29 now. And I've gone so far back in history to understand every nations creation and fall. The patterns are yet again repeating again i fear. One of my favorite quotes is from Mark Twain. "History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes".

[@glennbarrow8325]

I am Israel. I came to a land without a people for a people without a land. Those people who happened to be here, had no right to be here, and my people showed them they had to leave or die, razing 400 Palestinian villages to the ground, erasing their history. I am Israel. Some of my people committed massacres and later became Prime Ministers to represent me. In 1948, Menachem Begin was in charge of the unit that slaughtered the inhabitants of Deir Yassin, including 100 women and children. In 1953, Ariel Sharon led the slaughter of the inhabitants of Qibya, and in 1982 arranged for our allies to butcher around 2,000 in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila. I am Israel. Carved in 1948 out of 78% of the land of Palestine, dispossessing its inhabitants and replacing them with Jews from Europe and other parts of the world. While the natives whose families lived on this land for thousands of years are not allowed to return, Jews from all over the world are welcome to instant citizenship. I am Israel. In 1967, I swallowed the remaining lands of Palestine - East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza - and placed their inhabitants under an oppressive military rule, controlling and humiliating every aspect of their daily lives. Eventually, they should get the message that they are not welcome to stay, and join the millions of Palestinian refugees in the shanty camps of Lebanon and Jordan. I am Israel. I have the power to control American policy. My American Israel Public Affairs Committee can make or break any politician of its choosing, and as you see, they all compete to please me. All the forces of the world are powerless against me, including the UN as I have the American veto to block any condemnation of my war crimes. As Sharon so eloquently phrased it, “We control America”. I am Israel. I influence American mainstream media too, and you will always find the news tailored to my favor. I have invested millions of dollars into PR representation, and CNN, New York Times, and others have been doing an excellent job of promoting my propaganda. Look at other international news sources and you will see the difference. I am Israel. You Palestinians want to negotiate “peace!?” But you are not as smart as me; I will negotiate, but will only let you have your municipalities while I control your borders, your water, your airspace and anything else of importance. While we “negotiate,” I will swallow your hilltops and fill them with settlements, populated by the most extremist of my extremists, armed to the teeth. These settlements will be connected with roads you cannot use, and you will be imprisoned in your little Bantustans between them, surrounded by checkpoints in every direction. I am Israel. I have the fourth strongest army in the world, possessing nuclear weapons. How dare your children confront my oppression with stones, don’t you know my soldiers won’t hesitate to blow their heads off? In 17 months, I have killed 900 of you and injured 17,000, mostly civilians, and have the mandate to continue since the international community remains silent. Ignore, as I do, the hundreds of Israeli reserve officers who are now refusing to carry out my control over your lands and people; their voices of conscience will not protect you. I am Israel. You want freedom? I have bullets, tanks, missiles, Apaches and F-16s to obliterate you. I have placed your towns under siege, confiscated your lands, uprooted your trees, demolished your homes, and you still demand freedom? Don’t you get the message? You will never have peace or freedom, because I am Israel.

[@DipayanPyne94]

True. You know who THEY are ! Can we do anything about it ?

[@darrenr67]

Sounds fun

[@Davidsavage8008]

At 60 and having to commit to memory history , as far as nations , they all had a fallen angel they called a god simply because scriptures say that the fallen angels where divided into nations. 1/3 that fell comes to 178 as scholars agree too.🎉

[@GTAVictor9128]

And which state is currently actively disregarding UN and international law for its own nationalist ambitions? Hint: It begins with I, ends with L, and continues to be actively funded by the US despite their desired incursions being declared illegal by the UN.

[@christiana.1204]

Personally, this is one of those high-quality videos where you need some good food and wine while watching.

[@Silks-]

Personally I wouldn’t be about to watch a horror movie and think about food/wine. This is potentially what’s coming again in the near future but on an even larger scale. This should terrify you.

[@christiana.1204]

@@Silks- I understand that. I am referring to Ryan Chapman's video and how the length of it, plus the quality of the video make it seem like a proper film. I argue though it is no different from people who watched Schindler's List or 1917 films in the cinemas who ordered popcorn and drinks beforehand. I do understand the sensitivity of the issue and believe me it terrified me and it was not entertaining. I research world politics as a full-time job as part of my PhD focused on warfare and still to this day, I am not amused about what has happened and what is going on, but unfortunately it is part of our nature to engage in conflict (big or small) so we must always be vigilant try to minimize it as much as possible.

[@Silks-]

@@christiana.1204 I had a feeling you meant it for a reason other than the surface appearance of the comment. I’m glad you’ve given it an explanation. All the best 👍

[@Help_im_sad]

More wine than food for sure

[@groupflix]

Alcohol is poison and will destroy your body and mind.

