During the 1920s and 1930s totalitarian dictators
came to power in many nations.
Japan
Italy
Germany
Soviet Union
Emperor Hirohito
Prime Minister Tojo
Benito Mussolini
Adolph Hitler
Joseph Stalin
Militarism
Fascism
Nazism
Communism
 As
the dictators
began to take over
other countries, the
United States tried to
remain neutral.
 Japan
invaded and
took over Manchuria
in China
• United States issued
the “Stimson
Doctrine” – refused to
recognize territories
acquired by force
• Put an embargo on
exports of oil and steel
to Japan
 Italy
invaded and
took over Ethiopia
• United States ignored
the invasion
 Germany
put troops
in the Rhineland
(violating the Treaty
of Versailles)
• United States ignored
the violation and
began to pass the
“Neutrality Acts” to
keep out of any future
war.
 Germany
annexed
Austria
• Most of Austria’s
people favored
unification
• France and Britain
adopted policy of
Appeasement, which is
giving up principle to
pacify an aggressor.
 Germany and the Soviet
and the
Union both invade
Soviet Union sign a
pact promising not to Poland, World War II
Begins.
attack each other.
• Germany introduces
(Non-Aggression
“blitzkrieg” (lightning war)
Pact)
 Germany
• United States
announced neutrality
 Germany
takes over
France and Most of
Europe
• United States gave
Britain war supplies
and old naval warships
in return for military
bases in Bermuda and
the Caribbean
 Germany
bombards
Great Britain (the
Battle of Britain)
• Battle of Britain:
nightly bombings of
London, many civilians
killed
 Germany, Italy
and
Japan signed a treaty
of alliance
• United States “loans”
war materials to Great
Britain under the
Lend-Lease Act
 Germany
invades the
Soviet Union
• US extends Lend-
Lease to Soviets
 December
7th, 1941,
Japan launches a
surprise attack on the
US Naval Base at
Pearl Harbor in
Hawaii
• Roosevelt called it “a
day that will live in
infamy”
• US declares war on
Japan
 Germany
and Italy
declare war on the
United States
• The United States joins
World War II