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Hitler also promised to help Germany take back land it lost in the Treaty of Versailles and to conquer Russia and Eastern Europe so that Germans could have more living space, or “lebensraum”.

Hitler also promised to help Germany take back land it lost in the Treaty of Versailles and to conquer Russia and Eastern Europe so that Germans could have more living space, or “lebensraum”.

In 1933, Germany was in the throes of the Great Depression and German President Paul von Hindenburg panicked by naming Hitler chancellor.  This was one of the biggest mistakes in world history.  Hitler quickly solidified power for the Nazis.  Calling himself Der Fuhrer, Hitler began in 1934 to murder hundreds of Germans who had opposed him.  Hitler developed a secret police known as the Gestapo, and also a special, black-uniformed public police known as the ''Schutzstaffel'', SS.  Hitler took over the schools, requiring teenagers to join the ''Hitlerjugend'', or Hitler Youth (for boys) and the League of German Girls (for girls).  They were then brainwashed with pro-Hitler propaganda.  But Hitler promoted industrialization and revived the economy, making him a hero in Germany and even to some in the United States.

In 1933, Germany was in the throes of the Great Depression and German President Paul von Hindenburg panicked by naming Hitler chancellor.  This was one of the biggest mistakes in world history.  Hitler quickly solidified power for the Nazis.  Calling himself Der Fuhrer, Hitler began in 1934 to murder hundreds of Germans who had opposed him.  Hitler developed a secret police known as the Gestapo, and also a special, black-uniformed public police known as the ''Schutzstaffel'', or SS.  Hitler took over the schools, requiring teenagers to join the ''Hitlerjugend'', or Hitler Youth (for boys) and the League of German Girls (for girls).  They were then brainwashed with pro-Hitler propaganda.  But Hitler promoted industrialization and revived the economy, making him a hero in Germany and even to some in the United States.

From the start Hitler blamed Jewish people in Germany for its problems.  In 1933, the Nazis began passing laws taking away rights from Jews, and on Nov. 9, 1938 the Nazis conducted a massive pogrom in a thousand German towns that attacked Jewish people in their homes and destroyed their businesses.  This day, which came after years of harassment, is known as the “''Kristallnacht''”, night of broken glass.  Afterward Jews were prohibited from being in public buildings or owning or working in retail stores.

From the start Hitler blamed Jewish people in Germany for its problems.  In 1933, the Nazis began passing laws taking away rights from Jews, and on Nov. 9, 1938 the Nazis conducted a massive pogrom in a thousand German towns that attacked Jewish people in their homes and destroyed their businesses.  This day, which came after years of harassment, is known as the “''Kristallnacht''”, or the night of broken glass.  Afterward Jews were prohibited from being in public buildings or owning or working in retail stores.

''Time'' magazine named Hitler "Man of the Year" at the end of 1938.  It explained that the:<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,760539,00.html</ref>

''Time'' magazine named Hitler "Man of the Year" at the end of 1938.  It explained that the:<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,760539,00.html</ref>

==World War II==

==World War II==

Two nations – Germany and Japan – had built themselves into perfect fighting machines.  They lacked diversity in their populations, with the German people being almost completely of one Germanic ethnicity, and the Japanese population being almost completely of one Japanese ethnicity.  Both nations had become dominated by non-Christian belief systems.  In Germany the prevailing view among the elite was that there was, or should be, a master race that defeats all others.  In Japan, there was unyielding devotion to their warlord emperor, who they believed to be a god.

Two nations – Germany and Japan – had built themselves into perfect fighting machines.  They lacked diversity in their populations, with the German people being almost completely of one Germanic ethnicity, and the Japanese population being almost completely of one Japanese ethnicity.  Both nations had become dominated by non-Christian belief systems.  In Germany the prevailing view among the elite was that there was, or should be, a master race that defeats all others.  In Japan, there was unyielding devotion to their warlord emperor, whom they believed to be a god.

Both countries had powerful industrial economies to feed their thirst for power.  In Germany, a leader (Adolf Hitler) had risen to power who had phenomenal public speaking skills, and who could whip the German people into a frenzy with his demagoguery.  In Japan the national religion (Shinto) called on the Japanese to do the emperor’s will as though a god had ordered them to do so.

Both countries had powerful industrial economies to feed their thirst for power.  In Germany, a leader (Adolf Hitler) had risen to power who had phenomenal public speaking skills, and who could whip the German people into a frenzy with his demagoguery.  In Japan the national religion (Shinto) called on the Japanese to do the emperor’s will as though a god had ordered them to do so.

Germany and Japan both experienced a rise of nationalism, the rise of an influential, popular dictator, and began to threaten the world at the same time.  Other nations experienced the same rise of nationalism, and dictators coming to power, but did not become as serious of a threat.  Why was it that these two nations independently came to the same conclusions of nationalism and dictatorship, but came from extremely different starting points; one because of religion, the other, due to the lack thereof?  Just as we saw unrelated peoples do similar things in ancient times, such as building structures that looked like ziggurats and developing [[feudalism]], we see the coincidence of German and Japan nationalism independently threatening the world at the same time.  

Germany and Japan each experienced a rise of nationalism and the rise of an influential, popular dictator, and began to threaten the world at the same time.  Other nations experienced the same rise of nationalism, and dictators coming to power, but did not become as serious of a threat.  Why was it that these two nations independently arrived at similar nationalism and dictatorship, but came from extremely different starting points; one because of religion, the other, due to the lack thereof?  Just as we saw unrelated peoples do similar things in ancient times, such as building structures that looked like ziggurats and developing [[feudalism]], we see the coincidence of German and Japan nationalism independently threatening the world at the same time.  

===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.  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’s feudal period had militaristic aspects, but in the 1920s Japan was 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 ruler.

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.

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.

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.

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 annex Austria to 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.

After France fell, the only remaining prize in Europe for the Germans to capture was Great Britain itself.  (Switzerland, a small country protected by the Alps and a tremendous self-defense system that included gun ownership by nearly every family, was never invaded by the Germans.)   

After France fell, the only remaining prize in Europe for the Germans to capture was Great Britain itself.  (Switzerland, a small country protected by the Alps and a tremendous self-defense system that included gun ownership by nearly every family, was never invaded by the Germans.)   

Great Britain’s new leader, Winston Churchill, refused to surrender to Hitler.  Hitler began Operation Sea Lion to bomb London, using the powerful German air force (the Luftwaffe).  From September 1940 to May 1941, “the Blitz” consisted of constant German bombing of British cities, especially London.  There were more than 40,000 civilian casualties, and people would listen for air sirens as the sign to hide in underground shelters.

Great Britain’s new leader, Winston Churchill, refused to surrender to Hitler.  Hitler began Operation Sea Lion to bomb London, using the powerful German air force (the Luftwaffe).  From September 1940 to May 1941, “the Blitz” consisted of constant German bombing of British cities, especially London.  There were more than 40,000 civilian casualties, and people would listen for air sirens as the signal to hide in underground shelters.

A new invention, radar, saved the British.  The British Royal Air Force (RAF) began tracking incoming German airplanes and started shooting them down.  Also, the will of the British to survive deprived the bombing campaign of victory.  Hitler was forced to suspend the bombing in May 1941, and the Battle of Britain was over.

A new invention, radar, saved the British.  The British Royal Air Force (RAF) began tracking incoming German airplanes and started shooting them down.  Also, the will of the British to survive deprived the bombing campaign of victory.  Hitler was forced to suspend the bombing in May 1941, and the Battle of Britain was over.