[@kerryrowles5217]

This was a thorough and easily understood historical account. It was so nice to hear (and see) a real human narrating the text. As a historian I acknowledge and appreciate the amount of work you put into this video. I am glad I found your channel. You have a new subscriber. Thank you, Ryan.

[@steven6986]

An absolutely fantastic listen, thank you for this. As someone that consumed a lot of WW2 content in my childhood I was surprised by how much I learnt from this, practically essential reading for all history classes IMO.

[@alexwilson7631]

It’s taken me two days to finish this video, it’s amazing to me the audacity of human beings in power, they think they’re unstoppable. Something that still remains unchanged to this day sadly.

[@scorpio85]

Think about trump becoming the next president. It will be like Hitler being reborn

[@AnhNguyen-hn9vj]

like someone said. everybody has a plan until they get hit in the face. lol

[@1988nProud]

Yep yep there is a psi experiment that preety much solidified the fact ww4 will be sticks n stones. Talking bout the infamous prison experiment.

[@wanderinggeri8477]

@@AnhNguyen-hn9vjMike Tyson

[@SkylearJ]

You clearly have no idea, as the video producer does not, what Hitler was trying to do.

[@sloppyjoe6866]

2 hour long Ryan Chapman video. It going to be a Good Friday

[@justin8865]

Or I'll it will scare me out of my ass

[@sam6000]

A good Good Friday

[@haroldoftherock8973]

I see what you did there.😏

[@mral4381]

It was difficult to watch given some of the glaring omissions. Some so grave that the perspective offered in this video became almost propagandistic.

[@prodELOKX]

@@mral4381how so?

[@soniaprovard8259]

This is so well done! I’m only an hour or so in but. . .wow!! I’m sharing this with my 4 adult children because I think they need to understand past history to really grasp what’s happening in the world today. The relevance is uncanny! Bravo, Ryan!!

[@CarolFoegen]

Sadly I see many of these same elements today in many nations. History does not repeat itself, but people sadly do because they fail to learn from history. Thank you Ryan Chapman for teaching people what we should never forget!

[@AFellowCyberman]

Something is slowly building up in the world, just have to wait and see what it'll be.

[@CarolFoegen]

@@AFellowCyberman so true.

[@RobertEgbers]

Excellent use of references. Highlighted and book thumbnailed in the corner. Stellar work. It’s too bad it’s so hard to do this level of production.

[@andrewberna4045]

Our long term memory is just so short, and we dont learn from those that lived befofe us. History is cyclacal and repeats itself once a new generation gets to that point. History MUST be taught and we NEED TO listen.

[@safarygirl]

A history based on truth and reality not revisionist rubbish. But the great deceiver and his minions are too agile

[@kerryrowles5217]

I couldn't agree more. I have a history major, having studied as a mature age student, and frequently despaired at the lack of basic historical knowledge of my peers. (I was old enough to be their mother!)

[@baileyslife3469]

Look at how many of us even took time to watch this absolute master piece , just under a million , out of prolly 2-3 billion thst have access to KZbin , even if u just take the US, that’s 1-335Th or .03435% of the population …. It’s cuz so few of us even care about this and care enough to learn , even tho that means gaining the tools to prevent … we are doomed , we’ve been at odds since Wilson died exactly a century ago

[@jalanmelvin8724]

Yeah but most nations teach fabricated versions of history or they leave out crucial information. If there is a ww3 and we win, the United States will make up some bullshit story about how we did it for liberty 😂

[@shayalynn]

@@kerryrowles5217 That’s not coincidental by the way

[@akierskan7787]

This is literally one of THE BEST WW2 content I’ve ever seen!!! Learned more from you than I ever did in 4 years of High School! Keep doing you, man!! This is really good!

[@cdsys73]

The painting at 41:37 is from 1835 and from Belgium. It's about the Belgian declaration of independence and is clearly nationalistic romantic (painted by Gustave Wappers that passed away in 1874). But not German nationalistic romantic from the 1920's.

