After reading this chapter students should be able to understand:

• What key historical facts in the lead-up to World War II are emphasized by each perspective
• What changes in those facts made war more likely, according to each perspective
• How a collective security system (like the League of Nations) works
• What was the Treaty of Versailles’ intended effect on Germany
• What varieties of nationalism emerged after World War I and what are their effect on the distribution of identities