Key: Blue rows: Manchuria 1931 Green rows: Disarmament Conference 1932-1933 Orange rows: Abyssinia Crisis 1935

Date Event Significance September 1931 Japanese Army claims Chinese troops sabotaged the “Plausible” reason to invade: in self-defence, not invasion per se railway (belonging to the Japanese), invaded Manchuria and expelled Chinese troops February 1932 Creation of the puppet state of , with Henry Pu “Puppet State” meant that the could not Yi installed as the emperor directly accuse the Japanese of taking over Manchuria, since it is technically an independent state July 1932 Germany proposes option of allowing Germany to rearm to Shows that other countries did not see Germany as an equal, but the level of other powers in the Disarmament Conference. as a defeated nation Proposal rejected, Germany walks Late 1932 Japanese Imperial Army attached Shanghai with warplanes - and gunships, ignored civilian government’s instructions to withdraw. China appealed to the League to take action (banking on idea of ) September 1932 LoN officials present report after field trip; Japan was to - withdraw from Manchuria December 1932 Agreement to treat Germany equally Indecisiveness of League: took 5 months just to decide to treat Germany as an equal January 1933 Germany returns to the Conferences - February 1933 Hitler becomes Chancellor (quite obvious, no?) February 1933 Japan announced further expansion plans in China - 24 February 1933 League votes 42:1 on the subject (with the one being Japan, Illustrated very clearly the ineffectiveness of the League since it obviously wouldn’t vote against itself) policy—unable to obtain unanimous vote on issues concerning members of the League easily 24 March 1933 Japan withdraws from the League League could no longer control Japanese actions in any way April 1933 Japan invades the Chinese territory of Jehol The League had failed in stopping the Japanese invasion of China (ie, failed in keeping collective security) May 1933 Hitler promises not to rearm Germany conditionally (…false promises everywhere) October 1933 Germany withdraws from the League League could no longer control German actions in any wa. Illustrated the failure of the League by showing how they could not come to an agreement on disarmament, a key issue in promoting collective security Border dispute at Wal-Wal, 80km inside Abyssinia. - Mussolini claimed it was Italian territory and prepared for invasion. , the Abyssinian Emperor, appealed to LoN for help 4 (after months of deliberation), the League proposed a Inefficiency of League: took close to a year to come to a (partial) compromise where Mussolini would be given part of decision Abyssinia, rejected by Mussolini October 1935 Italy invades Abyssinia Italy was clearly the aggressor and violated the League Convenant, an ideal case for the LoN to act firmly and demonstrate its purpose October 1935 Committee was set up to debate on imposing sanctions in Illustrated how the League’s purpose was secondary to national Italy. Time factor was critical, however these were delayed interest in trying times; even key members did not take League because of the economic interests of major powers (France, seriously. Foundation for failure of LoN? Britain). REMAINED OPEN (this was to prove fatal) December 1935 Secret talks between Britain and France to divide LoN was essentially taken as nothing but a bureaucratic joke Abyssinia, 2/3 to Italy. France was insistent about this, and France and Britain bypassed the League in making their even wanted to present pact to Mussolini before presenting decision it to the LoN. Infamous Hoare-Laval pact. 7 March 1936 Hitler marches troops into Rhineland; France needed Italy France was thus prepared to sacrifice Abyssinia to Italy; needed more than ever as an ally against possible Nazi aggression Italy at all costs 9 May 1936 Italy formally annexes Abyssinia LoN again failed and this one cost them more than the previous ones because it was a clear cut case of Italy being the aggressor. All respect for LoN’s authority lost November 1936 -Berlin Axis Showed that you could not trust Mussolini (allied with Hitler despite France’s desperation to pull Italy to their side). End Game: Hitler and Mussolini the ultimate winners, making use of national interest > League interest to manipulate the situation to their advantage

