The Rise of Totalitarian States

Focus Question:

What is the best way to handle a bully?

Objectives

After today’s lesson, you will:• Describe the growth of totalitarian

states in the 1930s• Compare and contrast the totalitarian

states of the mid-20th Century• Outline the issues of appeasement

Rise of Totalitarian States

During the 1920s, Totalitarian governments were on the rise

• Massive economic turmoil• Civil unrest and rioting within countries• Losses suffered in the First World War• Desires to rebuild national greatness

Characteristics

• Single-party dictatorship• Strong, charismatic leader• State control over the economy• Use of police, spies, and terror to maintain control• Government control of media• Use of schools and youth groups to spread

propaganda

Totalitarian states

Soviet Union (Stalin) Dominated by the Communists

Italy (Mussolini) Dominated by the Fascists

Germany (Hitler) Dominated by the Nazi Party

Japan (Military Leaders)

Rise of Nazi Germany

Nazism built on a strong sense of German destiny All Germans should live in one country▪ Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer ▪ One People, One Country, One Leader

Germans (Aryans) a “Master Race”, destined to rule

To thrive, Germans needed living space (Lebensraum)

Nazi rise to power

Attempted abortive putsch in 1923 Armed revolt did not work Ideas outlined in Mein Kampf (My Struggle)▪ Use democratic means to suborn

democracy Played on desperation of the German people

“stabbed In the back by traitors” Promised economic stability Promised greatness

Gained popularity

Use of simple arguments and nationalist imagery Continued to gain seats in the Reichstag By 1932, the Nazis were the largest party in

the Reichstag Nazis demanded Hitler be appointed

Chancellor (Head of Government)

Seized control

Reichstag fire, February 1933 Used as an excuse to take power Banned left-wing political parties Passed the Enabling Act, giving

the cabinet legislative power Assumed control

Expansion

Slowly overturned Versailles• Reoccupied the Rhineland (1936)• Rebuilt German army• Anschluss (unification) of Austria (1938)• Turned sights of the Sudetenland

Appeasement

Largely German district in Czechoslovakia Germany demanded the region Czechoslovakia refused

Conference held in Munich in 1938 Britain and France agreed to the transfer “Peace in our time”

Promise Broken

March 1939: Germany annexed the rest of the country

August 1939: Nonaggression Pact with USSR Secret agreement to divide Poland Shocked the world

September 1, 1939: Germany invasion of Poland

Summary

In a short, 2-3 sentence response, summarize what you learned in class today.