Leading up to World War II

1. Leading up to World War II The rise of Fascism

2. Italian Fascism • Benito Mussolini became the ruler of Italy in the 1920s, and he described his government as totalitario “All within the state, non outside the state, none against the state” • From this we get the term Totalitarian: a government that restricts individual rights and makes everyone subordinate to the government. • Fascism is a form of totalitarianism that emphasizes national and racial superiority.

3. Benito Mussolini - Background • Was a WWI veteran, started fascist party in Italy • Under his leadership black-shirted veterans (known as the Black Shirts) attacked communists, socialists and members of other political parties, claiming to restore order to Italy • Government officials and Italians did little to stop them, because they had concerns about communism • He persuaded the king to appoint him prime minister in 1922 and then used intimidation and violence to rig future elections

4. Benito Mussolini - actions • In 1925 Mussolini abandoned democracy and took control of the government. People who spoke out were harshly punished • Under Mussolini Italy underwent economic changes, he improved wheat harvests, hydroelectric development, and railways and expanded auto and aircraft industries = Italians happy • He invaded the independent Ethiopia, believing he could unify Italy’s colonies by controlling it

5. Russian Communism • Many Russians were unhappy with the toll WWI taking on the country and so dethroned the czar in the Russian Revolution of 1917 • In 1917 the communist Bolshevik’s led by Vladimir Lenin overthrew the government that had taken over after the czar, and established a “dictatorship of the proletariat” –labourers who earned wages • Lenin proposed the “New Economic Policy” that started the process of industrialization in Russia • He died in 1924 after several years of illness

6. Josef Stalin • In 1924 Josef Stalin became the leader of the Communist Party after Lenin’s death • He united Russia with surrounding states to form the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) • He was a ruthless dictator who used force to eliminate opposition.Millions of Soviet citizens were executed, imprisoned, deported or starved to death under Stalin

7. The Rise of Fascism in Spain • After the Depression caused widespread poverty, Spain was divided between different political groups, and erupted into civil war • On one side was the Nationalists, led by General Francisco Franco and supported by Hitler and Mussolini. They used terror tactics to scare people into submission • On the other side were the Republicans, who were supported by Mexico and the Soviet Union • The League of Nations did little to stop the fighting, following a policy of non-intervention in foreign affairs

8. Francisco Franco • The Nationalists slowly begin to gain territory thanks to support from Hitler, who some say was using this war to practice for later invasions • By 1939 250,000 Republicans had fled to France, and a few weeks later they surrendered and gave power to Franco • Once in power, Franco started a ruthless, totalitarian regime • He silenced opposition with censorship and violence, torture, long prison sentences, forced labour and concentration camps

9. Totalitarianism in Japan • By the late 1920s militarists were in power in Japan who thought democracy was “un-Japanese” • WWI had taught the Japanese that natural resources were necessary to fight wars, but they didn’t have any. Manchuria in Northern China supplied many resources • In 1931 Japanese forces invaded Manchuria • When China appealed to the League of Nations, they condemned Japan’s actions but took no action, Japan withdrew from the League in response

10. War in China • In 1932 Japanese forces invaded Shanghai and in 1937 started a full-scale war between Japan and China • Japanese leaders ordered bombings of civilian targets, causing millions of deaths, and used chemical weapons during the war • These atrocities caused the US and other countries to develop negative attitudes towards Japan

11. The Rise of Fascism in Germany • After WWI, the Allies removed the monarchy and established a democracy in Germany: but the people were not happy with this imposed government • Many Germans resented the war guilt clause • The country was struggling financially due to the war reparations, and there was hyperinflation in 1922 • As a result, poverty was widespread and people were openly frustrated • Germans wanted a leader who could fix their problems

12. Adolf Hilter • In 1920 war veteran Adolf Hitler joined a new political party – the National Socialist German Worker’s Party (aka the Nazis), and became its leader in 1921 • A powerful speaker, Hitler was supported by the unemployed and upset Germans, who were then hit by the Great Depression • He believed that those who supported democracy were traitors, and that Aryans (fair-haired blue eyed people) were a superior race, and some groups such as Jews, Roma, communists, homosexuals and people with disablities were inferior

13. Adolf Hitler • By 1933 the Nazis became the largest party in German parliament and Hitler was appointed Chancellor • Once in power, he took over the country: suspending the constitution, abolishing all parties but the Nazis, and created a secret police force called the Gestapo • He built concentration camps to hold prisoners and other “undesirables”. Anyone could be arrested and held without charge or trial

14. Adolf Hitler • He also rebuilt Germany’s army (a violation of the Treaty of Versailles) and invaded small neighbouring areas and countries like Austria • He made Jews a particular target, creating the Nuremberg Laws which outlawed marriages between Aryans and Jews, and making it illegal for them to practice law or medicine or perform music • During the night of November 9-10 Jewish communities were attacked in what became known as Kristallnacht – the night of the broken glass.

15. What did Canada do? • Haile Selassie the emperor of Ethiopia appealed for help, but William Lyon Mackenzie King refused to condemn Italy’s actions because it didn’t want to go to war • Although Canadian government refused to become involved in the Spanish War, many Canadians joined the International Brigade (volunteers from the UK, Us and Canada who went to Spain to fight for the Republicans)

16. What did the International Community do? • The League of Nations and world leaders did nothing to stop Hitler, afraid to start another war. • They followed a policy of appeasement: a policy of trying to stop aggressive behaviour by giving the aggressor what is wanted • This policy was used in the face of most totalitarian governments