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The Nanchurian Incident
September 18,1931 to February 18, 1932 Manchuria is located on China's eastern seaboard. Japan invaded Manchuria in need to accomodate their largely increasing population, it offered approximately 2oo,ooo square kilometres of land. Manchuria is also rich in minerals, forestry as well as agriculture land. The Japanese government in Tokyo lost control of their army in Manchuria and by the end of 1931, the army had occupied the whole province; this was known as the Invasion of Manchuria. -
Italian invasion of Ethiopia (Abyssinia)
1935 to 1936 Participating in the scramble for Africa, the Italians decided to expand by annexing Abyssinia once again; after the defeat at the Battle of Adowa. This united both fascist Italy with fascist Nazi Germany for the first time. It highlighted the weakness of the League of Nations due to their inability to control the relationships between large nations. -
Remilitarization of the Rhineland
March 7, 1936 The Treaty of Versailles forbade Germany to station any armed forces in the Rhineland. Hitler violated the treaty on March 7th by ordering troops to reoccupy the zone. This action is significant because it gives Germany a lot more power and land to work with in Europe. This action also led to the belief that both Britain and France are not doing their part on enforcing the treaty, it gives Germany the confidence to continue annexing more land. -
Anschluss
March 12, 1938 Adolf Hitler announces an Anschluss between both Germany and Austria, it is basically a union. This action annexes the smaller nation of Austria into a greater stronger Germany. After rigged political incidents, Hitler gains full control of Austria. This allowed for the Nazi's typical ruthless policy of prosecuting political dissidents and Jewish citizens. -
German annexation of Sudetenland
September 15,1938 - Hitler threatens to invade the Sudetenland if demands were not met
October 1, 1938 to October 10, 1938 - Invasion period The Sudetenland is the main German speaking area of Czechoslovakia. Hitler wanted full control of the Sudetenland and is willing to invade it if his demands were not met. The Sudetan Nazi Party had fomented riots and uprisings ever since Hitler took power over Germany, this led to the invasion being a quick and easy swoop; in ten days approximately. -
Nationalist victory in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War - 1936 to 1939 The Nationalists won the Spanish Civil War with the help from Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe. The Republicans recieved help from Russia and due to these two facts, the tensions grow between two different political infleunced nations. -
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
August 23, 1939 Germany and the Soviet Union decided to sign a non aggression pact with one another, this would keep both nations on peaceful terms during World War II, military wise especially. Hitler used this opportunity to take Poland without anyone to contest or oppose. In June 1941, the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact fell apart as the Nazi invaded the Soviet Union without any warning. -
German invasion of Poland
September 1, 1939 German troops invaded poland on September 1st, the Luftwaffe bombed Polish airfields and the naval forces of Poland was attacked as well. The invasion of Poland was when the Blitzkrieg was first used. This is significant because due to Hitler's action, both Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3rd. -
American Embargo on oil to Japan
July 24, 1941 President Roosevelt decided to freeze all Japanese assets in America, which led the British and the Dutch East Indies to do the same. Due to this, Japan lost access to 75 percent of its overseas trade as well as 88 percent of imported oil. Japan's oil reserves were only sufficient to last 3 years, which is even tougher due to war. Japan had to decide between backing off from Southeast Asia so the embargo could be eased or seize oil and further antagonize the west into war.
