Changes

===Aggression in the 1930s===  

===Aggression in the 1930s===  

Japan’s feudal period had militaristic aspects, but in the 1920s Japan had a democratic government that signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact for peace.  But then the Great Depression hit Japan just like everywhere else, and the Japanese overthrew their democratic government and replaced it with a military regime.  Emperor Hirohito rose to power as a military ruler.

Japan’s feudal period had militaristic aspects, but in the 1920s Japan had a democratic government that signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact for peace.  Then the Great Depression hit Japan just like everywhere else, and the Japanese overthrew their democratic government and replaced it with a military regime.  Emperor Hirohito rose to power as a military rule

Japan decided that it could solve its economic problems by expanding.  That would enable it to obtain raw materials for production and new markets for exports.  At least that is what the historians say.  The truth is that the Japanese liked winning wars and no one had beaten them yet.  China was many times bigger than Japan, but was no match for the Japanese military.  Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, attracted in part by the coal and iron deposits there.  This invasion began the Asian phase of World War II.

Japan decided that it could solve its economic problems by expanding.  That would enable it to obtain raw materials for production and new markets for exports.  At least that is what many historians say.  Perhaps the real truth is that the Japanese liked winning wars and no one had beaten them yet.  China was many times bigger than Japan, but was no match for the Japanese military.  Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, attracted in part by the coal and iron deposits there.  This invasion began the Asian phase of World War II.

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 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 guerrilla 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 do 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, 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.

By 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 March 12, 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 March 12, 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.

The more Hitler grabbed, the more he wanted. He turned to western Czechoslovakia, which had a large number of German speakers.  In September 1938 he demanded that this region, the Sudetenland, submit to Germany and join it.  But the Czech government refused and turned to France for assistance.

The more Hitler grabbed, the more he wanted. He turned to western Czechoslovakia, which had a large number of German speakers.  In September 1938 he demanded that this region, the Sudetenland, submit to Germany and join it.  But the Czech government refused and turned to France for assistance.

Mussolini requested the Munich Conference in September 1938 to address this crisis about Czechoslovakia.  Germany, Italy, Britain and France were invited, while Stalin’s Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia were not.  In a classic example of making a deal with the devil, Britain and France agreed to allow Hitler to take the Sudetenland in exchange for his promise to stop there and not invade Czechoslovakia further.  British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, in one of the worst blunders in the history of the world, insisted that appeasing Hitler was the best approach.  Chamberlain received a hero’s welcome on his return to England, and he declared that he had achieved “peace in our time.”  An English newspaper justified the appeasement by claiming that Germans were simply “going into their own back yard.”  But within six months, Hitler annexed all of Czechoslovakia and then Mussolini grabbed Albania.  Chamberlain was discredited, and his major critic (Winston Churchill) would rise to replace him.

Mussolini called for the Munich Conference in September 1938 to address this crisis about Czechoslovakia.  Germany, Italy, Britain and France were invited, while Stalin’s Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia were not.  In a classic example of making a deal with the devil, Britain and France agreed to allow Hitler to take the Sudetenland in exchange for his promise to stop there and not invade Czechoslovakia further.  British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, in one of the worst blunders in the history of the world, insisted that appeasing Hitler was the best approach.  Chamberlain received a hero’s welcome on his return to England, and he declared that he had achieved “peace in our time.”  An English newspaper justified the appeasement by claiming that Germans were simply “going into their own back yard.”  But within six months, Hitler annexed all of Czechoslovakia and then Mussolini grabbed Albania.  Chamberlain was discredited, and his major critic (the conservative Winston Churchill) soon replaced him.

Hitler was now ready to make his big move.  He demanded that Poland give back a former German seaport known as Danzig.  Poland refused and prepared to defend against a German invasion with courageous soldiers on horses.  Poland obtained the support of Britain and France, who promised to help Poland defend if Germany attacked.  Britain and France then turned to Stalin in the Soviet Union, but he double-crossed them.  Stalin secretly agreed with Hitler in August 1939 to divide Poland among themselves and not to attack each other.  Stalin also received a promise from Hitler that Stalin could annex Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Finland.

Hitler was now ready to make his big move.  He demanded that Poland give back a former German seaport known as Danzig.  Poland refused and prepared to defend against a German invasion.  Courageous Polish soldiers on horses defended against German tanks.  Poland obtained the support of Britain and France, who promised to help Poland defend if Germany attacked.  Britain and France then turned to Stalin in the Soviet Union, but he double-crossed them.  Stalin secretly agreed with Hitler in August 1939 to divide Poland among themselves and not to attack each other.  Stalin also received a promise from Hitler that Stalin could annex Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Finland.

===German Aggression in 1939-1940===

===German Aggression in 1939-1940===