Pre- WWII Totalitarianism and Agression

By evakillenberg

  • Japan invades Manchuria

    Japan's invasion was the first direct challenge to the rules established by the League of Nations. The League's protest of this attack were ignored by the Japanese.

  • Soviet Famine

    A grain-production shortage leads to death and food insecurity in Russia. Information of the famine was surpressed by the Soviet government until the 1990's.

  • Aldolf Hitler Named Chancellor of Germany

    Conservative leaders advised President Paul von Hindenburg to name Hitler Chancellor. Hitler then called for new elections in hope that the Nazi party would win majority.

  • Japan withdraws from the League of Nations

    Following their attack of Manchuria, Japan withdraws from the League of Nations. The League's failure to stop Japan encouraged European Fascists to conquer territoy for themselves.

  • Nazi wins majority election

    Six days prior to the election, a mysterious fire destroyed the building in which Parliament met. The Nazi Party blamed the Communists, and therefore were able to win my a slim majority.

  • Soviet Great Purge

    Due to Stalin's paranoia, Soviets were arrested, tried and murdered on charges of treason from 1934-36. Stalin demonstrated his total and unquestioned power by murdering thousands of people.

  • Hitler desposes of his enemies

    Hitler used his loyal protection squad, or the SS (Schutzstaffel), to arrest and murder hundreds of his enemies. The terror that follows schocked Germans into total obedience.

  • Germany defies Treaty of Versailles

    Germany openly defied the treaty by secretly re-militarizing. when Hitler went public, Europe learned that the Nazis had 2,500 war planes and an army of 300,000 men.

  • Italy invades Ethiopia

    To avenge a defeat in the 1890's, Mussolini orders an massive attack on Ethiopia. Despite Ethiopia's plea to the League of Nations for assistance, Britain did nothing in hopes that giving Italy Africa would appease their aggression.

  • Germany invades the Rhineland

    The Rhineland was a demilitarized buffer-zone between Germany and France established after WWI. The French were unwilling to risk war, so they allowed the Germans to move into the Rhineland.

  • Rome-Berlin Axis, Axis Powers formed

    Hitler and Mussolini recognized each other's powerand sought an alliance. They reached an agreement which one month later, also included Japan, forming the Axis Powers

  • Germany annexes Austria

    Many Austrians supported unity with the Germans. Although the Treaty of Versailles prohibited this annexation, Britain and France did nothing.

  • Munich Conference

    Leaders from Germany, France, Britain and Italy met in Munich, Germany to dicsuss the growing tensions in Europe. Chamberlain believed that by giving in to Hitler's demand, they could maintain peace. Germany was given the Sudetenland, and promised in exchange to respect Czechoslovakia's new borders.

  • Kristallnacht

    Nazi mobs attacked Jews in their houses and on the streets. They destroyed synagogues, Jewish homes and Jewish-owned stores.

  • Germans claim the rest of Czechoslovakia

    Less than six months after aquiring the Sudetenland, Germany claims the remainder of Czechoslovakia, despite his promise to respect their border.

  • Italy invades Albania

    Soon after Hitler took Czechoslovakia, Mussolini moves into Albania.

  • Germany and the USSR sign non-aggression pact

    Germany and Russia came to a public agreement not to attack each other. This allowed the Axis powers to move unchecked for the majority of the 1930's.

  • Germany invades Poland

    The Germans used their Blitzkrieg strategy to take Poland by surprise and quickly overwhelm them. The strategy was very effective and Germany easily seized Poland.

  • Soviets annex countries

    Stalin sent troops to occupy eastern Poland, then annex countries to the north. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were easily conquered, but Finland resisted. The Soviets were able to defeat the Soviets following a harsh winter battle.

  • Germany invades France

    After a dramatic sweep of the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, the Germans struck France from Belgium's border. By June 14th, they had taken Paris, and Frnace surrendered a week later.