1. Paths to War
Ch 19 Sec 1

2. Review Mid-1930s Germany and Italy focused on military conquest
Major democracies distracted by Depression
Countries look to League of Nations to maintain peace
Japan moves towards military rule

3. European Aggressors on the March
European Fascists encouraged by League of Nations failure in Japan
Mussolini invades Ethiopia
Hitler violates Treaty of Versailles
Civil War Erupts in Spain

4. Mussolini Attacks Ethiopia
Mussolini invades Ethiopia in Oct 1935
Spears and swords no match for planes, tanks, guns, and gas
Ethiopian emperor appeals to League
Condemns action but does nothing to help
British let Italians use Suez Canal
British and French hoped to keep peace in Europe

6. Hitler Defies Versailles Treaty
Provisions of Treaty
Limited size of German army
Created Rhineland
Buffer between Germany and France
Hitler ignored provisions
Moved troops into Rhineland (March 7, 1936)

7. Britain responds Appeasement? Giving in to an aggressor to keep peace
Let Hitler build army and invade Rhineland
Would keep France and Britain out of war with Germany
Hitler admitted he would have backed down if they challenged him

8. Rhineland occupation was turning point
Strengthened Hitler’s power and prestige
Shifted balance of power in Germany’s favor
France and Belgium open to attack
Hitler encouraged by weak response
Sped up expansion ideas

9. Axis Powers Mussolini seeks alliance with Hitler
Oct 1936 – Rome-Berlin Axis
November 1936 – Germany makes agreement with Japan – Comintern Pact
Germany, Italy and Japan become Axis Powers

10. Civil War in Spain 1936 – Francisco Franco leads revolt in Spain
Favored Fascism
Begins three year civil war
Hitler and Mussolini send aid to Franco and Nationalists
Troops, tanks, airplanes
Western democracies remained neutral
1939 – Franco becomes Fascist dictator of Spain

11. Democratic Nations Try to Preserve Peace
US Follows Isolationist Policy
Belief that political ties to other countries should be avoided
Entry into WWI was a mistake
1935 Neutrality Acts
Banned loans and the sale of arms to nations at war

12. The German Reich Expands
Nov Hitler announces plan for Third Reich
Wanted to absorb control of Austria and Czechoslovakia
Violated Treaty of Versailles
Forbade union of Austria and Germany

13. March 1938 Hitler invades and annexes Austria
September 1938 demands Sudetenland be given to Germany
Western border regions of Czechoslovakia
Czechs refuse and ask French for help

15. Munich Conference September 29, 1938 - Germany, France, GB, Italy
British PM Neville Chamberlain believes he can maintain peace by giving in
Britain and France agree Hitler can take Sudetenland
Hitler agreed to respect Czech borders
6 months later Hitler invades Czechoslovakia

18. Nazis and Soviets
USSR approached to help Britain and France stop Hitler
Hitler bargained with Stalin
Publicly pledged never to attack one another
Offered eastern Poland and the Baltic states
Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact signed August 23, 1939

22. Japan Seeks an Empire 1920s – Japanese gov’t more democratic
1922 signs treaty with China to respect borders
1928 signs Kellogg-Briand Pact
War no longer used to solve problems

23. Weaknesses of Democracy
Limits on power of prime minister and cabinet
Civilian leaders had little control over military
Military leaders reported only to emperor

24. Militarists Take Control of Japan
Japanese blame gov’t for Great Depression
Military leaders wanted traditional control given to military
Made emperor symbol of state power
Keeping Hirohito won popular support for army leaders

25. Extreme Nationalists
Economic problems solved through expansion into Pacific

26. Japan Invades Manchuria
Northeast province of China
Rich in iron and coal
1931 seized by Japanese army
Set up puppet government
Built mines and factories
League of Nations protested
Japan left league in 1933

27. Japan Invades China 1937 – Border dispute sets off war w/China
Chinese military no match for Japanese
Chinese military larger
Japanese better equipped and better trained
Chinese focused on Communist threat from within

29. The New Asian Order
Japan would establish new system of control in Asia
Japan, Manchuria, China
Japan guiding Asian neighbors to prosperity

30. Plan to conquer Siberia
1930s - Japan begins to cooperate w/Nazis
Believed the two countries would launch attack on USSR
Nonaggression Pact changed that idea
Japan looks to Southeast Asia for empire

31. Japan Launches Attack Attack to South would anger colonial empires
Mainly US
1940 – Japan demands right to exploit economic resources in French Indochina
US objects
Would apply economic sanctions unless Japan withdrew