Rise of Dictators

Path to War

• Japan’s Expansion in Asia– heavily depended on foreign sources on raw

material Island Nation– 1931 – 1933 Japanese military invades and

conquers Chinese province of Manchuria, claimed it an independent state

– Set up a puppet ruler– China complains, League of Nations support a

commission saying it is Japan’s fault, Japan pulls out of League of Nations

– 1937, Japan begins conquest of rest of China

Japan Invades Manchuria 1931

How Hitler and the Nazis Came to Power

• Weimar Republic– Democratic Government that fails after WWI– Replaced by a dictator

• People of a proud country– Cultured– Nobel Prize – people travel there to study science– Arts/culture– Not backwards!

Circumstances Give Way to Power

• Weimar Problems– Viewed as “un-German”– Viewed as a weak government

• Being imposed by victors of WWI (France and Britain)

– Unloved• No support in “crunch time”

– Associated with defeat• Germans thought they were winning the war• Defeat in WWI came a shock to them• “Stab in the Back” Myth

– The German army was not defeated by the enemy, they were stabbed in the back by the newly formed government in Germany that was made up of Jews and Communists

– The Weimar Republic “sold out”

Rise of Dictators

Italian Fascism and German Nazism

• Charismatic leadership in Mussolini and Hitler• Para-military organizations– Followers in uniforms, but not official military– Blackshirts in Italy, Brownshirts in Germany

• Philosophy is anti-western, anti-communism• In practice Fascism is authoritarian– Military– Inequality based– Highly nationalistic– Struggle is natural but you get success through it

Rise of Fascism• Americans had good reason to be concerned

about world affairs• Rise of fascism in Europe– In 1922, Benito Mussolini leads fascists to power

in Italy– Jan. 1933, Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany• Quickly establishes absolute dictatorship• Persecutes Jews• Embarks on program of military buildup and conquest

Fascism in Italy

• Government is a Parliamentary Democracy– With a king – similar to Britain– Was viewed as corrupt and weak– Many Italians were estranged from their

government– Not good in times of war– Getting the sense that people were not taking them

seriously• People want respect in Europe and the world• Left the Treaty of Versailles angry

Problems in Italy

• Serious economic problems– Inflation after WWI– Big strikes due to poor paying jobs– Real fear of communism creeping into country– Government looked weak with economy

• When the people could not get the protection they needed they turned to a group of “thugs” led by Benito Mussolini – a group they did not fully understand

Benito Mussolini

• Referred to as “Il Duce” (The Leader)• Father was an Anarchist, mother a Catholic• As a youth was a hellion – expelled from a

Catholic school for stabbing a classmate• Eventually went into education and taught for 1

year• Became a Socialist– Believed that everything is politics, but Marx was

wrong – its not about land but country

Benito Mussolini

• Established the Fascist Party in 1919– This party prospered due to the economic and political

climate in Italy after WWI– They stood for law and order– Founded the Blackshirts– Seemed to be a unifying force in Italy– In 1922 declares that “there is no government in Rome”,

so he and the Blackshirts marched on the capital– By 1939 Mussolini and the Fascists have control and

begins to tighten the reigns

Benito the Demagogue

• Mussolini was an effective demagogue– Someone who plays on the fears/grievances of the

people– A good speaker – promising empire “Your ancestors

were Roman, and they ruled the whole world!”– Presented as the greatest Italian ever

• Under Mussolini the army got built up– Eventually will invade Ethiopia in 193?– Hitler admires from Germany – he is the dark partner

who will eventually lead Mussolini and Italy into war

The Rise of Hitler

• Hitler will exploit the problems of Germany and come to power– Inflation (by November 1923 1 dollar = 4.2 trillion

marks– War Guilt Clause– Promotes the “stab in the back myth” – the idea

that Germany was not defeated – they were stabbed in the back by the “weak” Weimar Republic government filled with “Jews and Communists”

Rise of Hitler

• Born to a middle class family in Austrian Empire in 1889• Dreamed of being an artist

– Failed at art – tried architecture– At age 16 dropped out of high school and becomes a

wanderer• 1908 moves to Vienna

– Here he develops a political philosophy• Strong German nationalism• Strong hatred for Communism, Liberalism, and Jews (Anti-Semitism)

– Begins to develop his political skills and learns the importance of propaganda and good showmanship

Rise of Hitler

• When WWI broke out he joined the German army– Was a brave soldier, a bit of a nag, never rose above the rank of

corporal– The end of the war left him frustrated and he turned more towards

politics• 1919 – joined the National Socialist Party

– Began to impose leadership to the group– In Munich, people in the beer halls begin to listen and respond to

what he was saying– Develops a paramilitary arm of the party (SA)

• Known as the Brownshirts• By 1923 Hitler thought he was strong enough to take over the government

The Beer Hall Putch• This was Hitler’s first attempt at a coup of the government

– It fails miserably, gets arrested for treason– Hitler uses the trial as a political platform – never denying what he did

– arguing that overthrowing the Weimar government is not treasonous– Sentenced to 5 years in prison (only serves about 9 months)

• Dictates Mein Kampf “My Struggle” to his cellmate Rudolph Hess– Part blueprint, part biography

• When released Germany was seeing some economic wealth slowing the idea of revolution– 1923 depression gave Nazi’s a jumpstart– As unemployment grew – so did membership in Nazi party– In 1923 Nazis are smallest political party in Germany– In 1932 Nazis are largest political party in Germany

Mein Kampf

• Key points – Germany stabbed in the back– He attacked the Versailles Treaty– Attacked France– Attacked Jews– Promoted the Arian Race and German superiority– Discussed importance of “lebensraum” (living

space)– Desire to keep Germany pure

The Charismatic Leader

• Hitler’s speeches would start slow, as if he was uncomfortable – then he would take off in a tirade

• He portrayed himself as the man who would stand against communism– By 1932 the army, conservatives, aristocrats,

industrialists, and bureaucrats all looked towards Hitler - and thought they could use him

Hitler becomes Chancellor

• 1932 – Von Hindenburg was being urged to bring Hitler into the government as Chancellor– They did not like Hitler, but felt they could control

him and therefore his large following– Nazi storm troopers celebrated as Hitler came to

power legally– Upcoming elections are postponed and Hitler is

appointed in January

The Reichstag Fire• In February the Reichstag (Germany’s house of congress)

is burned down– Hitler uses opportunity to fear-monger, blamed communist

infiltrators and immediately suspended all civil rights of German citizens and any opposition forces are rounded up• Some historians claim that Hitler planned the Reichstag fire – and it

was actually set by SS or SA members

• In March 1932 Hitler asks the Reichstag for emergency powers– Nazis are now the majority party in the Reichstag– Hitler is voted in as dictator (441-81) (24 killed)– This is a reality of Germany losing faith in democracy