1. Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and Tojo: The men behind the start of WWII.
“The Dictators”
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Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and Tojo: The men behind the start of WWII.
Presentation created by Terry Newman
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2. A Brief Overview…
Throughout this Power Point you will have the opportunity to learn more about the dictators who had an immediate impact on the start of WWII and determine, specifically, what each of the men contributed to the uneasy international stage of the 1930’s. We will also determine to what extent the failures of the Big Four at the Treaty of Versailles had in creating a tenuous political, militaristic, and social situation in Germany. Before we begin, consider the following questions…
 Why did the United States want to return to “normalcy?”
 How did the Great Depression effect American foreign policy?
Why didn’t the United States intervene in Japanese and
German expansion?
 What is Fascism? Click here to find out…
 Do you think WWII could have been stopped? How?
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3. Picture taken from www.wikipedia.org
America in the 1930’s
President Harding was elected in 1920 due, in large part because he promised a “return to normalcy,” or the way things were before WWI. America embarked on 20 years of relative isolationism. Throughout the 1920’s the United States experienced an economic boom unlike anything seen before or since. The 1930’s ushered in a new era, one of poverty, want, and starvation. Crops failed in the Midwest due largely to the phenomenon known as the “Dust Bowl.”
American Economic Output (GDP)
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4. American Response to Fascist Aggression
For the most part, American response to Fascist aggression was virtually nonexistent. Throughout the 1930’s America and the Roosevelt Administration was concerned about it’s own Economic well-being, rather than wider world affairs. With American unemployment at 25% nationwide, you can see why Roosevelt was more concerned with domestic affairs.
American Response to Fascist Aggression
As WWII grew closer, however, America did begin a modest building up of its military. The Roosevelt Administration also supported the Allies in Europe with weapons (Lend-Lease, Cash and Carry) and instituted economic sanctions against an expansionist Japan.
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5. Fascist States
Nations with one party in control (prevalent in Europe and Asia prior to WWII)
-Uses idea of Nationalism and Revenge to gain support
-Promise the promotion of their country at the expense of “lesser” peoples (Germany-Jews, Japanese-Chinese)
-The greater the crisis, the greater the demand for leadership
-Provide scapegoats for the problems of their country
-Party control of everything + Dictator = False propaganda to gain support
-Crushes all opposition
-Imperialism to increase strength and increase pride in their country – leads to other conflicts
-Generally a very militaristic government and society
Notice that all of the causes of WWI will be in existence at the start of WWII in Many of these (Nationalism, Militarism, and Imperialism) are at the center of these Totalitarian governments
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6. Main Slide Hideki Tojo Joseph Stalin Benito Mussolini Adolf Hitler
What was his lasting impact?
How did he effect world politics?
What were his beliefs?
How did he take power?
Hideki Tojo
Joseph Stalin
Benito Mussolini
Adolf Hitler
Main Slide
Militarism
Works Cited

