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International Relations in the 1930s: Aggression and Appeasement

In the 1930s several states used force to take what they wanted: Japan in Manchuria (1931) and China (1937), Italy in Ethiopia (1935), Germany in the Rhineland (1936), Austria (1938) and Czechoslovakia (1938–39). The League of Nations could only protest. Britain and France followed appeasement, giving in to avoid war; at the Munich Agreement (September 1938) they let Germany take the Sudetenland. It did not work: Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939 and World War II began.

🎬 Step-by-step story

  1. After 1919 the hope was peace by agreement, shown here as a balance scale. It works only if everyone agrees to use it.
  2. The Great Depression (1929) brought anger and strong leaders. First steps up the staircase: Japan takes Manchuria (1931), Germany leaves the League (1933).
  3. No real punishment came, so the steps got bolder: Ethiopia (1935), the Rhineland (1936), the Axis and the war in China (1937). That is 5 steps.
  4. In 1938 Germany joined Austria, then demanded the Sudetenland. At Munich, Britain and France agreed, without Czechoslovakia at the table. This giving in is called appeasement.
  5. It failed. Germany took the rest of the Czech lands (March 1939) and invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. World War II began.
  6. Slide the year from 1931 to 1939 and ask at each step: what could others have done?

Tip: drag the 3D scene to turn it. Use two fingers to zoom.

πŸ€” Common doubts, cleared

Why did the League not stop Japan or Italy?

It had no army, needed agreement from members and some members did not want to risk war or lose trade.

Why did Britain and France give in at Munich?

They remembered the huge losses of 1914–18, were not fully armed, and hoped one more deal would bring peace.

Why was Czechoslovakia not invited?

The four leaders decided over its head. It had to accept. This is why many call Munich a betrayal.

Was Germany the only aggressor in the 1930s?

No. Japan took Manchuria in 1931 and began a full war in China in 1937, and Italy attacked Ethiopia in 1935.

Did Munich bring peace?

No. Within six months Germany took the rest of the Czech lands, and in one year it invaded Poland.

Could the war have been stopped?

Historians argue about this. A firm reply at an early step, such as the Rhineland in 1936, might have helped. Slide through the years and think about it.

Why the 1930s turned dangerous

After the Great Depression (1929), many countries had unemployment and anger. Some turned to leaders who promised strength and land. The League of Nations was weak (no army, the USA outside), and Britain and France wanted to avoid another war like 1914–18. Four causes together made aggression easier: the Depression, angry nationalism, a weak League, and fear of war.

Growing aggression: the staircase, 1931–1937

1938: Anschluss and the Sudetenland

In March 1938 Germany joined Austria to itself (Anschluss). Next Hitler demanded the Sudetenland, a border area of Czechoslovakia where many German speakers lived. Czechoslovakia had a strong army and an alliance with France, but its friends did not want war.

The Munich Agreement and appeasement

On 29–30 September 1938 leaders of Britain (Chamberlain), France (Daladier), Italy (Mussolini) and Germany (Hitler) met in Munich. They agreed that Germany would take the Sudetenland. Czechoslovakia was not invited. Chamberlain said it meant "peace for our time".

Appeasement is the policy of giving an aggressor what it wants to avoid war. Supporters said Britain and France were not ready and feared another huge war; critics said it fed the aggressor and gave up a strong ally.

The end of the road: 1939

In March 1939 Germany occupied the rest of the Czech lands. In August 1939 Germany and the USSR signed a non-aggression pact. On 1 September 1939 Germany invaded Poland, and two days later Britain and France declared war. See the lesson World War II.

Key formulas and definitions

Worked examples

1. What is appeasement?

Giving an aggressive state what it demands to avoid war. Britain and France did this at Munich in 1938.

2. Why was the Munich Agreement criticised?

Czechoslovakia was not invited, it lost a border area, and the concession only encouraged Germany: it took the rest of the Czech lands in March 1939 and invaded Poland in September.

3. How many years passed between Japan taking Manchuria and the start of World War II in Europe?

1939 βˆ’ 1931 = 8 years.

Common mistakes

Practice quiz

1. Japan took Manchuria in:
2. Appeasement means:
3. At Munich (1938), Germany was allowed to take:
4. Who was NOT at the Munich conference table?
5. World War II in Europe began when Germany invaded:

Practice: answer these yourself

Type or choose your answer, then press Check. Use a hint if you are stuck; the full solution appears after you answer.

Frequently asked questions

What was the Munich Agreement?

A deal on 29–30 September 1938 in which Britain, France, Italy and Germany agreed that Germany could take the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia, which was not invited.

What was appeasement and did it work?

Appeasement was giving in to an aggressor to avoid war. It did not work: Germany took the rest of Czechoslovakia in 1939 and invaded Poland.

What events led to World War II?

Japan in Manchuria (1931), Italy in Ethiopia (1935), Germany in the Rhineland (1936), the Anschluss and Munich (1938), the occupation of Czech lands (1939) and the invasion of Poland (1 September 1939).

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