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
