In this Season 09, Episode 05 of CSS Breakdown: Book by Book, we dive deep into Chapter 5 of Norman Lowe's 'Mastering Modern World History'. This episode explores the crucial period of international relations from 1933 to 1939, which ultimately culminated in the Second World War. We'll uncover how the aggressive actions of Japan, Italy, and Germany shattered international agreements and the 'Locarno spirit'.

Listeners will explore the key events that unfolded, including Japan's invasion of Manchuria and China, Mussolini's Abyssinian campaign and the Italian occupation of Albania, and Hitler's systematic dismantling of the Versailles settlement through rearmament, the Rhinyland reoccupation, the Anschluss with Austria, and the annexation of the Sudetenland, leading to the destruction of Czechoslovakia. We'll also examine the formation of the Rome–Berlin Axis and the Anti-Comintern Pact, highlighting the alignment of the aggressive powers.

A central focus will be the policy of appeasement, primarily pursued by Britain and, to a lesser extent, France, and why it was adopted despite the escalating aggression.

Finally, the episode will delve into the intense historical debate surrounding the outbreak of the Second World War, analyzing whether Hitler's long-term plans or the failures of appeasement were primarily to blame.

The main concepts discussed in this episode include aggressive nationalism, the breakdown of collective security, the policy of appeasement, and the varying interpretations of Hitler's foreign policy aims.