STEPS TO WAR

Main Idea

The rise of dictators in Europe and Asia led to WWII

Why It Matters Now

Aggressive rulers still threaten peace today

Rise of Dictators

Treaty of Versailles left several countries bitter Germany punished and blamed for war

Italy wanted more land Japan felt ignored

Trouble was brewing Severe economic problems

Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin

Struggling countries were looking for powerful leadership to eliminate economic problems Adolf Hitler – leader of Nazi Party der Furer

Benito Mussolini – fascist dictator of Italy Il Duce

Josef Stalin – communist dictator of Russia/USSR

Dictator Seek to Expand Territory Japan wanted more land and

resources and they invaded Manchuria, China

Italy invaded Ethiopia Hitler invaded the Rhineland

(violated Treaty of Versailles, but everyone ignored it), Hitler also took over Austria (many Austrians were okay with this though)

Hitler and Mussolini form Rome-Berlin Axis (Axis Powers)

Appeasement at Munich

Hitler Invaded the Sudetenland British PM, Chamberlain stepped

in and negotiated – Hitler could have this land, but no more (policy of appeasement)

Hitler, of course, did not honor this agreement

Germany Starts the War

Hitler began his European invasion (in order) The rest of Czechoslovakia Poland Denmark and Norway Belgium and The Netherlands France Britain

Blitzkrieg (lighting war) Britain was not easily defeated

The US Aids the Allies

Lend-Lease Act

Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor

Tojo become military dictator in 1941(Japan allied with the Axis Powers since 1940)

Tojo has plan to take over Pacific, the only thing standing in his way was the US Navy

On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor

US declared war on Japan and subsequently, Germany and Italy declared war on the US – the US was now officially in WWII