Totalitarianism after WWI Aftermath of World War I • Europe was burdened by war debts. • Had to face the tough task of rebuilding • Several countries moved their governments toward TOTALITARIANISM What is Totalitarianism? • A political system in which government controls every aspect of citizens’ lives. How do you control people in a totalitarian country? • Mass Communication = methods of communication (newspapers, radio, public address system) designed to reach large #s of people at once. Key Traits of Totalitarianism • Other methods of enforcement: -Police Terror -Indoctrination -Censorship -Persecution Russian Revolution Review • What was the name of the party that assumed power following the revolution? – Bolsheviks • What were their goals? – To create a socialist, classless society • On what philosophers ideas was the new society formed? – Karl Marx • What ways were his ideas put into practice? – Land taken from upper classes, given to commoners Early Russia: Vladimir Lenin • Dictator: Vladimir Lenin • System of Government: Communism • Beliefs: Created a dictatorship instead of an equal society. Russia: Josef Stalin • Dictator: Josef Stalin • System of Government: Communism • Beliefs: Controlled farms and industry. State Police enforced laws. What happened if you disagreed with Stalin? • Stalin removed his enemies from society. “The Purge”. • Italy, Germany, Russia and Japan would depend on dictators to lead their governments. • Sent them to labor camps. • Destroyed birth records • Doctored photos. Labor Camps in Siberia • Average temperature in Siberia during winter: -10°F to below -50°F (45°F). Italy • Dictator: Fascism Benito Mussolini Aofpolitical movement that • System government: promotes an extreme form of Fascism • nationalism, a denial of Beliefs: Destroy all opposition. Believed rights, and a individual in restoring a new dictatorial one-party rule. Roman Empire. JAPAN • Emperor Hirohito – Japanese military was really in charge. • System of Government: Militarism & Imperialism • Beliefs: Wanted to seize new territories and take control of natural resources (I.e., coal, timber, iron ore, control of China) • Invaded the Chinese state of Manchuria. Germany • Suffered the most from the Treaty of Versailles. • Germans became bitter as their economy crippled. • Went through “hyperinflation”. Prices increased as the value of the money decreased. What happened next? • The rise of Adolf Hitler. • Tried to overthrow German government. • In prison, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle). • Book blamed Communists and Jews for Germany’s defeat in WWI. • Mein Kampf also provided Hitler’s plan for Germany’s rise to European and global power. Why did Hitler blame the Jews? • Many wealthy bankers and businessmen in Germany were Jewish. • Since Germans were losing money, Hitler made the Jews an easy target. • 1932 – HITLER Led the National Socialist Party (NAZI) to victory in the national election. • NAZISM established. NAZI Beliefs • Believed in a strong central government under the Führer (the leader). • One master Aryan race. • Jewish and Communists were enemies of the people. Kristallnacht - 1938 “Night of Broken Glass” Nazis destroyed many Jewish businesses and destroyed synagogues. Other Actions by the Nazis Non-Aggression Pact & The Axis Powers • Non-Aggression Pact – Hitler and Stalin agreed to avoid war with each other. AXIS POWERS • 1936 – Italy and Germany form a military alliance • 1940 – Japan joins the alliance. Appeasement • British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain met with Hitler • Allowed Hitler control of Sudetenland but NO MORE • Appeasement: meeting demands of a hostile power in order to avoid war. America’s Reaction • U.S. was reluctant to get involved in another war. • Congress passed laws to prevent the sale of weapons to any nation at war. • Americans wanted to remain isolationists.