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Hitler is appointed chancellor of Germany
President Hindenburg names Hitler chancellor of Germany. At first, Hindenburg did not want Hitler to come to power because he was not in favor of the Nazis, but Franz von Papen convinced Hindenburg to appoint Hitler, with the ubderstanding that he would be vice chancellor and Nazis would have more government positions. -
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Events Leading Up to WWII
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Germany withdraws from the League of Nations
On October 14, 1933, Germany renounced its role in the Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments, which called for its complete withdrawl from the League of Nations, which was official a week after. Germany withdrew mostly for the same reason as Japan, who withdrew in March because the League wanted to limit army sizes due to the fixation of reaching an international disarmament agreement. -
Nazis ban all other political parties
The Law Against the Establishment of Parties was passed when there were no other parties remaining. The Nazi party outlawed the Socialist Democratic Party, which meant there weren't any other parties in opposition to the government. The Catholic Centre Party, which was the only other large party, disbanded after the Nazi government agreed to a Concordat with the Vatican. Anyone who attempted to establish a party that wasn't a Nazi Party had to face imprisonment. -
Hitler becomes President
After President Hindenburg dies, Hitler finally gains full control as president of Germany. Hitler purged his stormtroopers, and this put encouragement upon him to combine his presidency and chancellorship, which would also make him commander of the army. This act made it seem that Hitler was now becoming a dictator, which is what he was aiming for in order to have supreme power. -
Nuremberg Laws are passed
At a special session of the Nazi Reichstag, Hitler was supposed to deliver a large and important speech, but ended up canceling it. Radical anti-Semites at Nuremberg suggested to Hitler that it would be a perfect time to announce new laws concerning the Jews. He agreed and came up with a law forbidding intermarriage and sexual relations between Jews and Germans. He also made Jews subjects of the Reich. These laws only applied to certain people of Jewish decent because of the complexity of it. -
Italy invades Ethiopia
Benito Mussolini adopted German's plans of expanding the German border by acquiring all territories considered German by first invading Ethiopia. Invading Ethiopia was hoped to boost national prestige, but Ethiopia's defeat of Italy at the Battle of Adowa did not help. Mussolini felt that invading Ethiopia would help to provide land for unemployed Italians and to contribute towards aquiring more mineral ressources to fight off what the Great Depression was bringing. -
Spanish Civil War begins
The Spanish Civil War was a military revolt against the Repulican government of Spain. An initial military coup failed at winning control of the entire country, and created a strong line between the two sides. The Nationalists received help from Italy and Germany, and the Republicans had aid from the Soviet Union and the International Bridages. The Republican armies disbanded and surrendered almost three years later on March 28, 1939. -
Formation of the Rome-Berlin Axis
Mussolini announced the official coalition of Germany and Italy on November 1, but it had been in the works long before that. According to the agreement, Italy had to stand by Germany in any case. There was mistrust between previous leaders, which is why a coalition had never been made before between the two nations. The agreement made Germany and Italy feel more secure, and it helped set the stage to WWII by creating sides. -
Japan and Germany sign Anti-Comitern Pact
The Anti-Comitern Pact helped to declare the hostility of Japan and Germany towards international communism. The agreement stated that they would consult each other on what measures to take in case of an unprovoked attack by the Soviet Union against Germany or Japan. Also, it made sure that no political treaties with the Soviet Union could be made. -
Japan invades China
The Japan-China War started when the Japanese claimed they were fired on by Chinese troopes at the Marco Polo Bridge near Bejing. Japan was able to use the conquered Manchuria as a launching base for their troops. Shanghai, China's most important port, and Nanjing, the capital of Chiang Kai-shek, both fell. This later led to the Rape of Nanjing, and the capital was moved to Chongqing. -
Germany annexes Austria (Anschluss)
Earlier in 1938, Austrial Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government by force in order to unite with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Hitler in attmept to reassert national independence, but he was forced to elect several Nazis to the cabinet. In Schuschnigg's resignation address, he begged Austrian forces not to resist a German advance into the country. Hitler entered Austria and appointed a new Nazi government, which made the Anschluss successful. -
France and Britain enact a policy of appeasement
Since the League of Nations was dwindling, nations looked for new ways to make peace. Appeasement, which was seen as the policy of giving Hitler what he wanted to stop him from going to war, was based on waht Hitler wanted was reasonable, and he would stop when he was satisfied. Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister, allocated for appeasement. Hitler wanted Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, and he was able to annex it. Later on, Hitler wanted to annex the rest of Czechoslovakia. -
Kristallnacht
November 9-10 was a wave of anti-Jewish pogroms throughout Germany, annexed Austria, and Sudetenland. This night, which is referred to as the "Night of Broken Glass", was when members of the SA and Nazi Party leaders broke the windows of Jewish-owned homes, businesses, and synagogues. German officials claimed the outburst was public sentiment in repsonse to the assassination of Ernst vom Roth, a German embassy official. -
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact announced in Moscow
The agreement guaranteed that Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union would not attack each other, which protected Germany from fighting a two-front war. The Soviet Union was also awarded land in Poland and the Baltic States. Eventually the pact was broken when Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. -
Germany invades Poland
Within weeks of the invasion, Poland was defeated. Germany used a massive encriclement attack, which involved a heavy use of shelling and bombing, on Warsaw, which surrendered on September 27. The Soviet Union also invaded Poland, which stayed under German control until January 1945. The invasion of Poland set the stage for WWII as other nations started going to war.
