Dictators Threaten World PeaceCh 16-1

Failures of WWI Peace Settlement

• The Treaty of Versailles blamed Germany for starting WWI.

• Germany was stripped of their overseas colonies and territories.

• The Soviet Union resented parts of their land being taken away.

Joseph Stalin

• After Lenin Died in 1924, Joseph Stalin took control of the Soviet Union.

• As in many communist countries, the government took all privately owned lands and replaced them with large government owned farms.

• All economic activity was placed under state management.

• By 1937, the Soviet Union was the second largest industrial power, surpassed only by the U.S.

Totalitarian

• Stalin eliminated anyone who threatened his power.

• It is estimated that Stalin is responsible for the deaths of 8 million to 13 million people.

• Totalitarian- a government that has complete control of its citizens.

• In Stalin’s totalitarian government, individuals has no rights, and the government does away with all opposition.

Fascism in Italy

• Benito Mussolini-established a totalitarian regime in Italy.

• Mussolini established the Fascist Party, which places the interest of the state above those of individuals.

• Just as Stalin had done, Mussolini crushed his opposition and made Italy a totalitarian state.

Nazis Take Over Germany

• After WWI, Adolf Hitler joined a struggling group called the National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazi).

• Hitler wrote a book titled Mein Kampf (my Struggle), where he outlined the beliefs of Nazism.

• He believed in uniting all German speaking people.

• Hitler also wanted to enforce racial purification.• In his views Germans (especially blue-eyed,

blonde hair “Aryans”) formed a master race. All other races were fit to serve the Aryans.

• Many men that were out of work joined Hitler's private army , the storm troopers or brown shirts.

• Once Hitler became prime minister he established the Third Reich, or Third German Empire.

Japan…Germany…Italy

• Japanese militarists launched a surprise attack on Manchuria in 1933, which is located in China.

• The League of Nations, which was established after WWI to prevent nations attacking each other, condemned Japan for its attack.

• Japan just quit the League of Nations. Germany followed, and began to rebuild their military.

• Mussolini invaded and took over Ethiopia.• The League of Nations did very little to stop all of

this.

Spain

• Spanish Civil War began and Hitler and Mussolini backed General Francisco Franco’s rebellion.

• The civil war allowed Germany and Italy to become allies.

• After Franco’s victory in Spain, there was another totalitarian government in Europe.

• (Spain, Germany, Italy, Soviet Union)

Neutrality Acts

• In an effort to keep the U.S. out of future wars, Congress passed a series of Neutrality Acts.

• The first three acts outlawed the sale of weapons to countries at war, including civil wars.