Aggressive Steps Towards World War II A Timeline
1931 Japan invades Manchuria – “Manchurian Incident” League of Nations protest
1935 Italy invades Ethiopia League of Nations failure to stop Japan encourages Mussolini He wanted to avenge 1890 defeat
1935 The Saar was returned to Germany after its people voted 90% for unifying
1935 Hitler begins to rearm Germany Violation of the Treaty of Versailles, but League of Nations fails to stop it
1936 In March, Germany sends troops into the Rhineland French unwilling to risk war British encourage appeasement
1936 In October, Axis powers form – Japan, Italy, and Germany
1937 In July, Japan takes over much of Eastern China
1938 In March, Germany occupies Austria, completing the ANSCHLUSS (union) with the Germans there French and British do nothing
1938 In September at the Munich Conference – Chamberlain believed he could preserve peace by giving into Hitler’s demands (policy of appeasement) Hitler is given the Sudetenland Hitler pledged to respect Czechoslovakian borders
1939 In March, Hitler takes all of Czechoslovakia
1939 Italy takes over Albania
1939 In August, Nazi-Soviet Pact (Non-aggression pact) is signed Secretly agreed to divide Poland
1939 September 1 – Hitler invades Poland
1939 September 3 – France and Great Britain declare war on Germany
1940 In August, Hitler began an air war against Britain German planes concentrated on bombing cities during the Battle of Britain The few thousand pilots of the Royal Air Force bravely defended England Prime Minister Winston Churchill said “never… was so much owed by so many to so few”
1941 Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7 Brings the United States into the war