Transcript World War II - Martin Luther Church

World War II
Section 1: The Gathering
Storm
Stalin’s Totalitarian State
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Stalin came to power after Lenin’s death
in 1924
Totalitarian state – a single party controls
the government and every aspect of
people’s lives
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Citizens must obey without question
Criticism of gov. is severely punished
Millions were executed or sent to labor camps
Political opponents/enemies were executed
Many confessed to false charges under torture
Fascist Italy
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Fascism – rooted in militarism, extreme
nationalism, and blind loyalty to the state.
Mussolini – Il Duce (“the leader”)
• Fought in WWI – wounded by shrapnel
• Came to power in 1922
• Used anger at Versailles Treaty to gain
support.
• Outlawed all political parties except his own
• Controlled the press and banned critics of gov.
• Students learned – “Mussolini is always right”
Conquering Ethiopia
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Mussolini promised to restore
greatness of Ancient Rome
• Military aggression – warlike act by one
country against another without just
cause
• Invaded Ethiopia in 1935
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Ethiopia fought back but was outmatched
Emperor Haile Selassie asked League of
Nations for help, but did not receive any
Adolf Hitler
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Adolf Hitler
• Born April 20th, 1889 in Braunau am
Inn, Austria-Hungary
• Was beaten as a child by his father
• Dropped out of high school
without a degree
• Wanted to be an artist or
architect but did not have the
money or schooling needed
Adolf Hitler
• Rejected by Art Academy twice
• Ran out of money, lived in a homeless shelter
for a year.
• Some believe his Anti-Semitism was influenced
by Martin Luther
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In Mein Kampf, Hitler refers to Martin Luther as a
great warrior, a true statesmen, and a great reformer
• Served in WWI as a runner
• Became German citizen in 1932
• Time “Man of the Year” in 1938
Adolf Hitler
• Became leader of the National Socialist
Party in July 1921.
Changed the name to National Socialist
German Workers’ Party, became known as
the Nazi party
 Gained support by proclaiming that
Germany had not lost, but had been
stabbed in the back.
 Jews and other traitors became
the scapegoat.
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Adolf Hitler
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Became Chancellor of Germany in
1933
• The Aryan Race – Hitler believed that
the Germans were superior to other
races, especially Jews.
• Jews were deprived of citizenship,
forbidden to use public facilities, and
driven out of nearly every job.
• Jews eventually were forced into
concentration camps.
The Nazi War Machine
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Hitler claimed that Germany had a
right to expand their territory
• Began to build up armed forces
• 1936 – invaded the Rhineland, the area
between France and Germany
• The League of Nations protested, but
did little else.
Military Rule in Japan
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Japan suffered from the Depression
as well
• Military leaders took control of country
• Belief in racial superiority
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Asian Expansion
• 1931 – Seized Manchuria in NE China
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Land was rich in coal and iron, two things
Japan did not have
League of Nations and U.S. condemned the
action but did nothing else.
American Isolationism
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America was determined to not get
involved
• Neutrality Acts – 1935 – banned arms
sales and loans to countries at war
• Congress also warned Americans not to
travel on ships of countries at war
• Good Neighbor Policy – attempt to
improve relations with Latin America
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Removed troops from Nicaragua and Haiti
Cancelled Platt Amendment