Date Event British Reaction French Reaction Significance 1935 Rearmament and British were sympathetic: Anglo- French did not act. Unstable Beginning of Hitler’s preparation conscription, rebuilds German Naval Agreement which politically and economically, placed to war; in direct contravention of Luftwaffe allowed Germany to have a navy their trust in the Maginot Line ToV. Anglo-German Naval 35% the size of the Royal Navy Agreement undermined the Treaty 1936 Hitler marched 22,000 Sympathetic: seen as reclaiming Did not act. Unstable government Beginning of the policy of German troops into the what was theirs. Weak (Hitler acted between , illustration of British Rhineland (supposedly a economically and militarily, did governments) and would not act sympathy and French indecision demilitarised area) in direct not want to commit to war; without British support. Relied on contravention of the Treaty. troops had been moved to the Maginot Line. French generals Offered France and Britain a Mediterranean because of the thought the German occupying 25-year non-aggression pact Abyssinia crisis forces were much bigger than they actually were 1938 12 March: German troops Did not act. Chamberlain was Did not act. French politics were in France and Britain chose to allow marched into Austria; determined to appease Hitler, turmoil; French government Hitler to break the ToV (which Anschluss with Austria and the British population were resigned two days before Germany stated that Germany was not opposed to another war invaded Austria. Obviously, not in a permitted to Anschluss with (economically and militarily not position to oppose. Austria). Hitler gained 7,000,000 ready). Anschluss was not seen population, 100,000 troops and as a threat since both were resources. The balance of power in Germanic nations south-eastern Europe shited in favour of Germany, Czechoslovakia surrounded on three fronts by the German Empire 1938- Sudetenland Crisis 1939 Mar Hitler orders the Sudeten - - Significance of Sudetenland to 1938 Nazi Party to make Czechoslovakia: extensive border demands, citing persecution defences; losing this area would (partial truth) mean losing these May Hitler moves troops to the - - Was Hitler gambling? 1938 Czech border in the show of Czechoslovakia had a modern force ; Czechoslovakia army and extensive border mobilises defences 15 - Chamberlain relegates part of - Again, appeasement comes into Sep Sudetenland to Hitler play. 1939 22 Hitler demands all of British mobilises the Royal Navy: - Note date: less than a week after Sep Sudetenland; demands for war seemed imminent Chamberlain relegates part of 1938 Czechoslovak army to Sudetenland to Hitler; Hitler’s withdraw from the growing ambition Sudetenland by 1 Oct 29 Munich Conference Turning point in road to war: to Sep Hitler, this was solid evidence that 1938 Britain and France would not act 30 , in which Sudetenland in its entirety would be relegated to Hitler and Hitler against him unless their national Sep promises not to make any more territorial demands in Europe interest was directly threatened 1938 15 (barely 6 months after the (17 March) Chamberlain gave a French did nothing to stop Hitler. Showed the failure of the policy of Mar Munich Agreement) German speech stating that you could not appeasement; instead of appeasing 1939 troops marched into trust Hitler (about time you Hitler, merely boosted his Czechoslovakia and took caught on too, huh). However, did confidence and ambition. Britain over Bohemia nothing to stop Hitler and France had severely underestimated Hitler and trusted him too much

Note: don’t bother reading this unless you want to see the full flow of events; loads of things outside our syllabus and not really relevant. Made this for fun, oops. The only part to take note of would be the partitioning of Poland (Non-aggression pact with USSR) right at the end!

