WAR CLOUDS GATHER

Chapter 26, Section 1

After World War many Americans believed Americans should never again become involved in a war.

In the 1930’s economic hard times in Italy, Germany, and Japan helped topple democratic governmentsAmbitious rulers gained power and set

out to conquer neighboring lands

Depression Diplomacy

In the U.S. in the 1930’s people had too many economic worries to care about overseas events

As threats in Europe and Asia grew a strong isolationist mood gripped the country

Ensuring neutrality

Neutrality Acts: banned arms sales or loans to countries at warWarned not to travel on ships of

countries at war

Cooperation with Latin America

1930 president Hoover rejected the Roosevelt Corollary with the Monroe Doctrine The U.S. no longer claimed the right to

intervene in the affairs of Latin American nations

Good Neighbor Policy: FDR withdrew American troops from Nicaragua and from Haiti

Cooperation with Latin America

FDR also withdrew the Platt amendment, which had limited the independence of Cuba

As war clouds loomed FDR was eager to build strong ties with the Western Hemisphere

Fascists in Italy

By 1930 dictators had won power in Italy and Germany

Dictator: a ruler who has complete power over a countryExploit economic troubles and feelings of

nationalism to win support

Mussolini

1922 Benito Mussolini seized power in ItalyPlayed on Italian anger about the

Versailles Treaty ending WWI○ Italians felt cheated because it did not

grant Italy all the territory it wantedUsed economic unrest and fears of

communist revolution to win support for his Fascist Party

Mussolini

Once in power Mussolini outlawed all political parties except his own

Invading Ethiopia

Mussolini used foreign conquest to distract Italians from economic hard times

Wanted to build a new Rome

Invading Ethiopia

Invaded EthiopiaEthiopian emperor Haile Selaissie called

on the League of Nations for help○ The League of Nations responded weakly

Britain and France were concentrating on their own economic problems

Memories of WWI made them unwillingly to risk another war

Rise of Nazi Germany

Like Mussolini Adolf Hitler used anger about the Versailles Treaty which blamed their country for WWI

Hitler organized a political party National Socialist German Workers’

Party or NAZIS Hitler claimed Germans belonged to a

superior “Aryan “ race

Rise of Nazi Germany

Hitler blamed Jews for Germany’s troublesGermany had not lost the war,

rather Jews and other traitors had stabbed Germany in the back

False argument but in troubles times people clung to it

Rise of Nazi Germany

Hitler was a powerful speaker and skillful leader

When the depression struck Germans to Hitler with answers to their problems

Hitler Comes to Power

1933 Hitler became chancellor or head of the German GovernmentWithin 2 years he ended

democratic government

Hitler Comes to Power Totalitarian state: a single party controls the

government and every aspect of the lives of the peopleCriticism of the government was not permittedGovernment controlled the press, schools,

and religionNazis passed laws against Jews

○ Jews were deprived of their citizenship, forbidden to use public facilities and driven out of almost every type of work

Hitler Comes to Power

As Nazi power grew attacks on Jews increasedRounded up thousands of Jews and sent

them to concentration camps, or prisonsIn time Hitler would unleash his plans to

kill all the Jews in Europe: Final Solution

Hitler Comes to Power

Germany built up its armed forces, in violation of the Versailles Treaty

Hitler claimed Germany had the right to expand East

The League of Nations condemned Hitler’s actionsHitler ignored the League and moved

ahead with his plans

A Dictator in the Soviet Union

In the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin knew Hitler hated communism and wanted to expand eastward

Stalin launched a series of five year plans to strengthen the economy His goal was to modernize Soviet

industry and farming

A Dictator in the Soviet Union Like Hitler Stalin created a totalitarian

stateUrged people to create more goodsAnyone who resisted the government

faced prison or death

A Dictator in the Soviet Union Collective farms: government owned

farms, peasants were forced to hand over their land and farm animalsWhen farmers resisted millions were

executed or sent to labor camps

A Dictator in the Soviet Union Soviet economy expanded

Steel and oil production roseMaterials needs to fight German

aggressionAggression: any warlike act by one

country against another without just cause

Military Rulers in Japan

Japan’s economy suffered in the Great DepressionTrade slowed Businesses failed

Military Rulers in Japan

Japanese grew impatient with their democratic government

Japan lacked many important resourcesCoal and oil

Military Rulers in Japan

New leaders believed Japan had the right to win an overseas empireSet out to expand in Asia

Attack on Manchuria

1931 Japanese forces seized Manchuria in northeastern ChinaWanted Manchuria because it was rich in

coal and ironSet up a state there called Manchukuo

Attack on Manchuria

China called on the League of Nations for help They condemned Japanese aggression

but did little to helpU.S. refused to recognize Manchukuo

but took no other action against Japan

War against China

1937 Japan began an all out war against ChinaJapanese planes bombed Beijing,

Shanghai, and other Chinese cities

War against China

On ground Japanese troops defeated Chinese armies and occupied northern and Central China

The Japanese attacked alarmed the U.S.It was at threat to the Philippines, which

the U.S. controlled Isolationist feelings kept the U.S. from

taking a strong stand

War in Europe

1936 Hitler moved troops in to the Rhineland near the border of France and BelgiumViolation of the Versailles Treaty

1938 Hitler annexed AustriaAnother violation of the Versailles Treaty

Aggression in Czechoslovakia

Hitler then claimed the Sudetenland, the western part of CzechoslovakiaBritain and France had signed treaties to

Czechoslovakia

Aggression in Czechoslovakia Munich Conference: Hitler invited

leaders of Britain and France to meet with himHitler assured the European leaders that

he wanted no more territory

Aggression in Czechoslovakia Appeasement: practice of giving in to

aggression in order to avoid further conflictBritain and France gave into

German claims in the Sudetenland hoping to preserve peace in Europe

Stalin and Hitler become allies

Britain tried to form an alliance with the Soviet UnionStalin rejected Britain’s offer and instead

signed a treaty with Germany in August 1939

Nazi-Soviet Pact: Hitler and Stalin agreed not to attack each otherSecretly agreed to divide up Poland and

other parts of Eastern Europe

Stalin and Hitler become allies

The agreement left Hitler free to attack Poland without fear of having to fight the Soviet Union

September 1, 1939 German armies marched into Poland2 days later Britain and France declared

war on Germany

Munich Conference: Hitler invited leaders of Britain and France to meet with him

Hitler assured the European leaders that he wanted no more territory