Causes of WWII By JTSchams Period: Jan 1, 1919 to Dec 31, 1922 Fascist Party rises topower in Italy Period: Jan 1, 1919 to Dec 31, 1923 Nazi Party rises to power in Germany Jan 1, 1920 Japan, lacking land and natural resources, becomes land-hungry and looks to establish an empire Jan 1, 1922 Mussolini is appointed Prime Minister of italy Nov 1, 1923 Hilter tries to overthrow German government, but fails and is imprisoned Jan 1, 1930 Japan's economy worsens as a result of the Great Depression Jan 1, 1931 Japan's army seizes Manchuria (northern China) Period: Jan 1, 1932 to Dec 31, 1937 Japan's military takes over government Jan 1, 1933 Nazi Party is the largest political party in Germany's Reichstag & Hilter becomes head of the German state Oct 1, 1935 Mussolini & Italy invade Ethiopia Jan 1, 1936 Hitler signs and alliance wtih Mussolini, forming the Axis Powers Mar 9, 1936 German troops invade the Rhineland Jan 1, 1938 FDR moves American Pacific fleet from San Diego to Pearl Harbor Mar 1, 1938 Hitler annexes Austria Sep 1, 1938 Hilter demands the Sudetenland; Britain and France agree in the Munich Conference Jan 1, 1939 America passes a series of Neutrlity Acts saying that the US would withhold weapons & loans from all nations at war Mar 1, 1939 Hitler annexes Czechoslovakia Mar 31, 1939 Britain & France pledge support to Poland in the event that it is invaded by Germany Sep 1, 1939 Hitler invades Poland - Blitzkrieg Sep 3, 1939 France & Great Britain declare war on Germany Jan 1, 1940 Japan controls most of eastern China Jan 1, 1940 America First Committee forms to flight for American isolationism Apr 9, 1940 Sitzkrieg ends - Germany attacks Denmark & Norway Period: Apr 9, 1940 to Jun 14, 1940 German troops enter Paris & France surrenders May 10, 1940 Germany launches blitzkrieg on Belgium Sep 1, 1940 Congress authorizes the first peaces time draft in the nation's history - Selective Service Act Sep 1, 1940 Japan allies with Germany & Italy - Tripartite Pact Nov 1, 1940 Roosevelt is reelected to a third term Nov 25, 1940 Japanese fleet beings moving toward Southeast Asia; US demands that Japan withdraw from Tripartite Pact Jan 1, 1941 German raids on England end Mar 1, 1941 Lend-Lease Act Apr 1, 1941 Japan signs neutrlity pact with Soviet Union Jun 1, 1941 Japanese forces occupy Indochina; U.S. freezes Japan's American assets & cuts off trade Dec 7, 1941 American military base, Pearl Harbor, is attacked by Japanese warplanes Dec 8, 1941 United States declares war on Japan Dec 11, 1941 German & Italy declare war on the United States Dec 1, 1946 German begins bombing England / Battle of Britain