Marching Toward War Again!
Japanese Aggression
The Manchurian Incident Japan needs raw materials Mysterious explosion in the night (1931) Japan takes over Manchuria
League of Nations Response Lytton Commission Report committee goes to Manchuria blames Japan and China Japan decides to quit the League demonstrates weakness of the League Stimson Doctrine U. S. policy to not recognize any country taken over by force
Marco Polo Bridge Beijing 1937 Begins Sino-Japanese War Japanese soldier missing Japanese troops “practicing” in the area Begins Sino-Japanese War Rape of Nanjing (Dec. 1937) Flying Tigers
Italy’s Revenge 1935 Invade Ethiopia Guns v. Spears Haile Selassie - Ethiopian leader asks for help from the League of Nations gets no help
Germany’s Steps to WWII
Germany Rearms
Troops enter the Rhineland
Spanish Civil War (1937) Rome - Berlin Axis created Support General Franco (fascist) Test out new weapons Guernica (1937)
Picasso painting of the atrocities of Guernica
Anschluss (Union) with Austria (1938) Hitler to Austrian President… “Join or die!” Chooses not to die, Austria annexed by Germany
Munich Crisis (1938) Hitler focused on Sudetenland “German’s in trouble and need support” Britain Prime Minister (Chamberlain) flies to Munich to meet with Hitler
Chamberlain: “Please stop Adolf!”
Hitler: “After Sudentenland, I promise. I swear. Really Hitler: “After Sudentenland, I promise. I swear. Really. No more invasions.”
Chamberlain: “Yeah! Peace in our time. Thanks Hitler! Your swell!”
Appeasement: giving in to the demands of another to avoid war. Neville Chamberlain: British Prime Minister who followed the policy of appeasement to avoid war with Germany