7. Adolf Hitler - How did he take power?
Hitler attempted to take control of a struggling Germany through the “Beer Hall Putsch.” He failed and was arrested. In jail he wrote “Mein Kampf” exposing his political ideology. He was considered harmless and was released in 1924.
Defeated von Hindenburg in national election. Hitler was the Chancellor of Germany.
Hitler declares himself the “Fuhrer of Germany taking dictatorial power.
Anschluss with Austria (Outlawed by Treaty of Versailles
Invasion of Poland and start of WWII
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German propaganda
Hitler as a young soldier in WWI
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8. Adolf Hitler - Beliefs
Hitler believed the Treaty of Versailles was a result of German leaders betraying the German people. He thought Germany would, one day, have a reemergence as a world power.
Click here to view the goals of the Third Reich
Picture taken from
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9. Adolf Hitler - Effect on world politics
Hitler had an immediate and direct impact on politicians around the world. Some admired his beliefs and convictions, others saw a dangerous man who would, one day, have a direct impact on the death of 52 million people. Allied leaders in Europe made an attempt to appease Hitler in 1938 when they signed the Munich Agreement. Click here to view a brief description of the Munich Pact.
Picture Taken from
Click here to see German Expansion throughout the late 1930’s.
Click here to view the Munich Pact in its entirety.
Picture Taken from en.wikipedia.org
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10. Adolf Hitler - Lasting Impact
The name Adolf Hitler is, today, synonymous with hate and genocide. The war he helped to start is the bloodiest war in human history. There are, unfortunately, still people today who follow the principles of Nazism. The German people are still haunted by the actions of the Nazi government.
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11. Adolf Hitler and Militarism
Above all else, Hitler believed in the military superiority of the German empire. His fighting techniques, such as blitzkrieg, threatened to overthrow Europe in only a year.
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12. Benito Mussolini - How did he take power?
Entered Parliament after having been defeated in 1919
Became premier of Italy
Mussolini declared Italy a fascist dictatorship and took control over society, politics, and economics, as well as the military.
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13. Benito Mussolini - Beliefs
Mussolini was in favor of state control of economics, society, and that the political system should be in the hands of few. He was opposed to Communism and was very Militaristic. He directly influenced Hitler and the Nazi’s.
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14. Benito Mussolini - Effect on world politics.
Possibly Mussolini’s most direct and lasting impact was not in Italy, but his influence on Hitler and Nazism. He created the first Fascist government and was allied with Germany throughout WWII.
Picture taken from
Picture taken from
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15. Benito Mussolini - Lasting Impact
Known as Il Duce- “the Chief”
Italian Imperialism
-Moves to remake Roman Empire (Restore Rome to time of Caesars)
-Make the Mediterranean an “Italian Lake”
Same government controls of everything as
in Germany
-Hailed by the people because he
“Made the trains run on time”
Picture taken from
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16. Benito Mussolini and Militarism
The Italian army was not known for being a preeminent power during WWII. The Nazi German Empire was forced to defend Italy against Allied advances. Mussolini did, however, extend the Italian empire, especially into Africa.
Picture taken from
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17. Joseph Stalin - How did he take power?
After the death of the first Communist dictator in the Soviet Union, Vladimir Lenin, there was a power struggle between Stalin and Trotsky. Stalin won out and immediately set out to diminish any struggle for power. He further abolished all opposition and sent political prisoners to “re-education” camps. By 1928 Stalin was undoubtedly the leader of the Soviet Union.
Picture taken from en.wikipedia.org
Trotsky
Stalin
Bukharin
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18. Joseph Stalin - Beliefs
Five Year Plans - Goals for the
Communist state (industrial -
economic)
Collectivization of Agriculture
Increase Soviet knowledge in the
sciences (Space Race after WWII)
Believed in military superiority over the United States (build-
up of nuclear weapons)
Picture taken from en.wikipedia.org
Click here to read a biographical sketch (timeline included) of Stalin
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19. Joseph Stalin - Effect on world politics
Picture taken from en.wikipedia.org
The effect of Stalin on world politics is virtually impossible to overstate. He led the Soviet Union through domestic instability (not always well) while fighting against Hitler in WWII, the United States in the Cold War, and trying to gain alliances with developing countries throughout the world. The United States essentially based its foreign policy around that of the Soviet Union, and vice-versa, for 50 years.
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20. Joseph Stalin - Lasting Impact
The lasting impact of Stalin is one of controversy. Millions of men and women died under his rule of an steel fist. He led the Soviet Union until his death in He left the United States and Soviet Union embroiled in a battle for world supremacy which would last until 1991.
Click here to view a biographical perspective on Joseph Stalin.
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21. Joseph Stalin and Militarism
Stalin believed in having a large military. When
the Soviet Union was invaded by Nazi Germany
in June of 1941 Stalin started a build-up of the Soviet army which would last for several decades.
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22. Hideki Tojo - How did he take power?
1920’s - Tojo works his way up the military ladder in Japan.
1930’s - Led troops in battle in China
Appointed War Minister
Emperor Hirohito elevates Tojo to the post of Prime Minister
Click here to see a history of Japan
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23. Hideki Tojo - Beliefs
Tojo believed in the Racial Superiority of the Japanese people, especially over the Chinese. He was also ultra-nationalistic as well as very militaristic. He wanted to expand the Japanese empire throughout the Pacific Rim.
Picture taken from
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24. Hideki Tojo - Effect on world politics
When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Tojo became public enemy number one in the United States. Throughout his tenure as Prime Minister he increased alliances with the Axis powers in Europe and extended military control over Japanese Society and the Pacific Rim. Tojo was executed for war crimes in 1948.
Picture taken from
Click here to see Japanese Military Expansion
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25. Hideki Tojo - Lasting Impact
Hideki Tojo is, today, known as a man who led the Japanese into WWII against the United States. He is credited for increasing Japanese military, industrial, and imperialistic capacity, but also saw the end of Japanese society as it was known before 1945.
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26. Hideki Tojo and Militarism
Tojo and the Japanese military commanders believed Japan to be invincible. For hundreds of years the Japanese mainland was not successfully invaded. Japan extended its empire throughout the Pacific Rim and had visions of going quite a bit farther.
Click here to view see the Pacific Theater of WWII.
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27. Works Cited
Bragdon, H., McCutchen, S., Ritchie, D. (1998). History of a Free Nation. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Boyer, P., Clark, C., Hawley, S., Kett, J., Salisbury, N., Sitkoff, H., Woloch, N. (1998). The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
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Retrieved May 18, 2006 from /ww2%20europe%20pages/ww2%20europe%20map%2002.htm
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28. Works Cited
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29. German Expansion prior to 1941
Maps taken from &
Link to the beginning of WWII through a timeline (UCSD)
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30. Italian Expansion prior to 1941
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31. Japanese Expansion prior to 1942
The Pacific Rim
USA
Japan
Link to Japanese expansion before December 7, 1941
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32. Flag of Japanese Navy and Army
Japanese Flag
Flag of Japanese Navy and Army
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33. American GDP during the Great Depression
Why might we see the GDP increasing in the 1940’s?
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34. Nazi Germany - Hitler
Germany was led by Adolf Hitler who was known as “Der Fuhrer” or The Leader
Takes control of German Political system as dictator
1. Assumes all power after being given position of chancellor by Von  Hindenbergh in 1933
-Hindenbergh gave Hitler post in an attempt to unify government
-Reichstag was controlled by Hitler’s party as well
-Nazi- National Socialist German Worker’s Party
First move is to wipe out all Opposition
1. Burning of the Reichstag
-Nazis set fire and frame radicals (Communists)
-Nazis given power to rule all of Germany
-Hitler ordered the arrest of Communists,
All other opposition is scared away
Hitler’s Secret police, the Gestapo, forced an alliance to the Nazi Party
Propaganda Machine
1. Joseph Goebbels - Minister of Propaganda
-Propaganda - Information of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view
-Lied to people to gain support, promoted hatred of Jews, called for support of the Third Reich
-Promoted the hatred of Jews

