1. Aggressors Invade Nations
Japan, Italy and Germany in the 1930’s
Unit 7

2. Conquest in the 1930’s
Germany, Italy and Japan were bent on military conquest.
All 3 nations had dreams of building large empires.
Germany= Third Reich

3. Japan
World-wide economic depression led to an overthrow of the government by the military.
Emperor Hirohito stayed the leader, but the military made all of the decisions.
Seized Manchuria first, then China.
Japanese need land and resources; Rape of Nanking
League of Nations did not stop Japan.

5. VerOVERCROWDING

6. Italy Italy wanted to invade countries like Japan did.
Mussolini invaded Ethiopia first due to an old defeat in the region in the 1890’s.
Ethiopian emperor asked the League of Nations for help- they did nothing.
British allowed Mussolini passage through the Suez Canal to Ethiopia. Why?

7. Germany Hitler wanted to undo the Treaty of Versailles
Expanded army
Invaded Rhineland (area between France & Germany)
Took Austria (Anschluss)
Took Czechoslovakia (Sudetenland)
Mussolini and Hitler formed Rome-Berlin Axis.
Later added Japan to form Axis Powers
Signed secret Nonaggression Pact (agreement to not attack) with Stalin

9. Where is Everyone?
Much of Europe and the U.S. are still affected by the Great Depression of no $
U.S. took the policy of isolationism (to be neutral/stay out of war)
Britain & France adopted policy of appeasement (giving into demands to avoid a conflict)
Allowed Hitler to do what he pleased
Munich Conference called to try to prevent a war, Sept. 1938
Hitler made promises he never meant to keep
Britain believed peace had been achieved

10. Treaty of Versailles Rules Review
What were the specific rules that Germany had to follow?
1) Limited size of German Army
2) Demilitarize the Rhineland (buffer zone)
3) Not allowed to unite with Austria
4) Germany had to pay reparations for the war
** How does Hitler get away with breaking the rules?

11. War is Inevitable
Breaking the Treaty of Versailles through aggressive tactics would lead to war.
Unfortunately, Britain and France dropped the appeasement policy a bit too late.
World War II began in Sept when Germany invaded Poland.