Title: Aggressors Invade Nations

1. Title: Aggressors Invade Nations Warm-Up: Describe the mood in Japan post-WWI. What continent is the nation of Ethiopia located on? Predict Italy’s involvement in WWII.

2. Japan Becomes Militaristic • 1928-Japan signs the Kellogg-Briand Pact renouncing war and agreeing to respect China’s borders • 1929-Great Depression strikes-Japanese blamed the government-Military leaders gain power • Military leaders set out to make Japan more traditional and leave Emperor Hirohito in power and the symbol of the state • Militarists are extreme nationalists and believe that the creation of a Pacific Japanese empire will solve the nation’s economic problems. • Militarists seek to conquer China and other Pacific Rim nations in order to gain raw materials and additional space

3. Japan Invades Manchuria (Japan in the 1930s 2:08) • 1931-Japan seizes Manchuria (China’s Northeast Province) • Manchuria is rich in iron and coal • Japanese Parliament objected to the takeover • The Japanese army setup a puppet government • Japan built large factories and mines • This was the first direct attack on the League of Nations • Japan ignores League of Nation’s protest to the conquer of Manchuria and withdrawals from the peacekeeping body in 1933

4. Japan Invades China • 1937-a border incident sets off a full-fledged war between the two nations • China’s army consisted of 1 million soldiers • Japanese are far better equipped and trained • 1937-Beijing, Nanjing, and other Northern cities fall to Japanese • Tens of thousands of Chinese are killed • Chinese guerillas lead by Communist leader Mao Zedong continue to fight the Japanese in the conquered areas

5. Rape of Nanking • December 1937-February 1938: up to 300,000 Chinese civilians are brutally massacred • Seen by many as an act of genocide • Japanese nationalists distorted actual events and to this day deny that civilians were targeted • The Japanese army committed numerous atrocities, such as rape, looting, arson, and the execution of POW’s and civilians. Many women and children were brutally rapped and murdered as well • The fact that Japan does not acknowledge the massacre has strained Sino-Japanese relations

17. Mussolini in Ethiopia (Italy Invades Ethiopia 1:09) • The League of Nations inability to stop European Fascist leaders from invading other countries inspired Mussolini to become imperialistic and create a colonial empire in Africa • Ethiopia was one of three independent nations in Africa • Ethiopia resisted Italian influence in the 1890s but was no match for the massive Italian forces Mussolini sent into the nation in 1935. • Ethiopian weapons were no match for Italy’s modern technology • Ethiopian emperor, HalieSelassie appealed to the League of Nations but its members did nothing; Britain still allowed Italian troops and supplies to pass through the Suez Canal • Britain and France hoped to appease Mussolini by letting him gain Ethiopia

18. Spanish Civil War (The Spanish Civil War 2:38) • July 1936-Spanish Civil War erupts • Army leaders joined General Francisco Franco in hopes of creating a Fascist-style government • Hitler and Mussolini sent in resources to support Franco • Western democracies remain neutral • 1939-republican resistance collapsed and Franco became Spain’s Fascist dictator

19. Article Response • Read the article, “Scarred by History: The Rape of Nanjing” and write a reflection that addresses the following questions: • Why did Japan desire additional territory and why did the Japanese target China? • Describe what happened in Nanjing, China. • What is the legacy of this event?

20. Directions: Complete a “Sensory Figure” activity utilizing one of the following images. Use your types of homework packet to help you. Chinese Citizens During Japanese Invasion Japanese Soldier