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The Road To World War II

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keywords: pre-wwii, invasion of poland, rise of nazi party, adolf hitler, italy invades ethiopia, spanish civil war, japan invades china, munich conference

Synopsis: Events, political leaders and the "smaller Pre-WWII conflicts" that coalesced into a global war that brought death and destruction of unprecedented proportions to every corner of the planet...(read more)

Date: 1920's-1930's
Duration: 00:18:48
Sound: Yes
Color: Monochrome
Type: Public Domain
Language: English
Location: Germany, Italy, Japan, China

Show All WWII European Theater Titles

The Road To World War II

The Road To World War II

1939: German Invasion Of Poland - Start Of WW2

Start of WW2 September 1, 1939. Invasion of Poland by mechanized German Forces. CU German machine gun firing. CU of "Big Ben" in London, England. Britain and France declare war on Germany. "Goose step march" of German troops. Flashback to footage that depict economic misery that came in the aftermath of WW1 followed by inflation, social disorder (riots), and political conflict.

1922: Italian Fascist Party Members March On Rome

Shows Benito Mussolini on horseback. Footage of the Italian Fascist Party members march on Rome in 1922 where they seized the Government and setup a totalitarian State under the dictatorship of Benito Mussolini.

1933: Adolf Hitler And The German Nazi Party Assume Power

Adolf Hitler and the German Nazi Party take control of Germany.

Japanese Militarists Gain Control Under Emperor Hirohito

Shows Emperor Hirohito on horseback. Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931. This was the first act of aggression by a member of the Axis Powers that led to WWII (WW2). The League of Nations appointed a Commission headed by Lord Lytton to investigate the invasion of Manchuria by the Japanese. After the League of Nations condemned the Japanese as the aggressor Japan withdrew from the League of Nations as Japan's representative walks out of League of Nations meeting.

1935: Italy Invades Ethiopia

Italy invades Ethiopia in 1935. Ethiopia Emperor Haile Selassie appear before the League of Nations. Shows Italian tanks in Ethiopia. This was the second act of aggression by a member of the Axis Powers that led to WW2 (WWII).

1936: Germany Sends Troops Into The Rhineland

On March 7, 1936 German Troops march into the Rhineland in violation of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and the Locamo Treaties. Shows people cheering and welcoming German troops. German occupation of the Rhineland.

1936-1939: Spanish Civil War

Footage of the Spanish Civil War 1936-39. Bombing of cities in Spanish Civil War. Shows German troops returning to Germany from the Spanish Civil War and welcomed home by the German people.

Shows bodies of Spanish people killed in the Spanish Civil War.

1937: Japanese Invasion Of China

Footage of the Japanese invasion of China in 1937.

1938: German Occupation Of Austria

Footage of German occupation of Austria in 1938. At the League of Nations, Soviet Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinov, calls for collective action against German aggression.

1938: Hitler Demands Czechoslovakia Concede The Sudetenland To Germany

Hitler demanded Czechoslovakia concede the Sudetenland to Germany. Czechoslovakia Eduard Benes capitulated to Hitler's demands during the Czech crisis of 1938. Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister, travels to Germany to meet with Adolf Hitler. Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister, travels to Germany for the Munich Conference. Footage of Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister, and French Prime minister, Edouard Daladier, in Germany for the Munich Conference.

1938: Munich Conference - Peace In Our Time

Footage of the Munich Conference September 29-30, 1938 as the Munich Pact is signed. Neville Chamberlain returns to Britain as a hero as he "waves the Munich Pact" and Edouard Daladier is hailed as a hero in France. In March 1939 Germany occupies all of Czechoslovakia as tanks roll into Prague. Russia under Josef Stalin sign a non-aggression treaty with Germany. The West finally realized World War II was imminent. Shows children (kids) in Britain (England) being given gas masks.

01:01:16;05

German Infantry invades Poland

01:01:23;27

CU German machine gun firing WWII

01:01:52;16

German soldiers goose-step march

01:02:09;10

Scenes depicting economic misery in the aftermath of WWI followed by inflation, social disorder, and political conflict

01:02:51;10

Fascist Party Members march on Rome

01:04:49;18

Japanese invades Manchuria 1931

01:05:07;08

Scene of Lord Lytton

01:05:59;14

Italy invades Ethiopia in 1935

01:06:26;03

Ethiopia Emperor Haile Selassie appear before the League of Nations

01:06:46;23

Italian tanks in Ethiopia

01:07:38;13

German Troops occupy the Rhineland

01:08:10;12

Footage of Spanish Civil War

01:09:41;23

Japanese Troops invades China in 1937

01:10:22;01

German occupation of Austria in 1938

01:11:16;29

At the League of Nations, Soviet foreign Minister Maxim Litvinov, called for collective action against German aggression

01:13:08;05

Czechoslovakia Eduard Benes capitulated to Hitler's demands during the Czech crisis of 1938

01:13:17;23

Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister, travels to Germany to meet with Adolf Hitler

01:14:26;28

Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minster, speaks before boarding plane to fly to Germany for Munich Conference

01:14:45;00

CU images of Hitler and Mussolini together riding in open car while standing. (Hitler-Mussolini)

01:14:47;01

Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister, and French Prime Minister, Edouard Daladier, rides in open car to Munich Conference, waves to German people lining the street

01:15:01;14

Munich Conference September 29-30, 1938, Neville Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier sign Munich Pact

01:16:08;15

German troops move into Czechoslovakia March 1939

01:16:29;20

Josef Stalin of Russia signs a non-aggression treaty with Germany

00:16:53;00

British children (kids) given gas masks. Young child wearing gas mask