WWII Breaks out in Europe! The Path to Another War WWII Breaks out in Europe!

Factors leading to war? Rise of militarism and fascism in Italy, Germany, and Japan Facism: glorification of the state, single-party system with a strong ruler, and aggressive nationalism Anger over end of WWI, Great Depression WWII begins LONG before 1939!

Weak League of Nations Could not protect “collective security” Isolationism by USA Aggressive actions of Germany, Italy, and Japan “test” the League

Japan invades Manchuria, 1931 China complains to League League investigates and finds Japan GUILTY Japan QUITS League! 1937 Japan invades REST of China! “Rape of Nanking,” 1937

Italy invades Ethiopia 1934: 2 forces clash on boarder of Ethiopia and Italian Somaliland League says no one is to blame Mussolini invades in October 1935 Haile Selassie asks League for HELP!

League reacts… Imposes SANCTIONS (economic punishments) on Italy, but not on war-making materials! May 1936: Italy annexes Ethiopia!

Fascism in Spain! Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 Soviets support LOYALISTS (communist group) Italy and Germany support NATIONALISTS (fascist group)

A Preview of what’s to come… Fascists led by Francisco Franco Strengthened ties between Italy and Germany Luftwaffe uses Spanish towns as TESTING GROUNDS!!! More than half a MILLION Spaniards DIE

Hitler goes on the OFFENSIVE March 1936: invades Rhineland between France and Germany October 1936: Hitler and Mussolini sign Rome-Berlin Axis Nov. 1936: sign Anti-Comintern Pact, Stalin urges West to step in!!

No one steps in!!! 1938: Hitler bullies Austrian leader into appointing German officials Appeal to League does NOTHING March 1938: Austrian Anschluss—proclaimed it part of Germany!

Sudetenland Crisis, Sep. 1938 Northwest Czechoslovakia Hitler DEMANDS it, GB’s Neville Chamberlain accepts! APPEASEMENT: “Make ‘em happy, shut ‘em up!”

Munich Conference Mussolini’s compromise: give Germany Sudetenland, and they will promise not to take any more! Britain and France wanted to avoid war March 15, 1939: Hitler takes REST of Czechoslovakia ANYWAY!

Nazi-Soviet Pact…a curveball! Hitler takes Lithuania, threatens Poland Allies NEED USSR to defend POLAND Suspicions between USSR and France/GB Stalin begins secret talks with Germans!

Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact Signed August 23, 1939 Would NEVER attack each other Would remain neutral if other involved in war Create spheres of influence in Europe Split up Poland! Long-term enemies, needed a short-term alliance

NOW, Hitler gets reassurance… He can invade Poland without fear of USSR getting involved! September 1, 1939: Hitler INVADES POLAND September 3, 1939: GB and France say enough is enough!

Harassment of Jews So that Germany did not officially seem the aggressor (which it was), Hitler needed an excuse for entering/attacking Poland. It was Heinrich Himmler who came up with the idea; thus the plan was code named Operation Himmler. On the night of August 31, 1939, Nazis took an unknown prisoner from one of their concentration camps, dressed him in a Polish uniform, took him to the town of Gleiwitz (on the border of Poland and Germany), and then shot him. The staged scene with the dead prisoner dressed in a Polish uniform was supposed to appear as a Polish attack against a German radio station. Hitler used the staged attack as the excuse to invade Poland.

Now GB and France will try to stop Hitler… BUT IT IS ALMOST TOO LATE!!! Hitler’s army is extremely strong Hitler can now implement his “Final Solution” to the “Jewish Problem”