Ch. 15 S. 4 – Aggressors Invade Nations Japan Seeks Empire - Japan moved toward democracy in 1920’s, joined League - Constitution had flaws – civilian gov’t had little control of military - Militarists took charge when the Great Depression sparked crisis - Militarists answered to emperor, used him as face of their rule – people loved emperor, went along for the ride - Militarist policy called for foreign expansion to fix economy – Planned for Pacific Empire that included China

Emperor Hirohito Hideki Tojo – militarist prime minister

Japanese Invasion of China - 1931 - Japan targeted Manchuria, a region of China, for their first conquest - Japanese exploited Manchurian resources, colonized territory - Members of League of Nations (LON) protested, took no action – Japan quit League, ignored protests - Japan staged attack on their own railroad, blamed China, launched full-scale invasion in 1937 - Japanese ravaged northern cities & capital, Nanjing – slaughtered tens of thousands in “Rape of Nanjing”

ITALIAN INVASION OF ETHIOPIA - 1935 - League of Nations did nothing to stop Japan’s invasion of Manchuria – This encouraged other dictators to get aggressive 1898 – Ethiopia defeated an invading Italian Army – Mussolini promised to avenge the defeat (militarism/nationalism!) - Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie went to League of Nations to Protest – they condemned Italy, but had no army to stop him

Haile Selassie at League of Nations

Hitler’s Aggression before the war: - Annexed Austria unopposed by Austrian forces - invaded Sudetenland - region of Czechoslovakia w/ German population - Britain & France continued appeasement policy - Hitler then took the rest of Czechslovakia

1936 - Hitler Remilitarized the Rhineland

THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR SPAIN - stayed out of WWI: - internal disputes, economic crises of 1920’s bring down the Monarchy - new liberal, democratic gov’t tried to pass radical reforms opponents - Church, army, wealthy - formed fascist party called THE FALANGE PARTY Falange - def - from the word “Phalanx”- (1)a group of people brought together for a certain purpose (2) a battle formation formed by troops

CIVIL WAR - Nationalists (Falange party) vs. Republicans (those who wanted Democracy or Communism) - Francisco Franco - Falange leader - Civil war = ideological struggle - Fascism vs Democracy/Communism - Hitler/ Mussolini helped Fascists - Stalin, some American volunteers helped Republicans - 1939 - Falange won - Fascist dictator Franco ruled until 1975

PROXY WAR - def. - a war instigated by a major power that does not itself become involved Spanish Civil War - A proxy war between Hitler & Stalin Proxy War Today – ISIS (Sunni Arab states) vs Iraq/Syria (Shi’ite States backed by Iran)

Guernica - Pablo Picasso

Guernica - Pablo Picasso - The Spanish Republican gov’t commissioned Picasso to do a painting for the World Fair in Paris, 1937 - the painting became famous for its anti-war message - it brought the world’s attention to the horrors of the Spanish Civil War, German atrocities

Why not take out Hitler earlier? APPEASEMENT - def - to give in to demands in order to avoid a conflict 1. Britain & France wanted peace at any price 2. Economic problems - Br. & Fr. not ready for war 3. Br. /Fr. felt sorry for Germany - guilty over harsh treaty of Versailles 4. Br./Fr. feared Stalin more - hoped Hitler would act as a barrier to Communism