Download 1: Dictators key words Score: /8 3: Stalin Score: /10 2: Treaty of

Y9 History Knowledge Organiser: Unit 4- The rise of dictators
Key words:
Dictatorship
A form of government where political authority is controlled by a single person or political
party.
Dictator
A leader of a dictatorship, controls how the country is run
Communism
A political theory that believes all citizens are equal. In class, pay and position. Everything is
owned by the government and people are paid according to their needs.
Capitalism
Political ideology with a focus on individual rights and freedoms, free trade and democratic
elections. Britain and USA are capitalist states.
Democracy
A political system in which people vote to elect their leaders. Laws are made by an elected
government.
Fascism
A person or political party with extreme views, often racism, nationalism, and a strong belief
in authority.
Nationalism
A belief, involves a person becoming attached to one's nation. An extreme form of patriotism.
Europe After WW1: The Development of Dictatorships
Before the first world war, the big powers were divided into two rival alliances. In the 1920s and 1930s new divisions were
forming, this time between Democracies and Dictatorships. After World War I, political unrest and poor economic conditions
lead many countries to develop a dictatorship as their government. Most dictatorships started in countries that were not used
to democracy such as Germany, the Soviet Union, Italy, and Japan. Dictatorships held total power and ruled without regard to
law. Anyone who opposed the dictatorships would be imprisoned or would be executed.
Democracy
Dictatorship
 The country is led by a Prime Minister or President who is
 Usually led by one strong leader ,a dictator,
elected by the people to lead the country
who controls how the country is run and
makes all the decisions
 Laws are debate and made in a parliament

Usually no regular free elections
 The parliament is made up of lots of political parties which are
elected by the people
 Only one party is allowed
 They vote in regular elections in which there are several parties  Not all religions are allowed
to choose from.
 The leader controls the press, books, films etc
 Freedom of speech
 No free speech.
 Freedom of belief
 Violence is used to control the people. This
usually involves the use of the police and
 Freedom in law (the right to a fair trial if arrested; freedom
from unfair arrest)
army.
 Freedom of association- the right to join a political party union
Germany- The Treaty of Versailles 1919:
The treaty was signed in 1919 and was a diktat. It was imposed on Germany by the allies after WW1. Germany did not have any
say in the treaty and was forced to accept it. The German politicians who signed the treaty became known as the November
Criminals.
DIKTAT
B.R.A.T.
B
R
A
T
DOLCHSTOSS
NOVEMBER
CRIMINALS
The treaty was written by the allies and Germany was given 15 days to accept it of face invasion. The terms were
dictated to Germany and it was forced to accept
The four key terms of the treaty
Blame – Germany was forced to accept the blame for the outbreak of, and damage caused by the war (war guilt
clause 123)
Reparations – compensation set at £6.6bn
Arms reductions – 100,000 army, 6 warships, no submarines or air force. Rhineland demilitarised
Territorial losses (Land) – Germany lost all overseas colonies, significant land including Alsace and Lorraine,
Danzig and Posen
The belief that the German army had been stabbed in the back by the new government who signed the treaty in
1919.
The politicians who signed the Treaty of Versailles. Many Germans felt they had betrayed Germany.
Joseph
Stalin (19291953)
Dictator of
Communist
Russia
(USSR)
Adolf Hitler
(1933-1945)
Fascist dictator
of Nazi
Germany
Benito
Mussolini
(1922-1945)
Dictator of
fascist Italy
Germany: Adolf Hitler (1933-1945)
Hitler tried to overthrow the German government in 1923 in the Munich Putsch. However, he failed and was sent to
prison. He decided to use the political system as a way to gain power and it was in prison that he wrote Mein Kampf.
Slowly his supporters increased. In 1933 he became Chancellor of Germany. Only a year later, Hitler was undisputed
ruer of Germany. Der Fuhrer.
Key features of Hitler’s dictatorship
SS
The Nazis operated a police state. The SS helped by removing opposition to Hitler and ensuring the
people were loyal to the Nazis. They could arrest and imprison people. They also operated the
concentration camps.
Gestapo
The Secret Police. They were responsible for spying and ensuring the German people were loyal to
Hitler. They could arrest and imprison people. They were greatly feared and created an atmosphere of
terror in Germany.
Propaganda Hitler used propaganda to control the German people and ensure they persuade people to think or
believe in the Nazis. Posters, radio broadcasts, newspapers all encouraged Germans to be good Nazis.
Persecution Hitler believed that Germans were the Aryan master race and all other races were inferior. Many
groups including Jews, gypsies, the mentally ill, physically disabled, homosexuals and Jehovah’s
Witnesses were target and persecuted by the Nazis. Hitler planned to eliminate and remove these
people from Germany and Europe. During the Holocaust around 11 million people were murdered by
the Nazis because they didn’t fit their ideal of the ‘perfect race’.
Women
Women were encouraged to stay at home and look after the family. Women were encouraged to
marry and have children. Hitler was trying to create a pure and strong Germany for the future.
Education
The Nazis controlled school which ensured all children learnt about Nazi ideas and beliefs. Nazi youth
groups prepared children for their future roles as soldiers and model Nazi citizens.
