Aggressors on the March How does the world react to the expansion of Italy, Germany & Japan?

Hitler Expands the Reich In 1935, Hitler announces he will no longer abide by the Treaty of Versailles Hitler begins to expand his army The League of Nations condemns his actions Hitler states he will also take back land unfairly taken from Germany #1 Saar Region After WWI, this German territory was governed by the League of Nations After 15 years, the people would vote on their future The Nazis begin a propaganda campaign The people of the Saar vote to rejoin Germany (80% of vote) #2 The Rhineland The Rhineland was a demilitarized buffer zone between France & Germany 1936-Hitler invades the Rhineland French unwilling to risk war British urge appeasement, which is giving into an aggressor to keep peace

Map Time! Please color area #9 (Germany/East Prussia) Purple Stripe purple Color purple Please color area #9 (Germany/East Prussia) Purple Color Germany Box Purple and stripe the German Occupation Box - Purple Hitler has taken the Rhineland- please stripe area 5C in Purple

Hitler later admits that if Britain and France would have challenged him in the Rhineland, he may have backed down In 1936, Hitler convinces Mussolini to sign an alliance with Germany called the Berlin-Rome Axis Hitler’s troops take the Rhineland #3 Annexation of Austria In 1937, Hitler annexes his homeland of Austria The Treaty of Versailles forbids the alliance of Austria and Germany France & Britain choose appeasement Becomes

Map Time! Hitler has taken Austria Please stripe area 16 purple Stripe purple Austria is now mine! Hitler has taken Austria Please stripe area 16 purple

#4 The Sudetenland In 1938, Hitler turns his attention to a section of Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland, in which 3 million German-speaking people live Hitler demands Czechoslovakia give him this territory The Czechs ask France for help Hitler invades the Sudetenland, France & Britain prepare for war Mussolini suggests a conference between Britain, France, Italy, and Germany Czechoslovakia is not invited At the Munich Conference, Britain & France agree to let Hitler take the Sudetenland as long as Hitler respects Czechoslovakia’s new borders #5 Czechoslovakia Six months later, Hitler invades Czechoslovakia Appeasement proves to Hitler that France & Britain are not willing to risk war

Map Time! Hitler has taken Czechoslovakia Please stripe area 14 purple Stripe purple

Mussolini Makes His Move Ethiopia Just as Hitler wanted more land, so does Mussolini Mussolini wants to gain land that Italy had missed out on in the past Italy had lost a chance at Ethiopia during the “Scramble for Africa” In October of 1935, Mussolini invades Ethiopia The LON condemns the action, but is powerless to help Britain even allows Italian troops to pass thru the Suez Canal Britain figures if Mussolini has Ethiopia, there will be peace in Europe Sellassie: We need help! Chamberlain: Sorry, but we choose Appeasement

Mussolini takes Albania After the Munich Conference, both Hitler & Mussolini know that the League of Nations is powerless & that Britain & France will choose appeasement After returning from the Munich Conference, British PM Neville Chamberlain states “he has brought peace with honor” After Hitler takes Czechoslovakia, Mussolini invades Albania “My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honor. I believe it is peace for our time”.

Map Time! Stripe orange Please color Italy’s box orange in the legend and stripe Italian occupation orange Please color Italy (18) & Libya orange Mussolini takes Albania Please stripe area #20 orange Ethiopia & Albania are mine!

Japan Seeks An Empire When the Great Depression hits Japan, many people blame the civilian government that is running the country Military leaders soon win control of the country However, unlike the Fascists they do not try to change the form of government and keep Emperor Hirohito as the head of state This wins popular support for the new military leaders However, the military leaders are extreme nationalists & believe that expanding Japan’s empire will solve the economic problems Invasion of Manchuria Japanese businesses has heavily invested in the Chinese province of Manchuria. The area was rich in iron & coal In 1931, Japan invades Manchuria The League of Nations condemns the invasion. Japan quits LON Japan creates a puppet government and the province is considered its own country called Manchukuo

Map Time! Please color Japan (1), Korea (2), and Taiwan (3) red Japan has invaded Manchuria Please stripe area #4 in red Time to expand!!

Japanese army opens fire on the KMT Japan Invades China In 1937, a border skirmish occurs between the Japanese Army and the Chinese KMT Army Japanese army opens fire on the KMT Japan then invades China, Chaing Kai-Shek’s KMT army was no match for the Japanese Army Japan captures the capital city of Nanking KMT’s Chiang Kai-Shek & the Communist Mao Zedong to join forces Japan signs an alliance agreement with Germany & Italy forming the Axis Powers Second world war is coming!

Map Time! Japan has invaded parts of China Please stripe eastern part of #7 up to the dotted lines

The Final Straw – The Invasion of Poland #6 In 1939, Hitler demands Poland return the Danzig region barrier between East Prussia & the rest of Germany The Poles refuse & turn to Britain & France for help Britain & France were also negotiating with the Soviet Union for help Stalin was also secretly negotiating with Hitler The Soviet Union & Germany sign a non-aggression pact On September 1st, 1939 – Hitler invades and annexes W. Poland Stalin sends Soviet troops into Eastern Poland Britain & France declare war on Germany

Map Time! Hitler has invaded Poland Stripe the western half of #13 purple Color the Soviet Union (#25) Red Stalin has invaded Poland, stripe the eastern half of #13 in red Make sure to color your legend, solid red for Soviet Union, striped red for Soviet Occupation