Chapter 28 and 29

World War IIWorld War II

As world-wide economic depression got worse, peoples’ lives got worse and grew frustrated

Desperate for change, people turned to new leaders who off ered simple solutions to complex problems

Totalitarian Regime-Dictatorship form of government that controls all aspects of peoples’ lives

TOTALITARIAN REGIMES

Dictators came to power by using FASCISM – idea that promises return to glory for the nation, strong leadership from one leader, commitment of loyalty to government by citizens

Fascists promote extreme nationalism, people can keep private property, religion used as a tool to promote government ideas

Fascists hate democracy and communism (no class in society, government controls all property, desire to spread ideas to other nations) but have some things in common with communists: 1 strong dictator rules Censorship, propaganda and secret police force used to

control people

Poor economic conditions and anger of “betrayal” of Versailles Treaty led to rise of Benito Mussolini

Socialist and journalist prior to WWI, but became militant nationalist. Formed political party in 1919 called Fascists

BENITO MUSSOLINI IN ITALY

Rise to power: Became popular by supporting workers and peasants and

stopped communist revolution in Italy Created Blackshirts (secret police force) to enforce goals of

Fascists and led a March on Rome in 1922 King Victor Emmanuel was intimidated by Mussolini and

named him Prime Minister

As dictator, Mussolini consolidated power by ending democratic rule, strengthened military, spread patriotism and nationalism

Earned nickname II Duce – “The Leader”

One of many groups challenging Weimar Republic was fascist group called National Socialist Workers’ Party (NAZI); Hitler was an early recruit

Formed Brownshirts (secret police) to enforce ideas

ADOLF HITLER IN GERMANY

Jailed in 1923 for trying to overthrow Weimar government; wrote Mein Kampf in prison:

Blamed Jews for problems Saw himself as leader (Fuhrer) of master Aryan race Lebenstraum – need to spread out and gain living space for

Germans

Reorganized NAZI party after release from jail and made speeches promoting NAZI party; ran NAZIs in elections but never won majority vote

Hitler was feared by Weimer Republic, thought they could satisfy Hitler by naming him chancellor in 1933

RISE TO POWER

As dictator, Hitler removed political opponents

Started fire in Reichstag government building and blamed on communists

In 1934, Night of Long Knives – Hitler had hundreds of his own secret police murdered

Called government Third Reich-restore Germany army and pride

DICTATOR

Hitler used anti-Semitism (hatred and hostility towards Jews) and blamed Jews for all of Germany’s problems

In 1935, Hitler passed Nuremberg Laws stripped Jews of German citizenship; all Jews were required to wear yellow star of David as identification

ATTACK ON JEWS

Nov 9-10, 1938, Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) destroyed Jewish synagogues and businesses, created concentration camps and ghettos for prisoners

First Solution (Holocaust) – Hitler began a plan to eliminate Germany of all non-Aryans (Jews, Slavs, homosexuals, political opponents)

6 million Jews were murdered in firing squads and gas chambers throughout Europe by special killing units called the SS

Japan felt the West did not accept it as an equal even though its population and industry boomed in 1920s

Dreamed of large empire to expand with lots of natural resources – 1931, invaded Manchuria, 1937, invaded China

HIDEKI TOJO IN JAPAN

Militarism grew – Emperor Hirohito relied on Hideki Tojo to reorganized military, Emperor Hirohito of Japan ruled throughout the war

General Hideki Tojo held dictatorial power from October 1941 to July 1944

Japan: 1931 – invaded Manchura and northern China; 1940 – invaded Indochina and East Indies

Italy: 1936 – occupied Ethiopia; 1941 – invaded Egypt and Greece

Germany: 1938 – annex Austria and Czechoslovakia, 1939 – invaded Poland

USSR: 1941 – occupied Lithuania, Lativa, and Estonia

TOTALITARIAN AGGRESSION

Axis Coalition formed – treaties between Italy, Germany, and Japan ( 1936 to 1940) to offer mutual protection and support if ever involved in war

ALLIANCE FORMED