World War II: Why Do These Dictators Invade Other Countries?

World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history. 100 million people fought in World War II. 50 million people died. They’re so many reasons why a lot of people died. What led to the World War? A series of unfortunate events. In 1924, Joseph Stalin took over the Soviet Union when Vladimir Lenin died. In 1925, Fascist, Benito Mussolini takes control in Italy. Military leaders in 1932 took over Japan after they assassinated the prime minister. A year later, 1933, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. World War II was shortly after World War I. In 1918, The German Kaiser (King) Wilhelm II signs an armistice, ending combat in the war. Ending the War is unpopular with many Germans, including many military officers. Later that year, Kaiser Wilhelm II

The book lays out the Nazi vision for Germany’s future. Hitler and the Nazi Party also change their strategy for gaining power. They will gain power by winning elections. In 1932, The Nazi Party becomes the largest party in the German Reichstag. A year earlier, 1931, The Japanese Army invades Manchuria. In 1935, Mussolini invades the independent area of Abyssinia in Africa. It took 2 years for Germany to reclaim lost land in the Treaty of Versailles. Why do these dictators invade other countries?

“... In order to remain healthy, species must continually expand the amount of space they occupy…”, Hitler once said. Hitler, as well as the leaders of Japan and Italy believed that their nations required Lebensraum (‘Living space’) in order to survive. These actions clearly violated the Treaty of Versailles. The League of Nations did not have the power to stop them. By breaking the Treaty, Germany put France and Great Britain in a difficult spot. In 1938, they made a new agreement called the Munich Pact. The Munich Pact made it so Germany keeps Sudetenland and Czechoslovakia. It also made it so they can no longer take further territory. But, Hitler needed more land to created his vision. In 1939, The