1. THE ROAD TO WAR
WORLD WAR II BEGINS

2. In the 1930s, events throughout the world led to conditions that started World War II
High unemployment, desperation, and feelings of betrayal led to the rise of totalitarian dictators

3. Fascist dictators Mussolini and Hitler threatened to conquer new territories for Italy and Germany

4. Extreme nationalism and a need for raw materials led to a desire to expand in Japan under Hideki Tojo

5. By the 1930s, the world was moving towards another war but few nations were in a position to prevent war
Britain and France were the leaders of the League of Nations, but both wanted to avoid another bloodbath like World War I

6. The USA was focused on the Great Depression and wanted to avoid foreign affairs

7. Japan, Italy, and Germany aggressively expanded in Africa, Asia, and Europe

8. In 1936, Germany, Italy, and Japan formed an alliance called the Axis

9. In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria in order to seize its iron and coal mines
46g - explain the aggression and conflict leading to World War II in Europe and Asia including the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, the Spanish Civil War, the rape of Nanjing in China, and the German annexation of the Sudetenland

10. In 1937, Japan conquered northern China, then murdered about 300,000 unarmed soldiers and civilians during the “Rape of Nanking”

11. HOW DOES THE WORLD RESPOND TO THIS BLATANT AGGRESSION BY THE JAPANESE?
The League of Nations officially condemned the Japanese invasion, but took no military action
Japan’s response? They withdrew from the League of Nations and continued to take over Manchuria
By 1934, Japan was issuing threats, warning other nations to not try to assist China in its conflict with Japan
This cartoon shows what Japan now thinks of the various peace treaties it had signed in the past

12. THE RAPE OF NANKING
The Japanese took over the Chinese capital city of Nanking, driving out Chinese forces
Nearly 500,000 Chinese civilians were trapped in Nanking
Starting in December 1937 and ending in January 1938, the Japanese Army embarked on a six-week reign of terror: torturing, raping, mutilating, and murdering as many as 300,000 Chinese civilians (including children and babies)

13. JAPANESE ATROCITIES

14. JAPANESE ATROCITIES

15. JAPANESE ATROCITIES

16. JAPANESE ATROCITIES

17. JAPANESE MILITARY CULTURE
Japanese soldiers followed the Samurai’s warrior code called “Bushido”; it demanded unquestioning loyalty to the divine emperor
Death in battle was seen as a duty and was welcomed

18. Surrender was unthinkable for the Japanese soldier: they felt that citizens or soldiers who surrendered were less than human and deserved nothing but humiliation, torture, and death
Part of Japanese Army training was often the killing of helpless prisoners to drive away any feelings of humanity
As a Japanese soldier put it: “Our training turned human beings into murdering demons.”

19. Hitler and Mussolini sent weapons, planes, and troops to assist Franco
THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR
A fascist leader in Spain, Francisco Franco, started a rebellion against Spain’s government
Hitler and Mussolini sent weapons, planes, and troops to assist Franco
Hitler and Mussolini saw this as an opportunity test their newest weapons (and help a fellow fascist, too)
For this reason, the Spanish Civil War is called a “dress rehearsal” for World War II

20. BOMBING OF GUERNICA
“Condor Legion” was the code name for the Luftwaffe in Spain. Some of Germany’s leading pilots in World War II sharpened their skills in the Spanish Civil War, especially in the art of divebombing (as you can see from the ruins of Guernica)

21. GUERNICA

22. The Italian army easily defeated the Ethiopians
In 1935, Mussolini began his campaign to create a new Roman Empire for Italy by invading Ethiopia
The Italian army easily defeated the Ethiopians

23. Ethiopian soldiers defending their country from the Italian military
The spears, swords, and antique guns of the Ethiopians were no match for Italian airplanes, tanks, guns, and poison gas
Ethiopian soldiers defending their country from the Italian military

