Meet the Dictators

Francisco Franco - Spain Rose to power during the Spanish Civil War His forces overthrew the democratically elected Second Republic He ruled as a dictator from 1939 to 1975 Became known as “Jefe Del Estado” or “Head of State”

Hideki Tojo - Japan After WWI Japan attempted to solve their economic problems by expanding their territory As a small island country, Japan had to rely on foreign imports They wanted to create a colonial empire by conquering countries rich in natural resources In 1931 Japan invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria The area was rich in natural resources such as coal and iron This violated international agreements but the League of Nations didn’t act

In 1941 Emperor Hirohito appointed Tojo as Prime Minister He served as a military dictator His goal was to expand the Japanese Empire throughout the Pacific Japan was the strongest nation in Asia He believed in the racial superiority of the Japanese people

Joseph Stalin - Soviet Union Stalin took power after leader Vladimir Lenin died He eventually beat out his rivals who were struggling for control of the Communist Party Stalin ruled by terror to eliminate opposition Used a secret police Sent millions to Gulag camps (forced labor camps) An estimated 20 – 60 million died under his rule

Starting in the late 1920s, he launched plans to transform the Soviet Union into an industrial power Factories were placed under government control He used a process called collectivization in which the government seized control of all family farms Farmers who refused to cooperate were shot or exiled

Benito Mussolini - Italy He believed it was his destiny to recreate the Roman Empire He formed the Fascist Party in 1919 Members of the party were known as the “Black shirts”

By 1925 he had become the dictator of Italy In 1922 he and 30,000 Black Shirts marched to Rome and took control of the government By 1925 he had become the dictator of Italy Called himself “Il Duce” or “The Leader”

Adolf Hitler - Germany He was furious about how Germany was treated by the Treaty of Versailles Wanted revenge He eventually became the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) He believed in Germany’s racial superiority

His goal was for Germany conquer Europe and eventually the rest of the world Called himself “Der Fuhrer” or “The Leader”