Moving Towards War

Rise of Totalitarianism

Totalitarianism

Totalitarianism (or totalitarian rule) is a political system where the state holds total authority over the society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life wherever necessary.[Wikipedia]

The Soviet Union Under Stalin

After Lenin's death in 1924, Joseph Stalin outmaneuvered his rivals to gain control of the government. Stalin was determined to transform the Soviet Union into a powerful industrial state.

Five-year plan

In 1928, therefore, he launched his first five-year plan. The plan included two goals: rapid growth of heavy industry and increased farm production through collectivization of agriculture.

Five-year plans

In a series of five-year plans, Stalin poured the nation's resources into building steel mills, electric power stations, and other industries needed in a strong modern state.

Stalin the Dictator

He also forced millions of peasants to give up their land and work on collective farms, large, government-run enterprises. Many peasants opposed the change, and millions died in Stalin's brutal crackdown.

To achieve his goals, Stalin created a new kind of government, today called a totalitarian state. In a totalitarian state, the government is a single-party dictatorship that controls every aspect of the lives of its citizens. Individual rights count for nothing. Citizens must obey the government without question, and critics are silenced.

Stalin’s Totalitarian State

Also, the totalitarian state supports extreme nationalism. Stalin used propaganda, censorship, and terror to force his will on the Soviet people.

Government newspapers glorified work and Stalin himself. Secret police spied on citizens, and anyone who refused to praise Stalin and the state faced severe punishment, even death.

Both Lenin and Stalin supported the idea of a world communist revolution and aided communists in other countries. In the 1920s, when some communist uprisings did occur in Europe, they were quickly suppressed.

Fascism in Italy

After World War 1, Italy was plagued by economic and political problems. Workers went on strike in the cities, while in the countryside, landless peasants seized the property of wealthy landlords. The unrest made the middle class fear a socialist revolution. An ambitious politician, Benito Mussolini, used the turmoil to gain power. Mussolini founded the Fascist party.

Benito Mussolini

Fascists glorified the state, supported aggressive nationalism, and condemned democracy because they believed rival parties divided the state. They also opposed communism and defended private property. In the early 1920s, Mussolini and his followers, known as Black Shirts, won the support of many Italians by attacking communists and socialists. Then in 1922, Mussolini led a "March on Rome" supposedly to prevent a communist revolution but in fact to frighten the government into naming him prime minister.

Once in office, Mussolini increased his power by appointing Fascists to top offices, censoring the press, organizing a secret police, and banning any criticism of

the government. He controlled the army and the schools, urging Italians to accept the slogan: "Everything in the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state."

Militarism in Japan

After World War 1, Japan enjoyed a period of economic prosperity and growing democratic government. However, the Great Depression hit Japan especially hard because its prosperity depended on foreign trade. Like governments elsewhere, the government of Japan seemed unable to solve

its economic crisis. Many people turned to the military, which began to take matters into its own hands

By 1932, military leaders had set up a military dictatorship in Japan. Unlike Italy and Germany, however, Japan did not have a single strong leader. Instead, a small group of military leaders dominated the government.

In the 1930s, Japan had many features of a totalitarian state. The government arrested critics, imposed censorship, and employed a secret police force to hunt down and punish so-called enemies of the state. Extreme nationalists glorified war and empire.

To strengthen Japan, the government was interested in gaining an overseas empire. Such an empire would give Japan much-needed raw materials such as coal and oil. Therefore, the Japanese military invaded Manchuria, a province in northeastern China. When China protested to the League of Nations, the league condemned the invasion but took no further action.

HIDEKI TOJO

International Economic Problems

and the Rise of Hitler

The German Economy

During World War I the German government had borrowed large sums of money to finance the war.

After the war the new government printed too much paper money in an attempt to pay down the debt.

The result by 1923 was hyper-inflation.

The Weimar Government

In Germany the Weimar Government was established following the collapse of the autocracy in 1918.

This new government was weakened by political turmoil and too many political parties.

There was little respect in Germany for democratic institutions.

The Treaty of VersaillesThis treaty signed in

1919 was considered by many Germans to be unfair.

Germany’s boundaries were considerably altered leaving many German speaking people outside of Germany.

Germany was forced to accept guilt for causing the war.

Large reparations payments were imposed on Germany.

The Great Depression of 1929 and GermanyThe crash of the American

stock market ended loans to Germany.

These loans were necessary to pay reparations.

German banks failed and unemployment rose by March of 1932 to over six million.

The middle class which had been badly hurt by inflation in the 1920s now faced complete ruin.

Unemployment in Germany1928-35

Political Causes

Current gov’t didn’t have a solution (or at least one that worked!)

Hitler claimed he had the solutions to pull Germany out of the Depression

In 1930, Hitler and his Nazi Party gained the 2nd most seats in the German Parliament

In 1933, Hitler became German Chancellor

Hitler and the Nazi PartyHitler was a veteran of

World War I.After the war he

became involved in politics and in 1923 attempted to seize power in Munich.

Hitler’s political movement was the Nazi or National Socialist Party.

