1. Japan invades Manchuria 1931 Japan
Event
Date
Aggressor Country
Notes
Japan invades Manchuria
1931
Japan
League of Nations condemned aggression but nothing more
Italy Invades Ethiopia
1935
Italy
Finally captured Ethiopia after failure in 1896
Hitler breaks Treaty of Versailles
1936
Germany
Built up German military, sent troops into “demilitarized” Rhineland
Spain Collapses into Civil War
Spain
Rise of Francisco Franco who becomes dictator; turmoil began as early as 1931; Ger helped Franco seize power
Second Sino-Japanese War
1937
Western powers did not retaliate or stop Japan
Neutrality Acts passed
US Congress
Forbade the selling of arms to any country at war; attempt to stay out of European war

2. Part of Anschluss; violated treaty of Versailles
Event
Date
Aggressor Country
Notes
Austria Annexed
1938
Germany
Part of Anschluss; violated treaty of Versailles
Munich Conference
Sept. 1938
Brit, France, etc
Brit./France Chose APPEASEMENT
Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis
1939
It, Ger, Jap
Become the Axis Powers
Germany seized Czechoslovakia
March 1939
Hitler broke promise to not take any more land
Nazi-Soviet Pact
Aug. 1939
Germany-Soviet
Hitler and Stalin promised not to attack each other; allowed Hitler to focus on Europe
Invasion of Poland
Sept. 1, 1939
Germany invaded Poland- forced Britain and France to declare war on Germany