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THE AXIS LEADERS OF WORLD WAR II
BIG IDEA: After World War I there was political instability and economic devastation in Europe.
This included worldwide depression, high inflation, and massive unemployment. Many people
in Europe were unhappy with their living conditions. The people of Italy and Germany looked
towards powerful, Fascist dictators, who promised to improve their lives. In Japan, the country
was controlled by an aggressive military leader. These dictators led the countries that became
known as the Axis Powers.
FASCISM: A political philosophy in which total power is given to a dictator and individual
freedoms are denied. People live for the state (their country), and pledge total allegiance to
their dictator. Nationalism and, often, racism are emphasized.
AXIS LEADERS
Adolf Hitler: In the 1920s Austrian born Adolf Hitler, a man with strong beliefs about German
greatness became the leader of the Nazi Party. Hitler was able to increase his support and
power because the desperate German people were happy to hear his message about the glory
and strength of Germany. He was smart and used propaganda to influence people. By 1932
Hitler had total control over Germany and became a dictator.
Benito Mussolini: an Italian soldier who risked his life during World War I. At the end of the
war Mussolini was frustrated with his government’s failure to improve the declining economy.
Mussolini wanted to return to the glory of the Roman Empire and believed Italy could return to
the strength and glory of Rome. This idea sounded great to many Italians. Mussolini’s Fascist
party placed an emphasis on militarism and promised to bring Italy back to glory. In 1922
Mussolini became Prime Minister and increased his power to become Italy’s dictator.
Hideki Tojo: the son of an army officer was educated at the Imperial Military Academy
eventually rising to the rank of a General. Tojo was an extreme militarist who advocated for
total war. In the early 1930s the Japanese military stopped listening to the civilian government
and by 1932 had taken over Japan. Tojo rose from an Army chief to Minister of War to
eventually becoming the Prime Minister in October of 1941. This was only two months before
the attack on Pearl Harbor.