[Jeff N.]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Well, that certainly started a war, but it didn't start a World War. Both World Wars started when otherwise non-involved countries declared war due to mutual defense alliances. World War II did not start when Germany annexed Austria, and it did not start when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia. It only started when Germany invaded Poland, and Poland's allies England and France declared war on Germany in response. Soon, many other nations became involved, and it became a true World War. The US was also dragged into the European war due to alliances and treaties - after the US was attacked by Japan causing the US to declare ware on Japan, Germany then declared war on the US because they had a mutual defense treaty with Japan.

Precisely.