1. World War II: The Road to War
The Rise of Dictators

2. Warm - up Who was known as “Der Führer ”?
Define the National Socialist German Workers’ Party -

3. Warm - up Match the following; 1.Hitler a. Britain 2. Stalin b. Spain
3. Mussolini c. Germany
4. Chamberlain d. USSR
5. Franco e. Italy
6. Churchill f. US

4. Totalitarinism Government exerts total control over a nation
Dominates every aspect of life – using terror
Examples: Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin

5. Fascism
Emphasizes the importance of the nation or an ethnic group and supreme authority of the leader
Vicious form of communism
Relies upon a strong, dictatorial government
Doesn’t respect individual rights and freedoms
Historically, Fascism and Communism are fierce enemies

6. Stalin’s Mass Genocide

7. Joseph Stalin - Soviet Union
Took power after Lenin’s death (1924)
Launched plan to modernize agriculture and the building of new industries
Encouraged family farms to combine and a huge collective of farms (owned and run by the state)
Faced resistance – forced peasants off their land in the 1920’s

8. Stalin – More resistance
Punished resistant farmers
Confiscated much or all their food
Millions die from starvation or move to the cities
Millions are forced to work in labor camps in Siberia (Brrrrr…50 below)
Consequence: production fell dramatically, food shortages, forced rationing

9. Stalin – Reign of Terror
Efforts to gain political domination
Purges: process of removing enemies and undesirables from power
“Purified” the Communist Party by getting rid of all of his opponents
The Great Purge ( ): 7 million arrested, 1 million executed, millions ended up in labor camps
Very Successful

10. Mussolini – Italy

11. Mussolini - Italy WWI wounded vet
Believed strongly that the Versailles Treaty should have granted Italy more territory
Attracted support from dissatisfied war vets, opponents of the monarchy, Socialists, and anarchists
Formed Fascist party

12. Mussolini – Il Duce
Relied on gangs, blackshirts, to terrorize those who opposed him
Threatened to march on Rome … king panicked and appointed him prime minister
Vowed to end Italy’s economic problems
Suspended elections, outlawed political parties, and established dictatorship

13. Mussolini’s Empire Ultimate dream was to restore the Roman Empire
“The country is nothing w/o conquest”
October 1935: invaded Ethiopia using warplanes and poison gas
“Italy finally has its empire”

14. Hitler – Germany

15. Hitler - Germany Austrian painter & WWI wounded vet
Enraged by terms of WWI peace settlement
Stripped Germany of land and colonies
Burden of debt
War-guilt clause – Germany had to take blame for WWI

16. Hitler – Nazi Party
1919 joined National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party)
Nazism: form of fascism shaped by Hitler’s fanatical ideas about Germany nationalism and racial superiority

17. Hitler – The Charismatic Leader
Powerful speaker
1923: tried to overthrow gov’t. … Sentenced to 5 yrs. in prison
Wrote Mein Kampf, an autobiography, views on Germany’s problems and plans for the nation
Wanted to purify Germany – removing the undesirables
Promised to stabilize the economy after depression

18. Hitler becomes Chancellor
1932: Nazi party is largest group in the Reichstag
1932: Hitler placed 2nd in presidential race
1933: made chancellor – head of German government
Suspended freedom of speech an press
Used storm troopers to wage violent campaign

19. Hitler – Der Führer
Nazi Party dominates the Reichstag in the March elections
3 weeks later Reichstag mysteriously burns down – Hitler blames the Communists
Parliament passes an Enabling Bill to give him dictatorial powers
August 1934: becomes both chancellor and president
Gave himself the title of Der Führer

20. Reichstag German Capital

21. Germany Rearms
Secretly started spending money on rearmament and expansion army (violated Treaty of Versailles)
Put unemployed back to work
Autobahn and massive public buildings
1936: Industry prospered and brought Germany out of the Depression

22. Increasing National Pride
Lebenstraum: “Living Space”
Belief that Germans needed more territory
Goal: conquer Eastern Europe and Soviet Union
March 7, 1936: German Troops entered the Rhineland (Violated Treaty of Versailles)

23. Breakin’ the Law & No Response
Reality: Germany isn’t ready for war
France & G.B. didn’t respond to his violations
1936: Hitler signs an alliance w/Mussolini (Axis Powers)

24. Germany Expands 1938: Hitler invades “Auschluss” (Austria)
Austrian chancellor refused to surrender
Most Austrians warmly welcome Nazis
Oct. 1938: Hitler demands the Sudetenland (Western Czechoslovakia)
Munich Council: France & G.B. pursued a policy of appeasement to maintain peace
France was bound to protect Czech. – Problem: No one consulted them about the takeover

26. Sudetenland

27. Franco – Spain

28. Franco - Spanish Civil War
General Francisco Franco led Nationalists (rebels) vs. Republicans (newly elected gov’t.)
Franco creates military dictatorship
Germany provided planes, tanks, and soldiers to the Nationalists
Soviet Union sent arms and supplies to the Republicans