World War II was basically caused by the rise of totalitarian, militaristic
             regimes in Germany, Italy, and Japan, which resulted partially from the
             Great Depression that plagued the world in the early 1930s and from the
             conditions created by the peace settlements following World War I.
             After WWI, Germany, Italy and Japan were anxious to regain or increase
             their power; all three adopted forms of dictatorship, such as socialism and
             facism, which made the state supreme and called for expansion at the
             expense of neighboring countries. These three countries also set themselves
             up as fighters of communism, which made Western democracies more tolerant
             of their early actions. In addition, the democracies were so eager for
             peace that they did not adequately prepare their militaries. Finally, the
             League of Nations, which was weak from the start by the defection of the
             United States, was unable to promote disarmament. Basically, the drawn-out
             economic depression sharpened national rivalries, increased fear and
             distrust, and made countries susceptible to the promises of demagogues.
             The League of Nation's failure to stop the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1931
             was followed by an increase of treaty violations and acts of aggression.
             Adolf Hitler came into power in 1933 in Germany, redeveloped the German
             army and prepared it for a war of conquest. In 1936, Hitler remilitarized
             the Rhineland. Benito Mussolini conquered Ethiopia for Italy; and from 1936
             to 1939 the Spanish civil war carried on, with Germany and Italy assisting
             the fascist forces of Francisco Franco to victory. In 1938, Germany annexed
             Austria. Shortly after, the British and French policy of appeasement toward
             the Axis reached its peak with the sacrifice of much of Czechoslovakia to
             In 1939, Germany occupied all of Czechoslovakia, and Italy seized Albania.
             AT this point, Great Britain and France abandoned their policy of
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