DICTATORS DESTROY PEACE

The Coming of WWII

“How many people look up to him with a touching faith! As

their helper, their savior, their deliverer from

unbearable distress-to him who rescues…the scholar, the clergyman, the farmer,

the worker, the unemployed, who leads them…”

Who is this

about?

How did dictators rise to power?

hard feelings left from WWIGermans hated the Treaty of Versailles

blamed for war, had to pay reparations and had to demilitarize

other countries are bitter too – Italy, Russia, JapanBitter Feelings

Treaty of Versailles led to totalitarian governments a single party or leader (dictator) controls government,

economy and social aspectsBittern Nations

realize the League of Nations couldn’t back up its policies

Big Weakness: US is not a member

Benito Mussolini

ItalyFascist Party

promoted extreme Italian nationalism

promised to make Italy great again

Highly militaristicAnti-Communists

All within the state, nothing

outside the state, nothing

against the state.

Emperor Hirohito

Japan set up a militaristic type

government with a monarchy

highly nationalistic attacked Manchuria even

though Japan had agreed to disarm at the Washington Naval Conference

left the League of Nations

Joseph Stalin

Soviet Union (Russia)

took Lenin’s place as the communists’ ruthless dictator

Started the Great Terror he purged the party of traitors…millions killed

Fear kept Stalin in power

Death solves all problems - no man, no

problem.

Adolf Hitler

Germanyset up the Third

Reichcontrolled the Nazi

Party that promoted German ethnic unity hated communists and

Jews (Anti-Semitic) spread hatred toward

Jews

“What luck for rulers, that men

do not think.”

Hitler Causes Problems

Violated Treaty of Versailles by…1. built up Germany’s army and navy (militarism)2. moved troops into the Rhineland (militarism)3. tested some of his new military technologies during

the Spanish Civil War (militarism)

US, France and Britain response… used appeasement - give in to a potential enemy and hope

they will maintain peace

Why give in? memories of WWI too worried about economic troubles (Great Depression

is still going strong)

The Munich Pact

Britain and France appease: to preserve peace give him the Sudetenland Hitler promised not to conquer any other territories

Appeasement Fails…War

Hitler violated the Munich Pact took all of Czechoslovakia…appeasement is not

working

Britain and France agree to protect Poland (Hitler’s next move)

Non-Aggression Pact agreement between Russia and Germany both agreed not to attack each other attack Poland from two directions

September 1, 1939: Germany attacks Poland war declarations start

Axis Powers vs. Allies

Axis Powers: Germany, Italy and Japan

Allies: Originally France and Britain Later Russia, the US and

China

“Phony War”: for 8 months nothing happens

Hitler’s Success

easily took Poland, then Denmark and Norway

turned to Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg

Took France in just 35 days These successes

scared US and led to US helping Allies by sending supplies

Hitler’s Success

Germany used a mixture of Total War attack civilians attack economic resources Blitzkrieg

“lightning warfare” speed and power to

penetrate deep tanks and planes first then motorized vehicles and

infantry highly effective German

technique