Dictators Threaten World Peace
Nationalism Grips Europe & Asia
Nationalism
• Post WWI world had brought depression and
struggle around the world.
• Powerful dictators who used nationalism (loyalty to
one’s country above all) and strove for territorial
expansion.
Failures of WWI
• The Treaty of Versailles was meant for a “just and secure
peace” but caused anger and resentment.
• The Weimar Republic in Germany was blamed for their
economic problems.
• President Wilson had hoped for a world “safe for democracy”.
• New democracies around the world struggled.
Stalin & the Soviet Union
• Civil War broke out in Russia post WWI.
• A communist state replaced the Czars.
• After its found Vladimir Lenin died Joseph Stalin took
power.
• He aimed for a pure communist state.
Stalin
• He wanted to turn the Soviet Union into a industrial
power.
• Stalin created a secret police and purged all he
considered an enemy.
• In 1939, Stalin had created a totalitarian state one
that has complete control over society.
Fascism in Italy
• Benito Mussolini was establishing a totalitarian
regime in Italy.
• Mussolini new how to speak about nationalism.
• He established a fascist party, one that stresses
nationalism above individual needs.
Mussolini
• In 1922, he marched on Rome with thousands
of his followers known as “black shirts”.
• He called himself Il Duce or “the leader”.
• He did this by creating a totalitarian and using
fear.
Nazis in Germany
• After WWI Adolph Hitler joined the National Socialist
German Worker’s Party better known as the Nazi
Party.
• He named himself Der Fuhrer “the leader” and
promised to bring German out of chaos.
• In prison, he wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle) he
outlined his plans for restoring Germany.
Hitler
• He also wanted to enforce racial “purification” at home.
• He considered Aryans a “master race”.
• The Great Depression helped the Nazis come to power. War
debts and unemployment made the German people
desperate for strong leadership.
Military gains control in Japan
• The military in Japan believed in more living
space and nationalism as a driving force.
• They would invade Manchuria China and then
seek more territorial gains.
Civil War in Spain
• Spanish Army officers led by General Francisco
Franco rebelled against the Spanish Republic.
• Franco’s fascist forces would receive aid from Hitler
and & Mussolini.
• With the aid Franco seized control and created a
fascist state.
U.S. Responds
• Though Americans were concerned with
events around the world they wanted to
remain isolationist.
• Congress even passed Neutrality Acts or laws
forbidding the selling of weapons abroad.