In this episode, I explore the global crises and ideological confrontations that shaped the Second World War and the turbulent world it left behind. I begin by examining how the Nazis rose through democratic means, showing how economic despair and political instability opened the door to extremism. From there, I trace Hitler’s systematic dismantling of the Treaty of Versailles, the wider international failure to stop aggression, and the broader ideological stakes revealed in the Spanish Civil War. The episode then shifts to Asia, explaining how Japanese expansion destabilized the global order and contributed to the outbreak of war. I break down Germany’s stunning early victories—and why their strategy ensured eventual defeat—before turning to the Holocaust, analyzing both its origins and its impact on the creation of Israel. I then explore Japan’s early success and ultimate collapse, and how the end of WWII immediately gave rise to the Cold War. The episode concludes by looking at how the war accelerated decolonization, reshaped South Asia through Partition, and ignited a conflict in the Middle East that continues today. Together, these topics reveal how WWII transformed international politics and set the course for the modern world.

Question 1 00:00

Question 2 02:26

Question 3 04:40

Question 4 06:24

Question 5 08:40

Question 6 10:49

Question 7 12:56

Question 8 15:16

Question 9 17:52

Question 10 20:14

Question 11 22:32