Compare the situations leading up to the invasions of China and Poland. (1 point)
One point of comparison between the situations leading up to the invasions of China and Poland is that both countries were targeted by their neighboring countries due to strategic and ideological motivations.
In the case of China, the situation leading up to the invasion can be traced back to the early 20th century when the country was weakened by internal conflicts, such as the Chinese Civil War and Warlord Era. The Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931 further destabilized China and exposed its vulnerability. Japan, driven by imperialistic ambitions and the desire to establish an empire in East Asia, saw China as a potential target for expansion and resources. The invasion of China began in 1937 with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and escalated into the full-scale Sino-Japanese War.
Similarly, the situation leading up to the invasion of Poland can be attributed to a combination of territorial and ideological factors. In the late 1930s, Nazi Germany, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, aimed to expand its territory and establish lebensraum (living space) for the German people. Poland was seen as a significant obstacle due to its geographical location and the existence of German minorities in Polish territories. Hitler's Nazi regime also pursued an aggressive ideology that sought to promote Aryan supremacy and eliminate perceived racial or ethnic threats. In August 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which included secret protocols dividing Poland between the two powers. This paved the way for the joint invasion of Poland by Germany and the Soviet Union in September 1939, leading to the start of World War II.
In both cases, the neighboring countries saw opportunities to expand their territories and influence based on historical, strategic, and ideological considerations.