1. Aggression, Appeasement, and War
The Road to WWII

2. Dictators Challenge World Peace: Japan
Japanese Expansionism: “An Asia for the Asians!”
Japan had long felt that European powers should not have power in Asia.

3. Japanese Expansion
Felt that it was their duty to conquer these areas to push the colonial powers out
In reality, they would conquer much of Eastern Asia but as an addition to the Japanese Empire
Often times the Japanese were more oppressive than the Europeans
Japanese expansion begins with the invasion of Manchuria in 1931
This essentially becomes the first invasion of WWII.

4. Dictators Challenge World Peace: Italy Invades Ethiopia
Mussolini builds a large, modern military to become the pride of Italy
This military is used for his expansionist ideas in Ethiopia first
1935: Italy invades Ethiopia
Haile Selassie, Ethiopia’s king, asks the League of Nations for help.
They put sanctions, or penalties, on Italy, but have no real power to enforce them.
By early 1936, Italy had conquered Ethiopia

5. Dictators Challenge World Peace: Hitler’s Challenge
Hitler begins his campaign with several violations of the hated Treaty of Versailles
Built up a large German army which was against the regulations of the treaty
Sent troops and conquered the “demilitarized” Rhineland, bordering France and Germany

6. Appeasement and Neutrality
Regarding Hitler’s expansion, the Western world adopted a policy of appeasement, or giving in to demands.
Why? Fear of another war similar to WWI.
In both Britain and France, many saw fascism as a response to an even worse threat, communism
Also, the Great Depression left many western countries feeling vulnerable as they would not have the resources to fight another war.
Widespread Pacifism, or opposition to war, broke out world wide.

7. Rome, Berlin, Tokyo Axis Rome, Berlin, Tokyo Axis
Germany, Italy and Japan all agree to fight Soviet Communism as well as not to interfere with each other’s plan for expansion.

8. German Expansion Continues
Hitler continues to attempt to reach his goal of uniting all German speaking people under the Third Reich
Anschluss, Hitler’s plan to unify Austria and Germany.
Hitler annexed Austria by sending in his military.
The Czech Crisis
Czechoslovakia was one of the few remaining democracies in Eastern Europe.
Germany took areas of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia

9. Munich Conference
British and French leaders meet to decide how to handle Hitler.
Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister, chooses appeasement again, giving Hitler the Sudetenland without conflict.

10. Failure of Chamberlain
Chamberlain claims to England that he has achieved “peace for our time!”
However, Winston Churchill, felt otherwise, stating “They had to choose between war and dishonor. They chose dishonor, they will have war.”