World War II The Paths to War
The German Path to War Rise of Adolf Hitler Born in Austria 1889 Rose in German politics as head of the National Socialist German Workers Party (a.k.a. Nazi) Became Germany s Chancellor in 1933 Dictator of Germany 1934-1945 Believed Germans to be superior Aryan race The First Steps As Chancellor- revise unfair provisions of Treaty of Versailles peacefully Creation of air force March 9, 1935 Military draft increasing army from 100,000 500,000 troops Actions violated Treaty Condemned by France, GB, & Italy Troops sent to demilitarized area of Germany called Rhineland Actions violated Treaty France would not use force w/o GB Great Britain began appeasement policy
New Alliances: Benito Mussolini - a new Roman Empire Angered by French and British opposition Welcomed German support Joined forces to aid General Francisco Franco in Spanish Civil War in 1936 Became known as the Rome-Berlin Axis Japan - Anti-Comintern Pact Promised a common front vs. communism Germany and Japan-1936 Italy joined one year later
Austria Germany now a self proclaimed World Power Anschluss Union with Austria Threatened invasion Chancellor put Austrian Nazi s in charge of gov t New government invites German troops to aid law/order Hitler annexes Austria to Germany
SIGHTS SET ON CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1938- Demanded Germany be given Sudetenland Area in northwestern Czech largely German population Munich Conference British, French, German & Italian reps agreed to Hitler s demands German troops to occupy Czechs abandoned by Western allies Highpoint of Western appeasement Neville Chamberlain, GB Prime Minister Believe Hitler claim of No More Demands
German and Italian expansion 1935-1939
Great Britain & France finally.. A REACTION Hitler s arrogance Believed Western democracies to be weak 1939 invasion of Bohemia & Moravia= Western Czech Hitler publicly declares self Greatest German of them all GB vows to protect Poland GB & France negotiate with Soviet Union-only hope to contain Nazi aggression Inset: Spineless Leaders of Democracy Caption: Stepping stones to glory
Hitler s FEAR HITLER AND THE SOVIETS Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact Soviet & Western Alliance = Two front war August 1939 - signing of Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact Stalin gets Eastern Poland and Baltic states Hitler expected to fight Soviet Union anyway Pact prevented a two front war Attacked Poland regardless of pact September 1, 1939 GB and France declare WAR on Germany
The Japanese Path to War The NEED for Natural Resources 1931 Manchuria seizure Chinese attack on Japan railway in Mukden justification Mukden incident actually carried out by Japan League of Nations condemns Manchuria seizure Japan withdrew from League of Nations Renames Manchuria Manchukuo Begins expansion to Northern China US unwilling to recognize Japan takeover of Manchuria Resistent to use of force
Japanese War with China Chiang Kai-shek attempts to avoid conflict Communism greater concern Appeasement policy Allows Japan to govern areas in Northern China Japan moves southward Chinese/Japanese forces clash 1937, south of Beijing Japan seizes Chinese capital- Nanjing Chiang Kai-shek moves government to Chongqing
New Asian Order Wanted Chiang to agree to New Order in East Asia To include Japan, Manchuria, and China Japan would maintain control Teach modernization Plan to seize Soviet Siberia Negotiations & cooperation with Nazi Germany To divide resources after joint attack Germany signed nonaggression pact in 1939 Japan to turned efforts to Southeast Asia to fuel military Did not have resources to defeat Soviet Demanded economic resources from French Indochina US objected and threatened sanctions Japan needed resources from US & Southeast Asia Japan decides to launch attack on US and European colonies Pearl Harbor