1. EUROPE ON THE BRINK OF WAR
Again . . .

2. NEW ASIAN POWERHOUSE! Japan is Asia’s industrial leader
Japan is ready to rival the Europeans for power and influence in Asia

3. ITALY TO BE GREAT AGAIN!
Mussolini wants to return Italy to the greatness of Rome
Says Italy will rule the Mediterranean Sea

4. FRANCE UNWILLING TO END GERMAN REPERATIONS!
France believes Germany must continue to pay reparations from WWI
France has no sympathy for Germany, even as they struggle in economic depression

5. STALIN INDUSTRIALIZES USSR
Stalin’s Five-Year plans are turning the USSR into an industrial power
Soviet Union is no longer the backwards nation of Russia

6. JAPANESE MILITARISTS IN CHARGE
Military leaders take command of Japanese government
Japan looking to expand its empire in Asia

7. BRITAIN DETERMINED TO HOLD ON TO EMPIRE
Britain is drained after World War I
Britain knows their wealth and power depend on holding on to colonies in Africa and Asia

8. USA WANTS ISOLATION!
Most Americans have no desire to get involved in another European war
USA pledges to stay out of new conflicts in Europe

9. HITLER OUT TO BREAK TREATY!
Hitler claims Treaty of Versailles ending World War I is unfair to Germany.
Hitler wants to end reparations
Hitler will rebuild German military

10. MANCHURIA ATTACKED!
Japanese military conquer Manchuria, the northeast portion of China
Rest of China prepares for Japanese invasion

11. USSR LOOKING TO SPREAD COMMUNISM!
Stalin creates the Communist International to spread Communism around the world
Much of Europe and America fearful of the ‘Red Menace’

12. HITLER WANTS ‘LIVING ROOM’
Hitler wants to unite all Germans in Europe in one large country
Hitler desires Lebensraum (living room) for German people
Hitler looks to Eastern Europe for this land

13. ITALY INVADES ETHIOPIA!
Mussolini wants to expand the Italian empire
League of Nations does nothing to stop Italy from conquering small African nation

14. HITLER PUTS PEOPLE TO WORK!
Jobless Germans get work building highways and other public projects
Millions of Germans working in factories producing weapons

15. FRANCE BUILDS MAGINOT LINE!
Defensive wall will keep the Germans out of France finally!
Maginot Line holds nearly 1 million French soldiers ready for a German attack

16. HITLER INCREASES GERMAN ARMY!
2 Million men ready to fight!
Hitler breaks Treaty of Versailles terms which allowed for only 100,000 men in German army

17. HITLER DENOUNCES JEWS!
German Parliament passes laws restricting rights of Jews
Germans asked to boycott Jewish businesses
Germans no longer allowed to marry Jews

18. ITALIAN ARMY IN POOR SHAPE!
Italian troops are badly trained and poorly equipped
Mussolini promotes those loyal to him over good military leaders

19. GERMANY CONQUERS AUSTRIA, CZECHOSLOVAKIA!
Austria joins Germany in 1938
First the Sudetenland, then all of Czechoslovakia join Germany in 1939
Britain and France do nothing to stop Hitler

20. BRITISH NAVY STILL LARGEST IN WORLD!
15 Battleships and 181 Destroyers protecting Britain’s vast empire
7 new Aircraft Carriers ready for action

21. RED ARMY OF TWO MILLION!
Soviet Union has nearly 2 million soldiers ready to fight if the Nazis attack
With many officers executed, USSR lacks good military leadership

22. US ARMY NOT READY FOR WAR
Only 175,000 soldiers in American Army
US Navy is more prepared, with 15 battleships and over 100 submarines

23. JAPAN BUILDING HUGE NAVY!
10 new Japanese Aircraft Carriers are ready for battle
10 new battleships launched
Hundreds of other warships ready for war

24. AXIS Alliance Formed September 27, 1940
Germany, Italy and Japan sign a military alliance

25. Japan 1939

26. Italy 1939

27. Germany 1939

28. IS THE WORLD READY FOR WAR?
Again . . .

29. PICTURE CREDITS