24. How did the League of Nations respond?
The League of Nations condemned Japanese and Italian aggression but did nothing to stop the attacks in an effort to maintain peace in the world

25. The failure of the League of Nations to stop Italy or Japan encouraged Hitler to expand Germany as well
In 1935, Hitler defied the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and expanded the size of the German military
In 1936, Hitler moved his army to the Rhineland (which was supposed to be demilitarized)

26. Both times, the League of Nations refused to take action against Hitler in order to avoid war

27. Hitler’s move to reoccupy the DMZ of the Rhineland was a blatant violation of the Treaty of Versailles
At this point, the German military was not yet strong enough to defeat France, if it came to war

28. Hitler took a risk, but he was correct in guessing how badly the French (and their allies) did not want war
The horrors and endless slaughter of World War I were still fresh on the minds of the French; they were not willing to fight over the Rhineland
ASK: Why didn’t the French want war?
ASK (after the picture appears): What war was this?
WORLD WAR I SOLDIERS 28

29. HITLER’S AGGRESSIVE EXPANSION CONTINUES
In 1938, Hitler annexed Austria
Next, Hitler demanded that the western border of Czechoslovakia, an area known as the Sudetenland, be given to Germany

30. HITLER’S AGGRESSIVE EXPANSION CONTINUES
The Sudetenland contained many ethnic Germans; Hitler wanted all Germans (and the land they lived on) to be ruled by Germany
The Czechs asked Britain and France for help

31. Where is the Czech representative?
Britain’s Neville Chamberlain, France’s Edouard Daladier, Germany’s Adolf Hitler, and Italy’s Benito Mussolini
Where is the Czech representative?
In 1938, leaders from England and France met with Hitler and Mussolini at the Munich Conference in order work out an agreement to avoid war

32. Germany was allowed to keep the Sudetenland when Hitler promised to stop expanding
This so-called “peace for our time” came at the expense of Czechoslovakia, but the democratic nations wanted to deter Hitler’s aggression without provoking it

33. THE FAILURE OF APPEASEMENT
As one historian put it: “Munich was surrender on an installment plan. It was like giving a cannibal a finger in hopes of saving an arm.”
Within weeks, Hitler told his generals to prepare plans for taking over the rest of Czechoslovakia
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain after the Munich Conference, declaring that he gained “peace for our time.”

34. THE FAILURE OF APPEASEMENT
Britain and France used appeasement with Hitler: they gave in to his demands in order to avoid war
Six months after the Munich Conference, Hitler broke his promise and annexed ALL of Czechoslovakia
A GRIEVING CZECH WOMAN GREETS NAZI TROOPS MARCHING INTO PRAGUE

35. THE FAILURE OF APPEASEMENT
The League of Nations, led by Britain and France, still did nothing. However, they promised that ONE MORE aggressive move by Hitler would lead to war
Hitler did not believe them

36. In 1939, Hitler demanded that western Poland be returned to Germany, but he did not want to provoke a war with the Soviet Union before he was ready to do so (one of Hitler’s long-term goals was taking over the USSR)

37. Stalin and Hitler agreed to the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, promising never to attack each other

39. Secretly, Germany and the USSR agreed to divide Poland

40. On September 1st, 1939, Hitler ordered the German military to attack Poland

41. HITLER’S PLAN FOR POLAND
In a speech to his military leaders, Hitler leaves no doubt as to his intention with Poland: “Kill without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of the Polish race or language.”
He also said in a public speech: “I shall strike like lightning with the full force of a mechanized army, of which the Poles have no conception.”

42. On September 3rd, 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany
WORLD WAR II BEGINS
On September 3rd, 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany
World War II had begun

43. WHAT WERE THE CAUSES OF WORLD WAR II?
Many factors played a part in the outbreak of
World War II, but it can be broken down to FOUR MAIN CAUSES:
The conditions of the Treaty of Versailles
The aggression of totalitarian dictators
The failure of the League of Nations
The failure of appeasement