The Second World War was a culmination of several factors. Describe its causes with reference to the following:

(a) Grievances against the Treaty Of Versailles.

OR

Three reasons for the Dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Versailles.

(b) Rise of Fascism in Italy and Nazism in Germany.

(a) Grievances against the Treaty Of Versailles —

1. The victorious powers had deprived Germany of huge tracts of its territory and its colonies in the regions of East Africa and South-West Africa.
2. Her military strength was completely crushed. The German army was limited to 1,00,000 soldiers and the navy was limited to 15,000 soldiers while it's Air Force was banned.
3. Germany was burdened with an immense War Indemnity. She had to pay a heavy sum of 33 billion dollars to the Allies.
4. Germany had to give her merchant ships to Allies as compensation.
5. Italy was also highly dissatisfied with the treaty as she could not get any part of the German and Turkish colonial empire even though Italy fought with the Allies in the First World War.

(b) Rise of Facism in Italy and Nazism in Germany — Italy wanted to revive the glory of the Old Roman empire. She joined the Anti-Comintern Pact in 1937 and formed a ten years alliance with Germany in 1939 to strengthen her position. Mussolini established dictatorship in Italy. Italy demonstrated her imperialistic designs by attacking Abyssinia.
In Germany, Hitler wanted to re-establish the prestige of Germany in the international field. He flouted the military clauses in the Treaty of Versailles and declared re-armament. In March 1936, Hitler made his first move to occupy Rhineland that had been demilitarised by the Treaty of Versailles. In 1938, he annexed Austria and dismembered Czechoslovakia.
Thus, rise of Facism in Italy and Nazism in Germany under Mussolini and Hitler respectively drove the countries of the world towards the Second World War.