Transcript Reaction
WORLD WAR LOOMS 1935-1941 1935-1936 Germany Remilitarizes Hitler announced the formation of a German air force & compulsory military service Sends troops to the Rhineland bordering France All of these actions challenge the Treaty of Versailles 1935-1936 Reaction The League of Nations lodges a formal protest but refuses to consider sanctions against Germany 1935 Italy Invades Ethiopia The Italian army, under Mussolini, invades Ethiopia Annex the country in 1936 Form the Rome-Berlin Axis with Germany 1935 Reaction Ethiopia appeals to the League of Nations for help Votes to impose economic sanctions against Italy, including an oil embargo The U.S. refuses to join the embargo 1936-1939 Spanish Civil War Italy & Germany back a military rebellion in Spain led by General Francisco Franco Provide the Nationalists with supplies, weapons, & troops Over throw Spain’s democratic republic & set up a right-wing government 1936-1939 Reaction Congress passes Neutrality Acts in 1936 & 1937, keeping the U.S. out of the conflict 3000 American volunteers fight against the Nationalists The Soviet Union officially aides the Republican government 1937 Japanese Troops in Nanjing Japanese army captures the city of Nanjing Soldiers go on a 6-week rampage, killing approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians & raping about 20,000 Chinese women 1937 Reaction Roosevelt makes a speech calling for a ‘Quarantine’ against aggressor nations Japan invades French Indochina, Formosa, Korea, large areas of China, & several small Pacific islands 1938 German Union with Austria Hitler pressures the Austrian government to join Germany His army crosses the border without opposition Declares a political union between the two countries 1938 Reaction Britain & France act as passive spectators 1939 Germany Invades Czechoslovakia Hitler acquires the Czech region of the Sudetenland in the Munich Pact Declares that it will be his last territorial demand Breaks the pact & invades the rest of Czechoslovakia 1939 Reaction Britain & France declare that any further attacks by Germany would trigger war 1939 Germany Attacks Poland Germany signs a Nonaggression Pact with the Soviet Union Uses blitzkrieg tactics to attack & take over Poland 1939 Reaction Britain & France declare war on Germany U.S. replaces the Neutrality Act of 1939 with the Cash & Carry Policy 1940 Germany Invades Low Countries & France Hitler attacks & captures the Low Countries & launches an invasion of France British & French troops are trapped along the coast Italy declares war on Britain & France 1940 Reaction Britain evacuates the trapped British & French forces in the Battle of Dunkirk France surrenders to Germany Southeast France is under the control of a puppet government Vichy France 1940 Germany Attacks Britain German planes fly raids against British ports, airfields, & industry Bombing targets are later shifted to large cities 1940 Reaction British fighter pilots successfully shoot down more than 600 German aircraft during the Battle of Britain Roosevelt claims that the U.S. must become the “Arsenal of Democracy” Begins sending aid to Britain under the LendLease Act 1941 Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor 300 Japanese bombers & fighter planes attack the U.S. military base at Pearl Harbor Cripples the U.S. Pacific fleet, sinking or damaging 18 ships & destroying or damaging 300 aircraft 1941 Reaction The U.S. declares war on Japan