1. World Leaders and Dictators
Mr. White’s US 1 History Class

2. Main Idea and Objectives
Main Idea: Because of the failures of the Treaty of Versailles, as well as other historical factors, several dictators came to power in Europe and threatened the peace.
After this section, we should be able to:
Identify the types of governments that took power in Russia, Italy, Germany, and Japan after World War I
Compare and contrast the various leaders of Europe and their relative strengths and weaknesses as leaders

3. Failures of the Treaty of Versailles
When World War I ended, the victors had made Germany sign Treaty of Versailles
Blamed Germany for the war
Germany had to pay war reparations
Germany wasn’t allowed to have much of an army
Questions to consider: How would Germans in general feel?

4. Germans Unhappy!
Germans felt Treaty of Versailles was too harsh on them
Many felt that Germany hadn’t been defeated; armies hadn’t surrendered
War reparations, effects of the Depression, and runaway inflation put German economy in ruins

5. Josef Stalin and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union was a communist country
Stalin came to power after Lenin, founder of Soviet Union
Wanted to make Soviet Union into an industrial power

6. Josef Stalin’s Purges
Stalin used “5-year plans” to advance the country toward an industrial power
Used secret police to purge country of people he felt were not loyal to him
Over 1.2 million of Stalin’s own people were imprisoned and killed in these purges

7. Communist Soviet Union
Communism – government controls all property and production (factories, farms, everything)
Evenly distribute property
Highly restricted personal freedoms

8. Benito Mussolini Benito Mussolini takes power as dictator in Italy
Charismatic leader
Wanted to bring back days of Roman empire for Italy

9. Fascist Italy
Fascism was a system of government that emphasized the glory of the nation over the rights of the individual
Extremely nationalist
Private property was strongly controlled by the government
Expand using the military
Anticommunist

10. Adolf Hitler Young artist from Austria; wanted to be a painter
Fought during World War I; was gassed in the trenches
Joined Nazi party in Germany
Was imprisoned after joining the party; wrote Mein Kampf, “My Struggle,” explaining the basic beliefs of Nazism

11. Hitler’s Rise to Power
As Nazi leader, quickly gained support of the people
Powerful and charismatic speaker
Believed German people were part of a master race that should rule the world
Was elected Chancellor of Germany by the German people

12. Nazi Germany “Aryan” race was master race
Germans needed “lebensraum” or living space
Would expand by military force, if necessary
Strong support by the people (why?)

13. Imperial Japan
Japan had been modernizing for several decades, since mid-1800s
Country was taken over by military
Hideki Tojo (left) became prime minister, head of the government

14. Japanese Expansion
Japan wanted to expand over the Pacific Ocean and eastern Asia (China, Korea, Vietnam)
Would use their military power to take over islands in the Pacific and land in Asia

15. United Kingdom
United Kingdom was a democratic country with a capitalist economy
Run by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
Was very wary of Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin

16. Main Idea and Objectives
Main Idea: Because of the failures of the Treaty of Versailles, as well as other historical factors, several dictators came to power in Europe and threatened the peace.
After this section, we should be able to:
Identify the types of governments that took power in Russia, Italy, Germany, and Japan after World War I
Compare and contrast the various leaders of Europe and their relative strengths and weaknesses as leaders