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The great powers of Europe, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain, had been heading down different paths for some time. Italy had been led since 1925 by a man called Benito Mussolini. He had created a party, called the fascist party and had taken power by forming his supporters into something called the Black Shirts. He became a dictator which is basically how fascism works. Fascism is where a government or a party puts the nation above that of the individual. Government is strong, hence needing a dictator, and there is total control over economic and social policy. Opposition is overcome by means of force.
Then, in 1933, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor, and ruler, of Germany. He was an even worse fascist because he believed that Germany should only have one race of people. No others would be tolerated. He, like Mussolini and Italy, wanted to make Germany great again.
Britain had its own fascist party known as the British Union of Fascists. It was led by a man called Oswald Mosley and came into being in 1932. At first it was quite popular but in the next few years their ideas became more radical. It supported Hitler's ideas against the Jews and in 1936 Mosley led a march through the East End of London, where many Jews lived, which resulted in violent clashes. The marchers, who all wore a uniform including Black Shirts, which is how they got their nickname, were opposed by a mixed group of anti-fascists. This group built roadblocks to try to stop the march taking place. There were about 20,000 protesters who came up against 6,000 police and 2,000 or so Black Shirts. The confrontation was known as the Battle of Cable Street, where the main battle took place. Eventually order was restored.
In 1936 the Public Order Act 1936 banned political uniforms and support for the British Union of Fascists faded away. Oswald Mosley was imprisoned during the war.
Also in 1936, a revolution began in Spain with the republicans, led by General Franco, fighting the government, or nationalists, troops. Although no other countries actually fought in this civil war, the nationalists were helped by Germany and Spain while the Republicans had help from Russia. Also many young Britons went to Spain and joined a force called the International Brigade. In the end, after 3 years of fighting, Franco won and ruled Spain until his death in 1975.
Then Germany started to move into other countries. In 1936, against the terms of the Treaty of Versailles signed at the end of WWI, Germany moved troops into the Rhineland. Then, on 12 March 1938, Germany annexed Austria. There was little or no fighting as many Austrians had been asking for this. Next Hitler set his sights on a part of Czechoslovakia that had been part of the Austria Hungarian empire and where many German speakers lived. He demanded this be part of Germany. Britain and France didn't want a war so they eventually agreed to this at a famous meeting in Munich. The so-called Munich Agreement was signed on 30 September 1938 and said Germany could have this part of Czechoslovakia but they couldn't have anything else. This policy was called appeasement.
The British PM at the time, the Conservative Neville Chamberlain, flew back from the meeting, landed at Heston aerodrome and made a speech while waving the signed agreement above his head. He said “The settlement of the Czechoslovakian problem, which has now been achieved is, in my view, only the prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find peace. This morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor, Herr Hitler, and here is the paper which bears his name upon it as well as mine. Some of you, perhaps, have already heard what it contains but I would just like to read it to you”, which he then did and finished by saying “We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German Naval Agreement as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again. Meanwhile Hitler continued with his plans for expansion.
Another thing Hitler continued with was his persecution of Jewish people. On the 9th and 10th of November 1938 German troops and civilians destroyed thousands of Jewish shops, businesses and synagogues. So much glass was smashed and lay on the pavements and roads that the event became known as Kristallnacht, which means night of crystal. Five days later a delegation of Jewish leaders in Britain appealed to the Prime Minster to allow easy passage of entry to refugees, especially children. Over the following nine months almost 10,000 Jewish children, unaccompanied by parents, were brought or smuggled into England. These children were fostered out into the community. 
This whole operation was known as Kindertransport, being German for the transport of children.
Despite Mr Chamberlain's policy of appeasement, Britain had been getting ready for war. Remembering the gas attacks in WWI everyone was issued with a gas mark which they were told to carry with them at all times. My mother's diaries say she was fitted for a gas mask on 29 October 1938. Aircraft production had increased and more warships were being built.
Forward to 1939AD
