Rise of Dictators Why did totalitarian dictators gain power in Europe during the 1920s and 1930s?

Europe after WWI INFER: What do you think was going on in Europe after WWI? RECALL: Which country had it the worst? Why?

Vocabulary Totalitarian: a single party and it’s leader have total control on all aspects of people’s lives Dictator: leader who controls the nation by force Fascism: a political philosophy in which total power is given to a dictator and individual freedoms are denied

Dictators of WWII Josef Stalin – Soviet Union – communist Benito Mussolini – Italy – Fascist Adolf Hitler – Germany – Nazi Hideki Tojo – Japan – military dictator

Factors that led to the rise of dictators Political instability – dictators took advantage of uncertainty in their country Germany’s high war debt – from reparations after WWI Worldwide depression – not just the U.S. Massive unemployment – throughout Europe Fascism – and other totalitarian governments took over High inflation – prices were so high people couldn’t afford to buy things

Summary Political and economic conditions in Europe following WWI led to the rise of fascism and to WWII. The rise of fascism threatened peace in Europe and Asia. Fascist dictators include Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo. Dictators led the countries that became known as the Axis Powers.