Events Leading Up to World War 2

Renouncement of the disarmament provisions or the Treaty of Versailles

Mar 15, 1935

Hitler formally renounced the disarmament provisions of the Versailles Treaty with the formation of a German air force.Soon he reinstated conscription, which aimed at an army of half a million men.

Forming the Stresa Front

Jun 15, 1935

France and Britain met with Mussolini to form the Stresa Front. Promising to use force to maintain the status quo in Europe. This unity was short-lived however.

Attack on Ethiopia

Oct 15, 1935

Mussolini, using a border incident as an excuse, attacks Ethiopia.Mussolini wanted to restore Italy's pride by avenging their humiliating defeat from 1896. He ended up showing everyone just how much the League of Nations was letting him get away with.

A Spanish Popular Front

Feb 17, 1936

Elections brought to power a Spanish Popular Front government ranging from republicans of the left to communists and anarchists.

Hitler Sends Troops to Rhineland

Mar 7, 1936

Hitler took his greatest risk yet, sending a small armed force into the demilitarized Rhineland.This attack was not only against the Treaty of Versailles, but of the Locarno Agreement of 1925. This agreement was made voluntarily by Germany.

Spanish Civil War Broke Out

Jul 15, 1936

Spanish Civil War broke out and made the new European alignment that found the Western democracies on one side and the fascist staes on the other clearer. The Falagists would not accept the fact that they lost the campain. General Franco led an army aginst the republic from the Spanish Morocco.

Talk of a Rome-Berlin Axis

Nov 1, 1936

Mussolini turned to Germany and he spoke publicly of a Rome-Berlin Axis. Before this, the League o fNations was made to look like a fool, so they alienated Mussolini. However, they didn't want to at first.

Rome- Berlin Axis Pact

Dec 17, 1936

The civil war brought Germany and Italy closer together leading to the Rome-Berlin Axis Pact. Japan entered the Axis powers by signing the Anti-Comintern Pact. Europe wanted to prevent Spain from falling into the hands of the fascists.

Czechs Recieve False Rummors

May 17, 1938

Czechs recieve false rummors of an imminent attack by Germany and mobilized their army. The French, British, and Russians had declared that they would aid Czechoslovakia if war broke out. Hitler was then forced to announce publicly that he had no plans of attacking Czechoslovakia.

Hitler Makes A Speech

Sep 12, 1938

Hitler made a provacative speech at the Nuremberg Nazi Party rally. His speech led to rioting in the Sudetenland. the Czechs then declared martial law.

Separation of the Sudetenland

Sep 15, 1938

Chamberlin accepted the separation of the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia. He and Edouard Daladier, the French premier, forced the Czechs to agree by threatening to abandon them. Chamberlain then heard that Hitler had raised his demands.

Hitler To Fight Without Soviet Support

Oct 17, 1938

Hilter was forced to fight a war without assistance and cooperation from the Soviet Union.High officers of the German army were opposed to Hitler's risky policies. If the West ever had a chance to conclude the alliance with the Soviet Union, the exclusion of the Russians from Munich helped destroy it.

Germany Pressures Poland

Feb 17, 1939

Germany puts pressure on Poland to restore Danzig and allow for a railroad to be built through the Polish Corridor. When the Polish did not agree, the usual propaganda techniques were brought out and the pressure increased. All of this was because Poland was Hitler's next target for expansion.

Hitler takes Prague

Mar 15, 1939

Hitler took Prague, putting an end to the Czech state and any idea that he was only returning Germany to the Reich.

Guarantee of Polish Independence

Mar 31, 1939

Chamberlin announced a Franco-British guarantee of Polish independence. Hitler knew there would be a war with Poland, but he did not expect Britain to join in.

Fascists Won

Apr 17, 1939

Fascists won effective control of Spain when Barcelona fell to Franco.

Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact

Aug 23, 1939

The world was shocked to find out about the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact because of the Nazi and Soviet rivalry.

Germans Invade Poland

Sep 1, 1939

Germany ivaded Poland and within 2 days later, Britain and France declared war on Germany, beginning WW2.