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Period: to
: The Build-up to the 1930s
In the 1920s, unrest, strife, and growing discontent in Europe's countries led to economic disaster, political turbulence, and the rise of the first modern European dictators. -
Benito Mussolini organizes the Fascist Party in Italy
Benito Mussolini - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the years before World War 1, Mussolini was a leading man in the Italian Socialist Party, or PSI. The party wished to remain neutral in the war, but Mussolini disagreed. As a result, he was kicked out of the party in the early years of the war. He subsequently enlisted in the army, reaching the rank of corporal. After the war, Mussolini organized war veterans and other discontented Italians into his Fascist Party, with which he would win complete control over Italy. -
Hyperinflation in Germany (until January 1924)
Hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDuring the early years of Germany's Weimar Republic, the government printed increasing quantities of paper money in order to pay its citizens and to pay the reparations levied against them by the Treaty of Versailles. In the early 1920s, however, inflation began to plague the country. The German Reichmark rapidly fell in value, with one U.S. dollar being worth a mind-blowing 4,210,500,000,000 marks by November 1923. Prices shot up, with a particular item costing 944,000 marks by August 1923. -
Benito Mussolini is named Prime Minister of Italy
Benito Mussolini - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn October 1922, Mussolini organized the "March on Rome". He and thousands of his Black Shirt fascist supporters marched on the Italian capital to demand that the government make radical changes. Afraid of violence and civil war, King Victor Emmanuel lll asked Mussolini to form a new government as his prime minister. Mussolini, without firing a single shot, had obtained a legal appointment from the king to lead Italy. -
Joseph Stalin becomes leader of the Soviet Union upon Lenin's death
Rise of Joseph Stalin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAfter the death of Vladimir Lenin on January 21, 1924, a power struggle erupted between Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky for control of the Soviet Union. Trotsky wanted to build support for a worldwide socialist revolution, while Stalin wanted to build communism at home first. Eventually, Stalin won control, and Trotsky fled the country in 1929. In 1940, Trotsky was murdered in Mexico, a critic of the ruthless, ambitious Stalin until the very end. -
Adolf Hitler writes "Mein Kampf"
Mein Kampf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn November 1923, Hitler led a small-scale rebellion against the Weimar Republic in Munich. Hitler's "Beer Hall Putsch" failed, and Hitler was thrown into prison. While in prison, Hitler began dictating his autobiography "Mein Kampf", or "My Struggle". Based on Hitler's obsessions of extreme nationalism, racism, and anti-Semitism (hatred/dislike for Jewish people), "Mein Kampf" became the basic book of Nazi goals and ideology. -
Period: to
: All Heck Breaks Loose
During the 1930s, Germany and the Axis Powers pursued policies so aggressive that they woud drag the entire world into another, and more deadly, World War. -
The Manchurian Incident (until February 18, 1932)
Mukden Incident - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Chinese province of Manchuria had caught the eye of Japan as it sought to expand its empire. Rich in natural resources and already an area of heavy Japanese investment, it was highly sought after as a territorial prize. In 1931, a group of Japanese army officers blew up railroad tracks owned by a Japanese company. Claiming that China committed the act, the army proceeded to seize all of Manchuria and set up a puppet state there, all without consulting their own government. -
Adolf Hitler is appointed Chancellor of Germany
Adolf Hitler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAfter Hitler was released from prison, he went to work on making the Nazi Party a dominant force in German politics. Year by year, the Nazis gained more and more seats in the Reichstag (parliament). Also, Hitler's personal political power increased as he worked his way up the government ladder. Finally, German President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler as his chancellor, along with two of Hitler's most powerful Nazi allies (including Hermann Goring) serving in top government posts. -
Japan withdraws from the League of Nations
League of Nations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAfter the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, the League of Nations condemned Japan for its aggressive actions. Japan responded to the criticism by simply withdrawing from the League. Japan also nullified its naval disarmament treaty that it had with the Western powers. These actions left Japan free to pursue its expansionist aims in East Asia and the Pacific Islands. -
Adolf Hitler becomes President of Germany
Adolf Hitler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAfter Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany, his new government passed new laws and official decrees that suspended the people's basic roghts, outlawed labor unions, and dissolved the other German political parties. These laws culminated in a decree, issued after President Paul von Hindenburg's death, that joined the offices of president and chancellor. Through these laws, Germany was transformed from a democracy into a one-party totalitarian state, with Hitler at its head as its Fuhrer. -
The 1st U.S. Neutrality Act is passed
Neutrality Acts of 1930s - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis was the first of four Neutrality Acts passed by the United States in the 1930s. These acts were to insure that the U.S. would not be involved in foreign conflicts. This particular act was invoked after the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. -
Italy invades Ethiopia
Second Italo-Ethiopian War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWith Mussolini's fascist government in power for over a decade, Italy set out to claim an overseas empire. First, Italy set its sights on Ethiopia. Violating the Covenant of the League of Nations (of which both Italy and Ethiopia were members), Italy invaded Ethiopia in October 1935. Within a year, Ethiopia was claimed for Italy. -
The 2nd U.S. Neutrality Act is passed
