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Great Depression Begins
The Great Depression was a worldwide economic depression that began in the United States. It is argued to have begun on Black Tuesday, when the U.S. stock market crashed. The crash led to a decline in production and a significant rise in unemployment around the world. The Great Depression is said to be a cause of WWII, because it helped plant the seeds for political extremism. Britain and France's policy of appeasement throughout the 1930's can also be attributed to the depression. -
Hitler declares himself Führer
Only a few months after becoming the Chancellor of Germany, President Paul von Hindenburg died, and Hitler assumed the title of Führer. He essentially becomes the absolute dictator of Germany. This marks the establishment of the Third Reich and the rise of Nazi Germany. After Hitler became Führer, he began Germany rearmament and began to implement his aggressive foreign policy, including the invasion Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland, which began the Second World War. -
Invasion of Abyssinia
Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, begins his invasion of Abyssinia. Mussolini wanted to build an empire in North Africa, and distract his people from the impacts of the Great Depression. He eventually conquered Abyssinia and was met with little resistance from Britain, France, or the League of Nations. The invasion showed that the League of Nations was weak, since it didn't do much. It also ruined relations between France and Italy, leading to Mussolini and Hitler being driven closer together. -
Remilitarization of the Rhineland
In March of 1936, Hitler sent troops to the Rhineland. Hitler justified remilitarizing by arguing that the Franco-Soviet Pact violated the Locarno Treaties. France failed to act, because it didn't receive backing from Britain, who believed that Hitler's actions were justified. The remilitarization was important for Hitler to throw out the Treaty of Versailles and bring Germany back to power, and further demonstrates Britain and France's lack of willingness to take action in the 1930's. -
Spanish Civil War Begins
The Spanish Civil War was fought between the Republicans and the Nationalist and was seen as a clash between the extremist ideologies of communism and fascism. The Nationalists were given aid from Germany and Italy, which both saw the value in the creation of a third fascist state. The Republicans were supported by the USSR, but were also given enough aid from Germany. The war set a stage for two opposing extremist ideologies and gave a preview of WWII. -
Rome-Berlin Axis is formed
The Rome-Berlin Axis was an agreement between Italy and Germany later formalized by the Pact of Steele. The coalition linked the two countries together and had them promise to support each other in the event of war. Japan later joined the axis, creating the "axis-powers" of WWII. The axis helped to create the divide which WWII was later fought upon, as Italy chose to side with Germany, leaving France and Britain on their own. -
German Occupation of Austria
Hitler achieves Anschluss after Nazi riots began in Austria and German troops were sent in. The Austrian government was taken over, and Austria was declared apart of Germany. Besides Anschluss being a long-standing goal of Hitler, it was a win for him because it gave Germany access to more resources and increased its army size. Neither Britain, France, nor the League of Nations did anything to stop Hitler, and allowed his aggressive foreign policy to go unchecked. -
Munich Conference
The Munich Conference was a four-power conference between Britain, France, Italy, and Germany. During the conference, Hitler agreed to delay his occupation of Sudetenland so a boundary line could be drawn, guaranteed Czechoslovakian independence, and signed a declarations stating Germany would never go to war with Britain again. Hitler later took over the rest of the nation. The conference demonstrates a failure of British and French appeasement policy. -
Nazi-Soviet Pact
The Nazi-Soviet pact was a non-aggression pact between Germany and the USSR. In the pact, both nations agree not to attack each other for 10 years, and Eastern Europe is carved up into spheres of influence between the two. The pact allows Hitler to invade Poland, and gives Stalin time to prepare for a possible war against Japan and Germany. The agreement made the invasion of Poland, and in turn, the start of WWII imminent, while leaving France and Britain without the USSR as an ally. -
Britain and France Declare War
Two days after Hitler invades Poland, France and Britain declare war on Germany. Italy remains neutral at this point and joins the war only when France is defeated in 1940. Russia is not directly involved in the war yet, but quickly occupies the parts of Poland it was allotted in the Nazi-Soviet Pact. Ultimately, the appeasement of Germany did not prevent war from breaking out.