imperialistic expansionism.
Both Germany and japan lacked the resources within their borders that they needed to build their growing industrial states and the resources that concerned them most was food.
The Rise of Germany and Steps to the War
Rise of Germany
Lebensraum (living space) would make Germany truly self-sufficient and immune to blockade and this would eventually enable Germany to challenge British and American hegemony.
Ukraine and Western Russia would be transformed into a huge bread basket, feed Germany armies, and German civilians.
The "Hunger Plan" created by Hans Backe.
in order to become self-sufficient, Germany had to invade the Soviet Union. This will become one of Hitler's biggest mistakes.
Starvation never became an issue for the British, fear of running out of food, especially for the troops led to policies that made starvation a reality.
British and The French had been betrayed and humiliated by the "rape of Czechoslovakia" Hitler had won territory without war and had largely implemented the treaty of Versailles. Nazi ideology meant Hitler had to seek over more land and engage in confrontations with other nations.
One of Hitler's major foreign policy initiatives after coming to power was to sign a non-aggression pact in Poland in Jan. of 1934.
invaded Austria in 1938
September 1 1939 Germany invaded Poland which led Britain and France to declare war on Hitler's Nazi state in retaliation.