Dictators Threaten World Peace Chapter 16 Section 1

Joseph Stalin – The Soviet Union  Took control in 1924  Stalin focused on creating a communist state  Privately owned farms and businesses were abolished and replaced them with collectives.  In 1937 the Soviet Union had become the Second-largest industrial power in the world.  By 1939, Stalin had established a totalitarian government that demanded total control over all its people.

Benito Mussolini - Italy  By 1921 Mussolini established a Fascist Regime  Fascism stressed nationalism and placed the interests of the state above those of the individuals.  His extreme patriotism led he and his followers to believe that a strong totalitarian leader would be the only thing to save their country from ruin.  He became know as Il Duce, or “the leader.” He struck down all opposition.

Adolf Hitler – Nazi Germany Hitler gained control of the Nazi party in the early 1920s. In his book Mein Kampf, Hitler spelled out the beliefs that became the Nazi Party’s plan of action. In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, the Nazi’s came to be the strongest political party in Germany. Hitler was appointed chancellor in 1933, he quickly dismantled the democratic republic that had been, and replaced it with the Third Reich that would be a “Thousand-Year Reich.”

Francisco Franco - Spain  Army officers led by Franco rebelled against the Spanish republic and began the Spanish Civil War.  Hitler and Mussolini backed Franco with troops, and arms.  Franco prevailed in 1939 and established himself as Spain’s fascist dictator, another totalitarian government in Europe.

Hideki Tojo – Empire of Japan  Nationalistic military leaders of Japan saw the need to expand their countries territory.  Without the support of their Emperor, these military leaders led by Hideki Tojo invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria in  When the League of Nations condemned them, they simply ignored it and continued their invasion and cemented their control over the government of Japan.

…and the United States?  America remained a neutral and isolationist country.  President Roosevelt was a gracious and cordial world leader.  He lowered trade barriers with the Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act.  Congress passed the Neutrality Acts that banned arms sales and loans to nations at war.