Question: what was one reason for the outbreak of world war 2

title: Causes of World War II
text: Mason argued that `` Nazi Germany was always bent at some time upon a major war of expansion . '' However , Mason argued that the timing of such a war was determined by domestic political pressures , especially as relating to a failing economy , and had nothing to do with what Hitler wanted . In Mason 's view in the period between 1936 -- 41 , it was the state of the German economy , and not Hitler 's ' will ' or ' intentions ' that was the most important determinate on German decision - making on foreign policy . Mason argued that the Nazi leaders were deeply haunted by the November Revolution of 1918 , and was most unwilling to see any fall in working class living standards out of the fear that it might provoke another November Revolution . According to Mason , by 1939 , the `` overheating '' of the German economy caused by rearmament , the failure of various rearmament plans produced by the shortages of skilled workers , industrial unrest caused by the breakdown of German social policies , and the sharp drop in living standards for the German working class forced Hitler into going to war at a time and place not of his choosing . Mason contended that when faced with the deep socio - economic crisis the Nazi leadership had decided to embark upon a ruthless ' smash and grab ' foreign policy of seizing territory in Eastern Europe which could be pitilessly plundered to support living standards in Germany . Mason described German foreign policy as driven by an opportunistic ' next victim ' syndrome after the Anschluss , in which the `` promiscuity of aggressive intentions '' was nurtured by every successful foreign policy move . In Mason 's opinion , the decision to sign the German - Soviet Non-Aggression Pact with the Soviet Union and to attack Poland and the running of the risk of a war with Britain and France were the abandonment by Hitler of his foreign policy program outlined in Mein Kampf forced on him by his need to stop a collapsing German economy by seizing territory abroad to be plundered .