key events Flashcards
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Nationalists led by General Francisco Franco, supported by Italy and Germany.
Ideological struggle between democracy and fascism.
Precursor to World War II, as it served as a testing ground for new military tactics and technologies.
International involvement intensified the conflict, with the Soviet Union aiding the Republicans and Italy and Germany supporting the Nationalists.
Invasion of Manchuria (1931)
aftermath of the Mukden Incident, a staged event by the Japanese military.
Marked the beginning of Japanese expansionism in East Asia.
Challenged the authority of the League of Nations and collective security.
Japan’s withdrawal from the League followed international condemnation.
Demonstrated the League’s inability to prevent aggression by major powers.
Italian Invasion of Abyssinia (1935-1936)
Led to condemnation by the League of Nations and imposition of economic sanctions.
Revealed the ineffectiveness of the League in preventing aggression.
Highlighted the failure of collective security and international cooperation.
Increased tensions between Italy and other European powers.
Weakened the credibility and authority of the League of Nations.
Remilitarization of the Rhineland (1936)
Hitler’s decision to remilitarize the Rhineland, violating the Treaty of Versailles and Locarno Treaties.
Symbolized Germany’s reassertion of military power and defiance of international agreements.
Exploited the policy of appeasement and European reluctance to confront German aggression.
Tested the resolve of Britain and France to uphold the Treaty of Versailles.
Annexation of Austria (Anschluss) (1938)
Violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain.
Aimed to unite all German-speaking peoples under German rule (Grossdeutschland).
Demonstrated Hitler’s expansionist aims and disregard for international agreements.
Symbolized the failure of Britain and France to uphold the principle of collective security.
Strengthened Hitler’s position in Europe and his domestic popularity.
Crisis over Austria (1934)
Engulfed Austria in a brief civil war between the government and the Socialists.
Sparked by a failed coup attempt by Austrian Nazis.
Revealed internal divisions and political instability within Austria.
Prompted Mussolini’s intervention to prevent Austrian Nazis from seizing power.
Demonstrated the fragility of Austria’s independence and sovereignty.
Greek-Bulgarian Crisis of 1925
Conflict between Greece and Bulgaria over disputed territory along their border.
Erupted into violence following a border incident.
Threatened to escalate into a full-scale war between the two countries.
Prompted intervention by the League of Nations to mediate the dispute.
Resulted in the League’s imposition of sanctions against both Greece and Bulgaria.
Demonstrated the League’s commitment to preventing armed conflict in Europe.
Signified the League’s effectiveness in resolving regional disputes through diplomacy.
Corfu Incident (1923)
over the murder of an Italian general in Greece.
Italy demanded reparations and an apology from Greece.
Greece refused, leading Italy to bomb and occupy the Greek island of Corfu.
Prompted intervention by the League of Nations to resolve the dispute.
Resulted in the League’s condemnation of Italy’s actions and a demand for withdrawal.
Demonstrated the League’s willingness to uphold international law and order.
Upper Silesia Dispute (1919-1921)
Conflict between Germany and Poland over the Upper Silesia region.
Erupted into violence between German and Polish paramilitary forces.
Resulted in the division of Upper Silesia between Germany and Poland.
Prompted intervention by the League of Nations to oversee a plebiscite.
Signified the League’s role in mediating conflicts and promoting self-determination.
Rhineland Remilitarization (1936)
Violation of the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Treaties.
Demonstrated Hitler’s willingness to challenge international agreements.
Exploited the policy of appeasement and the reluctance of Britain and France to intervene.
Undermined the credibility of the League of Nations and collective security.
Czechoslovakia sudetenland Takeover (1938-1939)
Annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland by Nazi Germany.
Resulted from the Munich Agreement, negotiated between Germany, Britain, France, and Italy.
Signified the failure of appeasement to prevent further German aggression.
Demonstrated Hitler’s strategy of exploiting ethnic tensions to justify expansion.
Highlighted the ineffectiveness of diplomatic agreements in deterring aggression.
