Mises Institute

Murray Rothbard and World War II Origins

7 snips
Oct 30, 2025
Explore Murray Rothbard's compelling views on the origins of World War II. Discover how he critiques the notion of Hitler's master plan, interpreting him as a rational statesman aiming for traditional goals. Learn why the Anschluss and the Sudetenland crisis unfolded as they did, driven by regional dynamics and provocations. Rothbard underscores the dangers of hard-line foreign policies and promotes non-interventionism. His insights challenge the myth of just wars, urging a deeper understanding of the conflict's beginnings.
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INSIGHT

No Predetermined Master Plan

  • History doesn't follow a fixed master plan; actors react to events as they occur.
  • Rothbard argues Hitler adapted to opportunities rather than executing a predetermined timetable for conquest.
ANECDOTE

Anschluss Began With A Broken Agreement

  • The Anschluss followed a gentleman's agreement between Hitler and Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg.
  • Schuschnigg later repudiated the agreement and precipitated the crisis that led to Anschluss.
ANECDOTE

Sudeten Crisis Fueled Locally

  • The Sudeten crisis emerged from local German agitation and Czech provocation, not direct German orders.
  • Munich allowed annexation and Czechoslovakia then disintegrated through regional pressures and opportunism.
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