Source:Reading&QuestionsadaptedfromGeorgeLee.DecisionstheShapedAmerica1865– 1976/MarkTwainMedia,1993
andGeorgeLee.WorldWarII/MarkTwainMedia,1995
The Rise of Dictators
After World War I, nations tried to defend
themselves by signing agreements. While some saw a rosy
picture ahead because of these agreements, Winston
Churchill saw future dangers. In 1928 he predicted that
future wars would involve whole populations, and with their
very existence at stake, nations would use whatever means
they had to win the war. He wrote: “Death stands at
attention, obedient, expectant, ready to serve, ready to
shear away the peoples en masse; ready, if called on, to
pulverize, without hope of repair, what is left of civilization.”
Adding to the weapons and the total nature of modern war
was the rise to power of the dictators.
By the 1930’s, desperate nations devastated by the global
depression and suffering from the effects of World War I
turned to strong leaders who had no morals and who cared only for their own survival and
selfish agendas. If monarchy and republican government had had their day, it appeared in
the 1930’s that dictatorship was the rising star in the world.
Dictators think and act differently from presidents or prime ministers who are limited by
by legislatures and courts. In dictatorships: all power is in the hands of one person or a
small elite group; no law or courts prevents them from doing as they wish; citizens’ rights
may be taken away at any time; terror is a common tool to force obedience; and dictators
often mislead themselves and their nation with dreams of glory through military expansion.
In Russia Vladimir Lenin’s Bolshevik Party came to power in 1917 and the Soviet Union
was born. As Lenin “cemented his control” over Russia, the Comintern (Communist
International Party) worked vigorously to spread propaganda to other nations, as the
Communists threatened a world revolution. After suffering a stroke in 1922, Lenin’s health
declined, and after a brief power struggle within the party, Josef Stalin took over. A man
who had survived imprisonment and Siberian exile many times, Stalin killed, imprisoned, or
exiled anyone who even thought of replacing him or stood in his way.
Italy left WW I with nearly a bankrupt government, little industry, high unemployment,
and a lack of food for its 40 million people. It was the perfect breeding ground for
communism. With so many battling political parties in Italy, the Parliament was tied up
with organizational problems, and it could not deal with the growing violence and
economic turmoil within the nation. A group called the Fascists (from fascio, meaning “a
club”) was started by Benito Mussolini after the war and they were ready to do anything to
battle Communists in Italy. Known as Black Shirts, Fascist thugs followed all orders issued
by Mussolini. To industrialists and common citizens, Fascists seemed to be the only
alternative to a Communist takeover. By 1922, the Black Shirts marched on Rome and the
king of Italy had little choice but to appoint Benito Mussolini, as premier (head of the
Parliament). Within a year he had all the power of a dictator, and was in complete control
of Italy. Meanwhile, Mussolini’s philosophy and style were observed and admired by Adolf
Hitler.
Germany was also torn by bitter battles between various groups. The Weimer Republic,
was a democratic government formed after war, but had little public support and was
threatened by Communists to the right and Nationalists to the left. When economic
troubles came after 1929, the upper and middle class feared that the strong
communist movement among the lower class. This allowed a new movement known as
the Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, to gain support.
Born in Austria in 1889, Hitler was the product of an unhappy childhood and a
frustrated effort to become an artist. Hitler eagerly joined the German army in WW I
and was devastated when Germany surrendered. In 1919 he joined the National
Socialist (Nazi) Party. This group hated Jews, the Treaty of Versailles, the
Communists, and the democratic Weimer Republic.
Hitler soon took control and the Nazi Party grew quickly, picking up dreamers,
hoodlums, and misfits as members. He developed the party flag with its swastika and
adopted the party slogan: “Germany awake!” In 1923, Hitler was arrested and
sentenced to five years in prison for leading the Beer Hall Putsch in an attempt to
seize power and overthrow the government.
While he was in prison, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle). According to Hitler,
Germany and the great Nordic (Aryan) race lost WW I because of the treason of the
liberals, communists, and Jews. The great German Empire had been replaced by the
pathetic Weimer Republic.
The Nazi Party may have disappeared had it not been for the Great Depression.
When millions became unemployed in 1930 and bread lines formed Hitler’s party
promised jobs, food, and national pride. By 1932, the Nazi Party became the largest
single party in Germany and within two years Adolf Hitler became the fuhrer (leader)
of Germany. Calling his regime the “Third Reich,” Hitler merged the secret state
police (Gestapo) with his elite SS defense corps to round up anyone who dared to
criticize his policies. Political prisoners were sent to a new concentration camp at
Dachau, which was a few miles from Munich. Other camps soon began to be built to
house many new customers. The SS would follow the German army during invasions,
going after Jews, gypsies, union leaders, Communists, or anyone they listed as
“subhuman.” By 1945, approximately 11 million people would perish in Hitler’s camps.
Japan was given its first constitution in 1890 by the Emperor. It created the Diet
(legislature) with limited powers and gave rights to the people (removable at any time
“according to the law”). Japan found two roads to success in the early twentieth
century. One was through the military and the other was through industry and trade.
Unfortunately, Japan faced a serious population problem in the 1920’s that threatened
the liberal government of Japan. The business community saw trade as the way to
meet the needs of Japan’s rapidly growing population. Low on raw materials, the
Japanese used their low pay work force to compete in the world market. That did well
until the Great Depression cut the outside market and seriously weakened the
influence of the business community. In 1932 the liberal premier of Japan was
assassinated and the military took over, silencing any opposition in the Diet. The
militarists had won control of Japan and began to eye expansionism into China and
East Asia as the way to national glory and prosperity.
Merciless rulers were using hard times to take control of their nations. It was only a
matter of time before they would threaten their weaker neighbors and bring the world
to war.
Name _______________________
Challenges
1. What two qualities of future wars bothered Winston Churchill?
1. What are the 5 characteristics of a dictatorship defined in this article? (2 points)
1. What was the phrase “cemented his control” mean? (You may need to look it up)
1. What was the job of the Comintern?
1. Who replaced Lenin. How did he punish possible threats to his power?
2. Why was Italy a perfect breeding ground for communism after World War I?
3. Who was the leader of the Fascists? What were the followers of Fascism called?
4. Why did the king of Italy appoint Mussolini as premier in 1922 when the Black Shirts marched on
Rome?
5. What was the name of Germany’s democratic government formed after WW I?
6. What groups and ideas did the Nazi Party oppose?
1. Why was Adolf Hitler arrested in 1923?
2. What book did Hitler write in prison? Who did he blame for the loss of WW I?
3. When Hitler became Fuhrer what did he call the government he created?
4. What was the secret state police called? What group did it merge with?
5. What became Hitler’s preferred method of getting rid of political opponents and groups he
considered “subhuman” when he came to power?
6.
What two areas did Japan find success at the beginning of the 20th century?
7. What two major problems did Japan face during this time period?
8. How did militarists plan to solve Japan’s problems?