[@brandonarmienti6875]

I must say, I am a WW2 history nut. I have watched many KZbin videos and documentaries about how WW2 started and you Mr. Chapman gave the greatest explanation of how the war started that I ever seen. I have subscribed and look forward to seeing your other videos and your future content. Keep up the great work!!👍

[@dogfacedponysoldier87]

Have you seen TIK I am a socialist? That’s my favorite. He does not only say socialism caused ww2 - he proves it. This guy in this vid says hitler started it. Well, yes, but let’s peal this onion back some

[@Luke-id8ql]

@@dogfacedponysoldier87 Sean Mcmeekin author of Stalins War has a pretty good explanation of how Stalin was equally if not more responsible for WW2 as Hitler. but somehow the left likes to claim that Stalin was a saviour of ww2

[@OhsoScary]

Then you’ll love Europa: The Last Battle

[@nickrails]

​@@dogfacedponysoldier87 TIK is a conspiracy nutcase who is historically illiterate when it comes to politics. His assessments regarding 'was Hitler a socialist' has been widely debunked by the rest of the academic community/high profile published authors. If you listen to him as opposed to the 99.9% of historical studies then you're on the route to becoming a far right extremist /Nazi yourself

[@abcdefg-xm7dc]

​@@OhsoScary nazi propaganda conspiracy theory

[@bg-cc6hn]

Excellent breakdown of the political causes to WWII. The quality of your videos only grows over time!

[@joseaguirre744]

@Rusnationalsocialist You replied

[@bryanjuni706]

The most amazing overview of events i have ever heard. AMAZING detail. Love how you speak! Just wow!

[@kevinhester246]

Better analysis than any cable documentary and presented excellently. Thank You!!

[@Bemandyd]

Almost a million views which means your hard work paid off. someone like me would never be interested in this history, but as a 34 year old mother now seeing our world collapse and desiring to know more to protect my child from what’s right and wrong with this world. I appreciate this so much. It’s so easy to understand. Thank you!

[@sinatra222]

Our world is not collapsing. Most people are better off than they have ever been.

[@felissylvestris6557]

​@sinatra222 the people of the 1900s believed the same thing and yet ww1 happened. Don't fool yourself into thinking that we have evolved enough to not let ww3 happen. Just look around and you'll see the same patterns that were presented in this video

[@christopherlastname7638]

​@@felissylvestris6557The problem is boredom people who have it so good that don't have to put any effort into survival ! That have enough time to destroy property for the thrill of being in a big group ! Who the Democrats keep giving out money to end the family because separately people vote for Democrats 39% of single mothers vote Democrat when a family stays together they vote 75% Republican that's why they want to tare this country apart power money

[@HalIOfFamer]

​@@sinatra222I wonder if these words have been spoken by someone in the months leading to ww1. There is a big chance that there will be something similar to a civil war in USA when elections happen. There is civil unrest in Europe on a scale that rivals that of the 1930s. There is war in Europe. The middle east Burns and Asia is falling into crisis. We live good. But for how long?

[@greedisgood827]

Focusing on right and wrong is the most important thing that can be done right now. If that is your priority everything else will fall in line and you and your child will persevere through what comes next.

[@czinn327]

For a proper analysis on the post-great-war period, well written, well researched, and without bias. Thank you so much.

[@realryanchapman]

Thank you!

[@RockSmith-rl9qr]

Class act

[@humbertocobian4740]

Anyone studying ww2 always conveniently omits the heinous thing being done in the Weimar period. What kind of books were they burning and banning? "When victims rule" is a much better book looking into this time period. Shame on this "historian" for accepting money for yet another tried and tired and "safe" video. What a modernist farce.

[@dannyhima]

There is clear bias

[@alexlogak6524]

At the end, I was in tears. Thank you for your contribution to society. Unbiased, descriptive yet easy to understand, this video is one of the best I've ever seen.

[@MegaBreheny]

This history is very important and I'm glad you took the time and effort to create this. Well Done 👍

[@bartolomeothesatyr]

You really brought scholarship to life with this outstanding summation.

[@x0234dsx]

This was beautiful. I’ve never seen history explained so well, thank you! Sharing with everyone i know

[@user-ob8bk3ld9q]

Thank you for your insights and time to put together this video. The quality of information and presentation was first-class.

[@SuperTommox]

I'm italian and i can say the italian part was well done. Leftists would add that rich capitalists were scared of a communist revolution and so supported Mussolini.

[@user-ek9vo2ub9b]

Lavader actually has a good video that debunks that claim. The Communists and Socialists mainly got booted out of the Farming Regions of Italy by not only The Fascists but also Farmers and peasants, of whom, ultimately were getting hurt by Socialist and Communist Policies.

[@jakel8627]

​@@johnnysilverhand1733 God, really? Quit lecturing the Internet 😒

[@A-Big-Beautiful-Wall]

@@user-ek9vo2ub9b Well , fascism rose to power in Italy as a militia movement ( Squadrismo ) that was funded by farmers and business associations during the socialist uprising and labor unrest in the Biennio Rosso. 💯 Fascism protected private property and businesses when the weak liberal Italian government could no longer do it. Philip Morgan's book "Italian Fascism 1914-1945" has a good chapter on this titled "The Fascist Reaction"...💯💯💯

[@junfour]

We're doing this again?

