Intro WWII

Introduction to WWII

Dictators

World Problems

*On October 29, 1929 (a.k.a. “Black Tuesday”), the Stock Market crashed.

*This plunged the world into a major economic and financial crisis.

*This crisis, which lasts for much of the 1930’s, is known as the Great Depression.

Multiple Choice

When did the Stock Market crash?

• 1929

• 1930

• 1931

• 1932

Multiple Choice

True or False: The Great Depression only impacted the United States.

• True

• False

World Problems

*Because of the Great Depression, many countries struggled financially, especially due to their increase in unemployment.

*Many of the countries around the world looked to new leaders to help bring them out of this crisis… sometimes in a bad way…

Multiple Choice

Why did people look for new leaders during this time?

• low unemployment

• economy was thriving

• financial crisis

• prosperous governments

Rise of Dictators

*Because of the weak state of many governments, new leaders began to gain popularity and then rise to power in those countries:

•1922: Benito Mussolini becomes Italy’s dictator

•1924: Joseph Stalin becomes Russia’s dictator

•1926: Emperor Hirohito establishes a military dictatorship in Japan 

•1933: Adolf Hitler becomes Germany’s dictator

Dictator --- a ruler who has absolute and supreme authority over a group of people.

Multiple Choice

Who was the leader of Italy?

• Joseph Stalin

• Adolf Hitler

• Benito Mussolini

• Emperor Hirohito

1922-Benito Mussolini

*Benito Mussolini --- was a fascist who took over Italy.

*Fascism --- nationalism, totalitarian, and authoritarian one-party states

*Strong government led by a dictator.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following does NOT describe fascism?

• nationalism

• authoritarian

• democracy

• totalitarianism

Continue

*He staged a march on Rome with his “militia” (thugs) known as the Blackshirts and forced the Italian king to allow him to set up a new government.

*He crushed his opposition and had a dictatorship.

*He called himself “Il Duce” which means “the leader”.

Multiple Choice

True or False: "Il Duce" means the king.

• True

• False

1924-Joseph Stalin

*Joseph Stalin --- after Vladimir Lenin of the Russian Revolution died, Stalin took over what was called the Soviet Union.

*He was a communist.

*Stalin wanted to bring all farming and industry under government control.

*Farmers were expected to give up their land to the government.

Multiple Choice

True or False: Farmers were happy to give up their land to Stalin.

• True

• False

Continue Stalin

*Anyone who resisted was killed or sent to a work camp in the frozen wasteland of Siberia. *Killed 8 to 13 million people (most in recorded history)

*Ruled with an “iron fist”.

Multiple Choice

True or False: Iron Fist means he was kind hearted and understanding.

• Ture

• False

1926-Emperor Hirohito

*Hirohito presided over the invasion of China, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the Japanese surrender to the Allies.

* Some portrayed him as a pacifist.

* Helped elevate military dictator Hideki Tojo.

Multiple Choice

True or False Hirohito had No knowledge of the events of Pearl Harbor.

• True

• False

1933 Adolf Hitler

*Adolf Hitler --- leader of the Nazi party who took over Germany.

*Was a World War I hero for Germany.

*Actually from Austria.

*Originally wanted to be an artist.

*Became the leader of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party --- later became known as the Nazi party. 

Multiple Choice

True of False: Hitler wanted to become an artist.

• True

• False

Continue

*Mussolini was Hitler’s role model of how to take over a country

*Hitler staged an unsuccessful rebellion and ended up in prison

*He was supposed to be in prison for 6 years but got out after 9 months

*While in prison he wrote a book called “Mein Kampf” --- “My Struggles”

*In this book Hitler expressed his views and outlined his future plans for Germany

Multiple Choice

True or False: Hitler did NOT like Mussolini.

• True

• False

Control of Germany

*The Nazi party slowly became more powerful in Germany.

*Hitler was an excellent public speaker.

*He knew how to get crowds excited and inspired.

*Hitler was appointed chancellor.

*German people liked Hitler because he created jobs and eventually got Germany out of their depression.

*He soon broke down the German democracy and took complete control.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following does NOT describe Hitler.

• Nazi Party

• Believes in Democracy

• Great speaker

• Was in WWI

Continue

*Once in power, Hitler declared himself “Fuhrer” or emperor of what he called the Third Reich (third empire).

*Hitler had a secret police called the SS --- they were sent to kill or arrest anyone who opposed Hitler or might eventually become a threat.

*Also known as the Gestapo.

*Run by Heinrich Himmler.

Multiple Choice

True or False: SS stand for Social Security in Germany.

• True

• False

Hitler 3 main goals

1 --- He wanted to purify Germany and create a master race of blond-haired, blue-eyed Aryans.

2 --- He wanted to show the world the evils of the Jewish race and exterminate them systematically.

3 --- He wanted to conquer more land to provide the proper “living space” for his people.

Multiple Choice

True or False: Hitler felt aryans (whites) were superior.

• True

• False

Continue

*To reach his goals, one of the first things Hitler had to do was rebuild his army.

*This violated the Treaty of Versailles. 

*The League of Nations publicly scolded Hitler but didn’t take any military action against him --- they felt building a military was not grounds to start a war.

*Then, Hitler put troops in the Rhineland an area that was demilitarized (no military allowed) in the Treaty of Versailles.

*Once again, the League of Nations did nothing.

Multiple Choice

True or False: Nations were fearful of Hitler.

• True

• False

Continue

*Germany, Italy, and Japan got together and formed an alliance --- the Axis Powers. 

*Hitler then invited the Austrian leader to Germany and forced him to allow Hitler to take over Austria.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was NOT part of the Axis powers?

• Japan

• USSR

• Italy

• Germany

Continue

*Then Hitler wanted to take over the Sudetenland --- an area of Czechoslovakia that had a large German population.

*France and Britain met with Hitler at Munich and Hitler said that this was the last area of land outside of Germany he wanted.

*He signed the Munich Pact and the world foolishly believed and hoped that this would ensure peace.

*The Allies sold out to prevent war.

Multiple Choice

True or False: The Munich Conference was a success.

• True

• False

*A few months later, Hitler took over the entire country of Czechoslovakia. 

*He then turned to Poland.

*Britain and France had an alliance with Poland and they knew that it was now or never to stop Hitler.

*When Hitler invaded Poland, France and Britain declared war on Germany.

*This was the official start of WWII.

Multiple Choice

Hitler's invation of which nation started WWII?

• France

• Czechoslovakia

• Rhineland

• Poland