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The United States and World War II. The Rise of Dictators and the Road to War. Main Ideas. * Dictators took control of the governments of Italy , the Soviet Union , Germany and Japan after World War I during the 1920s and 1930s * (Why do you think this was?).
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The United States and World War II The Rise of Dictators and the Road to War
Main Ideas * Dictators took control of the governments of Italy, the Soviet Union, Germany and Japan after World War I during the 1920s and 1930s * (Why do you think this was?) * Most Americans did not want to get involved in another American war * (Why not?)
* ITALY – Benito Mussolini (1922) * USSR – Joseph Stalin (1926) * GERMANY – Adolf Hitler (1933-1934) * JAPAN – “Militarism” takes hold (1930s)
*Remember the Treaty of Versailles? (How did it treat Germany?) * By the 1930s, the Great Depression is WORLD-WIDE… especially in Germany! (hyper-inflation, debt, unemployment)
Benito Mussolini – Fascist– Italy * Since the 1870s, the Kingdom of Italy had proved too weak to deal with the country’s growing problems… * Italians felt slighted as a result of the “peace without victory” outcome… * WWI debts, unemployment, uncontrollable strikes, communist, socialist and anarchist threat… * Italian government had to make a choice – Fascism or Communism?
Benito Mussolini – Fascist– Italy * Benito Mussolini organizes the fascist movement in 1919 as a result of the rising tensions in Italy (“Black Shirts”) 1.) Absolute Power of the State: strong centralized gov’t (totalitarian control) – STATE > individual 2.) Rule by a Dictator: charismatic, all-powerful dictators make decisions for the state! 3.) Corporatism: tamed down version of capitalism – private property remains, but means of production are controlled (kind of) 4.) Extreme Nationalism: national glory and fear of outside threats 5.) Superiority of the Nation’s People 6.) Militarism and Imperialism: greatness is shown by conquering and ruling weak nations “Il Duce” "Mussolini, the man who made the Trains Run on Time."
Benito Mussolini – Fascist– Italy * 1921, Mussolini formed the National Fascist Party… * October 1922, Mussolini declared, “Either the government will be given to us, or we will seize it by marching on Rome.” * A real “SMH” moment ensues in the Italian government… * King’s Cabinet resigns and King Victor Emmanuel promptly names Mussolini Prime Minister of Italy. * By 1924, Fascists controlled Italian Parliament and IL DUCE had embarked on his totalitariancontrol of politics, the economy and the state!
Joseph Stalin – Communist – Soviet Union Vladimir Lenin Leon Trotsky Joseph Stalin * Lead the Bolsheviks in their October Revolution in 1917 * Lenin’s handpicked successor… * Not on Stalin’s watch! * Military leader in the Red Army * Lenin’s #2 man and “heir-apparent” * Father of the Soviet Union! (USSR) * Eventually became General Secretary of the Central Committee
Joseph Stalin – Communist – Soviet Union “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” – Karl Marx * What does the Marx quote mean? (Marxism) • * A TRUE Communist society is a form of UTOPIAN society where: • 1.) Private property is unnecessary as all men only use that which he needs • 2.) All men are sustained by, supported by, and occupied at the public expense (communal living) • 3.) Every citizen will make his contribution to the community according to his capacity, his talent and his age * Communism is a classless, moneyless and stateless social order structured upon common ownership of the means of production of society. * Marxists believed that to attain communism, violent revolution of the working class (proletariat) was necessary to overthrow the capitalist class (bourgeoisie)…
Joseph Stalin – Communist – Soviet Union * 1922 – Lenin suffers a stroke and retires (kind of) * Argument ensues between Trotsky and Stalin – names called, lives threatened – and then… * 1923 – Trotsky has a heart attack. * 1924 – Lenin diesand Stalin consolidates power throughout the Soviet Union and by 1926 has killed those who were loyal to Trotsky and any of his opposition within the Party!
Joseph Stalin – Communist – Soviet Union * Stalin launched a massive program for industrialization(railroads, steel mills, military hardware)… Five-Year Plan to “catch and overtake” the leading capitalist countries in the world. * EXAMPLE) From 1928 to 1937,steel production increased from 4 million tons to 18 million tons… * Stalin was a paranoid who oppressed and often killed (purged) anyone who was perceived as a threat to his power * By the late 1930s, the USSR was weak from the removal of its best and brightest – but at least Stalin was secure!
