Post on 03-Jan-2016
Road to World War II
The Rise of Dictators
Japan Italy Germany Soviet Union
Emperor HirohitoPrime Minister Tojo
Benito Mussolini Adolph Hitler Joseph Stalin
Militarism Fascism Nazism Communism
During the 1920s and 1930s totalitarian dictators came to power in many nations.
Invasions and Reactions As the dictators
began to take over other countries, the United States tried to remain neutral.
1931 Japan invaded and
took over Manchuria in China • United States issued
the “Stimson Doctrine” – refused to recognize territories acquired by force
• Put an embargo on
exports of oil and steel to Japan
1935 Italy invaded and
took over Ethiopia• United States
ignored the invasion
1936 Germany put
troops in the Rhineland (violating the Treaty of Versailles)• United States
ignored the violation and began to pass the “Neutrality Acts” to keep out of any future war.
1938 Germany annexed
Austria• Most of Austria’s
people favored unification
• France and Britain adopted policy of Appeasement, which is giving up principle to pacify an aggressor.
1939 Germany and the
Soviet Union sign a pact promising not to attack each other. (Non-Aggression Pact)• United States
announced neutrality
Germany and the Soviet Union both invade Poland, World War II Begins.• Germany introduces
“blitzkrieg” (lightning war)
1940 Germany takes
over France and Most of Europe• United States gave
Britain war supplies and old naval warships in return for military bases in Bermuda and the Caribbean
Germany bombards Great Britain (the Battle of Britain)• Battle of Britain:
nightly bombings of London, many civilians killed
1941 Germany, Italy and
Japan signed a treaty of alliance• United States
“loans” war materials to Great Britain under the Lend-Lease Act
Germany invades the Soviet Union• US extends Lend-
Lease to Soviets
1941 December 7th,
1941, Japan launches a surprise attack on the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii• Roosevelt called it
“a day that will live in infamy”
• US declares war on Japan
1941 Germany and Italy
declare war on the United States• The United States
joins World War II