[@lubu2960]

@@johnnysilverhand1733 This is completely false, we can see what your disastrous free market economics has done to the global south, their industries destroyed, foreign companies engaged in child labour and more abuses, exploitation of resources sent to the developed world, corruption and interference in politics, coups, genocides.

[@oscarmichel684]

One of my favorite channels ever! Your videos have really inspired my newfound passion for history, poly sci, law and ethics. As a STEM person I previously overlooked the importance of these topics, but now I am hooked. Haven’t even watched this one yet but I know it’s going to be great. Thank you!!

[@olivergilpin]

Do you generally find STEM more important than these topics? If so, how Oscar? Genuinely curious!

[@donnied9432]

What is a STEM person?

[@lilquacker4907]

I’m also in stem but I’ve loved history and politics much more

[@ixophor]

@@olivergilpinI personally don’t believe STEM is more important, however I think people view as more important as it is so focused on what is in the current. It is what decides our future in many ways, and it is what is used to create new ideas. Many forget the importance of humanities like history as they are seen as less ‘academic’, however if everyone valued history the same, chances are we would not see major political and historical issues repeating themselves. But that’s also just how I see it, and it’s important to get others views on it too.

[@olivergilpin]

@@ixophor Totally agree

[@RS-chino]

What a great video. Thank you for putting all the time you did into it. It was incredibly enlightening.

[@charlesc2095]

I appreciate all the effort and details you ingrained in this video. As an SE asian, our history has always been centered around OUR own history and my schooling of WWI has been comically lackluster. Since about 25 years ago though I had a burning desire to know more about it - but almost all resources only dove into the actual war as it started and the aftermath. This is probably the only resource Ive seen that delves deep right into the source, and youve done it beautifully.

[@JoeSchmoer]

Haven't finished it yet, but I gotta say, it's so refreshing to see a politics/history youtuber who tells it like it is and doesn't "have an agenda," if you will, and seems like they actually understand the topic more than just repeating a wikipedia article.

[@nicholasmaniccia1005]

I agree he had something to add, and wasn't just restating common information about a topic in a different tone, or over video game footage. You can tell he is interested and cares about this topic and has thought about it deeply and tested those thoughts.

[@roundthoughts4644]

As a European and a German I must say that his perspective seems to be decisively that of a liberal American (without wanting to make this an attack on liberalism, I just want to point out that even this is a specific Lense through which history is observed), from the idolization of Wilson (who was definetly one of the better man of his time, but nothing more, especially when you consider the limitation of his ideas of self determination on a Handvoll of powerful western nations), to the misunderstanding of the impact that legal fixation of war guilt had on Europe (it may have been some words on a legal documents, but the people of both great continental powers, France and Germany, saw it as way more, a historical clarification of moral responsibility. Also he oversimplified the situation before the overthrow of the Russian Zar (Medieval sociatal Organisation with an according exploitation of peasants by noblemen was basically still in power). Not to forget the evidence that points towards the de facto military dictatorship of German at the end of World War One intentionally sending the democratic politicians instead of going themselves, to be able to strategically shift the blame of defeat onto them, even though they themselves initiated the process of peace talks. I could continue portraying a alternative German counter narrative, but I just wanted to point some possible interpretations of history out to get to the following point . Seeing something and thinking that it is free of ideology is always a big warning sign, that should be met with a critical analytical approach towards one’s own underlining convictions, as it can be a sign that one self is falling into a bubble of ideology, making one unable to see that the perspective taken is not universal and objective but still a specific perspective with underlying elements shaping what you see.

[@JoeSchmoer]

@@roundthoughts4644 I get what your saying, I just meant relatively speaking compared to how you usually see people present the series of events that lead to wwII, this is about as "agenda-free" as you could hope for, without being completely dry and free from analysis.

[@Tguchi26]

@@roundthoughts4644Your English is good and your perspective is great! Don’t trust anyone who isn’t fully willing to admit their bias, because no one is without one. It’s great to see a critical thinker from across the pond.

[@monkeeseemonkeedoo3745]

@@roundthoughts4644 Where did he idolize Wilson? Watching this, I come away thinking kinda badly of Wilson

[@polyMATHY_Luke]

Dear Ryan, your tremendous efforts here continue to inspire and inform profoundly. Thank you so much for this and all your other video essays. Please continue to do this work - understanding history is so critical, lest we be doomed to repeat its worst excesses and tragedies.

[@joetorrey6922]

Yeah, this was quite good, and learned some new things as well. Such a big topic. Thanks for putting this together.

[@daletag]

Absolutely STELLAR narration and sourcing. 5 out of 5 stars. BRAVO, young man!!!

[@terryp3034]

Simply outstanding. I learned so much, and, to be honest, it made me queasy for some parallels I see to today.