35. Nazi Germany - Hitler Nazi Imperialism
-goal was to create the Third Reich - 3rd German Empire
Lebensraum - living space for German speaking people
Anschluss - Union with Austria & annex Sudentenland
-Imperialism started under excuse of protecting Germans under Hitler
Racism of the Nazis
-Jews not only group that was considered inferior
Gypsies, disabled, homosexuals, non-German’s, Communists
Final Solution - ridding Germany of the above groups
Played on poor conditions of the time
-Promised through Propaganda that the effects of the Great Depression would be solved in the Nazi plan was followed
-Gave people hope
-Wanted revenge after Treaty of Versailles of 1919 (felt Germany was betrayed and never truly beaten) Hitler believes the Treaty is just a “piece of paper”
Hitler as a young soldier in WWI

36. Communist Russia - Stalin
The Soviet Union was led by Joseph Stalin who is known as the “Man of Steel”
Originally from Georgia and his name was Joseph Vissarionovich Djugashvili
Wanted to make model Communist nation
-Controlled everything under the communist system
-Reform of industry and agriculture
Collectivization of Agriculture
-Large, state owned and run farms too land from people and enslaved farmers to work at the large farms - led to starvation
Soviet Union as an Industrial Power
-”Five Year Plans” - fixed quotas for industrial production
-Made Soviet Union 3rd greatest industrial nation in the world
Secret Police forced adherence to Communist System
-KGB is his spy organization at
home and abroad
-Those found criticizing the system
were sent to Siberia for “re-education”
-Reconstruction (“Five Year Plans”) and
persecution led to mass death and
executions (Estimated that 8-13 million died
due to actions of Stalin
No Imperliastic gains until after USSR becomes powerful

37. Hitler during WWI

38. Propaganda in Nazi Germany
This is an example of Nazi propaganda where Hitler is shown as the nation’s savior.
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