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The Manchurian Incident
The Japanese government were nervous about the Chinese becoming the main dominate foreign power, so they used an unknown railway explosion as a way to declare war and enter Chinese territory.
The railway explosion barely caused any damage, the train was able to continue on the tracks and no one was hurt, yet the Japanese used it as a way in to slaughter thousands and set up government in Manchuria.
The League of Nations did little to nothing to try and stop this. -
Italian Invasion of Ethiopia
Showed the beginning of Mussolini's facist regime.
Once again, conflict was not helpled by the League of Nations.
At the end of the invasion, Italy was beginning to form an alliance with Germany due to the similarities in Leaders.
Showed the two defining sides of Europe and who the new Allies for the next war were going to be. -
Remilitarization of the Rhineland
First act of war presented by the German's/Hitler as they went against the Versailles War Treaty from WWI by entering the Rhineland and starting to remiliatarize.
First act of resistance and form of uprising shown by Hitler. -
Anschuluss
Germany was beginning to grow stronger as they gained more territory, by taking over Austria.
Germany and Austria became unified and were made into one country, dominated by Germany.
Was Hitler's home land (he wasn't even from Germany) and he wanted all German speaking countries to become allies/united with Germany.
Once again, this was against the Versailles War Treaty, showing more of Hitler's plan. -
German Annexation of Sudetenlan
Hitler continued to add more territory to his country, trying to upgrade and take more land in order to win the war he would soon create.
Again was trying to take over more German-speaking land, as those were 'his' people.
Led to the 'Munich Agreement" making this territory part of Germany.
More acts of war presented by Hitler. -
Nationalist Victory in Spanish Civil War
(War went from July 17, 1936-April 1, 1939. Victory came on April 1st.)
Had help from mainly Germany and Italy, showed their relationship and new form alliance.
Victory came from new leader Francisco Franco who helped lead the army and form new governments. -
Nazi-Soviet Non-Agression Pact
Hittler had the USSR to sign a non-agression pact so that Hitler would not have to deal with a war on two fronts like WW1.
It was also a way to take out a country in the war, and then be able to go against it. USSR shouldn't have trusted Hitler, since he hadn't shown any good intentions when he was going against the Treaty of Versailles.
Hitler would then go on and break this pact, invading the USSR two years later.
Hitler was getting ready for war once again. -
German Invasion of Poland
With the non-aggresion pact signed with the USSR they were now able to attack Poland to gain more territory and not worry about the USSR attacking them.
Was another way to gain more land and become a bigger threat in the war to come.
Poland remained under German occupation, just like Sudetenland and Austria.
Caused Britain and France to declare war on Germany. -
American Embargo on Oil to Japan
The USA decided to freeze Japan's assets as a act of war against them for starting to invade parts of Southeast Asia which the French controlled. Britain followed and Japan lost 3/4ths of its oversea trade.
Japan was allied with Germany, which pushed them closer to them.
This also triggered war between Japan and the US, leading to the Pearl Harbour incident.
