Aggressors Invade
Nations
Chapter 15
Section 4
Main Idea
As Germany, Italy and Japan conquered
other countries, the rest of the world did
nothing to stop them.
 Many nations today take a more active
and collective role in world affairs, as in
the United Nations.
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Introduction
By the mid 1930s, Germans were
determined to have a military conquest.
 The major democracies were distracted by
economic problems at home and wanted
peace.
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– Britain, France and the United States
Japan Seeks an Empire
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During the 1920s, Japan’s
government became more
democratic.
It signed a treaty to respect
China’s borders and a pact to
renounce war.
However, its constitution put
strict limits on the powers of
the prime minister and the
cabinet.
Civilian leaders had little
control over the armed forces.
Military leaders reported only
to the emperor.
Militarists Take Control of Japan
As long as Japan remained prosperous,
the civilian government kept power.
 Once the Great Depression struck, the
people blamed the government.
 Military leaders gained support and won
control of the country.
 The militarists wanted to restore
traditional control of the government to
the military.
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Taking Control
Made the emperor the symbol of state
power.
 Keeping Emperor Hirohito as head of
state won popular support.
 Like Hitler and Mussolini (Il Duce), Japan’s
militarist were extreme nationalists.
 Wanted to conquer China to solve
economic crisis.
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– Also, provide Japan with raw materials and
market for its goods.
Japan Invades Manchuria
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Japanese businesses had
heavily invested in
Manchuria, a province of
China.
Rich in iron and coal.
Japan takes over.
Builds mines and factories.
Challenge to League of
Nations.
League is furious.
Japan withdraws from
League in 1933.
Japan Invades China
Despite China’s large number of soldiers,
the Japanese easily took over part of
northern China.
 The Japanese were better equipped and
better trained.
 Chinese guerrillas led by China’s
Communist leader, Mao Zedong,
continued to fight the Japanese in the
conquered area.
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1900
1905
1937
1941
European Aggressors on the March
The League’s failure to stop the Japanese
encouraged European Fascists to plan
aggression of their own.
 Fascism – a political movement that
promotes an extreme form of nationalism,
a denial of individual rights, and a
dictatorial one-party rule.
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– Emphasizes loyalty to the state and
obedience to its leader.
Mussolini Attacks Ethiopia
Ethiopia was one of Africa’s three
independent nations.
 1935 – Mussolini orders an invasion of
Ethiopia.
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League Does Nothing
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Attacking Ethiopia went against the
policy of the League.
Ethiopia’s emperor begged for help.
League did nothing.
Britain let Italian troops through the
Suez Canal.
Britain and France thought that if
they gave into Mussolini in Africa
that it would keep the peace in
Europe.
Hitler Defies Versailles Treaty
Hitler had long pledged to undo the
Versailles Treaty.
 The treaty had limited the size of
Germany’s army.
 March 1935 – Hitler announces that he is
not going to obey.
 League basically slapped his hand.
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Defiance
The League’s failure to stop
Hitler from rearming
convinced Hitler to take
greater risks.
 Treaty had also banned
Germany from entering a 30
mile zone on either side of the
Rhine River (Rhineland).
 March 7, 1936 – Germany
enters Rhineland.
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Appeasement
The French were unwilling to risk war.
 The British urged appeasement, giving
in to an aggressor to keep peace.
 French and British do not challenge
Hitler.
 He later admitted that he would have
backed down, if he had been challenged.
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Appeasement
Reoccupation of the Rhineland
The German reoccupation marked a turning
point in the march toward war.
 1. It strengthened Hitler’s power and prestige
within Germany.
 2. The balance of power changed in
Germany’s favor. France and Belgium were now
open to attack.
 3. The weak response from France and Britain
encouraged Hitler to speed up his expansion.
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Axis Powers
Hitler’s strength
convinced Mussolini that
he should seek an
alliance with Germany.
 Hitler agrees.
 One month later,
Germany makes an
agreement with Japan.
 Germany, Italy and
Japan = Axis Powers.
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Civil War Erupts in Spain
Spain was a monarchy until 1931, when
it became a republic.
 1936 - Army leaders favored a fascist
style government.
 General Francisco Franco led the revolt.
 Hitler and Mussolini aided Franco.
 1939 – Franco becomes Spain’s Fascist
dictator.
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Democratic Nations Try
to Preserve Peace
Britain and France continued to not take a
stand against Fascist aggression.
 Both countries were having economic
problems.
 Neither wanted another world war.
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United States Follows an
Isolationist Policy
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Isolationism – the
belief that political
ties to other
countries should be
avoided.
– Many Americans
supported this view.
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1935 – Congress
passed three
Neutrality Acts.
– Banned loans and
sale of arms to
nations at war.
The German Reich Expands
November 5, 1937 – Hitler announced his
plans to absorb Austria and
Czechoslovakia into the Third Reich
(German Empire).
 1938 - Germans annexed Austria.
 What did France and Britain do?
 Nothing
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Czechoslovakia
Hitler moves on to Czechoslovakia.
 Three million Germans lived in the
western border called the Sudetenland.
 The Sudeten Germans quickly developed
pro-Nazi feelings.
 September 1938 – Hitler demands that the
Sudetenland be given to Germany.
 Czechs ask France for help.
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Britain and France Again
Choose Appeasement
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Mussolini proposed a meeting
for Germany, Italy, France and
Britain in Munich, Germany.
– Munich Conference (9/29/1938)
Czechs were not invited.
 British Prime Minister, Neville
Chamberlain, believed that
appeasement was the solution.
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– Give into Hitler’s demand.
Appeasement
Britain and France agree that
Germany could have the
Sudetenland.
 Hitler agrees to respect the new
borders of Czechoslovakia.
 Winston Churchill, member of
parliament and future prime
minister, disagreed with
Chamberlain.
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– He strongly opposed appeasement
and warned the public of its
consequences.
Six Months Later
Hitler takes Czechoslovakia.
 Mussolini seizes Albania.
 Hitler demanded that Poland return the
former German port of Danzig.
 Poles refused and looked to France and
Britain for aid.
 Hitler was certain that neither nation
would risk war due to their practice of
appeasement.
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Nazis and Soviets Sign
Nonaggression Pact
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Britain and France asked the Soviet Union (led
by Joseph Stalin) to join them in stopping
Hitler’s aggression.
Stalin began talking with Hitler.
Hitler and Stalin, both dictators, reached an
agreement.
Pledged to never attack one another.
August 23, 1939 – signed the nonaggression
pact.
War appeared inevitable.