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Paths to War

I. The German Path to War A. Hitler believed Germany could be a

great civilization if they had more land to settle

B. In March of 1935, Hitler created an air force and a military draft which was against the Treaty of Versailles

C. France and Britain condemned Hitler but because of the Depression, they were not prepared to act

D. March 1936- Hitler sent troops into the Rhineland- a demilitarized area according to the Treaty of Versailles 1. Great Britain didn’t see a need to

respond even though troops were very close to the French border

2. This started the policy of appeasement- If European conutries satisfied Hitler’s demands, peace could be preserved

E. In 1936, Hitler and Mussolini became allies. Germany also formed an alliance with Japan

F. In 1938 Hitler gained a union with Austria called Anschluss Hitler threatened to invade Austria To avoid invasion, they allowed in

German troops and formed a Nazi government

G. In 1938, Hitler demanded the Sudetenland (area in Czechoslovakia) 1. British, French and Italian rulers

agreed to give it to him to keep peace H. March 1939, Hitler invaded

Czechoslovakia 1. In response Great Britain promised to

protect Poland if Germany invaded 2. France and Great Britain began

negotiating with Stalin about containing Hitler

I. August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union sighn a noonagression pact promising not to attack each other

J. Septemeber 1, 1939: Germany invades Poland, Great Britain and France declare war on Germany

II. The Japanese Path to War A. September 1931, Japanese soldiers

sieze Manchuria after claiming China had attacked them

B. The League of Nations investigated and said a Chinese attack never occurred 1. Japan pulls out of the League 2. Japans holds on to Manchuria and

renames it Manchukuo

C. The U.S. condemned the takeover but does nothing to stop it

D. Chaing Kai-shek tried to appease the Japaneses by letting the keep Manchuria 1. Chaing was more concerned with war

against the Chinese Communists

E. July 1937, Japan attacked Chinese troops outside of Beijing 1. Japanese siezed the city 2. Chaing refused to surrender and

moved the capitol

F. Japan planned to sieze Soviet Siberia, in the 30’s they conspired with Nazi Germany to divide the Soviet Union

G. 1940’s- Japan demads rights to natural resources in French Indochina 1. In response the U.S. imposes

economic sanctions

H. Economic sanctions hurt the Japanese who needed oil and iron from the U.S. 1. In retaliation, Japan decided to launch

a surprise attack on the U.S.