Download Dictators Lead the World To War

Dictators Lead the World To War
During the 1920s and 1930s, many countries in Europe fell on hard times. They had to
rebuild after the war. The Great Depression began in 1929 and added to their problems.
Many people in Europe were out of work and went hungry. Like Americans, the people in
these countries wanted their governments to help them. Countries such as Great Britain and
France were able to solve their problems and still keep freedom for their people. Other countries were not as successful. They turned to governments run by dictators.
The dictators ruled the country with the help of a loyal political party. They took away the
freedom of the people and turned the country into a police state. Everyone had to obey the
new leaders. If people protested against their government, the dictators used force to stop
them. In Europe, the three most important nations ruled by dictators were the Soviet Union,
Italy, and Germany. In Asia, Japan also had a powerful new government. It was controlled
by a group of military leaders who were preparing their nation for war.
Russia was the first great power in Europe to become a dictatorship. For hundreds of years
Russia had been ruled by czars. These czars had become hated. Russia suffered terrible
defeats by the German army during World War 1. This led the Russian people to revolt in
1917. They overthrew the czar and set up a new government. But the new government was
weak. A new group, the Communists, led by Vladimir Lenin, seized control of the new
government by force. Under Lenin's leadership, the Communists were able bring all Russia
under their rule. The Communists changed Russia's name to the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (USSR). Many people use the name the Soviet Union, or even the old name
Russia, when speaking of the USSR. The Communist government slowly took over the
factories, mines, and farms of the nation. Lenin died in 1924. He was followed by another
dictator, Joseph Stalin. During the 1920’s and 1930’s, millions of people who opposed the
Communist dictator were killed or sent to harsh work camps.
In Italy, an ambitious young man, Benito Mussolini, organized a new political party, the
Fascists. At first, the party was made up of young men who wore black shirts. Armed with
guns and clubs, the: often beat those who opposed them. Mussolini soon had a large
following. People believed that he would give Italy a strong government and restore its
greatness. ln 1922 Mussolini marched to Rome and took control of the government. Once in
power, he became a dictator. His secret police made certain that no one openly disagreed
with him.
While Mussolini was gaining power in Italy, Adolf Hitler was organizing the Nazi party in
Germany. Hitler told the German people he would get back the land lost by Germany in
World War 1. He blamed the Jewish people for Germany's defeat in the war. He also
blamed the Jews for the hard times in Germany that followed the war. He told the German
people that Germans were a "master race." He said that non-German people were inferior
and should be killed or made into slaves.
Once in power in 1933, Hitler became a dictator. Like Mussolini, he depended on force to
keep control. He made use of a secret police, the Gestapo. People who opposed him were
thrown into prison or concentration camps. Thousands just "disappeared." In particular,
Adolf Hitler had a great hatred for Jews. On his orders, the Nazis drove the Jews out of their
schools, their businesses, their jobs, and even their homes. The Nazis sent the Jews to
concentration camps where they died from starvation and horrible tortures.
The Nazi party set out to control every aspect of the people's lives. It told factory owners
what to make. It told workers they could not join labor unions or strike. Germans were
allowed to read and hear only what their leaders wanted them to know. Schools taught
German youth to serve Hitler and the state. Many church schools were closed when they
protested Hitler's methods. A new German army was created under the slogan, "Germany
today, tomorrow the world!" A country such as Nazi Germany where everything is controlled
by the government is a totalitarian state.
In 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria, a province of China. When the League of Nations said
that Japan was wrong, Japan simply left the league. The member nations were not willing to
send troops to stop Japan. They had hoped they might convince Japan by peaceful means,
but they could not. When Germany and Italy saw that other nations would not fight against
them, they began their attempts to conquer territory
In 1935 Mussolini's armies invaded Ethiopia, a small nation in Africa. When the League of
Nations protested, Italy left the league. In 1936 Germany sent troops into German land west
of the Rhine River. This had been forbidden by the peace treaty ending World War I. Later
the same year, Germany signed a treaty with Italy and Japan. These nations agreed to help
each other. The alliance became known as the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis. In 1937 Japan
sent troops into the mainland of China.
The Nazi attempt to conquer Europe began in March 1938. Nazi armies marched into
Austria. Hitler said that Austria should be a part of Germany because many Germans lived
there. He claimed that all Germans belonged under one government. The nations of
Europe did not stop Hitler. They did not want war. They thought that Hitler might be
satisfied with Austria. Most Americans wanted to be neutral in these European troubles.
They thought the Atlantic Ocean would protect them from the problems of Europe.
Czechoslovakia was next on Hitler's list. Hitler demanded a piece of territory the
Sudetenland, from Czechoslovakia. This territory was close to the German border and had a
large number of German-speaking people. England and France protested. A conference was
held at Munich. Germany. Prime Minister Chamberlain of Great Britain and Premier Daladier
of France went to the conference. These leaders agreed to allow Germany to have the
Sudetenland. They believed this would save the world from war. On his return to England,
Chamberlain said that the agreement meant "peace in our time." Winston Churchill, who was
to follow Chamberlain as prime minister, claimed that the conference at Munich would only
lead to war.
Six months later, in March 1939, Germany occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia. Then Hitler
made demands on Poland, which had been restored as a free nation in 1919. Poland refused
Hitler's demands. On September 1, 1939, the German armies entered Poland. Great Britain
and France rushed to the defense of Poland. World War II had begun.
Dictators Lead the World to War
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The _____ __ _____ could not stop the aggression of the dictators.
The Nazis sent the Jews to _____ camps.
people Hitler blamed for Germany's problems
initials of the new name for Russia after World War I
In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria, a province of _____.
A country where everything is controlled by the government is a ______ state.
The German invasion of _____ on September 1, 1939, was the beginning of
World War II.
_____ was the first great power in Europe to become a dictatorship
Adolf _____ became the dictator of Germany
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German political party; the followers of Adolf Hitler
another name for the USSR
The alliance between Germany, Italy, and Japan was known as the Rome-BerlinTokyo _____.
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Italian political party; the followers of Benito Mussolini
German troops marched into ______ in March 1938.
African nation invaded by Italy in the 1930's.
Military leaders seized control of the government of _____.
_____ took away the freedom of the people they governed and turned their
countries into police states.
Eastern European nation seized by Germany in the late 1930's.
Dictators used _____ to protect their power.
Joseph _____ became the brutal dictator of the U.S.S.R.
Most Americans wanted to be _____ in the European troubles of the 1930's.
Benito _____ became the dictator of Italy
At a conference held at ______, Germany, the leaders of the European
democracies "gave in" to Hitler's demands to avoid war.
Hitler's secret police
During the 1920's and 1930's, many countries in _____ fell on hard times.