Dictators of the 1930’s & 1940’s How did they take power in Europe and Asia?

Wilson’s Hopes Treaty of Versailles ended WWI “just & secure peace” Make world “safe for democracy” Result – Weak League of Nations & Germany grew w/revenge – why? Soviet Union = angered – why?

Totalitarianism A theory of government in which a single party or leader controls the economic, social, and cultural lives of its people.

Joseph Stalin “Man of Steel” Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili

Soviet Union – Rule by Terror Led by Lenin – then Stalin (since 1924) RUTHLESS!!! Promoted himself as leader & killed rivals (The Purges) Focused on communist state = no free enterprise No more private farms – only state-owned farms (collectives) Soviet Union = industrial power

Totalitarian Government Police state Criticism = arrest or death sent to prison-camps (Gulags) 8-15 million killed – at least! Created a totalitarian gov’t = gov’t w/complete control over its citizens

Fascism- Political philosophy that exalts nation and race above the individual in which a centralized government is headed by a dictatorial leader.

Benito Mussolini Totalitarian leader in Italy ( ) Fascism (created by Mussolini) Grew out of extreme nationalism Recruited unemployed WWI veterans = Black Shirts “Restored order” 1925 – became dictator

Mussolini Il Duce = leader Pompous & arrogant Picked on weak (Ethiopians) Did not want state owned farms Anti-Communist Hitler idolized

Germany & the Fascist Party

Adolf Hitler Nazism - Germany’s political philosophy (fascism + racism) Led by Hitler Hoped to unite all German-speaking people into a new German empire – or Reich Believed Germans (blond hair, blue-eyed) “Aryans” were the master race

Nazism Aryans = powers over non- whites & Jews or “inferior races” Believed Germany needed to expand -lebensraum Combined extreme nationalism, racism, & expansionism Took to extreme – eugenics (purification of race) “life unworthy of life”

Nazism Appealed to Germans who suffering during Great Depression Anti-semitism – prejudice against Jewish peoples 1932 = Nazi party in power Hitler = chancellor Third Reich established (other 2?)

Japan’s Military Government

Japan Led by heads of military Japan attacked Manchuria (province in China) in 1931 Believed Japan needed more land & resources – expansionist viewpoint League of Nations protested – Japan left (who cares!) Hitler & Mussolini = arrogant

Arrogance Hitler invaded Rhineland Rebuilt Germany Army Acts broke Versailles Treaty – who cares! Mussolini captured Ethiopia – Haile Selassie “ousted” “It is us today. It will be you tomorrow”

United States Response? General consensus = stay out! Isolationism Neutrality Acts – banned loans or arms sale to nations at war Included Civil Wars – Spain Overturned with Neutrality Act of 1939 & Lend-Lease Act

General Francisco Franco “El Caudillo” Demoted – Chief of Staff of Army Got rid of all left-wing & initiated uprising Censored everything (media & culture) Persecuted political opponents Overthrew democratic elected gov’t ( )

Franco American volunteers = fight fascists – Abraham Lincoln Brigade (3,000) Defend democracy? Anti: Western democracy sent food & clothing Stalin aided demo w/aides/advisors Pro: Hitler/Muss sent troops & weapons Nothing stopped him! 1939 – Franco won

FDR Japan invaded China (again) 1937 Brutality = center of terror (Nanking) FDR spoke out against Responsibility of democracies “peace-loving” nations should take stand Sent aid to China