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