Pearl Harbour Incident and its Fallout
1. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, instead of crushing the morale of the American people, galvanised them into action.
2. Until then kept out of the war due to American public opinion, the United States declared war on Japan, thus making it an absolute world war.
3. Britain and China joined the US. Under the Lend-Lease system, President Roosevelt had already committed the US government to aid the opponents of Fascism, in the context of Italy and Japan joining Germany.
4. The direct involvement of the US greatly expanded the resources of the Allies as America brought more vehicles, ships and aircrafts than all the other fighting countries put together.
5. In August 1942, US forces commanded by MacArthur began to play a prominent role in the Pacific.
6. The naval battle planned by Admiral Yamamoto resulted in a major Japanese defeat. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, instead of crushing the morale of the American people, galvanised them into action.
7. Until then kept out of the war due to American public opinion, the United States declared war on Japan, thus making it an absolute world war.
8. Britain and China joined the US. Under the Lend-Lease system, President Roosevelt had already committed the US government to aid the opponents of Fascism, in the context of Italy and Japan joining Germany.
9. The direct involvement of the USgreatly expanded the resources of the Allies as America brought more vehicles, ships and aircrafts than all the other fighting countries put together.
10. In August 1942, US forces commanded by MacArthur began to play a prominent role in the Pacific.
11. The naval battle planned by Admiral Yamamoto resulted in a major Japanese defeat.

The War in Asia and the Pacific
1. German victories in the Soviet Union prompted Japanese leaders to go on an offensive in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
2. The decision for war with the US was taken in November 1941.
3. On 7 December Japanese aircraft attacked the Pearl Harbour naval base in the Hawaiian islands, inflicting severe damages to the US Pacific Fleet.
4. Japan then occupied English colonial territories in Burma, Malaya, Singapore
5. Where the British beat a shameful retreat, leaving the population under the mercy of the Japanese and the Dutch possession of East Indies.

(i) Incorporation of Saar into Germany
1. Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, a plebiscite was to be held in the Saar in January 1935.
2. The people were to decide whether they wished to join Germany or France, or remain under League of Nations control.
3. Ninety per cent voted for a return to Germany. In March 1935 the Saar was incorporated into Germany. This was a morale booster for Hitler.
(ii) Annexation of Rhineland
1. In 1936 Hitler flouted the peace settlement by sending troops to occupy Rhineland, the area of Germany demilitarised by the Treaty of Versailles.
2. If the French had resisted, the Germans would have withdrawn.
3. The French army at that time  was stronger than the Germen but, economic distress caused by the Great Depression and political instability leading to the resignation of prime Minister Edouard Daladier rendered France incapable of resisting the breach of the Treaty of Versailles by Germany.
(iii) Forcible Merger of Austria with Germany
1. Hitler, an Austrian by birth, had always wanted Austria to be part of Germany.
2. In February 1938, Hitler summoned the Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg to Berchtesgaden, a mountain town in the Bavarian Alps, for a discussion.
3. The Austrian Chancellor was given a Hobson's choice - either to legalise Nazi Party in Austria and integrate Austria's economy with that of Germany or face a German invasion.
4. Austria has lost the support of Italy with the formation of the Rome-Bertin Axis. Schuschnigg was therefore left with no choice but to choose the first option.
5. At the instance of Hitler, the Austrian Chancellor cancelled the proposed plebiscite in Austria and formed a Nazi government there. Thereupon the German army entered Vienna to take control of the country,
(iv) Occupation of Sudetenland
1. Encouraged by the lack of resistance from major European powers, Hitler turned his attention towards Czechoslovakia.
2. In June 1938, Hitler sent directions to his anny about his intention of invading Sudetenland. A systematic Nazi propaganda that their German subjects were being subjected to harsh treatment in.