The goals of Hitler and the party were set out in a book called Mein Kampf.

Hitler Takes Control

Once in power, Hitler: expanded the armed forces improved conditions for farmers funded public works projects (ie. highways)

Unemployment dropped; economy improved

Hitler abolished all other political parties

The Nazi Party

The Naziswished to overturn the Treaty of

Versailles.promised prosperity and national

unity.blamed the Weimar Government for

many of Germany’s problems.held Germany’s Jews responsible for

the economic situation.

Hitler Achieves Power II

The Nazi’s did not hold an overall majority but had sufficient support to form a government.

Hitler’s rise to power had been completely legal.

Hitler consolidated his power through the passage of an Enabling Law in March of 1933.

German Expansion

After 1933 Hitler and the Nazi’s began to rearm Germany.

German expansion included Austria in 1938 and by March of 1939 most of Czechoslovakia.

Hitler’s final demand was territory from Poland.

Adolf Hitler“Fuhrer”

AppeasementAppeasement is “the policy of

settling international quarrels by admitting and satisfying grievances through rational negotiation and compromise, thereby avoiding the resort to an armed conflict which would be expensive, bloody, and possibly dangerous.”

Giving in to (German) desires in order to maintain peace “Give Hitler what he wants and he’ll

eventually be satisfied and we won’t have to go to war with him”

Appeasement in the late 1930s

1935: German re-armament Creates an Air Force and announces plans for

military conscription. March 1936: Occupation of the Rhineland March 1938: Annexation of Austria October 1938: Annexation of the

Sudentenland March 1939: Occupation of Czechoslovakia Summer 1939: Threats against Poland

German Appeasement

Appeasement Cartoons

German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

Hitler and Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, agreed not to fight each other if one of them went to war

They also agreed to divide Poland between them

Invasion of PolandAfter WWI, territory was taken

from Russia and Germany to create the country of Poland.

Hitler and Stalin agreed to divide Poland between them and take back this land in 1939.

The German “Blitzkrieg” surprised and defeated the Polish military.

As they had promised to support Poland against invasion, Britain and France declared war on Germany

Canada’s War 1939 -1945

Canada and the World 1932 - 1939

Canada’s Prime Minister,Mackenzie King, realized by 1937 that war was very possible.

He also knew that he would be under strong pressure to back Great Britain in any future conflict.

Some rearmament was undertaken after 1937 but Mackenzie King focused on avoiding war.

Most Canadians paid no attention to the world situation and rise of totalitarianism.

Anti-Semitism was common in Canada, much like Europe.

Canada took in only 4000 of the 800 000 Jewish refugees who fled Hitler’s Germany between 1933 and 1939

Canada and The UnitedStates PRE WW2

King turned increasingly to the United States and was pleased with the American “Good Neighbor Policy.”

Trade with the Americans was expanded.

In 1938 President Roosevelt promised American support in the event Canada was threatened.

The royal visit of 1939 was, however; a strong reminder of ties to Great Britain.

The Royal Visit 1939

World War One Memories

65,000 Dead in the “war to end all wars”

Nation-buildingConscription tore the

country apart(People still

remembered WW1 Trench warfare)

Canada’s ReactionCanada’s Reaction

ISOLATIONISTS - Canada remained isolationist in the late 1930’s.

PACIFISTS - moral belief against warThe horrors of WW1 were not yet

forgotten.The effects of the Depression were still

being felt.PM King decides to visit Germany

himself

MunichConference

Oops….. • “My good friends,

for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time.”

The Approach of War

By early 1939 war seemed unavoidable but Canada remained unprepared and hopeful that if war came it would not be a Canadian war. The events of 1939-1945 were to prove otherwise.

This is not our war.

Canada Arms......AGAIN...

When Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia in March 1939, King finally began to prepare Canada for War

Canadians still remembered the controversy over conscription

KING: “So long as this government is in power, no such measure shall be enacted” (conscription)

The Road to War....

September 1, 1939 German invades Poland (British Allie)

September 3, 1939 France and Britain declare war on Germany

*** September 7, 1939 Canada traded isolationism for involvement....Declares WAR on GERMANY

What is the significance of Canada waiting a week to join the war?????????

Britain at War!

Prime Minister Mackenzie King's request to King George VI for approval that war be declared against Germany in His Majesty's name, September 10, 1939.

Although Canada was the oldest Dominion in the British Commonwealth, it was, for the most part, reluctant to enter the war. Canada, with a population somewhere between 11 to 12 million, eventually raised very substantial armed forces. Around 10% of the entire population of Canada joined the army, a very small amount of which was conscripted. After the long struggle of the Great Depression of the 1930s, the challenges of the Second World War accelerated Canada's ongoing transformation into a modern urban and industrialized nation.

Mobilization, deployment

While the response to war was initially intended to be limited, resources were mobilized quickly.

Canadian support for the war was mobilized through a propaganda campaign, including ”If-Day”. a staged 'Nazi' invasion of Winnipeg which generated more than $3 million in war bonds

The Wait for Me, Daddy photo of the BC Regiment (DCOR), marching in New Westminster, 1940.