It’s scary how things escalated so fast 70 years ago today.
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.