Key: G—Germany R—USSR B—Britain J—Japan F—France I—Italy

Date Event G B F R J I Significance 1924 Stalin becomes dictator Russia a Communist base in Europe 1929 France begins construction of - Maginot Line 1930 France completely withdraws - troops from the Rhineland (as part of the Locarno Treaties) September Japanese Army invades Breaking of the Convenant of the LoN (despite 1931 Manchuria; set up puppet state of how it was supposedly done in “self-defence”) Manchukuo January 1933 Hitler becomes Chancellor Beginning of sequence of events hat would lead to WWII 27 Feburary Reichstag Fire, Emergency Decree Used by Hitler to blame and arrest Communists 1933 (28 Feb) 24 March Enabling Act Hitler had full power and effectively dictatorship 1933 24 March Japan withdraws from the League LoN no longer held any power over Japan 1933 of Nations April 1933 Japan invades Chinese territory of Illustrates failure of LoN, therefore indirectly Jehol boosting Hitler’s confidence that they would not act April – July Civil Service Purge, Banning of Consolidated Hitler’s power by eliminating all 1933 Trade Unions and new parties, opposition; Hitler could now focus on his ideals Employment Law, Concordat with of Aryan superiority and Lebensraum without Catholic Church worry of opposition October 1933 Germany leaves the LoN League no longer held any power over Germany, Hitler could do what he wanted 1933 USA recognises USSR - 1934 USSR admitted to the LoN - January 1934 Polish-German 10 year non- Empty promises everywhere aggression pact December Border dispute at Wal-Wal; 1934 Mussolini claims Abyssinia was Italian territory and prepares for war 1935 Hitler reintroduces conscription In direct contravention of the ToV and rebuilds Luftwaffe 2 May 1935 Franco-USSR Treaty of Mutual Was a hollow diplomatic threat of war on two Assistance fronts for Germany; however represented a conscious decision for France to participate in a 2nd encirclement of Germany 18 Jun 1935 Anglo-German Naval Agreement Again, in direct contravention of ToV. Gave Hitler that allowed Germany to have a the confidence to go against it since Britain navy 35% the size of the Royal obviously did not care (signed treaty that went Navy against their own terms) and France would not act without Britain October 1935 Italy invades Abyssinia Clearly the aggressor and knowingly violated League Convenant, ideal case for LoN to act firmly and demonstrate its purpose December Infamous Hoare-Laval Pact where Illustrated how Britain and France placed 1935 Britain and France agree to divide national interest before League interest; Abyssinia with 2/3 to Italy contributed to failure of LoN since major players did not take it seriously 7 March 1936 Hitler marches 22,000 troops into Direct contravention of not only the ToV, but also Rhineland. Britain and France do the Locarno Treaties. Beginning of appeasement. nothing due to domestic concerns Was this partially necessitated by the Franco- USSR Treaty of Mutual Alliance? 9 May 1936 Italy formally annexes Abyssinia Showed how desperate the French were to have Italy as an ally against Hitler (BUT FAILED ANYWAY) 1 November Rome-Berlin Axis, the official Shows French failure in trying to pull Italy to 1936 alliance of Italy and their side despite trying to appease them by Germany giving them Abyssinia 1936 War between China and Japan - officially begins Somehow, nothing significant happens in 1937… March 1938 Hitler invades Austria; Anschluss Hitler gained people; resources; land. Basis of with Austria. Britain and France power shifted in favour of Germany, German do not act. Empire now surrounded Czechoslovakia on three fronts May 1938 Hitler moves troops to the Ironically enough, Czechoslovakia is the only Czechoslovakia border, state inclined to oppose Hitler’s expansionist Czechoslovakia mobilises policies 15 September Chamberlain relegates part of - 1938 Sudetenland to Hitler 22 September Hitler demands all of Sudetenland Failure of Chamberlain to appease Hitler with 1938 part of Sudetenland; illustrated Hitler’s territorial ambition 30 September Munich Agreement, where France, Key turning point in the road to war: 1938 Britain and Italy agree to give conclusively proved to Hitler that France and Hitler Sudetenland and Hitler Germany would not act against him unless their promises to stop making any more national interest was directly threatened. Also a territorial demands controversial decision morally; Czechoslovakia was not invited to decide their own fate 15 March German troops march into Marked the failure of appeasement. First time 1939 Czechoslovakia and take over Hitler had taken over a non-Germanic people, no Bohemia, British and French do longer a question of reversing the ToV but not act against him showed Hitler’s expansionist aims clearly 17 March Chamberlain makes a speech that (about time, Chamberlain old friend, no?) 1939 Hitler could not be trusted 31 March Anglo-Polish military alliance, Finally, they start taking action against Hitler 1939 where Britain and France promise to defend Poland should Germany attack 23 August Soviet-Nazi pact that stated Hitler was now free to invade Poland without 1939 Germany and USSR would not fearing a war on two fronts (like in WWI), take military action against one emboldening Hitler. Did it make war inevitable? another, partitioned Poland 1 September Hitler invades Poland; Britain and - 1939 France issue the Polish Ultimatum 3 September War is declared by Britain and Hitler’s fatal miscalculation: did not expect 1939 France; WWII begins Britain and France to stick to the Anglo-Polish Treaty 27 September Japan joins the with This is where the European War and the Pacific 1940 Italy and Germany War starts getting entangled 18 December Hitler signs Directive 21 Hitler turns on USSR in contravention of the 1940 (codenamed Operation Soviet-Nazi pact Barbarossa), the operational order for the invasion of the Soviet Union