Transcript Why Did WWII Begin?

I. Why Did
WWII Begin?
Causes of WWII
A. Introductory Causes
1. Treaty of Versailles was unfair
2. Japan, Italy, Germany were eager to
imperialize
3. League of Nations FAILED – couldn’t
stop aggression by Fascist countries
B. Where was Fascism spreading?
1. Italy and Germany by 1933
2. Japan’s military gov’t was fascist-like also.
3. Spain became fascist as a result of the Spanish civil war
C. Spanish Civil War
1. In the 1930s a civil war began in Spain
2. Fascists were led by General Francisco
Franco
3. Fascist Italy and Fascist Germany helped
Franco
4. Fascists win the Spanish Civil War and
Franco becomes the dictator of Spain by 1936
5. This was a “trial run” for Germany’s
military forces ( a practice for
WWII)- especially planes!
** Spain is neutral during WWII but
obviously hoping Germany and
Italy win!
D. Fascist imperialism:
where did they attack
in the 1930s??
1. Japan attacks
China
(Manchuria)
2. Italy attacks
Ethiopia, b/c it’s
an easy target
3. Hitler rebuilt his
military in violation of
the ToV
4. Hitler sent troops into
Alsace and Lorraine!
5. 1938: Hitler makes
Austria part of the
German Empire
6. Forces Czechoslovakia
to give Germany area
of the Sudetenland,
where many Germans
lived.
E. What is appeasement?
1. Appeasement The Policy
of pacifying an aggressive
nation (Germany) in the hopes
of avoiding further conflict
E.What is Appeasement?
2. France and England met
Germany at the Munich
Conference in 1938
3. Allowed Germany to keep
Sudentenland if they
promised not to take more.
E. Appeasement
4. Fails b/c Hitler
is lying and
intends to
invade rest of
Czech. & others
F. Nazi-Soviet Pact
1. In 1939 Germany and the
Soviet Union signed a
Non-Aggression Pact:
2. Agreed to NOT FIGHT
3. Also agreed to invade
and split up Poland from
East and West.