[@scarecrow559fresno]

hello wiemar republic

[@theskyizblue2day431]

History doesn’t repeat, it rhymes. Weimar Republic was Germany? Gaybar republic is USA.

[@danielmabe6290]

This is a lie and he's bias. The Nazi's were leftist. Nationalist socialist. That why in the beginning of the video he said anything on the left should be ignored and omitted it.

[@MJ2A]

@@theskyizblue2day431Weimarica

[@Jose-cq5ho]

​@@theskyizblue2day431YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE ABOUT WHAT IT TAKE'S TO START WAR'S

[@ignagalindo]

I appreciate in the deepest way possible all your dedication to making this knowledge widely accessible without compromising on critical rigor. We truly need more creators like you, especially these days, which happens to mark nearly a century since the events you described. Thank you sincerely, all the way from Guatemala. Keep up the good work.

[@troysloan4744]

Thank you for providing such an informative analysis. Keep up the fantastic work!

[@TheMickSheahan]

This is a fantastic video!. Well researched and articulated. I look forward to seeing what you decide to create next! Well done!

[@luisgarrido1367]

This video is a masterpiece, as it has become usual for your work. Thank you for the effort in making it. And additionally I could not think of a better moment to release it, when so much conflict and disagreement is reemerging between world powers...

[@antonimaciag1259]

We've all heard the story multiple times, including at school, and yet this still manages to be refreshing and informative.

[@sounknownkid5949]

this guy is pretty chill. I like the statement near the end saying " I encourage you to come up with your own conclusion about what was prosented here".

[@nancyreuter63]

This was exceptional! This answered so many questions, and brought many pieces of understanding together. Thank you I look forward to your upcoming videos.!

[@robsquare2622]

this is a shockingly good description of events, including a lot angles and perspectives that peice the various mounting tensions together very meaningfully. A+

[@jordy5625]

We still don't know if things happened how its being told. Looking at the propaganda Media nowadays let me question the past. what they tell is just historically told by the winnners. Noone knows the actual situation back then. I can see a lot of parallels to 100 years ago. Giving lots of money to other countries, flooding countries with immigrants and demonising the right wing and trying to ban them. That what happened 100 years ago. And it will happen again. But I doubt it's a coincidence. Seems all planed. Israel was created to bring armagedon and to fulfill all the prophecies. So it's inevitable

[@grump9001]

My grandmother was born in the Free City of Danzig in 1932, to a german father and polish mother. Her stories of those times and the war are harrowing, especially in March 1945 when the Soviet Army was approaching, her family hiding in the woods for a week before german soldiers conscripted her father in exchange to get her mother and the kids onto a refugee ship to Denmark. There, they were able to live in refugee camps, but given no medical care, no assistance, barely any food, and all were forced to do hard labor. Thousands of women and children died. Because they were viewed as the "enemy".... After 4 years, they were able to go to Hamburg where her father got work, and eventually she immigrated to USA by herself in 1955. Married an army officer/cowboy, had 4 kids, now 9 grandkids and 3 great grandkids. She is still living, in california. I talk to her as often as I can on the phone since I live far away. She tells me, something big and bad is coming soon. It's coming again, she says. You better get ready. 😟 This video was really amazing details and great flow, some stuff I didn't know before, and it was incredible to watch, I hope to find more of this content from you. You did a great job. Thanks for reading if you did, I just wanted to share because I know she likes when people hear her story. She tries to share it on facebook, but no one really sees it. Her story is the kind that doesn't often get heard. But is important none the less.

[@dawnemile7499]

I love her story.

[@user-wh5so3ns6b]

The old ones who saw what happened in their time see the pattern repeating. Even younger folks who have fled authoritarian regimes & have come to the U.S. for freedom, are seeing the repeating pattern of tyranny here also & try to warn us! I'm listening!!!

[@ckearney1252]

Thank you for sharing!

[@tylershannon6593]

Amazing. The profoundly weak international leadership of Joe Biden is chumming the waters for all who would seek the destruction of the US as that world leader. Strong American leadership means a safer world for good people.

[@MaryAnnValentino]

Thank you for that wonderful share. I am so happy to hear a beautiful ending. Have you thought of making videos of her stories? Whether it’s just audio or if she’s willing to talk to the camera. I think you are right about it being important to know, especially since she witnessed war.

[@karennelson6671]

Excellent video. Thanks for creating and sharing it.

[@kensterknig177]

I quite enjoy your presentations- Very Cogent, Logically argued positions and Concise form of your writing ! Good Job & Keep up the Good Work !

[@celestineozo6513]

This is simple, straightforward, knowledge packed and in fact perfect description

[@babuzar]

This is the most incredible video I have seen on KZbin. Thank you Ryan.

