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Chapter 24: a World in Flames, 1931-1941

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Chapter 24: a World in Flames, 1931-1941 Global Struggles 1931–1960 hy It Matters The rise of dictatorships in the 1930s led to W World War II, the most destructive war in the history of the world. After the war, the fragile Dog tags alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union collapsed into the Cold War—a period of intense political, economic, and mili- tary competition. Learning about the events of this crucial period in our nation’s history will help you understand the events occurring in the nation and around the world today. The following resources offer more information about this period in American history. Primary Sources Library See pages 1054–1055 for primary source readings to accompany Unit 8. Use the American History Primary Source Document Library CD-ROM to find additional primary sources about global struggles. American soldier in World War II 704 “More than an end to war, we want an end to the beginning of all wars.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1945 A World in Flames 1931–1941 Why It Matters After World War I, Europe was unstable. Fascists led by Benito Mussolini seized power in Italy, and Adolf Hitler and the Nazis took control of Germany. Meanwhile, Japan expanded its territory in Asia. As the Nazis gained power, they began a campaign of violence against Jews. When Germany attacked Poland, World War II began. The United States clung to neutrality until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The Impact Today European events of this time serve as lessons for American leaders. • The danger of ethnic and religious prejudice is more readily recognized than it was before. • Many American leaders believe that international aggression cannot be ignored. The American Vision Video The Chapter 24 video, “Holocaust Stories,” presents firsthand accounts from survivors of the Holocaust. 1932 • Bonus Army arrives in Washington, D.C. 1931 • Jane Addams awarded 1933 Nobel Peace Prize • Franklin Delano 1935 Roosevelt inaugurated • First Neutrality ▲ Act passed F. Roosevelt ▲ ▲ 1933–1945 ▲ 1930 1933 1936 ▼ ▼ ▼ 1931 1933 1936 • Japan invades • Hitler appointed • Hitler reoccupies Manchuria chancellor of Germany Rhineland • Spanish Civil War begins 706 German chancellor Adolf Hitler reviews a parade of Nazi troops. 1939 • SS St. Louis denied permission to dock 1941 in United States • Roosevelt and December 7, 1941 Churchill coauthor • Japan attacks Pearl 1940 Atlantic Charter • Roosevelt makes Harbor 1937 “destroyers-for-bases” • Neutrality Act limits deal with Britain HISTORY trade with all warring nations ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ Chapter Overview Visit the American Vision 1939 1942 Web site at tav.glencoe.com and click on Chapter ▼ ▼ ▼ Overviews—Chapter 24 to 1938 1939 1940 preview chapter information. • Munich Conference • World War II • France falls to appeases Hitler begins with Hitler’s the Nazis attack on Poland 707 America and the World Main Idea Reading Strategy Reading Objectives In the years following World War I, Taking Notes As you read about the • Describe how postwar conditions con- aggressive and expansionist governments events in Europe and Asia after World tributed to the rise of antidemocratic took power in both Europe and Asia. War I, use the major headings of the sec- governments in Europe. tion to create an outline similar to the • Explain why many Americans supported Key Terms and Names one below. a policy of isolationism in the 1930s. Benito Mussolini, fascism, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Manchuria, America and the World Section Theme I. The Rise of Dictators Neutrality Act of 1935, internationalism A. Global Connections German and B. Japanese actions in the 1930s led C. D. President Roosevelt to work to prevent II. aggression. ✦1922 ✦1927 ✦1932 ✦1937 1922 1931 1933 1935 1937 Fascist Party takes power Japan takes control Hitler takes power Congress passes first Japan attacks in Italy; USSR established of Manchuria in Germany Neutrality Act China In August 1934, American journalist Dorothy Thompson received an urgent call from the porter at her Berlin hotel. A member of Germany’s secret state police wanted to talk to her. Thompson had been reporting on Adolf Hitler’s rise to power, and she had written various anti-Nazi articles for the American press. In one she described the beautiful singing she had heard at a Hitler youth camp, where thousands of boys ages 10 to 16 marched and sang. The boys’ lovely voices echoing across the hills stirred Thompson, but the words on an enormous banner hanging across one hillside chilled her: “It was so prominent that every child could see it many times a day. It was white, and there was a swastika painted on it, and besides that only seven words, seven immense black words: YOU WERE BORN TO DIE FOR GERMANY.” Dorothy Thompson When Thompson met with the police, they ordered her to leave Germany immediately. “I, fortunately, am an American,” Thompson observed, “so I was merely sent to Paris. Worse things can happen to one.” —quoted in The Women Who Wrote the