-
Period: to
Events That Led to the War
-
Japanese Invasion of Manchuria
The Japanese wanted to recover from the Great Depression, and has an overpopulated country. They wanted Manchuria. Explosions ruined a railway track near Mukden. They owned the railway and blamed the Chinese, so they invaded Manchuria. Later, the Japanese overran the region, and there was no resistance from the Chinese Army. The Japanese declared that'd it be the state of Manchukuo, and the new nation became under the control of the local Japanese Army. -
Germany's Rearmament
On March 16, 1935, Adolf Hitler made it clear that he would rearm Germany because of its violation of the Treaty of Versailles. He made it clear that Germany was under construction for an Air Force and would soon implement conscription, and have an army with more than a million men. So he made it clear what he thought of the Jews, and aimed for a strong German nation/army. He saw Nazi Germany as the main center for Eastern Europe. https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/c -
Italo-Ethiopian War
Occurred due to Ethiopia's suppression to Italy's rule. Ethiopia was an independent state in Europe-controlled Africa. Italy tried to defeat it, was unsuccessful. An incident at the border, made Mussolini reject arbitrary offers, and invade Ethiopia. Italy won a victory near Lake Ascianghi and took the capital. Haile Selassie went into exile. In Rome, Mussolini announced Italy's king the emperor of Ethiopia. League of Nations berated Italy's invasion+ voted economic sanctions on them. -
Spanish Civil War
This began as a riot by the right winged Spanish officers who were in the Spanish Morocco, and were able to spread this to the rest of Spain. Francisco Franco, the general spread messages calling for officers to join the riot and overthrow the leftist Spanish Republican gov. They captured Morocco and northern Spain in a span of 3 days. Republics were successful in ceasing the riot. Republicans and Nationalists secured their territories by executing opponents. https://www.history.com/this-day-in- -
Anschluss
Hitler announced the Anschluss union between the Germany and Austria. Austria was annexed into Germany. Since 1919, Austrian Social Democrats liked the idea of a union with Germany. Hitler though, didn't have all of the approval of the Austrian-Social Democrats, but because of the rise of right-winged pro-Nazi parties with Austria, Hitler was successful. So Austrian chancellor appointed Nazi ministers of police and declared an amnesty for the Nazi prisoners. German troops invaded Austria. -
German occupation of Czechoslovakia
On March 15, 1939, Germany's troops made way into Czechoslovakia. They took over Bohemia, and were able to instill a protectorate over Slovakia. This caused an end of an appeasement and was to prove that Hitler lied to Munich. It also established Hitler wasn't just interested in a greater Germany, as he showed that the Czechs weren't actual Germans. Chamberlain gave a speech that said he didn't trust Hitler not invading other countries and said to defend Poland if Germany were to invade it. -
Invasion of Poland
Hitler wanted to sign a nonaggression pact with Poland. Germans who supported Hitler despised that Poland received former German provinces. Hitler wanted to neutralize chances of a French-Polish military alliance against Germany before it could rearm.
Germany invaded Poland, Poland was defeated and with more than 2,000 tanks and 1,000 planes, made it through Polish defense. They gave an encirclement attack, Warsaw surrendered on September 27, 1939. Britain/France, declared war on Germany.
