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Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty which was signed at the end of World War One. It heavily impacted Germany because they had to pay billions of dollars in reparations, give up lots of land and limit its military. This is what originally angered Hitler and made him want to rule over Germany and restore its power. -
Mussolini becomes fascist leader of Italy
Benito Mussolini rose to power after gaining popularity and eventually became emperor. He was a dictator and the original founder of fascism. He was said to have inspired Hitler into believing in fascism and will later team up with him in the Tripartite Pact. He brought lots of power to Italy and led them through World War Two. -
Mein Kampf is published
Mein Kampf is a book that Adolf Hitler wrote in 1925 which shows his political ideology and future plans for Germany. This book was significant to the empowerment of Germany because this gave Hitler popularity and supporters which eventually led to him becoming the leader by popular vote. -
Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany
Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1925 after a series of democratic elections. He was able to do this by promising to restore Germany's power and leaving out many of the horrible things he would end up doing. This event was very significant to the empowerment of Germany because Hitler was the one who led Germany through the war and gave Germany lots of power. -
“Night of the Long Knives” Hitler consolidates power
The "Night of the Long Knives" was when Hitler decided to have over 100 people killed, either because he didn't trust them or didn't like them. This was significant to the empowerment of Germany because this was one of the first times where Hitler showed how crazy he truly was, and foreshadowed many even crazier events that would soon follow. -
Italy invades Ethiopia
In 1935 Fascist Italy under Benito Mussolini invaded Ethiopia, which was one of two independent African nations at the time. The emperor of Ethiopia was forced into exile after the Italian troops took over the land. This event was significant in leading to the empowerment of Italy because it showed how strong Italy was, and that Mussolini would do whatever he had to for the good of his country. -
Japan Invades China
This incident is widely regarded as the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Japan invaded China and took over the Chinese capital of Nanjing. This was significant because it showed Japan's power and eventually led to the "Rape of Nanjing." -
Japanese Rape of Nanjing
This was directly after Japan captured Nanjing, the Chinese capital. Many Japanese soldiers slaughtered and raped Chinese citizens. Some witnesses recall Japanese soldiers throwing babies into the air and catching them with their bayonets. This showed how Japan had no regard for Chinese lives and would "do as they please" with them. This also left Nanjing in ruins and it took decades for the city to recover. -
Germany and Italy sign the Pact of Steel
The Pact of Steel was an alliance signed by Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini in 1939. This alliance linked Italy and Germany both politically and militarily. This had lots of significance to the empowerment of Germany and Italy because as partners, they were now stronger than ever before. -
Germany invades Poland, beginning World War II
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. They justified this by claiming Germans were being persecuted in Poland, and Poland was planning, with its allies Great Britain and France, to encircle and dismember Germany. This was significant because it started World War II. The second world war was started because Great Britain and France had an alliance with Poland, so they declared war on Germany. -
Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact
The Tripartite Pact created an alliance between the three major Axis powers, Germany, Japan and Italy. This was largely created to make America not want to enter the war. This ultimately empowered Japan, Germany, and Italy, combining their resources and aiding each other on the battlefield.