1. Steps to War
Chapter 26 Section 1

2. Rise of Dictators
By 1930’s dictators had seized control in several countries
Italy
Germany
Japan
Soviet Union
Their rise to power was due to the economic and political conditions created by World War I

3. Italy
Mussolini
Hitler

4. Stalin
Tojo

5. Bitter Legacy of WW1
The treaties that ended World War I did not resolve any issues
Japan and Italy: dissatisfied
Germany: 100% blame
Europe was in ruins
Great Depression worldwide

6. Italy’s Dictator Benito Mussolini: Italian Fascist dictator
Came to power in Italy in and began fascism
Fascism: political philosophy that advocates a strong nationalistic dictatorship
Extreme form of patriotism or nationalism

7. Germany’s Dictator Adolf Hitler: German dictator; Nazi Party head
National Socialist German Workers Party
Believed in German racial superiority
Became chancellor of Germany in 1932, and then took over the government

8. Soviet Union’s Dictator
Joseph Stalin: Communist dictator of the Soviet Union
Took power in 1924 after the death of Vladimir Lenin
Stalin controlled every aspect of life in the nation
He crushed any opposition

9. Japan’s Dictator Hideki Tojo: Prime Minister of Japan 1941- 1944
The military increased its power in Japan
Tojo became Prime Minister in 1941
As the war progressed, he assumed dictatorial power

10. Describe what brought dictators to power
Essential Question
Describe what brought dictators to power
Answer:
Dictators came to power because countries were looking for a way out of financial ruin caused by World War I, the Great Depression, and mass unemployment

11. Axis Aggression
In 1936, Hitler and Mussolini formed an alliance called the Rome- Berlin Axis
Axis: The Rome-Berlin Axis, the alliance between Mussolini and Hitler, later joined by Japan

12. Germany takes over
1938: Hitler invades Austria, home to mostly German-speaking peoples
Hitler then looks to the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia
France, and Great Britain pledged their support to Czechoslovakia if Germany was to attack…

13. World War II Begins…
March 1939, Hitler conquers the rest of Czechoslovakia
Hitler then threatened to seize Polish territory
France and Britain warned Hitler that an attack on Poland would mean war….

14. Germany Starts the War
August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union agreed not to attack each other
Germany then invaded Poland on September 1,
Two days later, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany

15. Allies Under Attack June 1940, Germany invades France
Hitler plans to invade Great Britain next….
Germany’s Luftwaffe fought Britain’s RAF
Great Britain did not surrender!

16. America to the Rescue
Lend-Lease Act: allowed the United States to lend weapons to allies
The United States sent Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and other Allies about $50 billion worth of goods
Remaining neutral, we did not send men….

17. Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor: U.S. Naval base attacked by Japanese forces on December
2,400 Americans, both service men and civilians died.
U.S. warplanes and ships destroyed, leaving the U.S. fleet devastated.
Pearl Harbor Video

18. Pearl
Harbor

19. U.S. Enters the War
December 7, 1941, “a date that will live in infamy”
Roosevelt asked congress to declare war on Japan!
On December 11, Japan’s allies Germany and Italy declared war on the United States…

20. Essential Question Describe the events that led to World War II
Answer:
1. Germany invaded Poland
2. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later