Transcript Events Leading Up To WWII

Events Leading Up To WWII
A brief timeline…
It’s time for war.
I wonder what this
will look like.
What would it take for the
world to go to war again…
It would all start back at the
Treaty of Versailles… the
most important event in
modern history... I pity any
poor student who doesn’t
remember everything about
that treaty…
Let’s write down everything in red text
that appears in the black boxes…
Like This!
1919: The Treaty of Versailles
Hey yeah…
And then everyone
gets pissed, looking
toward powerful fascist
leaders. What was
that Italian guy’s name
again?
1922: Mussolini Seizes
Power in Italy
When the depression hit, most countries
leaned toward forceful leaders. The
Japanese were no different, and the
military soon took control of the country.
The Japanese military, however, wanted
to maintain civilian support, so they kept
Emperor Hirohito as head of state. The
militarists actually ran the country, though
officially, Emperor Hirohito was in control.
1930: Militarists Take
Control of Japan
Tojo, I hear that the
country is suffering
from this
depression thingy.
This is true,
my emperor.
And how are you
planning to fix my
country?
I suggest we attack
all of our neighbors,
creating a Japanese
empire. That way,
we can collect money
from of all of our
conquered peoples
and get filthy rich!
Excellent.
Who is our
richest
neighbor?
1931: Japan Invades Manchuria
Naturally, the
League of Nations
condemned this.
But they really
didn’t have any
power to do
anything about it.
And then, you all
remember who
came into power in
Germany, right?
1933: Hitler becomes Chancellor
I got my country running
now. Time to follow the
example of the Japanese. I
wonder what places are left
to conquer?
1935: Italy Attacks Ethiopia
Once again, the
League of Nations
condemns this,
but lacks the
ability to do
anything about it.
And now Hitler is
going to start
getting ideas.
The world spins on an axis,
the center of everything. But
when I’m done with things,
the world will have a new
axis, running between Italy,
Germany and Japan.
1936: The Axis Powers Form
On September 27th, 1940 the
Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis was formed
Hi!
Hi!
Guys! Its Heil…Heil!
All right chums…
Let’s do this!
1936: Germany Enters the Rhineland
I don’t
think
Hitler
really
cares.
Wait, that goes against the
Treaty of Versailles. Hitler isn’t
supposed to have an army!
I’d image
that they
would
stop him.
How do you suppose
the world is going to
react to this?
But we don’t want to go
to war! In fact, we
outlawed war. I say we
just give Hitler what he
wants to avoid conflict.
After all, what’s so
dangerous about letting
the Germans train some
troops and have some of
their old territory back?
Seems
that
way.
They’re just going to
let Hitler break the
Treaty of Versailles?
If we let Mussolini
and Hitler get this
stuff out of their
system, we can
maintain peace in
Europe. I am
officially proposing a
policy of
appeasement.
What the heck is
appeasement?
ap·pease –verb (used with object), -peased, -peas·ing.
1.to bring to a state of peace, quiet, ease, calm, or contentment; pacify; soothe:
to appease an angry king.
2.to satisfy, allay, or relieve; assuage: The fruit appeased his hunger.
3.to yield or concede to the belligerent demands of (a nation, group, person, etc.)
in a conciliatory effort, sometimes at the expense of justice or other principles.
It’s like when mother won’t buy me
candy, so I start crying and crying.
Eventually, she buys me the candy to
shut me up. She has APPEASED me.
So, one last
time. What’s it
called when you
give in to an
aggressor to
avoid conflict?
1936: Britain Urges a Policy of
Appeasement
Emperor,
the Chinese
are resisting
us on the
mainland.
I propose that you
silence the
opposition
immediately.
My Lord, as
long as the
world powers
stick to their
policy of
appeasement,
this is our
chance for full
scale invasion.
Then it is
my will.
1937: Japan Invades China
This is madness.
There are
banners on the
German streets
that read, “Today
Germany,
tomorrow the
world.”
Don’t worry. We let
Hitler take back his
Rhineland, and now
there is peace.
Everyone is happy.
Hitler is just another
politician. This will
all die down.
I announce the
creation of the
Third Reich.
Our first duty will
be to absorb all
other German
speaking
peoples into our
empire.
The French and British vowed to Austria and
Czechoslovakia that they would protect their
independence, but Hitler thought he would test them.
1938: Hitler Invades Austria
Wow. The Austrians
are welcoming Hitler
like a savior. I bet
the world didn’t see
that coming...
And now, onto the
Sudetenland in
Czechoslovakia.
Help!
Perhaps
we
should
call a
meeting
with
them.
Hmmmm,
It looks like
the British
and the
French are
actually
getting
ready for
war this
time.
1938: The Munich Conference
We have decided to
give Hitler the
Sudetenland as long as
he respects the rest of
Czechoslovakia. We
shall never again go to
war with Germany.
Three cheers for
appeasement. We have
“peace for our time”!
1939: Mussolini Seizes Albania
I think it’s
time to
reclaim the
“German
Speaking”
parts of
Poland next.
Now Hitler, we have
to draw the line
somewhere. You
can’t have Poland.
Just stop already!
And remember that
Russia is just on the
other side of Poland.
The Russians are
communists now,
while the Germans
are Nazis. One
strives to eliminate
government, while
the other wants to
strengthen the
government. They
are historic enemies,
as well as conflicting
modern nations.
Well, my armies are pretty big now. Me and my
Axis friends might be able to take on England and
France. But we need to cover our backs first. The
mistake from WWI was fighting a war on two fronts. So
who is in charge of all of those Soviets anyway?
Bam!
Joseph
Stalin?!?
that guy.
Likewise,
whyI hate
should
I
How am I supposed to trust a
trust a fascist monster like
communist?
you?
Look, Stalin. I don’t like you and you don’t like
me, but it’s us against the world. They didn’t
So
areto you
proposing.
I
evenwhat
invite you
the Munich
Conference.
They join
hate you
more
than IAxis
do.
won’t
your
lame
alliance thing.
Sure.
But why don’t
agree toidea,
not attack
It sounds
like we
a good
each other. We can split Poland, and then I’ll
youone
Nazi
Let’syouput
take
half psycho.
of the world while
takeitthe
other.
in writing.
1939: The Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact
Giggity?
What about Spain?
Spain is officially neutral during
WWII. They are recovering
from civil war.
And I, Francisco
Franco, come into
power as a result of
that civil war. I led
the nationalists and
we beat the crap out
of the loyalists.
I am rather fascist
myself. In fact,
I’m so fascist that
Mussolini and
Hitler helped me
out with troops
and such.
Working with the
axis powers
helped me win,
and it gave them
a chance to test
out their armies in
this “war-free”
world.
Let’s all read
about one of the
most gruesome
bombing raids
made by the
Nazi’s, upon the
poor town of
Guernica.