Aggressors Invade Nations Ch. 31-4

Describe the League of Nations

Manchuria Japanese business men invested heavily in China’s northeast province, Manchuria. It was an area rich in iron and coal. In 1931, the Japanese army seized Manchuria. Japanese engineers and technicians began arriving in large numbers to build mines and factories.

Challenge to League of Nations The Japanese attack on Manchuria was the first direct challenge to the League of Nations. League members protested, but it had no power to enforce its decisions. Japan ignored their protests and withdrew from the League in 1933.

League of Nations Who wasn’t a member?

Japan invades China On July 7, 1937, the Japanese and the Chinese exchanged shots at a railroad bridge near Beijing. Jiang Jieshi’s soldiers were no match for the better equipped and trained Japanese. The League of Nations did nothing to help.

Mussolini attacks Ethiopia The League’s failure to stop the Japanese encouraged Mussolini to invade Ethiopia. Mussolini wished to build an empire, and Ethiopia was one of the few remaining independent African nations left. Ethiopia had successfully resisted an Italian attempt at conquest during the 1890s, and Mussolini wanted to avenge the defeat. He ordered a full scale invasion on Ethiopia in October 1935.

Italy takes over Ethiopia Ethiopia could not withstand the new technology of airplanes, tanks, guns, and poison gas. The Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie urgently appealed to the League of Nations for help. The League condemned the attack, but did nothing to help.

He warned League members that If they did nothing, “God and history will remember your judgment…It is us today. It will be you tomorrow.” They did nothing.

Hitler defies the Versailles Treaty In March 1935, Hitler announced that he would not obey the restrictions of the Versailles Treaty. Hitler began building up his army. The League of Nations did nothing

Hitler Takes Land Hitler invaded the ‘Rhineland’ – it was a 30 mile zone on either side of the Rhine River. It was a buffer zone between Germany and France. The League of Nations did nothing

Appeasement Great Britain and France urged appeasement, which meant giving into an aggressor to keep peace.

Turning Point The German occupation of the Rhineland marked a turning point in the march towards war 1) it strengthened Hitler’s power and prestige within Germany 2) France and Belgium were now open to attack from German troops 3) the weak response from Britain and France encouraged Hitler to speed up his aggression

Axis Powers Hitler’s growing strength encouraged Mussolini to seek an alliance with Hitler. In October 1936, the two dictators reached an agreement that became known as the Rome-Berlin Axis. A month later, Germany also made an agreement with Japan. Germany, Italy, and Japan became the AXIS POWERS

Emperor Hirohito Leader of Japan during WWII

Civil War Erupts in Spain In July 1936, General Francisco Franco led a revolt. He wanted to establish a fascist style government in Spain. The Civil War lasted 3 years. Hitler and Mussolini supported Franco by sending troops, tanks, and airplanes. Franco’s forces were called the Nationalists. The Soviet Union supplied Spain’s elected government. The new Spanish republic collapsed and Franco became Spain’s Fascist dictator.

Isolationism in the U.S. Isolationism is the belief that political ties to other countries should be avoided. Isolationists argued that entry into WWI had been a costly error. Congress passed three neutrality acts. – These laws banned loans and the sale of arms to nations at war. – They believed this would keep the U.S. out of another foreign war.

The Third Reich On November 5, 1937, Hitler announces his plans to take Austria and Czechoslovakia. The Germans would then expand into Poland and Russia. The Treaty of Versailles prohibited a union between Austria and Germany, called Anschluss. Many Austrians supported unity with Germany.

Hitler sent his army in Austria and annexed it in March, 1938 France and Britain ignored their pledge to protect Austrian independence

The Sudetenland After WWI, Czechoslovakia had developed into a prosperous democracy with a strong army and defense treaty with France. About 3 million German-speaking people lived in the western border regions of Czechoslovakia known as the Sudetenland. Hitler demanded the Sudetenland belong to Germany. Czechoslovakia refused and asked France for help.

The Munich Conference Mussolini proposed a meeting of Germany, France, and Britain, and Italy, in Munich Germany. The Munich Conference was held on September 29, The Czechs were not invited. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain believed that he could preserve the peace by giving in to Hitler’s demands. It was agreed that Hitler could take the Sudetenland, in exchange, Hitler agreed to respect Czechoslovakia’s new borders.

Policy of Appeasement working??? The Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain told the London crowds, “I believe it is peace for our time.” Winston Churchill, then a member of the British Parliament, hated the policy and warned of its consequences.

Defies Munich Conference Agreement Less than six months after the Munich Conference, Hitler took over Czechoslovakia. Mussolini seized Albania. Hitler demanded that Poland return the former Germany port of Danzig. Poles refused and turned to Great Britain and France for help. Both countries said they would back Poland.

Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union Britain and France asked the Soviet Union to join them in stopping Hitler’s aggression. The two democracies distrusted the Communist government, and Stalin was bitter about being left out of the Munich Conference.

Soviet Union and….Germany? Germany approached the Soviet’s too While Stalin was talking to Britain and France, he was also bargaining with Hitler

Non-Aggression Pact Hitler and Stalin committed to never attack one another. On August 23, 1939, a non-aggression pact was signed. The whole world waits to see what would happen next