Title:Aggressors Invade Nations

Warm-Up:(1) Describe the mood in Japan post-WWI.(2) What continent is the nation of Ethiopia located on?(3) Predict Italy’s involvement in WWII.

Japan Becomes Militaristic

• 1928-Japan signs the Kellogg-Briand Pact renouncing war and agreeing to respect China’s borders

• 1929-Great Depression strikes-Japanese blamed the government-Military leaders gain power

• Military leaders set out to make Japan more traditional and leave Emperor Hirohito in power and the symbol of the state

• Militarists are extreme nationalists and believe that the creation of a Pacific Japanese empire will solve the nation’s economic problems.

• Militarists seek to conquer China and other Pacific Rim nations in order to gain raw materials and additional space

Japan Invades Manchuria

• 1931-Japan seizes Manchuria (China’s Northeast Province) • Manchuria is rich in iron and coal• Japanese Parliament objected to the takeover• The Japanese army setup a puppet government• Japan built large factories and mines• This was the first direct attack on the League of Nations• Japan ignores League of Nation’s protest to the conquer of

Manchuria and withdrawals from the peacekeeping body in 1933

(Japan in the 1930s 2:08)

Japan Invades China

• 1937-a border incident sets off a full-fledged war between the two nations

• China’s army consisted of 1 million soldiers

• Japanese are far better equipped and trained

• 1937-Beijing, Nanjing, and other Northern cities fall to Japanese

• Tens of thousands of Chinese are killed

• Chinese guerillas lead by Communist leader Mao Zedong continue to fight the Japanese in the conquered areas

Rape of Nanking• December 1937-February 1938: up to 300,000 Chinese

civilians are brutally massacred• Seen by many as an act of genocide• Japanese nationalists distorted actual events and to this day

deny that civilians were targeted• The Japanese army committed numerous atrocities, such as

rape, looting, arson, and the execution of POW’s and civilians. Many women and children were brutally rapped and murdered as well

• The fact that Japan does not acknowledge the massacre has strained Sino-Japanese relations

Mussolini in Ethiopia• The League of Nations inability to stop European

Fascist leaders from invading other countries inspired Mussolini to become imperialistic and create a colonial empire in Africa

• Ethiopia was one of three independent nations in Africa

• Ethiopia resisted Italian influence in the 1890s but was no match for the massive Italian forces Mussolini sent into the nation in 1935.

• Ethiopian weapons were no match for Italy’s modern technology

• Ethiopian emperor, Halie Selassie appealed to the League of Nations but its members did nothing; Britain still allowed Italian troops and supplies to pass through the Suez Canal

• Britain and France hoped to appease Mussolini by letting him gain Ethiopia

(Italy Invades Ethiopia 1:09)

Spanish Civil War

• July 1936-Spanish Civil War erupts• Army leaders joined General

Francisco Franco in hopes of creating a Fascist-style government

• Hitler and Mussolini sent in resources to support Franco

• Western democracies remain neutral

• 1939-republican resistance collapsed and Franco became Spain’s Fascist dictator

(The Spanish Civil War 2:38)

Article Response

• Read the article, “Scarred by History: The Rape of Nanjing” and write a reflection that addresses the following questions:– Why did Japan desire additional territory and why

did the Japanese target China?– Describe what happened in Nanjing, China.– What is the legacy of this event?

Chinese Citizens During Japanese Invasion

Japanese Soldier

Directions: Complete a “Sensory Figure” activity utilizing one of the following images. Use your types of homework packet to help you.