1. Leaders
1.1. Adolf Hitler
1.1.1. led Nazi Party in Germany
1.1.2. tried to expand Germany all across Europe
1.1.3. gained following
1.1.3.1. blamed old german leaders on loss in WWI
1.1.3.2. Great speaker, charismatic
1.1.3.3. propaganda and brainwashing to make people agree with him
1.1.4. spread antisemitism
1.1.4.1. started the Holocaust
1.2. Benito Mussolini
1.2.1. Fascist leader of Italy
1.2.2. successfully invaded Ethiopia
1.2.3. Allied with Hitler
1.2.3.1. was forced into war because of German alliance
1.2.4. was executed by his own people after the war
1.3. Joseph Stalin
1.3.1. Communist dictator of Soviet Union
1.3.2. killed anyone who didn't support him
1.3.2.1. caused large famine
1.3.2.2. labor and execution camps
1.3.3. Won Battle of Stalingrad, halting German success
2. Significant events
2.1. Japan invaded China, beginning the war
2.2. Great Britain and France guarantee integrity of Polish borders
2.3. Italy invades Albania
2.4. Soviet Union and Germany sign nonaggression pact
2.5. Germany invades Poland
2.5.1. Great Britain and France declare war on Germany
2.6. Soviet Union invades Poland
2.6.1. they win, Germany and Soviet Union divide Poland between them
2.7. Germany invades Denmark and Norway and much of western Europe
2.8. Italy joins by invading France
2.9. Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, causing America to join
2.10. Germany invades Soviet Union at Stalingrad
2.10.1. Soviet Union holds them back
2.10.2. marks the beginning of the end of Axis success
2.11. Allied Powers win many more attacks
2.12. Some Axis powers begin to surrender
2.13. U.S. drops 2 atomic bombs on Japan
2.13.1. Japan surrenders, ending the war
3. causes
3.1. Germany was blamed for WWI
3.1.1. had to pay reparations
3.1.2. Germans blamed their own government for loss
3.1.2.1. helped acceptance of Hitler as leader
3.2. Great Depression
3.2.1. stock market crash and famine caused widespread poverty
3.2.2. people wanted resources from other countries
3.2.3. Germany had extreme inflation from trying to pay back reparations
3.3. communism
3.3.1. led to powerful dictators that brainwashed and controlled their people
3.3.2. gave leaders "purpose" to invade other countries