Unfortunately, there are very disturbing parallels here between Germany after WWI and what it turned into, and what is happening in Russia right now.
Hitler got his rise promising to set right the "treachery" which came out of the Great War. Of course, Hitler blamed it on the Jews and the Holocaust was the direct result.
Interestingly enough, Hitler *delivered* on his promise when the Wehrmacht overran the French -- he redid the Treaty of Versailles, in the same railroad car, and even found one of the original signers of the WWI armistice to sign France's surrender.
In essence, WWII in Europe was fought as revenge for the humiliation Germany suffered in WWI.
The parallels are even stronger to the events of the Russian Revolution/Civil Wars of 1917-1925. Not only are the actors the same, the tactics and propaganda are almost exactly replaying themselves today.