Thread by @cbkwgl

Well, I was looking into some old files on my computer and see some unfinished project over Nazi Stamps. That sucked me into another round of reading over Second World War. The question is this. What caused Second World War? If you want an answer in a single word, it's EGO.

When kings fought wars, there was never a concept of personal glory and they knew when to call quits - on one side, they can't afford destruction of their own country and on the other side, everyone is related to everybody. These are just the big three.

Victoria is called Grandmother of Europe and Christian of Denmark was called Grandfather of Europe - literally everyone is descended from them!! In fact, Kaiser Wilhelm was a pall bearer for Queen Victoria - that close they were. Let's ignore why the First World War happened

and how they could have been averted. Let's jump directly to the end of First World War. Let's try to look at the reasons what led to Second World War from the prism of ego.

1. The vindictive Versailles and St Germain Treaties: The problem with Versailles and St Germain was they were designed to insult the losers. They didn't crush the countries. With power still there as like before and with insults galore meted out, revenge was the only option.

2. The forced abdication of German and Austrian Royalty: The reality is, Kaiser Wilhelm and Ludwig of Bavaria and Karl of Austria-Hungary were the only ones who had a standing and public support to restore order - a sort of order which didn't lead to a war.

3. Versailles blocked merger of Germany and Austria. Instead, it should have asked for merger of Munich, Wurrtemberg and Austria as a Catholic Counter to Protestant Germany. Czechoslovakia with 80% of Austria-Hungary's industry was another foolish thing.

4. When Hungary lost almost 40% of it's territory, they should have allowed Karl to be the king when people demanded it. End result? Hungary becomes a little brother-in-arms to Hitler's madness.

5. When he was forced to flee Germany and was under the protection of Wilhelmina of Netherlands, probably, Kaiser Wilhelm refused to meddle in German politics anymore. The fatal mistake he did? When his son and successor Crown Prince Wilhem decided to contest against Hindenburg

in Presidential elections, Wilhelm ordered him not to. Had Wilhelm, 35 years younger than Hindenburg become the President, what's the chance the Old Guard would have had to stop Hitler?

6. Bavarian King Rupprecht, a field commander of immense capability decided to take charge in Munich, everyone hummed and hawed. Had the Winners of First World War thought enough is enough and allowed him to take charge of Bavaria, Hitler would have been finished.

By the time there was a consensus, Hitler came to power and blocked Rupprecht. Rupprecht first fled to Hungary, then to Italy - his family was captured in Hungary and sent to concentration camps. His queen's trauma in the camps, she declared she will never set foot in Germany.

7. When Wilhelm blocked his son, his son lost interest in politics. In fact, there was a planned coup in Germany in 1938 to replace Hitler with Crown Prince Wilhem. Wilhelm refused. His personal ego.

When his son died in the German invasion of France at the head of German spearhead, 50000 attended his funeral. A scared Hitler ordered that no German Royal should enlist himself in the military. That respect they commanded even in 1940s.

8. Even after the War started, did the Allies decide to use Wilhelm or Rupprecht or Karl? They fully knew the three held massive influence even then. In fact, as early as 1943, Rupprecht wrote that Germany will be dismembered. Such clarity of thought, why were they hated?

9. In the middle of all this, there was a petty king - minute in size and minute in influence, but grand in delusions - Victor Emmanuel of Italy. When his army clearly told it is capable of crushing Mussolini, in his delusions of grandeur, he fell for Mussolini's

grandiose sales pitch and made him the Prime Minister. Not just that. Even after Mussolini's thuggery was revealed on the roads of Rome, he refused to sack him. The sales pitch of titles like King of Albania, King of Ethiopia and the likes was all that he wanted.

10. In fact, in 1942 itself, Italy negotiated with the Allies for flipping at the back of Mussolini. Guess what happened there? The egoistic king wanted to keep Albania and Ethiopia and wanted to be treated as the greatest in Europe!!

And that time was enough to Hitler to pump in enough troops into Italy to make it a blood mill. Just think. 1944, Americans crossed the Alps. Had that happened in 1942? Petain, who was stuck between capitulation and perservance of his country on one side

and resistance and annihilation on the other would have had a very good chance to resist. All because of the personal ego of a king who wanted to be great!! What did he achieve? Abdication and vilification.

11. How can we even forget Churchill who blocked invasion of Italy for almost a year? He wanted Americans to attack Greece first. Access to India is more important than bringing the war to a faster conclusion!! In fact, his role in start of both the world wars is an must read.

12. Let's come to the bombastic Mussolini. In fact, he is the only one who sensed what a danger Hitler is, to Europe and the world. When Hitler came to power, Mussolini was the only one who asked for a four way power split between Germany, Britain, France and Italy. Egos again!!

13. When Dolfuss, who was under personal protection of Mussolini was murdered, Mussolini mobilized the Italian Army against Hitler. No cooperation from France and Britain again!!

14. At the end of First World War, there was no necessity to maintain such big navies and there was a discussion to down size. Guess what Britain proposed? America:Britain:Japan in Pacific should be in a ratio of 50:50:30. Japan went ballistic from that minute.

Why exactly should Japan, the winner of the 1904 war against Russia and the sole power of note in the whole of Asia-Pacific should be treated inferior?

15. Japan asked over Manchurian Crisis to America and Britain, what you did in India and Philippines is not wrong but what I did in Manchuria is wrong? Same situation Italy was in - Italy invades Ethiopia and League of Nations censures Italy. Two bridges broken.

16. When Versailles was signed, Germany was the best chance world got to stop Soviet Russia. The Germans were already near St Petersburg and were as if there was no stopping to them. Had they stopped thinking about their egos and focussed on the main issue on hand?

17. Benes of Czechoslovakia was unyielding. In fact, his attitude was also partly a reason for Sudetenland Crisis. One of the major complaints of Sudeten-Germans was forced Czechification of the territory. It's a different thing that the forced depopulation of Sudetenland

post World War led to the permanent destruction of local economy. Simply put, there were not many people left in Czechoslocakia to occupy that area. A perfect parallel is Pakistan which ejected all it's Hindu bankers and farmers and is clueless how to govern the country.

And what was the result of these petty egos? Britain and France lost their empires, Victor Emmanuel lost his crown, Germany is again the centre of European power, Hitler's creations Croatia and Slovakia made their reappearance and Stalin made a mess of Europe.

The Baltic states lost their independence to Stalin and benevolent kings were replaced by Communist despots. And ultimately, what did Germany lose between 1910 and 2010 except it's kings and some lands? And what did Britain and France lose in the ensuing time?

Want to spice this chart a bit more? These are the descendants of Victoria of Britain.

https://twitter.com/cbkwgl/status/1344655092910149634

These are the descendants of Christian IX of Denmark. Just look at the number of common names.

Now, they themselves are linked together.

Now, the dynastic chart of House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

This set constitutes the German Monarchial Bulk. Now, there are two more - the Slavic line of not so importants who are married into cadet branches of Russia and strutted as their equals. These lines, coming from Serbia and Montenegro were ruled by princelings under Ottomans.

Balance is the Catholic powerhouse of Europe - Austria-Hungary, Spain, France(extinct) and Bavaria. By the time of World War, Bavaria has become an involuntary member of Prussia's Germany. Everyone worked as soldiers under them - the founder of Bulgaria for example.