The key causes of WWII were the rise of dictators like Hitler in Germany, Mussolini in Italy, and Hirohito in Japan. Germany's economy was ruined after harsh treatment following WWI, including huge reparation payments. Countries were increasingly aggressive in expanding their borders, which the weak League of Nations struggled to address. Germany openly disregarded the Treaty of Versailles and remilitarized the Rhineland. Hitler's invasion of Poland in 1939 marked the official start of WWII in Europe, while Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor drew the U.S. into the war in 1941.

1. World War II

2. Causes of WWII
1. Dictators
– The dictators supported each other
– Emperor Hirohito was the dictator of Japan
– Hitler was the dictator of Germany
– Mussolini was the dictator of Italy

3. Emperor Hirohito

4. Adolf Hitler

5. Mussolini

6. 2. Harsh treatment of Germany after
WWI
• The huge reparation payments ruined German
economy
• Central Powers lost territory

9. 3. Aggression of countries
• Countries were expanding their borders
• The League of Nations was too weak to deal
with these countries

11. • Hitler called his new German empire the Third
Reich
• Neville Chamberlain practiced a policy of
appeasement with Germany.
• Appeasement – giving into Germany in the
hopes that it will prevent another war
German Aggression

13. Neville Chamberlain

16. Munich Conference
• British, French and German meeting to settle
German advancements into Czech Republic

18. Alliances
• Rome-Berlin Axis – between Germany and
Itlay
• Anti-Comintern Pact – between Germany and
Japan
• Non-Aggression Pact – between Germany and
Russia

19. Final Straw!!
• Germany attacked Poland on September 1,
1939

20. • Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7,
1941

28. Axis Powers
• Germany, Italy and Japan

29. Allied Powers
• Britain, France and later the United States