Ch. 15 S. 4 – Aggressors Invade Nations

1. Ch. 15 S. 4 – Aggressors Invade Nations Japan Seeks Empire - Japan moved toward democracy in 1920’s, joined League - Constitution had flaws – civilian gov’t had little control of military - Militarists took charge when the Great Depression sparked crisis - Militarists answered to emperor, used him as face of their rule – people loved emperor, went along for the ride - Militarist policy called for foreign expansion to fix economy – Planned for Pacific Empire that included China

2. Emperor Hirohito Hideki Tojo – militarist prime minister

3. Japanese Invasion of China - 1931 - Japan targeted Manchuria, a region of China, for their first conquest - Japanese exploited Manchurian resources, colonized territory - Members of League of Nations (LON) protested, took no action – Japan quit League, ignored protests - Japan staged attack on their own railroad, blamed China, launched full-scale invasion in 1937 - Japanese ravaged northern cities & capital, Nanjing – slaughtered tens of thousands in “Rape of Nanjing”

7. B. European Aggressors on the March Mussolini invades Ethiopia: - He wanted revenge for Italy’s defeat in 1898 - Wanted to build image as a conqueror - Used tanks, planes, chemical weapons - Ethiopia protested to the League of Nations – invasion condemned, but no members took action - Britain allowed Italians to use Suez canal to transport supplies t

8. https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/selassie.htm Emperor Haile Selassie

9. Hitler Defies Treaty of Versailles: - Campaigned in Germany election to undo the treaty - 1935 – Hitler announced he was scrapping German compliance, began military buildup – League offered mild condemnation • League inaction convinced Hitler to take bolder steps: • Remilitarized Rhineland – 30 mi. corridor containing Rhine River – demilitarized by Treaty of Versailles to serve as a buffer zone - Hitler forms Axis Powers – created alliance with Italy & Japan

10. Civil War in Spain: - Republican Gov’t (Democratic) Vs. Nationalist rebels (Fascist) - Hitler & Mussolini sent tanks & planes to help Nationalists - Republicans received little help – only Stalin sent some aid - Nationalists win, set up Fascist dictatorship under Franco – he ruled until 1975

11. Guernica - Pablo Picasso – Memorialized Spanish town bombed by Fascists

12. Democratic Nations Try to Preserve Peace Appeasement – def. – Giving in to others to avoid conflict – Britain & France did not stand up to fascist aggression due to: - Economic problems from WWI & Great Depression - Desire for peace after horrors of WWI Isolationism – def. – Belief that political ties w/ other nations should avoided – U.S. adopted this policy after WWI . - U.S. did not join the League of Nations - Neutrality Acts - 1935 - – U.S. passed 3 laws banning loans or arms sales to warring states

14. The German Reich Expands: - 1937 – Hitler announced plans to absorb Austria & Czechoslovakia into his 3rd Reich (German empire) - Treaty of Versailles prohibited Anschluss, the union of Austria & Germany – Hitler violated the treaty & annexed Austria in 1938 - Most Austrians supported the move, many who opposed it were sent to concentration camps - Hitler then invaded Sudetenland, a German-speaking region of western Czechoslovakia – Sudeten Germans were mostly happy, the Czech gov’t was not - Munich Conference 1938– meeting called between Fascist gov’ts (Ger. & It.) and democratic gov’ts (GB & Fr.) – Nazis agreed to stop aggression, GB & Fr. agreed to let Hitler keep Sudetenland – (Czechs were not invited) - Hitler broke promise and took rest of Czechoslovakia 6 months later

17. Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact - Hitler then demanded that Poland return port of Danzig to Germany - Britain & France asked Stalin to help stop Nazi aggression • Stalin stunned world by signing agreement w/ Hitler – the two promised never to attack one another