From Appeasement to War29.1

Objective 1: Identify and define appeasement.

Objective 2: Summarize the ways in which continuing Nazi aggression led Europe to war.

Unchecked Aggression What did “The League” do?

• Japan takes Manchuria in 1931-condemns Japan, who promptly leaves LofN• 1937 – Second Sino-Japanese war – leads to

Japan taking large portions of China -Western powers did nothing• Italy invades Ethiopia (1935)-Haile Selassie appeals to LofN, who sanction Italy – with no way to enforce them

Japanese Aggression

• 1931:Japan seeks to expand its control of Asia and invades Manchuria (north of China)

• 1937: Japan invades China

• Dec. 1937: Japanese murder 300,000 and rape 20,000 in Nanking

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wwu/truth/genocide.shtml

Rape of Nanking – 1937-1938

Germany’s Unchecked Aggression

• Hitler reinstates draft, air force, remilitarizes. Legal?

• Hitler moves into the Rhineland, going against T. of V.

• “Lebensraum” in Mein Kampf. • Appeasement policy by British/French to Hitler

after Rhineland. • Appeasement – giving in to the demands of an

aggressor in order to keep the peace

Why Appeasement?

• France – too weak, needed British support• Britain – did not want to go to war• Some thought Germany’s actions were justified• Fear spread of Soviet communism • Pacifism (opposition to all war) – felt WW1 was

enough, no need to go to war again• United States – Neutrality Acts (will not support

or supply any nation at war)

New Unions

• Rome-Berlin Axis• Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan against

Communism.

Spanish Civil WarThe Dress Rehearsal

• 1936 – Francisco Franco revolts leads to Civil War• Nazis, Soviets, and Italians send troops and

equipment• Nazi bombs Spanish city of Guernica• 1939 – Franco becomes dictator of Spain

More Aggression

• “Anschluss” w/ Austria • Sudetenland takeover in Czechoslovakia

Munich Conference– “Peace in our Time”– Soviet Nazi Non-Aggression Pact to buy time for

both

Problem in Poland

• Hitler wanted it, but didn’t want two-front war Nonaggression Pact (1939). Divide up Poland and no attacks for 10 years.