1. World War II and the Holocaust
Unit 8

2. I. The Rise of Totalitarianism

3. 1. Totalitarianism: government control over the people of a country in a very strict way with complete power that cannot be opposed

4. After WWI, European nations:
Worked to rebuild towns, farms, roads, bridges, railroad lines, etc.

6. Germany struggled to pay back war debts and make reparation payments

7. Italy was dissatisfied with the Treaty of Versailles – it had hoped to gain more territory after the war

8. Suffered through an economic depression, trade was at a standstill, the US could not afford to lend money

9. dealt with weak, ineffective, & unstable governments
Emperor Hirohito - Japan
Weimar Republic - Germany
King Victor Emmanuel III - Italy

10. Meanwhile, the US remained neutral following a policy of isolationism.

11. 3. The Rise of Fascism:
Following World War I, a new ideology took root and grew in Europe called fascism and brought new governments to power with new leaders who would later threaten world peace.

12. While fascism can be hard to clearly define, several characteristics are common to all fascist governments:
Under fascism, the nation is celebrated. In fact love of country is taken to the extreme.
Fascist governments are usually controlled by one political party. They are led by a single, all-powerful dictator, who uses the military to maintain control.
Citizens’ rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, and many others are strictly limited.

13. The economy is controlled by the government, in other words the dictator. Private businesses are only allowed if they benefit the state in some way.
Often, fascist dictators call for action against their enemies. Such enemies can be real or imagined threats.
Youth, the military, and male strength and power are glorified in fascist countries.