Rise of the Dictators

Chapter 16, Section 1

Peace from WWI led to revolution in many countries

Treaty of Versailles◦ Angered Germans◦ Did not create world “safe for democracy”

Civil wars broke out Much of the world faced an economic

depression

Failures of the Peace Settlement

Totalitarianism – Individual citizens have no rights and the government suppresses all opposition◦ Many countries moved towards this during

times following the First World War

Totalitarianism

Create sound communist state and wait for world revolution

Revolution by workers Eventual rule by working class State ownership of property

Communism

Assumed control of Soviet Union after death of Vladimir Lenin◦ Communist government had been implemented

following the Russian Revolution Wanted to develop the Soviet Union into a

great industrial nation Lived in constant suspicion

◦ Paranoid about losing power◦ Executed 8-13 million people

Joseph Stalin

Extreme nationalism Militaristic expansionism Charismatic leader Private property with strong government

controls Anticommunist

Fascism

Italian Vowed to restore Italy’s national pride

◦ Economic depression◦ Loss of WWI

Powerful speaker Became Il Duce, the leader

◦ Gradually assumed control of◦ every aspect of Italian life

Benito Mussolini

Spanish Led revolution against the Spanish

government Implemented fascist regime

Francisco Franco

Extreme nationalism Militaristic expansionism Forceful leader Private property with strong government

controls Anticommunist

Nazism

German Fought for Germany in WWI Developed National Socialist German

Workers’ Party◦ Developed into totalitarian regime

Devised plan for a conquest◦ Wanted to gain lebensraum (living space) for Germans

Believed in the superiority of the Aryan race

Adolf Hitler

Isolationism – the American stance not to become involved in the conflicts breaking out in Europe◦ Wanted to avoid the mistakes they had made in

WWI Neutrality Acts helped restrict involvement

warring nations Roosevelt eventually moved away from

Isolationism

American Responses to Conflicts