2. 1. Joseph Stalin: U.S.S.R., totalitarian Communist 2. Benito Mussolini: Italy, totalitarian Fascist 3. Hideki Tojo: Japan, military dictatorship 4. Adolph Hitler: Germany, totalitarian Fascist

3. After not getting respect or land after WWI peace negotiations, Japan begins military takeovers in the 1930s 1931 - Japan invades Manchuria Section of China they were already trading with, now they could control the trade League of Nations protests– Japan withdraws from the League 1937 – Japan invades China Numerous war crimes committed during invasion Ex: Rape of Nanking

4. 1935: Italy invades Ethiopia League of Nations does nothing 1935: Hitler starts rebuilding German army BUT WAIT! HE CAN’T DO THAT! 1936 – Germany reoccupies Rhineland Great Britain urges policy of appeasement – giving into the aggressor

5. U.S. never joined League Membership didn’t include certain nations: Russia joined in 1934 but was kicked out in 1939 Germany and Japan pulled out in 1933 Italy withdrew in 1936 Voting on issues required unanimous vote Member nations retained National Sovereignty –could act independently of other nations (so what was the point of the League??) League did not have the power to tax, draft, or enforce its own decisions - could only ask League failed in several major takeovers during the 1930s, in particular aggression from Japan, Italy and Germany

6. 1938: annexes Austria (peaceful takeover) Hitler demands the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia (had been part of Germany before Treaty of Versailles) Czechs refuse and ask France for help

7. Leaders from France and Britain meet at Munich Conference to settle the Czech crisis Britain and France agree to let Hitler take Sudetenland 1939: Hitler invades rest of Czechoslovakia; Mussolini invades Albania; Hitler demands half of Poland

8. 1939 – Stalin and Hitler sign a Nonaggression Pact – agree to never attack one another Really meant that they would agree to take over specific land in Europe Hitler uses this to avoid a two front war (repeat of WWI) until he can defeat France and Britain and THEN he plans to invade Soviet Union

9. 1. Japan practices aggression 1931: Invasion of Manchuria 1937: Invasion of China 2. Germany practices aggression 1936: Reoccupation of Rhineland 1938: Annexation Austria 1939: Invasion of Czechoslovakia 1939: Question of Poland 3. Italy practices aggression 1935: Invasion of Ethiopia 1939: Invasion of Albania 4. Great Britain and France practice appeasement 1938: Munich Conference gives Germany Sudetenland 5. Germany and Soviet Union sign nonaggression pact (1939)