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Mussolini’s March on Rome
From October 27, 1922 to October 30th, Mussolini organized a mass demonstration and march on Rome, which was significant because it marked the beginning of fascist rule in Italy - he did not allow his citizens to have differing political opinions. They marched Rome in order to show support for Mussolini's ideas and to make them seem like one of the strongest political parties at the time. -
Stalin Becomes Dictator of USSR
Stalin assumed leadership over the USSR after Lenin's death in 1924. He quickly became a dictator, and this event proved to be significant because under Stalin's rule, the USSR was transformed into an industrial and military superpower in opposition to the peaceful peasant/farming country it was before. He reigned by terror and many of his citizens died under his rule. -
Hitler writes Mein Kampf
Hitler's "Mein Kampf", or "My Struggles" was a political manifesto that he wrote while spending time in prison as a blueprint for his plans with Germany. It was first published in 1925 and held great significance as it outlined many of Hitler's key beliefs, such as establishing his perceived importance of the "Aryan Race" and German superiority, which was one of the main causes leading into WWII. -
1st “Five Year Plan” in USSR
The first "Five Year Plan" was created with the intention to create rapid large-scale industrialization across the USSR, and was implemented by Stalin. The plan wanted economic growth in the nation and for them to rise in power. It was significant because it made their country level with others around them. -
Japan invades Manchuria
September 18th, 1931, the Japanese began their invasion of Manchuria, when the Kwantung Army invaded them without any declarations of war in order to gain resources like oil, rubber, and lumber, that were scarce in their lands. This invasion without declaration was a breach of the rules of the League of Nations, which led to international isolation of Japan and was one of the key factors in the beginning of WWII. -
Holodomor
The Holodomor, also known as the Terror-Famine or Great Famine, was a famine in Soviet Ukraine that lasted from 1932-1933. The famine ended up killing millions of Ukrainians, and one of the main causes was Stalin's Policies- which created this man-made famine. This sparked some peasant rebellions and uprisings around Ukraine, which contributed to the unrest within the societies that helped lead to war. WHY- it was a result of Stalin's policies he implemented. -
Hitler appointed chancellor of Germany
Hitler was formally appointed Chancellor on January 30th, 1933. This was the start of his absolute dictatorship, which would eventually lead Germany into WWII. This was arguably the most significant of events leading up to the World War, and one of the biggest causes. This appointment followed a series of electoral victories by the uprising Nazi party in Germany. -
“Night of the Long Knives” (Germany)
The Night of the Long Knives was a purge that took place in Nazi Germany the week from June to July 1934, where Hitler, fearing opposition to the Nazi Party within ranks, ordered his elite guards to murder organization leaders. This was significant because it showed Germany as well as the rest of the world what a tyrant Hitler was, and it reinforced conformity within Germany to Hitler's ways. -
Nuremberg Laws Enacted
The Nuremberg Laws were enacted on the 15th of September, 1935, in Nazi Germany to reinforce antisemitic and racist ideals that were beginning to become prevalent within the country. According to these laws, people with Jewish grandparents were Jews and thus would be discriminated against. This contributed to the war because it pushed more divisive and harmful ideals that caused blame on Jews to become more common in Germany. -
Italian Invasion of Ethiopia
This invasion was also called the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, and it was an act of aggression from Italy, who were attempting to further their nationalistic views and boost Italian prestige, as they has previously been defeated by Ethiopia in the nineteenth century. This Invasion contributed to nationalistic and war-driven attitudes across Italy, which was significant in starting their involvement in WWII. -
The Great Purge and Gulags
The Great Purge, also called the Great Terror, lasted from 1936-1938 and was Stalin's campaign to solidify his power-also designed to remove any other influences from political figures he viewed as rivals. People like ethnic minorities were murdered, as well as government officials and members of the Communist party. The Gulags were labor camps/prisons that housed prisoners and criminals. This was significant because it was Stalin's attempt to eliminate any challenges in his way of dictatorship. -
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War took place 1936, with the main cause being the failure of Spanish Democracy. This was a significant event leading to WWII at the time because so many new weapons and war tactics were demonstrated, and it was a breeding ground for involvement in more wars. -
The Rape of Nanking
From 1937-1938, the Japanese Imperial Army captured Nanjing, the capital of China at the time, during a war, murdering thousands upon thousands of civilians in cruel and inhumane ways, as well as raping thousands of Chinese women. This display of horrible brutality hinted at the significance acts like this would later play during WWII. -
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, also called the Night of Broken Glass, was an organized massacre against Jews that was carried out by the German Nazi Party forces along with German civilians, November 9th-10th 1938. German authorities looked on without intervening and many people died. Germans also torched synagogues and vandalized Jewish homes- more outright and inhuman examples of antisemitism and racism that led to the peak of WWII. -
Nazi Germany invades Poland
Hitler wanted more "living space" for the Germans, believing he was regaining lost territory, and decided to attack the Republic of Poland, marking the official beginning of World War II in an attempt to rule over Poland. This was very significant because it started the war and gave countries the blueprints of how Hitler was planning on fighting the war- with strategies like "blitzkrieg." -
Japan Bombs Pearl Harbor
The attack against Pearl Harbor by Japan's Imperial Navy Air Service was a surprise military strike against the United States on their naval base in Hawaii. This was extremely significant as it was the strike that brought the United States into the war after their previous declarations of neutrality / individuality.