The Rise of Dictators; Mussolini, Hitler & Stalin

Name: Notes #: Social Studies 8 Date: Steps to War

Directions: Use the following readings, as well as the vocabulary bank, to answer the questions that follow. Be sure to HIGHLIGHT where you found your answers.

Vocabulary Bank 1. fascism: political movements that preached intense nationalism and racism 2. Adolf Hitler: Nazi dictator of Germany 3. Nazi Party: fascist party that ruled Germany from 1933-1945 4. Josef Stalin: leader of the Soviet union 5. Axis: name of alliance between Germany, Italy, and later, Japan 6. appeasement: policy of meeting a nation’s demands to avoid war 7. Lend-Lease: program in which the US sent war materials to the Allies 8. Pearl Harbor: site of Japanese attack on the US

The Rise of Dictators; Mussolini, Hitler & One new leader was Benito Mussolini of Stalin Italy. Shortly after World War I, Mussolini began a political movement known as fascism. Fascists preached an extreme form of nationalism and often racism. In Germany, Adolf Hitler was the By the mid 1930s, dictators, or leader of the fascist National Socialist absolute rulers, had seized control in several German Worker’s Party, better known as the countries. These countries included Italy, Nazi Party. Meanwhile, Josef Stalin led the Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union. Communist government in the Soviet Union. Economic and political issues that dated back to World War I helped these dictators take Dictators seek to Expand Territory; power. Appeasement at Munich The treaties that ended the war left A military dictatorship many nations unhappy. Germany was especially led by Hideki Tojo formed in angry. The winners blamed Germany for the Japan. In 1931, the Japanese war and forced the Germans to pay for war attacked Manchuria, a region in damages. northern China rich in natural The Great Depression of the 1930s resources. The Japanese conquered the ruined the economies of Europe. Many region within months. Europeans turned to new leaders to solve Both Italy and Germany also sought these problems. new territory. In 1936, Italy conquered the African nation of Ethiopia and Hitler moved troops into the Rhineland near the French Soviet Union had signed a nonaggression pact. border. In other words, they agreed not to attack In 1936, Hitler and Mussolini formed an each other. However, Hitler and Stalin alliance, which became known as the Axis distrusted each other. Hitler feared that the Powers. In 1938, Hitler invaded Austria and Soviets wanted to control parts of Europe. He insisted that Austrians wanted to be a part of also wanted Soviet wheat and oil fields. Germany since many German-speaking people Hitler invaded the Soviet Union in June lived there. 1941. By the time German troops reached Adolf Hitler next set his sights on Moscow, they ran into a terrible winter. Many Czechoslovakia. Britain’s Prime Minister German soldiers suffered frostbite. German Neville Chamberlain quickly stepped in. The equipment broke down in the cold. The two reached a compromise – Germany gained German attack stalled. The Soviets turned control of part of Czechoslovakia (also known the Germans back. as the Sudetenland) and, in return, Hitler The United States Aids the Allies; Japan promised not to seek any more territory. The Attacks Pearl Harbor policy of meeting Germany’s demands in order When the war to avoid war became known as appeasement. began, the United Germany starts the war… States tried to help Hitler soon broke his Britain and France. promise. Within months, President Roosevelt he conquered the rest of proposed a program Czechoslovakia. Later, in known as Lend-Lease. 1939, Hitler invaded Under this program, the US lent or leased Poland. Great Britain and France promised to equipment and weapons to the Allied nations. defend Poland. They quickly declared war on In 1941, President Roosevelt and the Germany and World War II had begun. new British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, Poland quickly fell, however, and Hitler signed the Atlantic Charter. This document then conquered several more nations in spelled out the hopes of the two leaders for a Europe. In June 1940, German troops invaded better world. France. In less than two weeks, they reached Soon after that, however, the US was Paris. Days later, France surrendered. That drawn into the war. Japan’s rulers saw the summer, Germany attacked Great Britain. United States as an obstacle to their effort By the fall, however, the Battle of to get resources from Southeast Asia. As a Britain had left Hitler frustrated. Britain’s result, Japan attacked the US on December air force was holding off Germany’s fighter 7, 1941. Japanese bombers attacked the US planes. The British faced constant bombing, naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Many but refused to surrender. Americans died. Numerous planes and ships were destroyed. In response to the attack, Germany attacks the Soviet Union the United States declared war on Japan. Before the invasion of Poland, Germany and the 1. Name four nations in which dictators came to power. Who were the dictators for each of

these countries?

2. What is appeasement?

3. What did Hitler promise in exchange for the Czechoslovakia (the Sudetenland)? Did he live

up to his word? Explain.

4. When did Germany conquer France?

5. Why did Germany fail to conquer Great Britain?

6. How did Germany start World War II?

7. How did Hitler break his word with Stalin? Why did he do this?

8. Where did the Japanese attack the United States? When?

9. Why did the Japanese attack the United States?

10. What did the Japanese attack on the US lead to?