World War II (WWII)
I. The March of Fascist Aggression
A. Hitler and the Versailles Treaty
1. In 1933, Germany withdrew from the League of Nations.
2. In 1935, Hitler openly began a program of rearmament.
3. In March 1936, Hitler ordered the German army to march into the demilitarized zone of the Rhineland.
B. Mussolini and Ethiopia
1. In October 1935, Mussolini ordered a massive invasion of Ethiopia.
2. The invasion represented a crucial test of the League of Nation’s system of collective security.
3. Although the League condemned Italy, its members did nothing. The British and French hoped that appeasing Mussolini would maintain the peace..
C. Reasons Why the Democracies Failed to Act
1. The Great Depression forced the United States, Great Britain, and France to focus on domestic issues.
2. The horrific loss of life in WWI created a deep desire for peace.
3. American isolationists believed that U.S. involvement in WWI had been a mistake. They wanted to avoid becoming entangled in European affairs.
4. The democracies repeatedly underestimated Hitler’s thirst for power and conquest.
D. The Spanish Civil War
1. Spain was a deeply divided country. Between 1931 and 1936, a democratically elected government tried to cope with the Great Depression. Led by General Francisco Franco, army leaders supported the clergy and aristocracy favored a fascist-style government.
2. The Spanish Civil War began in 1936 when Nationalist forces led by Franco rebelled against the Republic.
3. The civil war escalated into an international ideological war when Hitler and Mussolini sent men and materials to support the Nationalists. The Russians countered by supported the Republican, or Loyalist, side.
4. During the war, a squadron of German planes bombed the defenseless village of Guernica, killing hundreds of men, women, and children. Pablo Picasso painted Guernica to protest this atrocity.
5. Republican resistance finally collapsed in 1939. Franco then established an authoritarian regime that remained in power until his death in 1975. It is important to note that Spain was officially neutral during WWII.