Neutrality Acts of 1930s - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis second Neutrality Act renewed the original Neutrality Act for another 14 months. However, in the event of civil wars, U.S. oil companies exploited a loophole in the act to continue to ship oil to coutries overseas. Spain's eventual dictator, Francisco Franco, reportedly owed oil companies in the U.S. more than $100 million. -
Hitler sends troops into the demilitarized Rhineland
Remilitarization of the Rhineland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGermany's Rhineland region was occupied by the Allies at the end of World War 1. It was specified as a "demilitarized zone" where German troops were forbidden from entering. In 1936, however, as Germany's rearmament progressed, Hitler sent German troops to occupy the Rhineland. This action violated the hated Treaty of Versailles in the process. -
The Spanish Civil War (until April 1, 1939)
Spanish Civil War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn 1936, unrest in Spain flared into rebellion after the country's new, liberal government passed a series of controversial laws. Conservatives and the military rejected the changes and initiated the Spanish Civil War. After almost three years, the conservatives, led by General Francisco Franco, triumphed. They set up a fascist dictatorship based on those in Germany and Italy. -
The 3rd U.S. Neutrality Act is passed
Neutrality Acts of 1930s - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe third of the four U.S. Neutrality Acts, this act stopped the arms trade with Spain. However, the act included a "cash-and-carry" clause. It specified that war materials and supplles could be sold to belligerent nations in Europe as long as the recipients arranged the transport and payed in cash, hence the name "cash-and-carry". -
Japan invades Eastern China
Second Sino-Japanese War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAfter the Manchurian Incident, aggression between the Japanese and Chinese continued to increase. After a collection of small military battles since 1931, Japan invaded China on July 7, 1937. This 8-year conflict would eventually tie in with World War 2. The war was also the largest Asian war of the 20th century. -
The Anschluss
Anschluss - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFrom the begimming, Hitler dreamed of a union between Germany and Austria. It would give Germans more "lebensraum" (living room) to settle down and expand Hitler's Nazi empire. In March 1938, Germany annexed and occupied Austria, silencing anyone who opposed the annexation. The Anschluss was also a violation of the Versailles treaty and created a war scare in Europe. -
The Munich Conference
Munich Agreement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAfter unification with Austria, Germany turned next to Czechoslovakia. Hitler demanded that the Sudetenland region in western Czechoslovakia be giving autonomy and then be annexed by Germany. At the Munich Conference, British and French leaders caved in to Hitler's demands and persuaded the Czechs to surrender the Sudetenland without a fight. Britsh Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announced he had achieved "peace for our time" when he returned from Munich, a statement that was proven false. -
Germany annexes the Sudetenland
German occupation of Czechoslovakia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAs a result of the Munich agreement, Germany was allowed to annex the Sudetenland, with its large German population. Under persuasion from the British and French, the Czechs did nothing to stop it. In a gesture of assurance, Hitler promised the Western democracies that he had no further plans to expand Germany's territory. -
Kristallnacht
Kristallnact - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAlso known as "The Night of Broken Glass". Nazi gangs in Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia smashed the windows of Jewish homes and businesses. Over 1000 synagogues were burned, more than 7000 Jewish businesses were destroyed, and 30,000 Jews were sent to concentration camps. Kristallnacht reflected on Germany so badly that it was never repeated again. However, Hitler and the Nazis made their victims pay for the damages. -
The 4th U.S. Neutrality Act is passed
Neutrality Acts of 1930s - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAfter the German invasion of Poland, President Roosevelt invoked the other Neutrality Acts to keep the United States out of the war. With this, however, a new Neutrality Act was passed, allowing for arms trade with Britain and France. This effectively ended the arms embargo between the U.S. and European countries that was put in place by the other Neutrality Acts. -
Germany conquors the rest of Czechoslovakia
German occupation of Czechoslovakia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn March 1939, Hitler broke all the promises he made with the Western democracies concerning German expansion. He proceded to conquor the rest of Czechoslovakia for the Third Reich. The German Arny entered Prague, the capital on March 15, 1939. The takeover of Czechoslovakia was complete, and it finally caused the Western democracies to realize that thier policy of appeasement had failed. -
Adolf Hitler and Jospeh Stalin sign a non-aggression pact
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact stunned the rest of the world. Hitler and Stalin, two great enemies, signed the pact on August 23, 1939. The pact bound the two dictators to peaceful relations, and it agreed to divide Poland between Germany and the Soviet Union. Each leader had their reason for signing the pact; Hitler wanted a free hand in Poland. Stalin wanted to protect the Soviet Union from the threat of war and wanted a chance for land in Eastern Europe. -
Germany invades Poland
Invasion of Poland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopiaAfter the takeover of Czechoslovakia, the Western democracies agreed to protect Poland, the next target of Hitler's expansion. On Septenber 1, 1939, German troops invaded Polish territory. Two days later, Britain and France declared war on Germany, beginning World War 2. -
The Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis is formed
Axis powers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEncouraged by the weakness of the Western democracies, Germany, Italy, and Japan agreed to form the Axis Powers, or the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis. The three powers agreed to fight Soviet communism, and agreed not to interfere with each other's plans for expansion. This agreement claered the way for these dictatorial powers to take even bolder steps against the Western democracies.
