Changes

The League of Nations condemned this invasion but was helpless to stop it.  Japan withdrew from the League in 1933.

The League of Nations condemned this invasion but was helpless to stop it.  Japan withdrew from the League in 1933.

In 1937, Japan invaded China, and Japan invaded northern and central China.  It sacked the Chinese capital of Nanjing, killing thousands of soldiers and civilians.  Jiang Jieshi fled to the west while Mao Zedong’s guerilla fighters stayed to combat the Japanese.

In 1937, Japan invaded northern and central China.  It sacked the Chinese capital of Nanjing, killing thousands of soldiers and civilians.  Jiang Jieshi fled to the west while Mao Zedong’s guerilla fighters stayed to combat the Japanese.

In a completely unrelated move, Italy invaded one of the last remaining independent nations in Africa:  Ethiopia.  In the 1890s, Ethiopia had fought off the Italians, but Mussolini was back for revenge.  He easily conquered Ethiopia in 1935 and, again, the League of Nations could nothing when Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie begged for help.

In a completely unrelated move, Italy invaded one of the last remaining independent nations in Africa:  Ethiopia.  In the 1890s, Ethiopia had fought off the Italians, but Mussolini was back for revenge.  He easily conquered Ethiopia in 1935 and, again, the League of Nations could do nothing when Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie begged for help.

In 1935 Hitler was rearming Germany, and in 1936 he moved German troops into the buffer zone separating Germany from France:  the industrialized Rhineland.  This violated the Treaty of Versailles but no one did anything to stop it, certainly not the powerless League of Nations.  Mussolini thought it best to ally Italy with Germany, and in October 1936 they formed the Rome-Berlin Axis.  Japan joined both the following month, unifying the Axis Powers.

In 1935 Hitler was rearming Germany, and in 1936 he moved German troops into the buffer zone separating Germany from France:  the industrialized Rhineland.  This violated the Treaty of Versailles but no one did anything to stop it, including the powerless League of Nations.  Mussolini thought it best to ally Italy with Germany, and in October 1936 they formed the Rome-Berlin Axis.  Japan joined both the following month, unifying the Axis Powers. In 1940, Italy, Germany, and Japan all joined together in the [[Tripartite Pact]] and officially created the Axis Powers.

Hitler was just warming up.  Next he wanted to combine Austria with Germany, as they had been combined in the past.  Hitler himself was born in Austria and many Austrians supported joining Germany.  So Hitler annexed Austria on 12 March 1938 without much resistance, and this is known as the Anschluss (unification of Austria and Germany).  France and Britain had promised to defend the independence of Austria, but did nothing.

Hitler was just warming up.  Next he wanted to combine Austria with Germany, as they had been combined in the past.  Hitler himself was born in Austria and many Austrians supported joining Germany.  So Hitler annexed Austria on 12 March 1938 without much resistance, and this is known as the Anschluss (unification of Austria and Germany).  France and Britain had promised to defend the independence of Austria, but did nothing.