Rise of Dictators and WWII: Europe's Turbulent Journey

1. World War Two

2. Rise of Dictators • By 1939, only two major European states, Britain and France, remained democratic • A new form of dictatorship emerged, the totalitarian state • In these states, the government aimed to control the political, economic, social, economic and political lives of the people living within them

3. Dictators Across Europe • Italy • Benito Mussolini • Fascism: State above the individual • Soviet Union • Joseph Stalin • Called for collectivization of all private land-would now be owned by the government • Used labor camps and death camps to enforce policies • Spain • Francisco Franco • Military leader of country

4. Causes of WWII • 1) Hitler’s aggression towards other countries • Following WWI, military had been disbanded, Hitler begins to rebuild • Invades the Rhineland, a neutral area • Other European powers do NOTHING • Appeasement: An attempt to satisfy the demands of a dictator, in hopes that they will not be aggressive again • Hitler’s invasions continue: Sudetenland, Czechoslovokia

5. Causes of WWII • 2) Alliances • Dictators across Europe begin to band together to expand into smaller countries • 3) Germany invades Poland • Britain and France finally declare war on Germany • 4) Japanese attacks America at Pearl Harbor

6. WWII Battles-Europe • Hitler used Blitzkrieg “lightening war” • Quick strike, before enemy could mount a counter-attack • Controlled much of Europe by 1941 • Battle of Britain • Used German Air Force to attack • Bombed bases, harbors and communication centers • Radar systems were eventually used to warn of attacks • Hitler postponed invasion of Britain • Stalingrad • Winter invasion of Soviet Union • Germans pushed back due to cold, starvation, loss of life

7. WWII Battles-Europe • Normandy • Allied invasion of German-controlled France • Following this battle much the push for the allies to regain control of Europe succeeds • Battle of the Bulge • Final stand for Germany • Defeated by allies

8. WWII Battles-Pacific • US used strategy of “island hopping” to defeat Japan in the Pacific • Midway • Turning point of war in Asia • US defeated Japanese Navy • Iwo Jima • Okinawa

9. Rise of Hitler • Hitler began his ideas for the Nazi party while in prison • There he wrote Mein Kamph, laying out his ideas • The economic depression in Germany provided the perfect setting for the Nazi party to expand • With their new power, the Nazis brought all institutions under their control • They quickly set up concentration camps for people who opposed them

10. Rise of Hitler • Hitler believed that the Aryan race should control Germany • This group would create an empire like none ever seen before • Soon, the Nazi party began to use terror and scare tactics against those they conquered • In 1935, the Nuremburg laws were implemented • Jews were forced to obey strict laws • Were required to wear yellow stars • Kristallnacht • “night of broken glass” • Rampage against Jews in Germany

11. Holocaust • Final solution to the Jewish problem was genocide-killing of the Jewish people • Beginning in 1942, Jews were rounded up, packed into trains and taken to concentration camps across Europe • The largest was Auschwitz • 30% were sent to labor camps, where they were either worked to death or starved to death • Remainder went straight to gas chambers • Some were subjected to medical experiments

12. Holocaust • By the time the Holocaust was over, 11 million were dead • Six million were Jews • Nearly 2/3 of European Jews were killed • Others: • Political figures • Criminals • Handicapped • Homosexuals • Gypsies • Poles

13. Homefront • America: • Women took the place of men in war-related industries • Food was rationed • Propaganda posters to support war were EVERYWHERE • Europe: • Cities were bombed • Japan: • Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki