Dictators Threaten World Peace

Failures of the World War I Peace Settlement Treaty of Versailles did not create a “just and secure peace” Germans didn’t think it was fair-blamed them for 100% of war

Failures of the World War I Peace Settlement Soviets lose some territories to create Poland, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia

Failures of the World War I Peace Settlement Did not make world safe for democracy Democracies in Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece were weak No democratic tradition

Failures of the World War I Peace Settlement Some democracies collapsed and dictators seized power

Joseph Stalin Transforms the Soviet Union Takes power in Soviet Union in 1924 Iron willed-nothing would stand in his way

Joseph Stalin Transforms the Soviet Union Began industrial and agricultural restructuring

Joseph Stalin Transforms the Soviet Union Began reforming Russia in 1927 Stamped out private enterprise

Joseph Stalin Transforms the Soviet Union Human cost to plan amazing Soviet Union turned into a massive police state Anyone who criticized was arrested/sent to a forced labor camp/killed

Now You See Him…

Joseph Stalin Transforms the Soviet Union 1930’s-Stalin purged his own party Labeled “enemies of the state” and executed Stalin responsible for the deaths of approximately 8 to 13 million people

Rise of Fascism in Italy Benito Mussolini establishing a totalitarian regime in Italy Wanted to make Italy a great power in the world

Rise of Fascism in Italy Unlike Stalin Did not try to control farms and factories Many in Italy feared Communism So they supported Fascism instead

Rise of Fascism in Italy 1921-Mussolini created Fascist party 1922- Mussolini stages march on Rome with many of his Blackshirt followers

Rise of Fascism in Italy Called himself Il Duce or The Chief Extended Fascist control over every aspect of Italian life

The Nazis Take Over Germany Adolf Hitler-rise to power similar to Mussolini

The Nazis Take Over Germany Hitler soon became the party’s leader…or fuhrer Laid out beliefs of Nazism in Mein Kampf

The Nazis Take Over Germany Born in Austria-dreamed of uniting all German speaking people

The Nazis Take Over Germany Inferior races-Jews, Slavs, and nonwhites, were fit only to serve the Aryans

The Nazis Take Over Germany Nazis sought national expansion Hitler believed Germany needed more lebensraum

The Nazis Take Over Germany Great Depression helped Nazis come to power 1932-6 million Germans unemployed Many saw Hitler as their last hope

The Nazis Take Over Germany Quickly dismantled Germany’s democratic Weimar Republic

Militarists Gain Control in Japan Military leaders attempting to gain control of Japan

Militarists Gain Control in Japan Japanese controlled Manchuria within months Resource rich area Size of Alaska

Militarists Gain Control in Japan League of Nations investigated the situation Report condemned Japan

Aggression in Europe European Dictators noticed League of Nation’s failure to act

Aggression in Europe 1936-Hitler re-militarizes Rhineland Signs Rome-Berlin Pact- creates formal alliance between Germany and Italy

Aggression in Europe Mussolini begins building new Roman Empire 1935-Italy conquers Ethiopia

Aggression in Europe Haile Selassie-ousted Ethiopian Emperor Appealed to League for help Nothing was done He tells League “It is us today, it will be you tomorrow.”

U.S. Clings to Isolationism America determined to avoid war

U.S. Clings to Isolationism 1935- Congress passes Neutrality Act- to keep U.S. out of wars

Neutrality Breaks Down Spanish Civil War Fascists led by Francisco Franco vs. elected govmt.

Neutrality Breaks Down Hitler and Mussolini saw Spanish Civil War as practice for their military

Neutrality Breaks Down Japan launches new attacks against China in 1937 Japan had never declared war on China FDR refused to enforce neutrality legislation U.S. sent aid to China FDR against isolationism