1. Chapter 26 –World War II
Section 1 – Paths to War

2. Main Idea :
Adolf Hitler’s theory of racial domination laid the foundation for aggressive expansion outside of Germany.

3. Hitler Violates Treaty
Origins of Appeasement
Hitler rejected Treaty of Versailles and began rebuilding German military—the global community did not respond.
1936:Hitler’s tanks rolled
into the Rhineland—
France and England
did nothing.

4. New Alliances
October Prime Minister Benito Mussolini has his armies invade the country of Ethiopia in Africa.
1936 – Germany and Italy sent troops to Spain to help General Franco.
Germany has an alliance
with Italy and Japan

5. Demands and Appeasement
Through the 1930’s France and England chose a Policy of Appeasement. If European states satisfies the reasonable demands of dissatisfied powers, the dissatisfied powers would be content, and stability and peace would be achieved in Europe.

6. Munich Agreement
Sept 1938: Hitler eyed Sudetenland—a German- speaking portion of Czechoslovakia.
Munich Agreement: Britain and France allowed Hitler to take the Sudetenland, with his assurances that he will stop his aggression.
British Prime Minister Chamberlain returned
to England confident
“We have achieved peace in our time!”
In March 1939, Hitler took the rest of Czechoslovakia.

8. Hitler and the Soviets
Recognizing the failure of appeasement, Britain and France pledged to fight if Poland was attacked.
Hitler and Stalin—political enemies, signed nonaggression pact in August 1939—secretly, they agreed to divide
Poland.

9. Germany Invades Poland
Sept. 1, 1939—Poland fell victim to German blitzkrieg, or lightening war.
September 3, 1939, England and France declared war on Germany.

10. Europe was again at war.

11. Japanese Path to War 1931 - Japan invaded Manchuria.
The Japanese army was committed to an expansionist policy.

12. The United States chose a Policy of Isolationism.
The belief that political ties with other countries should be avoided.
Basically we were going to mind our own business.
1935- U.S. passed
3 Neutrality Acts.
These banned the loans and the selling of arms to nations at war.