[@WayneMcAlister]

One of my favorite channels I’ve been fortunate to come across. Excellent content keep it coming

[@kevinburke9940]

Whew, this is a very thorough history. I’ve watched, paused and returned 3x today. Thank you for what probably was an extraordinary amount of research to cobble together.

[@RobertEgbers]

One of the best content creators on the internet. Excited to be watching!

[@1aikane]

The treaties of WWI were major contributing factors in creating WWII.

[@omg_wtf]

Of course they were

[@TheLargino]

... and the Balfour declaration along with the Potsdam agreement are responsible for the situation the world currently finds itself.

[@n.speezly1467]

Of course not, it was all that evil mustache man. Don’t you dare try to bring the truth into this!

[@UncleJunSushi]

Yeah, that’s what the video said also

[@1aikane]

@@UncleJunSushi but I said it in 3 seconds

[@itsjustjoe3790]

Thanks for your take. Well produced !

[@Rareprune]

Another incredible video, Ryan. Thank you so much.

[@staannoe]

The quality of both the delivery and content is simply stunning. Hats off to Mr. Chapman.

[@davestroeher1892]

This was fantastic. We've been missing you, but it was worth the wait.

[@dc2778]

This was amazing, thank you so much for putting this together. Well done!

[@TinaHikesColorado]

Excellent video. This should be shown to everyone! Well done.

[@victorirewole1582]

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this! Thank you for being as articulate, soft spoken, and expansive, in your effort, Ryan! This is amazing!

[@InGameProductionz]

This video is incredible… I’ve gone through many of the videos in your channel since it appearing in my feed

[@AlexSuperTramp-]

Incredible video, I have learned so much. Great and very important contexts. Thank you

[@nicholasjakubek4296]

So well done. I could have watched this for hours and hours. Thanks for your work.

[@DGinNC]

This is the first video of yours I've watched, I'll definitely check out some more. I think this was a really well done outline of the events leading up to WW2. I like that it wasn't unnecessarily colored with personal political opinion or national perspective (as best as can be expected, we're all from somewhere after all). I think something a lot of people seem to miss while watching historical documentaries like these, are that these events including the war itself took place over a rather long period of time. Tension and conflict didn't develop, peak and conclude over a single year or even single decade. It spans multiple decades and multiple causes and effects. Well done.

[@Numischannel]

Nr 1 like, and now to watch the long awaited video which I know will be far from disappointing - this is by far the best yt channel about politics. Greetings from Buenos Aires, Ryan and keep doing this amazing work!

[@EricSmith9000]

Whew! Marathon. Thanks for the effort.

[@andressasett107]

Amazing video, very well made. Thanks for sharing this!

[@arthurbossard8309]

I have only watched 1h, but the work quality and clarity is astonishing. Props to you for this video (and the rest of your channel as well), which in my opinion should be shown in classes, for both the quality of the researches and the capacity of formulating such complex ideas so well. As I'm strengthening my english partly by watching videos, your work far outstrips my expectations !

[@obscuredsatellitesinflight6034]

Ryan I've been subscribed to you for a while and this is not only one of your best videos, but one of the best videos I have watched on KZbin. Straight unbiased facts presented in your unique engaging way. Keep it up.

[@padrechatomaneru584]

Congratulations Ryan Chapman. Well done video: clear, concise, accurate! Include me in your future videos.

[@louisbeckerson7691]

Amazing video and really great delivery of information, thank you!

[@alperenbastiat]

Wow, I've watched first part and I am very impressed. Your videos are such informative that some of them change my perspective and assemble it with unprecented amount of good knowledge. Thank you.

[@MonkehMike]

Thank you for uploading such interesting content and also the way you choose to present it! :) It must have been a tremendous amount of effort to research, write, correct, record and edit(and more I am sure). Really appreciate your content!

[@olivergilpin]

very generous!

[@markwriter2698]

Thank you Ryan. This is the best full explanation I’ve seen or read and pretty much covers all the bases that most books or commentary skim over or omit. You answer modern China’s political outlook too.

[@k-c]

I would like to thank Ryan for igniting this discussion through his wonderful production. The world and I very much appreciate your contribution.

[@tanzhikai9913]

Yooo he's finally back!

[@maxmatthis9459]

never clicked that fast in my live, hyped for this one :)

[@RobertEgbers]

Same. My only comments on history videos are…. “More”

[@jeremyxman]

Great video! Very well put together and well presented.

[@alexcarter8807]

This is an excellent documentary. More "fine grained" than most, and I love the little details that are coming to light in this.

[@notzachpowers]

This is the best Historical video I've ever seen. Great work Ryan

[@mearnest91]

Yeah definitely going to support you. Incredible, thank you for doing this!

