IB History Review Guide/The Second World War

From the Syllabus

 * international diplomacy in the inter-war years
 * appeasement, collapse of the league of nations
 * aggressive policies of Hitler and Mussolini
 * total war and its effects
 * war in the air, at sea, on land, the home front
 * political, social and economic consequences of the war

Events leading to World War Two
The Anschluss
 * January 1938: Hitler strengthens his position by removing non-Nazis from key positions.
 * February 12th 1938: Hitler threatens the Austrian Chancellor Schluschnigg in order for him to remove anti-Nazi measures and allow Austrian Nazis to enter the government.
 * March 9th 1938: Schuschnigg declares that he will hold a referendum concerning Hitler's measures.
 * March 11th 1938: Schuschnigg orders the Austrian army not to fire on German troops. Hitler hears that Mussolini would not oppose a German move on Austria.
 * March 12th 1938: German troops enter Austria.
 * March 13th 1938: Hitler annexes Austria.

Takeover of Sudetenland
 * March 1938: Hitler meets with Sudeten-Nazi leader, Konrad Henlein, and tells him to make unacceptable demands for autonomy so Hitler could intervene.
 * April 1938: British and French urge Czechoslovakia to make the maximum number of concessions.
 * May 20th 1938: Czechoslovakian president orders partial mobilization. France warns Hitler against any invasion.
 * May 30th 1938: Hitler orders generals to prepare for an invasion by September if the issue isn't resolved.
 * September 7th 1938: Article in The Times suggests that Czechoslovakia should hand over the Sudetenland to Germany.
 * September 12th 1938: In a party speech, Hitler verbally attacks the Czechs.
 * September 13th 1938: Chamberlain suggests a meeting with Hitler.
 * September 15th 1938: Chamberlain goes to Berchtesgaden. Hitler agrees to wait for a peaceful settlement, but orders his generals to carry out the invasion anyway.
 * September 19th 1938: Chamberlain-Hitler meeting at Bad Godesberg. Hitler wants the entire Sudetenland. Chamberlain refuses.
 * September 24th 1938: Czech mobilization completed. The French call up the reserves.
 * September 28th 1938: British navy prepare for war.
 * September 29th-30th 1938: Munich Conference. Hitler is appeased and given the Sudetenland. Chamberlain foolishly declares that he has secured "Peace in our time".
 * March 1939: What is left of Czechoslovakia falls under German influence.

The Invasion of Poland
 * October 1938: Ribbentrop asks for the return of Danzig. Poland refuses.
 * January 5th 1939: Hitler offers the Ukraine (then Soviet territory) in return for Danzig and the Polish corridor.
 * March 1939: Britain offers to guarantee Polish territory.
 * April 3rd 1939: Hitler orders the army to prepare for plans to attack Poland.
 * April 28th 1939: Hitler denounces the non-aggression pact made with Poland in 1934.
 * May 22nd 1939: Pact of Steel between Germany and Italy. USSR makes an offer to ally with France and Britain, but negotiations are so slow that the USSR becomes suspicious of their motives.
 * August 24th 1939: Non-aggression pact between Russia and Germany. Contains a 'Secret Protocol' which agrees to divide Poland. England and France horrified at this alliance.
 * September 1st 1939: German troops invade Poland.
 * September 3rd 1939: Great Britain and France declare war on Germany.

Causes of World War Two
Unopposed Aggression by Japan, Italy, and Germany

Japanese Aggression
 * September 1931: Japan attacks China.
 * Mukden incident.
 * Chinese appeal to the League of Nations. Council of the League asks both parties to withdraw their forces.
 * Japanese complete their conquest of Manchuria.
 * Lord Lytton Report condemns Japanese action and dubbed Manchukuo a puppet creation.
 * March 1933: Japan withdraws from the league of Nations.
 * The United States and the League of Nations take no action.
 * July 1937: Marco Polo Bridge incident.

Italian Aggresion
 * December 1934: Clash between Italian troops and an Abyssinian escort at Walwal. Abyssinia appeals to the league.
 * May 1935: Abysinnia appeals again to the league.
 * October 3rd 1935: Mussolini launches his attack on Abysinnia. League declares Italy to be an aggresor and imposes some limited economic sanctions.
 * Britain and France propose an unacceptable deal which secures Abysinnian territory for Italy.
 * May 1936: Italians capture capital of Addis Ababa.
 * Sanctions eventurally dropped.

German Aggresion
 * March 7th 1936: Hitler sends troops into the demilitarized Rhineland in opposition to the Versailles and Locarno treaties. Note: Officers carried notes to withdraw in the event of French resistance.

Consequences of World War Two
-Germany split up

-Superpower, middle power, little power

-COLD WAR

-1945- UN charter (this time America does join)

-Europe further split up SUCCESSOR STATES