Martin Luther and Ww2
From Religious Reform to Global Conflict:
How Martin Luther Caused World War II Martin Luther’s influence on history is common knowledge. However, the extent of his influence is not. One can simply look at the events following Luther’s actions to understand their real impact. Protestantism, initiated by Martin Luther, set off a chain reaction that eventually led to the American Revolution. That revolution, and its outcome, led the French to start a revolt against their own king. The French Revolution gave rise to the empire of Napoleon Bonaparte, who dissolved the Holy Roman Empire and turned the German states into French puppets. Both the American and French Revolutions served as templates for the later revolutions of the early nineteenth century. The Revolution of 1848 gave Otto von Bismarck his chance to rise to preeminence in Prussian government, and the previous abuse of German autonomy at the hands of Napoleon’s armies gave Bismarck the ideological impetus to unify the German states at French expense. The Franco-Prussian War, which was caused by Bismarck, caused increasing tension between France and Germany. That tension lead to the various alliances that created the “powder-keg” which, when “ignited” by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, led to World War I. The Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I, forced Germany to pay major reparations to the allies that defeated it and further increased the tension between France and Germany. That increased tension gave Hitler the grounds to seize power and eventually start World War II. Posted on the door of the Wittenberg Castle church on All Saints’ Eve in 1517, Martin Luther’s ninety-five theses set in motion a series of events that led to the most devastating war in the history of the world. Luther intended his theses to be a proposition for reform within the Catholic Church. What he felt needed reformed, or even abolished, was the Church’s practice of selling indulgences as a means
How Martin Luther Caused World War II Martin Luther’s influence on history is common knowledge. However, the extent of his influence is not. One can simply look at the events following Luther’s actions to understand their real impact. Protestantism, initiated by Martin Luther, set off a chain reaction that eventually led to the American Revolution. That revolution, and its outcome, led the French to start a revolt against their own king. The French Revolution gave rise to the empire of Napoleon Bonaparte, who dissolved the Holy Roman Empire and turned the German states into French puppets. Both the American and French Revolutions served as templates for the later revolutions of the early nineteenth century. The Revolution of 1848 gave Otto von Bismarck his chance to rise to preeminence in Prussian government, and the previous abuse of German autonomy at the hands of Napoleon’s armies gave Bismarck the ideological impetus to unify the German states at French expense. The Franco-Prussian War, which was caused by Bismarck, caused increasing tension between France and Germany. That tension lead to the various alliances that created the “powder-keg” which, when “ignited” by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, led to World War I. The Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I, forced Germany to pay major reparations to the allies that defeated it and further increased the tension between France and Germany. That increased tension gave Hitler the grounds to seize power and eventually start World War II. Posted on the door of the Wittenberg Castle church on All Saints’ Eve in 1517, Martin Luther’s ninety-five theses set in motion a series of events that led to the most devastating war in the history of the world. Luther intended his theses to be a proposition for reform within the Catholic Church. What he felt needed reformed, or even abolished, was the Church’s practice of selling indulgences as a means