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Road to War
Chapter 26, Section 1
Adolf Hitler
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Germany
Chairman of Nazi Party
Racist, extreme anti-Semitism
Totalitarian rule, ended democratic rule
Violated policy of appeasement and Treaty
of Versailles
Annexed Austria and Sudetenland by force
Joseph Stalin
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Soviet Union
Communist leader
Ruled by force
Executed rivals
Sent people to labor camps
Benito Mussolini
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Italy
Banned all political parties except
fascism
Ended civil liberties and free press
Made children enroll in military
organizations
Built up the military
Invaded Ethiopia and Albania
How did they gain power?
They took advantage of people’s anger
and suffering. Many people resented the
terms of the Treaty of Versailles and the
economic difficulties caused by a
worldwide depression.
 They promised the people a better life.
 After they got into positions of power, they
became dictators, ruling their countries by
force and ending democracies.
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Problems and Plans
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Both rose to power because of economic
turmoil
Both wanted to expand their nations, which
threatened neighbors
Stalin
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Stalin executed rivals and their supporters
and sent millions of Russians to labor
camps.
Hitler’s Actions
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Hitler began to use force to expand Germany’s
territory. He violated the Treaty of Versailles by
sending troops into the Rhineland. He annexed
Austria and the Sudetenland (Czechoslovakia) by
force. He violated the policy of appeasement by
seizing the rest of Czechoslovakia. He made a
secret agreement with Stalin to divide Poland and
other eastern European countries between
Germany and the Soviet Union. The final act was
his invasion of Poland.
Actions by Hitler before the
first shot was ever fired.
Policy of Appeasement
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Britain and France hoped they could avoid
war by accepting Germany’s demands and
agreeing to turn the Sudetenland over to
Germany.
Hopes for peace were shattered when
Hitler’s army seized the rest of
Czechoslovakia.
It was clear that Hitler could not be trusted.
Actions Leading to War
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Hitler began to expand German power,
putting troops in the Rhineland, and
annexing Austria, taking the Sudetenland
and then the rest of Czechoslovakia. The
final act was his invasion of Poland.
Hitler’s Rise to Power
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1921 – chairman of Nazi Party
1933 – Chancellor of Germany
1936 - alliance with Italy and occupation of
Rhineland
1938 – annexation of Austria and
Sudetenland
1939 – invasion of Czechoslovakia, SovietGerman nonaggression pact