Download Part Two

The Nineteen Thirties
(Part II)
A Decade of Extremes
How did the Great Depression
impact the Soviet Union?
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Russia - now a communist
country - USSR (Soviet
Union)
Joseph Stalin - ruthless
dictator - killed opponents,
but brought Russia into the
20th century - modernized
Russia - collectivized farms,
built up steel and oil industry
- communist totalitarian
government
Immune to the effects of the
Great Depression
How did the Great Depression
impact Italy and Germany?
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Italy - Benito Mussolini
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totalitarian dictator
nationalist
Fascism
Germany – Adolph Hitler
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bitter and angry over loss of WWI
Adolph Hitler came to power in
1933.
Why was he followed?
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Charisma
Made promises and kept them.
Wanted his country to be the
best.
Two goals: “race and space”
Led to the taking over of
countries east of Germany
What was occurring in Japan
during the 1930s?
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Run by a small group of
military rulers.
Population expanded rapidly needed more land.
These last 3 countries came
together and formed an
alliance called the Axis
powers.
– They were all nationalistic
and fascist.
– They all built up their military.
– They all wanted power and
more land.
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Goal of fascism - nationalism.
What were the most important steps taken by
Japan, Italy and Germany towards world war?
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Japan
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1931 - invaded Manchuria and
then China.
Eventually expanded to
Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Lead to starvation of many
Chinese citizens
Italy - 1935 - invaded and took
Ethiopia
Germany
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Hitler began to rearm Germany
1935 - invaded the
Rhineland
1937 - invaded Austria
More Steps…
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Spain - Franco took over during civil war
Munich Conference - Britain, France and Germany met over the
issue of Czechoslovakia - agreed to give Hitler the Sudetenland
and Hitler promised peace in exchange
Called Appeasement - several months later, Hitler took the rest of
Czech. Britain and France told Hitler if he took any more land, they
will declare war. Hitler then made a Nonaggression Pact with
Russia and agreed to split Poland if Russia helped in the attack.
1939 - Sept. 1 - Germany invaded Poland - official start of WWII France and Britain declared war.
What was the U.S. position when
World War II first started?
• Officially, the United States
was neutral. Unofficially,
we sided with the Allies
(Lend Lease)
• Blitzkrieg - Lightning war Hitler’s style of war- Use of
tanks and airplanes.
Poland was defeated in 6
weeks.
• During the winter, Hitler
refrained from fighting.
What was the U.S. position when
World War II first started?
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In the spring, Hitler invaded
Denmark, Norway and France
France was captured next “Miracle of Dunkirk”
Battle of Britain - British RAF
versus The German Luftwaffe.
New British prime minister Winston Churchill
1941 -Hitler invaded the Soviet
Union - Eventually killed 20
million Russians
Dec. 7, 1941 - Japan Attacked
Pearl Harbor.