Weirmar Republic (democratically elected after WW1) was never effective Treaty of Versailles was restrictive, harsh and punishing Weirmar Gov’t printed money to pay war debt, thus causing runaway hyperinflation and unemployment People sought answers in radicalism and totalitarianism

Adolph Hitler led the National Socialist (Nazi) Party.

Hitler created a private army, the Brownshirts, which terrorized enemies of the party. In 1923, Hitler staged a coup in an effort to take power, but this failed. He then decided it would be best to gain power through legal, democratic means. By 1932, the Nazis had become the largest party in the German parliament 1933 Hitler was appointed Chancellor

Hitler appealed to the anger and resentment of the German people by denouncing the Weimar government and the Treaty of Versailles Pledged to “restore Germany’s greatness.” The Nazis also won the loyalty of the people through propaganda and fascist rallies. Upon taking power, they began huge public works projects that provided jobs for many unemployed Germans.

German parliament building (Reichstag) was destroyed by fire, Hitler convinced the parliament to grant him personal emergency powers to govern. Hitler moved to consolidate his power through torture, brutality, and terror. He outlawed all political parties besides the Nazis. In 1934, Hitler had the SS murder many of his political opponents.

1931 The Spanish Republic moved Spain toward socialism through labor and land reforms. Some did not like the rapid changes Riots and disorder broke out throughout Spain, and the country eventually descended into civil war. Right-wing forces were desperate to “save Spain from socialism,” appealed to the army to help them. Rebel general Franco to emerged and took the role of a militaristic, dictatorial leader.

General Francisco Franco led the fascist-affiliated Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War

Franco took power through military means. He commanded his forces to victory over the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War, employing brutal tactics helped by the Italian and German military

Even after the war ended, Franco continued the policies of terror and intimidation Franco also continued to rule using the absolutist emergency powers he had been granted during the war.

Stalin was Lenin’s #2 man When Lenin died, Stalin gained control by politically outmaneuvering and disposing of all his political enemies, this left only him standing, in the position of leading by one- man authoritarian rule.

2. Stalin rose to power as a member of Russia’s Bolshevik (Communist) Party.

Stalin used his position as secretary general of the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party to influence the membership of important committees and make key appointments. He made an alliance with top Communists to remove his chief rival, Trotsky, from power. He had Trotsky exiled to Mexico and then murdered He then turned on these allies and consolidated his personal power.

Stalin maintained control of the Soviet Union through terror and systematic elimination of his rivals. Stalin led the Great Purge, in which he had dozens of top Communist leaders arrested, forced them to confess to fictitious crimes, and had them executed. Stalin also used his secret police to arrest thousands of lower-level Communists. By the mid-1930s, 2 million supposed “enemies of the people” were being held in concentration camps, and hundreds of thousands had been executed.