Aggressors Invade Nations 

Outline pages 481-483

P. 481 Japan Seeks an Empire:

1920s: Japan becomes more democratic

1922: Japan signs international treaty agreeing to respect China’s borders.

1928: Japan signs Kellogg-Briand Pact to outlaw war.

-Japan’s parliamentary system weaknesses: (1) Limits on the power of the cabinet and prime minister. (2) Civilian leaders had little control over armed forces. (3) Military leaders report to the emperor only.

Militarists Take Control of Japan

1929: People blamed the civilian government in power for the Great Depression.

Military Leaders gained power but didn’t want to establish a government like the Fascists in Europe. They wanted the government to be controlled by the military and made the Emperor the symbol of state power. 

Emperor Hirohito as the head of power won support of extreme nationalist militarists who wanted to fix the economic problems through foreign expansion.

-The plan was to conquer China to gain raw materials, markets, and room for the population.

Japan Invades Manchuria

Manchuria, China was rich in iron and coal.

1931: Japanese army conquered Manchuria against the will of the parliament.

Technicians and engineers built factories and mines.

-First direct challenge against League of Nations. → Members protested and Japan withdrew from the League in 1933.

P. 482 Japan Invades China

1937: Border incident results in war between Japan and China.

Japanese seized control of Beijing and Nanjing (capital) against Chinese army led by Jiang Jieshi. Chongqing arose as the new capital of China. Communist Mao Zedong led China’s guerillas.

European Aggressors on the March

Japan’s actions encouraged European Fascists such as Mussolini.

Mussolini Attacks Ethiopia

Ethiopia: one of Africa’s three independent nations. 

October 1935: Mussolini conquered Ethiopia to avenge defeat in the 1890s.

Haile Selassie (Emperor of Ethiopia) turned to the League of Nations for help. They did not. England allowed Italian troops to travel through the Suez Canal. They and France hoped to keep peace in Europe.

Hitler Defies Versailles Treaty

Hitler hated the Treaty of Paris as it limited Germany’s army.

March 1935: Hitler declared Germany would not abide by Treaty restriction. This decision went unpunished by the League. → Convinced Hitler to take risks. 

March 7, 1936: Germany moved into Rhineland (buffer between Germany and France). France was unwilling to keep peace and British urged appeasement.

Appeasement: giving in to an aggressor to keep peace.

-German control of Rhineland was turning point: (1) Strengthened Hitler’s power in Germany (2) France and Belgium were open to German attacks (3) Weak response from France and England encouraged Hitler’s plan to expand.

October 1936: Mussolini and Hitler agree on the Rome-Berlin Axis alliance. Japan joins agreement→ Axis Powers.

P. 483 Civil War Erupts in Spain

1931: Spain changed from monarchy to republic. Governments run by liberals and Socialists.

July 1936: Spanish Civil War began when Fascists joined General Fransisco Franco in a revolt.

Hitler and Mussolini sent supplies to help Franco’s Nationalists. Supporters of Spain’s elected government, the Republicans, received little help. Western democracies stayed neutral but the USSR sent help and volunteers joined the fight. 

1939: Republicans collapsed and Francisco became Spain’s Fascist dictator.