[@kulendrankandasamy7002]

This is exceptional work Ryan. Thank you.

[@tarajoyce3598]

Thank you for taking the time to educate us so throughly regarding these words/concepts that are currently thrown around like verbal bombs in the USA and elsewhere.

[@limaque4521]

I'm amazed by the impartial insight that you offered in this video. Big respect from Warsaw, Poland.

[@JD..........]

Congratulations on such a quality product of writing and editing.

[@JulianDorey]

Great, great video, Ryan! I learned a lot of new tidbits in this one.

[@waggishsagacity7947]

Extremely well done, Ryan Chapman. I think that you have advanced the fundamental understanding of the volatile conflicting forces in Europe and in Japan. Seemingly, they started with political oppositions (Communism vs. Fascism) and ultimately grew unchecked into a world conflict between armies qua ideologies that had very little to do with political movements, and everything to do with aggression and self aggrandisement. The sense that 'might makes right' --especially if not met with countervailing moral and military resistance-- led to the greatest tragedy the world has even known till then, a World at War. Thanks.

[@gagamba9198]

Japan was not _hit especially hard_ by the Depression. Japan's GDP returned to 1929's level in 1932 and continued to grow each year throughout the decade. This put it amongst the earliest countries to _recover_ from the Depression. The 1920s was the rough decade for Japan economically. There was the post-WWI recession as exports to the formerly war fighting world declined. Then the 1923 Kanto earthquake hit its economic centre. In 1926 rayon was commercialised. This competed with Japan's raw silk, its number one export by far. Silk earnings dropped by about 25% following this, but silk still remained important overseas for silk stockings as women preferred silk's matte over rayon's gloss - one had to keep powdering rayon reduce this gloss. Importantly, silk was a domestic produce that did not require imported inputs. About one-third of Japan's agricultural workers were involved in sericulture to supplement rural household income in addition to crops. To offset the decline in hard currency earnings Japan had to import wood pulp, rayon's feedstock. Cotton (from US, India, and North China) also became a key import as Japan expanded into cotton textiles for export. In 1927 was Japan's financial crisis that featured runs on banks, bank closures, small business and corporate bankruptcies, bond default, etc. Japan's economy entered recession in mid '29 before Wall Street crashed. Then Japan rejoined the gold standard in January 1930. Japan valued its currency at pre-WWI level making its exports more expensive but imports cheaper. Japan exited the gold standard in December '31 and its currency rapidly devalued from 2.02 yen per dollar in Nov '31 to 4.03 yen per dollar in August '32 reviving exports but, because the yen was no longer backed by it, hard currency such as the US dollar became more important to pay for more expensive imports. We ought to keep in mind commodity prices worldwide fell in the 1930s. For example, US crude oil fell from $1.27 per barrel in 1929 to $0.67 in 1933. Venezuelan crude was cheaper and it was the world's top exporter of it since 1928 by far. But with the devaluation of the yen the decline in commodity prices imported was not experienced by the ordinary Japanese. This rapid decline in the yen's value increased complaints from its trading partners about currency manipulation. That said, Japan was able to expand its exports to it trade partners in the '30s despite the rise of cartels, increased tariffs, quotas, etc. Japan as well had been erecting barriers since 1907 with import barriers against UK- , German- , and US-made locomotives. Japan's average tariff rate on dutiable imports was raised from 3.7 per cent in 1898 to 15.5 per cent in 1910, and to 21 per cent in 1933. The tariff rates on luxuries and heavy industrial goods were particularly high with rates on whiskey and sugar being 100 per cent, on ships 37.5 per cent, on iron and steel (bars, rods, and shapes) 24.1 per cent, and on automobiles 24.5 per cent. Cartels to divvy up the domestic market and fix prices were implemented first by Japanese businesses and later by Japanese law. The US Depression did further reduce US consumption of raw silk (it was unaffected by new US tariffs), but by the early '30s Japan was a major cotton textile exporter. It also built the world's third-largest merchant fleet, another source of hard-currency revenue but, as this is a service and not a good, trade stats of the time often overlook it. The increased demand for steel and oil came upon Japan's military expansion in Manchuria. The increased demand was not coming from the civilian economy. In 1930 Japan imported about $18.5 million in US crude and refined products. Cotton imports from the US that year were valued at nearly $66 million. Scrap iron and copper were less than $3 million. In 1938 crude and refined products increased to nearly $50 million and crude that year averaged $1.13 bbl. Keep in mind some of this import was inflated beyond actual consumption due to Japan's 1934 law requiring importers to maintain a six-month stockpile - Japan would build a stockpile of 55 million barrels by 1939. In 1930 Japan imported 163,500 tons of scrap iron from the US; this increased to 1,777,000 tons in 1937. Prior to Japan's attack on the US more than half of Japan's steel output went to munitions. War mobilisation in '38 shifted emphasis from dollar-earning goods such textiles for export to munitions that earned only corpses. The reduction in hard-currency export earnings coupled with the increase in imports of machinery and resources _for the military and military industries_ was then used by the militarists to play up to the public the nation's vulnerability. Economic historian Professor Yasukichi Yasuba wrote in 'Did Japan Ever Suffer from a Shortage of Natural Resources Before World War II?': _The military used the logic of 'have-not' to justify imperialistic expansion and military buildup. Such an expansion, however, was not only internationally unwarranted but economically disastrous._ _The policy of imperialistic expansion based on military buildup was adopted. Since military buildup and the resultant expansion of heavy industries tremendously increased demand for natural resources, the previously nonexistent shortage of natural resources eventually became real, and the terms of trade started to deteriorate._ _Between 1932 and 1940 the relative price of imports rose as much as 68.7 per cent. Coal (203 per cent rise) and iron ore (80 per cent and up) led the list of the rise of relative prices. This happened presumably because the military buildup shifted the industrial centre swiftly to resource-using heavy industries when the freight rates were high and the supply from Asia was uncertain._ _A shortage of natural resources became real, and the military buildup and imperialistic expansion started to look 'necessary'. The vicious circle of a shortage of natural resources and a military expansion was put into motion._ The shift from labour-intensive industries such as textiles and other consumer goods to capital-intensive ones such as steel and armaments reduced the welfare of the general public. Japan's military secret societies were a pre-Depression creation. Manchuria was their laboratory and the IJA had been in Manchuria (Kwantung Concession and the zone of the South Manchuria Railway that grew into an industrial conglomerate beyond rail) since 1905.