War The Rise of Dictators Less than 20 years before the dictatorial German government expelled Dorothy Thompson, the future of democracy in Europe seemed bright. When World War I ended in 1918, President Woodrow Wilson had announced, “Everything for which America fought has been accomplished.” Wilson had hoped that the United States could “aid in 708 CHAPTER 24 A World in Flames the establishment of just democracy throughout the do this, the Communists instituted one-party rule, world.” Instead, the treaty that ended the war, along suppressed individual liberties, and punished oppo- with the economic depression that followed, con- nents. After Lenin died in 1924, a power struggle tributed to the rise of antidemocratic governments in began. By 1926, Joseph Stalin had become the new both Europe and Asia. Soviet dictator. In 1927 Stalin began a massive effort to industrialize his country. Tolerating no opposition, Mussolini and Fascism in Italy One of Europe’s the effort brought about the deaths of 8 to 10 million first major dictatorships arose in Italy. There, a for- peasants who resisted the Communist policies. mer schoolmaster and journalist named Benito Mussolini returned from World War I convinced that Hitler and Nazism in Germany Adolf Hitler was his country needed a strong leader. a fervent anticommunist and an admirer of In 1919 Mussolini founded Italy’s Fascist Party. Mussolini. Hitler had fought for Germany in World Fascism was a kind of aggressive nationalism. War I. Germany’s surrender and the subsequent Fascists believed that the nation was more important Versailles Treaty left him and many other Germans than the individual. They argued that individualism with a smoldering hatred for the victorious Allies made countries weak and that a strong government and for the German government that had accepted led by a dictator was needed to impose order on soci- the peace terms. ety. Fascists believed a nation became great by The political and economic chaos in postwar expanding its territory and building up its military. Germany led to the rise of new political parties. One Fascism was also strongly anticommunist. After of these was the National Socialist German Workers’ the Communist revolution in Russia, many Party, or the Nazi Party. The party did not represent Europeans feared that Communists, allied with labor the working class, as its name suggested, but was unions, were trying to bring down their govern- nationalistic and anticommunist. Adolf Hitler was ments. Mussolini exploited these fears by portraying one of the party’s first recruits. fascism as a bulwark against the Communists. In November 1923, the Nazis tried to seize Fascism began to stand for the protection of private power by marching on city hall in Munich, property and of the middle class. Mussolini also Germany. Hitler intended to seize power locally offered the working class full employment and social security. He stressed national prestige, pledging to History return Italy to the glories of the Roman Empire. Backed by the Fascist militia known as the Supreme Soviets Joseph Stalin (right) took over control of the Soviet Union Blackshirts, Mussolini threatened to march on Rome after Lenin’s death in 1924. He was determined to modernize and industrialize his nation. How many people died while opposing Stalin’s leadership? in 1922, claiming he was coming to defend Italy against a Communist revolution. Liberal members of the Italian parliament insisted that the king declare martial law. When he refused, the cabinet resigned. Conservative advisers then persuaded the king to appoint Mussolini as the premier. Once in office, Mussolini worked quickly to destroy democracy and set up a dictatorship. Weary of strikes and riots, many Italians welcomed Mussolini’s leader- ship. With the support of industrialists, landowners, and the Roman Catholic Church, Mussolini—who took the title of Il Duce, or “The Leader”—embarked on an ambitious program of bringing order to Italy. Stalin Takes Over the USSR The Communists were a much larger force in Russia than in Italy. After the Russian Revolution began in 1917, the Bolshevik Party, led by Vladimir Lenin, established Commu- nist governments throughout the Russian empire. In 1922 they renamed these territories the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). They then pro- ceeded to establish control over these territories. To and then march on Berlin, the German capital, but the Nazi paramilitary units were called, began intimi- the plan failed and Hitler was arrested. dating voters. After the election, the Reichstag, domi- While in prison, Hitler wrote his autobiography, nated by the Nazis and other right-wing parties, voted titled Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”). In the book, Hitler to give Hitler dictatorial powers. In 1934 Hitler became called for the unification of all Germans under one president, which gave him control of the army. He then government. He claimed that Germans, particularly gave himself the new title of führer, or “leader.” The blond, blue-eyed Germans, belonged to a “master following year, he began to rebuild Germany’s military, race” called Aryans.
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