Until now the major milestones on the road to war have been seperated by at least several months.
The remilitarization of the Rhineland - March 1936
The Anschluss - March 1938
Munich - September 1938
The Sudetenland - March 1939
The Pact - August 23, 1939
From a broad perspective the escalation has been slow and methodical. The apparent acceleration of events now is sort of like a dam that has been leaking for a long time and suddenly gives way.
...and it seems that the dam is about to give. :)