Was World War Two Hitler's fault?

"In the end the war was Hitler's war. It was not perhaps the war he wanted. But it was the war that he was prepared to risk, if he had to..........Always one returns to Hitler: Hitler exultant, Hitler vehement.....Hitler playing the great commander........lecturing his Generals, hectoring his Army Commanders, threatening, cajoling and appealing to german destiny. Above all, increasingly in a hurry, always raising the stakes....steadily losing touch with reality......Neither firmness nor appeasement, the piling up of more armaments or the demonstration of more determination would stop him." Donald Cameron Watt (1989)

The argument put forward that Hitler was the cause of World War Two began in the 1950s. Alan Bullock asserted , in his book, 'Hitler : A Study in Tyranny' (1952) that Hitler's basic aim was to rule the world. He portayed him as a demon,devoid of principles or beliefs, but motivated only by a lust for power. Responsibilty for the war lay with an amoral Hitler and his circle of Nazi leaders.

In 1961 the publication of AJP Taylor's, 'The Origins of the Second World War' caused controversy. He claimed that Hitler was not a demon but following traditional German foreign policy, the desire to make Germany the strongest power in Europe. Taylor argues that the origins of the war lay in the peace settlement and the failure of the Allies to destroy Germany.
"The decision which ultimately led to the second World War was taken, from the highest and most sensible motives, a few days before the First World War ended. This was the decision to grant an armistice to the German government." He argues that the Allies failed to irrevocably weaken Germanyin 1918, that the flawed Treay of Versailles was exploited by Hitler, who was an opportunist who took advantage of weaknesses shown by Britain and France. He took advantage of mistakes made by other politicians, he did not plan the Second World War.

Read the overview of the causes of World War Two below.
http://www.johndclare.net/RoadtoWWII1_Stellenbosch.htm

Here is a summary of the viewpoint of AJP Taylor.
http://www.johndclare.net/RoadtoWWII1_sandiegotaylorthesis.html

What were Hitler' plans and aims?
Read this overview of Germany's Foreign Policy
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A828317

Was Hitler a 'reasonable man'? Could he be trusted?http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~jobrien/reference/ob78.html

How did Hitler justify his breaking of the Versailles Treaty? How did Hitler criticise and defy the Versailles Treaty?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1000774

http://www.rpfuller.com/gcse/history/6.html