There are a few cases where a preventive war may have been justified. For example, when Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, he openly said he would rearm Germany and would seize the lands necessary for German "living space." Nazi Germany claimed they only wanted what was due them and once they obtained it they would live in peace. But many in Europe saw this was not true. By the beginning of World War II nearly everyone realized the earlier statements had not been true. But by this time it was too late and a costly and destructive war was necessary to finally stop Hitler.