[@realryanchapman]

Hi, yes Japan did recover unusually quickly from the Depression, but my statement wasn't referring to its recovery in 1932. I was talking about the 1929-1931 period. The Showa Depression is generally considered to have been severe in Japan (by academics and by Japanese at the time) even though it was short compared to other countries. There are no official unemployment figures so it's hard to be definitive about how bad it was, but from accounts in Japan it does seem like the unemployment level rose by a million, if not several million, which importantly happened in a country with a fairly new government structure and without strong social security nets. A strong and rapid recovery did take place, but it took place after the Depression had motivated many of the young militarists to take extreme action and eventually take Manchuria. Regarding the use of 'especially hard,' I think the rise in unemployment and effect it had on Japanese politics warrants the term, especially compared to other countries in the Asiatic region.

[@ivyward1393]

i thiiiiiiink i need a full recollection of ww2 from you. i was hooked right from the very beginning, and you explained everything concisely and factually without conjecture with a bunch of awesome sources. when i reached the end of the video i was like "THATS ALL???"

[@whiskerbusiness8564]

Considering this is about the path to ww2 he covered the bases. I'd also love to see a ww2 documentary

[@Seven.And.The.RaggedTiger]

Wow! Very very good informative documentary! Amazing presentation and I learned a great deal from this video!!

[@Jay-fu2ev]

Yup. Subbing for this video alone. Fantastic work!

[@jaredstanfield267]

Truly my favorite channel on KZbin. We live in an incredible era. Thank you for this masterpiece!

[@harshalpatel4084]

Incredible feat to put this multilayered and complex subject as succinctly as you have. Well done Ryan, as always.

[@vikkipollard2638]

Fantastic! The most I have learned about WWi and II. Thank you for your hard work in putting this together.

[@shiteetah]

I don’t understand how your subscriber base is so low. Your unbiased research and hypothesis are always top tier and this old man loves learning from you.

[@omg_wtf]

Because most people operate at the "poo bum willy" level and can't handle this.

[@johndeerman2105]

The reasons you state for the subscribers being so low are exactly why the subscribers are so low. Unfortunately the world doesn’t want this type of content. They are all too busy subscribing to their own hatred’s and jealousy’s to listen.

[@monkeeseemonkeedoo3745]

@@omg_wtf It's also a matter of interest

[@destroytheboxes]

Detailed would have included the fact that Poland threatened war with Germany before the opposite was true. Left that one ouy

[@varunrajesh6516]

He's a bit droning unfortunately with no visual aids. I liked the documentary but most people are not going to maintain attention. Some other history channels that are more successful with better delivery and use of visual aids are "Real Time History" + "The Great War" and "The Cold War".

[@aimeekova]

Remarkable. As a history nerd, who’s probably watched, read and listened to everything I can find on the topic. This was truly, incredible. New subscriber

[@mihirshetye4624]

What did learn from this video?