A Troublesome Path Leads Back to War Descent to War

State of the world prior to the war Most of Asia & Africa was colonized Germany controlled by Hitler & the Nazis Italy was under Mussolini USSR was under Stalin Most Western countries were suffering from Depression

Fascist Italy Italy unhappy after WWI Italian Economy in trouble Veterans unemployed, Pro-Communist unions striking Middle-class scared of radicalism Benito Mussolini – formed Fascist party (1919) Blackshirts – street thugs – the muscle behind Mussolini’s rise Fascists promised order & stability Popular with middle-class

The March on Rome - 4/1922 Mussolini & 30K fascists demand control of Italy King Emmanuel III makes Mussolini Prime Minister w/ emergency powers to make laws Stated goal was to bring order to Italy Fascism = dictatorship, aggressive nationalism, and govt. control of biz Mussolini referred to as “Il Duce” Demanded loyalty, censored media, used propaganda to glorify himself & Italy Envisioned a new Roman Empire Italy invaded Ethiopia (1935) – LofN did nothing

Trouble at home for Germany Germans blamed govt. for problems Political chaos, massive inflation, poverty Problems related to Treaty of Versailles 1924 - U.S. Dawes Plan gave $200 million to help German economy U.S. also gave GER more time to pay reparations owed to U.S. Helped, but only temporary – Great Depression (1929) in U.S. spread to other parts of world incl. Germany

Economy Bad  Nazis Good Bad econ & political conditions favored Nazis Nazis provided targets for blame (Jews, Comms) Jan. 1933 – Hindenburg made Hitler Chancellor An effort to try to control him Reichstag fire – Feb. 1933 – Nazis did it but blame Communists Enabling Act – March 1933 – Hitler granted emergency powers to deal with “crisis” Hindenburg dies – Hitler total leader in 1934 A Fascist dictatorship – nationalistic, militaristic, strong leader

Reichstag Fire

No Desire for War 2 key treaties GB & FR looking to avoid war at all costs Exhausted from WWI Relied on League of Nations to solve probs Ignored threat of Nazi Germany 2 key treaties Locarno Treaty (1925) – Rhineland neutral Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) – war “illegal” 62 nations outlaw offensive war – defense okay

Japan & Hirohito Military govt. ruled Japan in Emperor’s name Hirohito a figurehead leader – he let military run the country (right into WWII) Leaders envisioned vast Pacific empire To provide raw materials, markets, & living space Japan invades Manchuria (1931) – northern province of China Seeking Oil, coal, iron needed by Japan League of Nations protested but did nothing

1937 – Japan invaded China China torn by a civil war Japanese better armed than Chinese Japanese committed atrocities Nearly 200,000 people executed in Nanking Known as The Rape of Nanking 1937 – Japanese planes bomb U.S. gunboat Panay in China The Panay Incident U.S. demands that Japan leave China U.S. begins building Pacific fleet Later will use economic warfare against JPN

Japanese officers engaged in contests to see who could sever the most heads in a given amount of time, using their katana swords.

The Path to War - Europe Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 Nationalist rebels led by Francisco Franco Get help from Germany & Italy Spanish govt. aided by USSR & U.S. volunteers Guernica – city destroyed by German bombing SCW a testing ground for troops before WWII Picasso’s “Guernica”

Missed Opportunities Hitler had always vowed to undo T of V Saw JPN & IT challenge L of N w/out response 3/35 – Hitler defied T of V – expanded army Lack of strong reaction by GB, FR, or L of N encouraged Hitler to take greater risks 3/7/36 – remilitarized Rhineland Violation of T of V & Locarno Treaty Hitler & generals thought France would fight back FR unwilling to fight & GB urged appeasement Hitler would have backed down if challenged Encouraged Hitler to go further

Ever-bolder & Pushing On Oct. 1936 – Rome-Berlin Axis formed Japan joins later March 1938 – Anschluss with Austria Forbidden by T of V Supported by nationalists in both countries Aust. Govt. not given much choice – intimidated German army enters Aust. unapposed – Hitler greeted as a hero League complains but does nothing

German Troops Enter Austria Hitler & Mussolini German Troops Enter Austria

The Sudetenland (1938) A region of Czechoslovakia that was ethnically German Mountainous, well defended, and mineral rich Czechoslovakia's only real defense Hitler threatened to annex the Sudetenland Czechs had alliances with French and Soviets Neither wanted to fight Sept. 1938, Hitler demands to annex Sudetenland Munich Conference held to settle issue

The Sudetenland

The Munich Pact Meeting attended by Hitler, Mussolini, Neville Chamberlain (GB) & Edouard Daladier (FR) USSR & Czechs not present Munich Pact gives Sudetenland to Hitler on his promise to make "no further territorial demands" Policy of giving in to dictators demands called Appeasement Chamberlain returns to Britain claiming "Peace in our time" Calls Hitler an honorable man

Hungry Lions April 1939, Hitler takes all of Czechoslovakia Chamberlain looks like a fool GB & FR abandon Czech but promise to defend Poland 1939 – Italy takes Albania – no action by L of N Aug. 1939 – Nazi-Soviet Pact signed Completely unexpected – both hated each other Secretly negotiated Deal provides Stalin time to build army Allows Hitler to avoid 2 front war

Nazi-Soviet Pact A non-aggression pact Secret deals include division of Poland and Baltic countries of Latvia, Lithuania, & Estonia Stalin would get land back for USSR Hitler would get Lebensraum (living space) Appeasement and the Nazi-Soviet Pact sealed Poland's fate Sept. 1, 1939 - Germany launches Blitzkrieg on Poland France & Britain declare war Sept. 3, 1939