Joseph Stalin – Communist – Soviet Union * He also started a revolution in Soviet agriculture forcing peasants to participate in collectivization (this meant the pooling of farmlands, animals, and equipment for the sake of more efficient, and state-run, large-scale production) * Knowing that the well-to-do peasants (kulaks) would not accept this, Stalin decided to “liquidate them as a class” (millions were killed outright or sent to forced-labor camps – GULAGS – to suffer a slow death)
Collectivization of farms * Individual farms (Kulaks) * Each has own farmhouse, Tractor, Equipment, etc. * Farmers make $ based on how productive they are… * The more productive, the more $ they make!
Collectivization of farms * Collective farm – state (government) owned, all equipment and Housing, pooled together. * Everyone gets paid the same wages. * All profits go to government, which then pays the workers. * No incentive, no ownership of land. * By 1935, almost ALL agriculture in the Soviet Union has been COLLECTIVIZED Workers live in a communal village, in gov’t housing projects
Collectivization of farms * Many of the peasants refused to cooperate with the Collectivizationefforts of Stalin, so, what did they do? (From 1932 to 1933, 10 millions peasants died due to FAMINE) * To wipe out any remaining resistance, Stalin unleashed terror to crush opposition through a series of purges (750,000 were executed between 1936 and 1938 and those who were not executed were sent to forced labor camps, collectively known as the Gulag)
Adolf Hitler – Nazi – Germany * Adolf Hitler was a veteran of World War I – coming back from the War, he joined the German Workers' Partyin 1919, and became leader of the NSDAPin 1921. * 1923, Hitler attempted a coup d'état in Munich – the Beer Hall Putsch(failed coup resulted in Hitler's imprisonment, during which time he wrote his memoir, Mein Kampf – “My Struggle”) • * In Mein Kampf, Hitler outlines the Nazi philosophy: • 1.) Anti-Communist • 2.) Anti-Semitic • 3.) Militaristic • 4.) Acquisition of Lebensraum (“living space”) • 5.) Pro-German (Hitler was Austrian) • * He blames Marxists, Jews and the Weimar Republic Parliament for problems… * By 1930, after the economic meltdown worldwide, the Nazi party had gained 18% of votes in Parliament… (from 2% in 1928)
Adolf Hitler – Nazi – Germany * By 1933, Hitler had been a Presidential candidate, the Nazi’s had gained 44% of votes in Parliament and President Paul von Hindenburg had appointed Hitler Chancellor of the Weimar Republic! (the Nazis were rollin’…) * Hitler had petitioned the President to dissolve the Parliament (several times, to no avail) – so what does he do? * Well, allegedly, he did not burn down the Reichstagin 1933 – Communists did! (Hitler, being the opportunist he was, encouraged Pres. Von Hindenburg to suspend basic rights and allow detention without trial) * Legislation was also passed in parliament which passed legislative authority to Hitler’s cabinet!
Adolf Hitler – Nazi – Germany * By 1934, Hitler had gained full control of legislativeand executivebranches of government! (Hitler became Germany's head of state with the title of der Führer) “At the risk of appearing to talk nonsense I tell you that the National Socialist movement will go on for 1,000 years… Don't forget how people laughed at me 15 years ago when I declared that one day I would govern Germany. They laugh now, just as foolishly, when I declare that I shall remain in power!” – Adolf Hitler • * As Head of State, Hitler: • 1.) bullied opposing parties into disbanding • 2.) killed his opponents within the Nazi party • 3.) took supreme control over military forces • 4.) consolidated his political power • * Vowed to reverse effects of Great Depression and Treaty of Versailles!
Militarists in Japan * Imperial rule had been restored to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji(almost all leaders in Japanese society during the Meiji period – whether in the military, politics or business – were ex-samurai or descendants of samurai) * Meiji government viewed Japan as threatened by western imperialism (policy was to strengthen economic and industrial foundations, so that a strong military could be built to defend Japan against outside powers)
Militarists in Japan * Into the 1920s, Japan’s economy began to struggle when it’s exports failed to support it’s imports… * Commence the 1930s Great Depression – U.S. raises tariffs and Japan’s economy worsens… * Remember those pesky Japanese military leaders? (their solution to these problems was to acquire more territory!) * 1931, Japan launched an attack on resource-rich Manchuria(within a few days Japanese armed forces had occupied the region of China)
Militarists in Japan * 1933, Japan withdrew from the League of Nations (after criticism for Manchurian Incident) * 1937, the second Sino-Japanese War broke out (and Japan essentially controlled east coast of China until 1945) * 1940, Japan occupied French Indochina – Vietnam(upon agreement with the French Vichy government, and joined the Axis powers; Germany and Italy) * ALL EXAMPLES OF JAPANESE AGGRESSION PRIOR TO WORLD WAR II AND JAPAN’S ATTACK ON PEARLHARBOR!