Leaders of WWII

Soviet Union

• Leader: Joseph Stalin• Came to power in: 1924• Government: Communist state• Goals:– Make Soviet industry & economy strong– Farms run by the government– Get rid of anyone who opposed (kill or send to

labor camps)

Italy

• Leader: Benito Mussolini• Came to power in: 1922• Government: fascism• Goals:– Keep his party in power (outlaw all others)– Prevent a communist takeover– Restore the greatness of Italy– Expand the empire by taking over other lands– Control the press (and information)

Germany• Leader: Adolf Hitler• Came to power in: 1933• Government: Nazism• Goals:– Restore the greatness of Germany (come back from the

damage of the Versailles Treaty)– Create a “perfect” race of people and get rid of those who

did not fit into that (Jewish people)– Control the culture (press, school, religion) to bring Germany

together– Expand the empire by taking over other lands– Build up Germany’s military

Japan

• Leader: Hideki Tojo& Emperor Hirohito– Japan had an Emperor, but Tojo – the military leader – rose

to power and was soon making many important decisions for Japan

• Came to power in: 1931• Government: military government• Goals:– Take power from the emperor– Expand the empire by taking over other lands– Build up Japan’s military

How did these people come to power?

• Some seized power• Many were elected– People loved them because they promised great things for

the country– Italy and Germany were hurt by the Treaty of Versailles

• Lost land, money, military power

– These new leaders promised to fix the problems caused by the treaty

• Kept power by enforcing harsh laws, getting rid of those who opposed them, and spreading propaganda to keep the public supporting their ideas

Great Britain

• Leader: Winston Churchill• Came to power in: 1940• Government: Democracy (with monarchy)• Goals:– Prevent Germany from overtaking Europe – do

NOT give them any land or allow them to grow their military

– Fiercely fight the Axis Powers

United States

• Leader: Franklin Roosevelt• Came to power in: 1933• Government: Democracy• Goals:– At first, stay isolated and neutral (do NOT get

involved in the war in Europe)– Later, wanted to support the Allies by selling them

weapons and supplies– Defeat the Axis Powers, especially Japan (after the

bombing of Pearl Harbor)