Knowledge Quiz Scores:
1: Dictators key words
Score:
/8
2: Treaty of Versailles
Score:
/12
3: Stalin
Score:
/10
Y9 History Knowledge Organiser: Unit 4- The rise of dictators
Russia: Joseph Stalin (1929-1953)
Stalin was the dictator of communist Russia, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1929 to 1953. Under
Stalin, the Soviet Union was transformed from a peasant society into an industrial and military superpower. However,
he ruled by terror, and millions of his own citizens died during his brutal reign. Born into poverty, Stalin became
involved in revolutionary politics, as well as criminal activities, as a young man. After Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin
(1870-1924) died, Stalin outmaneuvered his rivals for control of the party. Once in power, he collectivized farming and
had potential enemies executed or sent to forced labor camps. Stalin aligned with the United States and Britain in
World War II (1939-1945) but afterward engaged in an increasingly tense relationship with the West known as the Cold
War.
Key features of Stalin’s dictatorship
Collective Peasants were forced to hand over their land, animals and tools to a collective farm and work coFarming:
operatively. Produce would be distributed by the government.
They had to give a lot of their produce to the state and were then allowed to share out what was left
Many peasants refused to join the collectives. Stalin sent police and soldiers to round up and deport
them to labour camps. Millions died.
State
All the main industries were controlled by the government
controlled Each industry was set targets that it had to reach in five years.
industry:
Some of the targets were almost impossible because there was a shortage of raw materials.
But the results were amazing. Over 1,500 massive new factories and 100 new industrial towns were
built during the first Five Year Plan.
The
Workers had to work very hard, for long hours, without much reward.
workers:
If they made mistakes, they were accused of ‘wrecking’ or ‘sabotage’ and were arrested.
Even so, many workers supported Stalin because they thought he was building a better future for
them.
The
Stalin had a huge secret police force, which had spies and informers everywhere. Children were even
Terror:
encouraged to inform on their parents.
Anyone who opposed or criticised Stalin was arrested, tortured and either executed or sent to labour
camps.
Stalin used the prisoners from the labour camps to dig canals and cut timber in the frozen north where
no one else could work.
The
Purging is to remove a lot of people from an organisation.
purges:
Stalin ‘purged’ all the people in the Communist Party who might challenge his leadership. They were
arrested and put on trial in public
At these great show trials people were forced to confess to all sorts of crimes before they were
sentenced and executed.
Control of The state controlled all the newspapers, books, films and radio programmes. The Russian people only
ideas:
received the information Stalin wanted them to receive.
Churches were closed and religion was banned in many places because the Communists did not believe
in God.
School books were re-written to show children how great Stalin and the Communist system was.
Leadership There were statues and paintings of Stalin everywhere.
cult:
Propaganda, films and posters were designed to convince people that Stalin was the best person to
guide them to a wonderful Communist future.
For example, posters showed Stalin marching alongside miners as a supportive comrade.
Italy: Benito Mussolini (1922-1945)
Benito Mussolini was an Italian politician, journalist, and leader of the National Fascist Party, ruling the country as Prime
Minister from 1922 until his ousting in 1943. Mussolini drifted into politics from journalism. Between 1904 and 1910, he
developed a reputation as a militant. The First World War led him to make a dramatic switch to extreme nationalism – which
resulted in his expulsion from the Socialist Party – and then to fascism. Between 1919 and 1922 many socialist led groups used
violence to voice their discontent. In 1921, Mussolini established the National Fascist Party and then made an election alliance
with the liberals to gain more support. In 1922, local fascist leaders began to take over various towns and regions and, in
October, their ‘March on Rome’ resulted in Mussolini being appointed prime minister.
The Police state
Key features of Mussolini’s dictatorship
Mussolini introduced and led the MVSN or “Blackshirts”, a group which used violence to
intimidate and remove any opposition to his dictatorship…
Mussolini banned all political parties in 1926 and established the OVRA (Secret police) to spy on
opposition. He hammered the ‘Mafia’ and the crime rate fell whilst fear across the country
increased.
The Economy
Mussolini introduced many plans to increase jobs for the unemployed and tried to make Italy
self-sufficient. Policies included the Battle for Wheat and the Battle for Land. 5,000 new farms
were created. TUs shut down.
All foreign company stock was handed over to the Bank of Italy and foreign trade taxes were high
to encourage people to ‘buy Italian’.
Propaganda
Use of radio, cinema, newspapers, leaflets. Journalism greatly controlled by Mussolini who issued
certificates to write. Editors appointed by Mussolini. Created ‘cult of personality’ which showed
Mussolini in a good light and made him look like a strong and energetic leader.
Foreign policy
Mussolini wanted to return Italy to the glory days of the Roman Empire. Italians feel great.
Distract the public with empire building achievements. Abbysinia crisis was a major step towards
creating an African colony in 1935-6. Mussolini was seen as able to compete with the powers of
Britain and France. On the 25 October 1936 the Rome-Berlin Axis was signed between Italy and
Germany. Mussolini and Hitler became allies. This was a direct challenge to Britain and France
.
Notes: