C29: Dictatorships and the Second World War...defeat Nazi Germany and the Axis powers during WWII. LO#1: Explain how the end of WWI led to start of WWII. • The Treaty of Versailles

C29: Dictatorships and theSecond World War

Learning Objectives

• Explain how the end of WWI led to start of WWII.

• Discuss the characteristics of all the totalitarianregimes in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s.

• Summarize Hitler’s rise to power with specialfocus on the economic depression that affectedGermany.

• Discuss how the Allied powers were able todefeat Nazi Germany and the Axis powers duringWWII.

LO#1: Explain how the end of WWI ledto start of WWII.

• The Treaty of Versailles placed a heavy burdenon Germany as France and Great Britaindemanded harsh concessions from Germany.

• Germany was required to give up territoryincluding Allsace-Lorraine and pay cashreparations for its participation during WWI.

• Along with other punishments, These causedGermany a great deal of economic and socialhardships.

Learning Objective 1: Con’t• This poor environment caused a great deal of

negative feelings in Germany especiallyamong the nation’s young men.

• The cash reparations were especially harsh forGermany as it kept them from economicallyrecovering and significantly weakened theGerman economy.

• A weak economy plus an angry and alienatedyouth allowed radical voices to rise inGermany including Adolf Hitler.

LO#2: Distinguish between thetotalitarian regimes in Europe during

the 1930s and 1940s.

• Mussolini’s Italy, Hitler’s Germany, Stalin’sSoviet Union as examples of totalitarianregimes of the 1930s and 1940s.

• Totalitarian states focus all resources andsubordinate all social classes for the goals ofthe state.

Learning Objective 2: Con’t

• Totalitarian states used modern technology toachieve complete political power. Totalitariangovernments also attempted to controleconomic, social, intellectual, and cultural life.

• Totalitarian states were a radical revolt againstliberal commitment to rationality, peacefulprogress, and economic freedom.

• Totalitarian states sought to use violence andtotal mobilization to achieve state goalsregardless of individual rights of the people.

Example 1: Mussolini’s Italy

• WWI weakened the liberal parliamentarygovernment, as great wartime sacrifices led tolittle gain at the Versailles treaty conference.

• The Russian Revolution inspired revolutionarysocialists in Italy to begin taking over factoriesand land.

• WWI veteran and former socialist, BenitoMussolini, organized other veterans into afascist political movement that utilizedviolence to intimidate socialists.

Mussolini’s Italy: Con’t

• The Mussolini led fascists created so muchtrouble that they undermined the liberalgovernment.

• When they marched on Rome to demandmore power, King Victor Emmanuel askedMussolini to form a new government.

Mussolini’s Italy: Con’t

• Using the slogan “everything in the state,nothing outside the state, nothing against thestate,” Mussolini got rid of freedom of thepress, fixed elections, ruled by decree,arrested political opponents, disbandedindependent labor unions, and put fascists incharge of schools.

• Italy never really became completelytotalitarian, however, because Mussolini nevertotally controlled big business, the CatholicChurch, or the army.

Example 2: Hitler’s Germany

• Hitler developed his political beliefs as ayoung man living in Vienna. He was stronglyinfluenced by Viennese mayor Karl Luger.

• Service in the German Army during WWI gaveHitler’s life meaning. When Germany lost heblamed Jews and Marxists.

• By 1921 Hitler controlled a small politicalparty called the German Workers’ Party, whichespoused “national socialism.”

Hitler’s Germany: Con’t

• The Nazis took over the German bureaucracy,professional organizations, publishing houses,and universities.

• The Nazis persecuted Jews, driving them fromtheir jobs and from public life, and destroyingtheir property.

• Resistance to the Nazis first appeared amongcommunists and socialists. Later, Protestantand Catholic churchmen sought to preserveindependent religious life.

Example 3: Stalin’s Soviet Union

• Stalin’s Soviet regime seized all privateproperty for the state and crushed the middleclasses.

• Stalin’s “First Five Year Plan” looked totransform the Soviet Union. He wanted toindustrialize and catch up with Westernpowers.

• Stalin’s regime looked to put all peasants oncollective farms that were intended to raisefood production.

Stalin’s Soviet Union: Con’t

• Living standards for ordinary Soviet citizensdeclined up through 1940.

• Personal advancement through technicaleducation was possible. Also, citizens receivedfree social support like pensions, education,and medical care.

• Women’s rights were expanded. They neededto work because wages were so low.

Stalin’s Soviet Union: Con’t

• Stalin and the Communist party tookcomplete control over Soviet culture in the1930s.

• Stalin use terror to control his people.

– He killed and imprisoned millions who werecritical of leadership.

– Stalin built and maintained a series of labor campsthroughout eastern Russia.

LO#3: Summarize Hitler’s rise to powerwith special focus on the economicdepression that affected Germany.

• Throughout is life, Hitler hated Jews and Slavs,and explained everything by supposed evilplans of Jewish conspirators. He also espousedthe most extreme Social Darwinism.

• By 1921, Hitler was in charge of the GermanWorkers’ Party which believed in nationalsocialism.

Learning Objective 3: Con’t

• Imprisoned for an attempted coup against theWeimar Republic, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf(“My Struggle”).

– It mainly focused on the idea of the necessity for adictator-leader (Führer) and the need to conquer“living space.

– Hitler was let out of prison after serving just a fewyears.

Learning Objective 3: Con’t

• The Great Depression caused many smallbusinessmen, office workers, artisans, andpeasants to vote Nazi. Hitler promised to usegovernment programs to end the economiccrisis.

• The Nazi party was dominated by youth andstrongly appealed them.

• Hitler was made Chancellor of Germany andwas supported by a great amount of theGerman population.

Learning Objective 3: Con’t• By 1933, Hitler had convinced both President

Hindenburg and the Reichstag to authorize himemergency dictatorial powers.

• The Nazis then took over the Germanbureaucracy and most institutes within Germansociety.

• The Nazis persecuted Jews, driving them from allparts of German society.– From the very beginning of his reign, Hitler imagined a

Jew free Europe. By 1942, his nightmare becamereality as the Nazis and their allies rounded up,imprisoned, and murdered over six million EuropeanJews.

Learning Objective 3: Con’t

• While proclaiming his peaceful intentions,Hitler began an aggressive program ofrebuilding the German armed forces.

• In addition, Hitler began to support fascistcauses across Europe and take overneighboring European countries.

LO#4: Discuss how the Allied powerswere able to defeat Nazi Germany and

the Axis powers during WWII.

• The major Allied powers were France, GreatBritain, The Soviet Union, and The UnitedStates.

• From 1939 to 1941, the Axis powers(Germany, Italy, and Japan) succeeded to winmany early battles.

• The German military was particularlysuccessful using Blitzkrieg (Lightning war) tooverwhelm weak countries.

Learning Objective 4: Con’t

• Starting in 1941, the German military began toloose battles– The Battle of Britain

– The Invasion of Russia

• By 1942, the tide of war significantly changedagainst the Axis powers.— Soviet success at Stalingrad and Moscow

— American and British victories in North Africa andItaly

— Allied invasion of Western Europe (D-Day).

Learning Objective 4: Con’t

• In spite of huge increases in German warproduction between 1942 and 1944, the Alliesconquered much of Italy, invaded France, andfinally defeated Hitler in May 1945. Japansurrendered in August 1945. Massive aerialbombing of cities was part of the Allied wareffort against both Germany and Japan.

The End