2. Axis Aggression Preview Starting Points Map: Europe, 1930s
Main Idea / Reading Focus
Germany Expands
Map: Axis Advances
Alliances and Civil War

3. Axis Aggression Preview, continued The War Begins
Faces of History: Winston Churchill
Japan Attacks

4. Axis Aggression Main Idea Reading Focus
In the late 1930s Germany, Italy, and Japan used military force to build empires. Their aggressive actions led to the outbreak of World War II.
Reading Focus
In what ways did Germany expand in the late 1930s?
What alliances did Axis nations make in the 1930s?
How did the war begin?
What were the causes and effects of Japan’s attack on the United States?

5. World War II and Its Aftermath
Section 1: From Appeasement to War
Witness History Audio: The Desperate Peace
Aggression Goes Unchecked
When the aggressive actions of dictators in Japan, Germany, and Italy went virtually unchallenged, these regimes grew bolder. The Western policy of appeasement and widespread pacifism fed the ambitions of the three countries, which formed a pact not to interfere in each other’s expansion.
Notes: Listen to the Witness History audio. Then read aloud the main idea for each subheading in this section and show the related visuals.
After listening to the Witness History audio, ask, “What is the main idea of Chamberlain’s speech?” (He believes he has achieved and agreement that means lasting peace with Germany.) Ask students to predict how long the peace will last.
When showing Color Transparency 174, use the lesson suggested in the transparency book to guide a discussion.
Note Taking Transparency 171A
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6. Click the icon to play Listen to History audio.
Click the icon below to connect to the Interactive Maps.

8. Germany Expands After World War I
Treaty of Versailles seriously damaged German economy
Adolf Hitler came to power
Promised to restore Germany’s greatness
Lebensraum, or “living room”
Hitler wanted more territory
Neighbors aware of threat
Memories of World War I still fresh
No one willing to fight over words

11. Rebuilding the German Military
Hitler controlled German government by 1933
Secretly rebuilt military
Unchallenged—openly stated plan to re-arm Germany
Claimed resisting spread of communism—but empire building
Militarizing the Rhineland
Direct action in 1936
Armed force sent to the Rhineland
French and British complained; no direct action taken
German troops remained; Hitler grew bolder

13. Annexing Austria Europeans eager to avoid war Hitler plotted his moves
Target-Austria
German-speaking country
Hitler’s birthplace
Nazi supporters in Austria
Aggressive moves
Hitler demanded Austrian officials accept annexation (Anschluss)
Initial Austrian resistance
Britain and France did nothing
March 1938-unopposed German forces take over Austria
Hitler’s demands

16. Threats to Czechoslovakia
Another German-speaking population
Sudetenland eager to be a part of Germany
Hitler threatened the Czech government
Czechs prepared for war
Avoiding conflict
September 1938—meeting in Munich
Chamberlain (British) and Daladier (French) agreed not to block Hitler
Czechs had no support
Policy of appeasement
Appeasement—giving in to aggressive demands in order to avoid war
Winston Churchill opposed the policy
“Peace for our time” according to Chamberlain

20. Make Generalizations
How did the British and French respond to Germany’s expansion and aggression?
Answer(s): followed a policy of appeasement, giving in to Hitler's demands to maintain peace

21. World War II and Its Aftermath
Section 1: From Appeasement to War
Spain Collapses into Civil War
When conservatives led by Francisco Franco revolted against the new reformist government in Spain, a civil war broke out that drew help from Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union. Franco’s rebels won, and he set up a fascist dictatorship.
German Aggression Continues
Hitler annexed Austria and Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland in his quest to bring all German-speaking people in to the Third Reich. Britain and France were not willing to go to war over either move.
Notes: Listen to the Witness History audio. Then read aloud the main idea for each subheading in this section and show the related visuals.
After listening to the Witness History audio, ask, “What is the main idea of Chamberlain’s speech?” (He believes he has achieved and agreement that means lasting peace with Germany.) Ask students to predict how long the peace will last.
When showing Color Transparency 174, use the lesson suggested in the transparency book to guide a discussion.
Note Taking Transparency 171B
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22. Alliances and Civil War
Hitler builds alliances with other totalitarian governments.
Military force to achieve goals
Anti-Comintern Pact
Germany and Japan
Prevent spread of communism
Oppose USSR
Italy joins Axis Powers later
Military alliance
Pledge aid in event of war
The Axis forms
Political conflict begins in 1936
Italy and Germany support fascist Nationalists
Soviet Union supports Republicans
Nationalists win after years of fighting
Francisco Franco
Fascist dictator
Spanish Civil War

24. A Secret Deal with Stalin
Germany and Soviet Union on opposing sides in Spanish Civil War
No direct conflict
Axis Powers united against Soviet Union
Soviet leader Joseph Stalin threatened by German expansion
France and Britain discuss possible alliance with Soviet Union
Stalin did not trust British or French
In secret negotiations with Germans
German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact
Each side agreed not to attack the other; allowed further German aggression in Europe
Secret section divided up territory in Eastern Europe
News shocked British and French; Hitler definitely on the march

25. World War II and Its Aftermath: Section 1
Color Transparency 174: Wonder How Long the Honeymoon Will Last?
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26. Identify Supporting Details
With whom did Hitler seek alliances in the late 1930s?
Answer(s): Japan and Italy; he also signed a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union

27. World War II and Its Aftermath
Section 1: From Appeasement to War
Europe Plunges Toward War
When Germany seized the rest of Czechoslovakia, Britain and France decided they would move to stop Hitler if he attacked Poland. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin made a pact with Hitler that they would not interfere with each other in annexing parts of Eastern Europe. Two days after German forces invaded Poland, on September 3, 1939, World War II began.
Color Transparency 174: Wonder How Long the Honeymoon Will Last?
Geography Interactive: Aggression in Europe and Africa to September, 1939
Notes: Listen to the Witness History audio. Then read aloud the main idea for each subheading in this section and show the related visuals.
After listening to the Witness History audio, ask, “What is the main idea of Chamberlain’s speech?” (He believes he has achieved and agreement that means lasting peace with Germany.) Ask students to predict how long the peace will last.
When showing Color Transparency 174, use the lesson suggested in the transparency book to guide a discussion.
QuickTake Section Quiz
Progress Monitoring Transparency
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28. German troops in position
The War Begins
September 1, 1939
Germany attacked Poland
World War II begins
Blitzkrieg or “lightning war”
Devastating effects
Polish air force destroyed
Soldiers fought; no match for German forces
No natural barriers in the way
Support for Poland
Britain and France declared war on Germany
Allies gave no real help
Poland fell into German hands
German troops in position
On Germany’s western border
Hitler eager for assault on France
Plans for invasion made

31. World War II and Its Aftermath: Section 1
Note Taking Transparency 171A
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32. World War II and Its Aftermath: Section 1
Note Taking Transparency 171B
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