Dictatorships and the Second World War Study Guide

Totalitarianism

A political system in which the state holds total authority over the society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life.

Adolph Hitler

The leader of Nazi Germany who rose to power through legal means and established a totalitarian regime based on racism and extreme nationalism.

Soviet Russia

A state that underwent a transition to a totalitarian regime under Stalin, characterized by harsh state controls and significant sacrifices from its people.

Stalin's Russia

A totalitarian dictatorship established by Joseph Stalin that demanded great sacrifices from the people and focused on building up industry.

Mussolini's Government

An authoritarian regime in Italy that was less radical and totalitarian compared to Stalin's and Hitler's governments.

Nazism

A political ideology associated with Adolf Hitler, characterized by racism, extreme nationalism, and violent irrationality.

The Grand Alliance

The coalition of the Soviet Union, Britain, and the United States that fought against Hitler and the Axis powers during World War II.

The Great Depression

A severe worldwide economic depression that took place during the 1930s, which contributed to the rise of totalitarian regimes.

Unconditional Surrender

A military term indicating that a belligerent must surrender without any conditions, adopted by the Grand Alliance for Germany and Japan.

The Second World War

A global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations and resulting in significant geopolitical changes.

The Sudetenland Speech

A speech made by Adolf Hitler in 1938, asserting his territorial claims in Europe.

Coalition

An alliance formed for a specific purpose, such as the Grand Alliance during World War II.

Economic Problems

Challenges faced by nations, such as those in Germany during the Great Depression, that contributed to the rise of totalitarian regimes.

Political Questions

Issues regarding governance and policy that the Grand Alliance postponed in order to focus on defeating the Axis powers.

Retreat of German Forces

The turning point in 1942 when German forces began to withdraw from their offensive into the Soviet Union.

Heroic Contributions

The significant efforts and sacrifices made by the British and Soviet peoples during World War II.

Racism

A belief that one race is superior to another, which was a core component of Nazi ideology.

Foreign Affairs Success

The achievements in international relations that helped Hitler gain popular support in Germany.

Bullying and Fear Tactics

Methods used by Hitler to intimidate opponents and rally support against perceived threats like communism.

Territorial Claims

Demands made by a state to control land, exemplified by Hitler's claims in Europe leading up to World War II.

Peasants' Loss of Land

A consequence of Stalin's policies in Soviet Russia, resulting in the displacement of rural populations.

New Socialist Society

A radically transformed social structure that emerged in Soviet Russia under Stalin's totalitarian regime.

Fascism

A political ideology characterized by authoritarian nationalism.

Eugenics

A set of beliefs and practices aimed at improving the genetic quality of a human population.

Conservative Authoritarianism

A theory that emphasizes the preservation of traditional institutions and values while maintaining strict control over society.

Collectivization

The policy of consolidating individual landholdings and labor into collective farms.

Great Purge

A campaign of political repression in the Soviet Union from 1936 to 1938.

Kulaks

Wealthy peasants in the Soviet Union who were targeted during collectivization.

Gosplan

The state planning committee in the Soviet Union responsible for economic planning.

New Economic Policy (NEP)

A policy implemented by Lenin in 1921 to rebuild agriculture and industry in the Soviet Union.

Black Shirts

Paramilitary groups associated with Mussolini's Fascist Party in Italy.

Matteotti

An Italian socialist politician who was murdered by Fascists in 1924.

Lateran Agreement

A 1929 agreement between Mussolini and the Catholic Church that recognized the Vatican City as an independent state.

Mein Kampf

A book written by Adolf Hitler outlining his political ideology and plans for Germany.

National Socialism

The ideology and practices associated with the Nazi Party in Germany.

Heinrich Bruning

Chancellor of Germany from 1930 to 1932 known for his policies during the Great Depression.

Enabling Act

A 1933 law that gave Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers for four years.

SA vs SS

The SA (Sturmabteilung) was the Nazi Party's original paramilitary wing, while the SS (Schutzstaffel) became the primary organization for security and terror.

Appeasement

The policy of making concessions to dictatorial powers to avoid conflict.

Neville Chamberlain

The British Prime Minister known for his policy of appeasement towards Hitler.

Nazification

The process of aligning various aspects of society with Nazi ideology.

Assimilation

The process of integrating individuals or groups into a dominant culture.

Propaganda

Information, especially biased or misleading, used to promote a political cause or point of view.

Aryanization

The process of transferring Jewish-owned businesses to non-Jewish ownership in Nazi Germany.

Battle of Britain

A significant military campaign during WWII where the Royal Air Force defended the UK against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force.

Mass Settlement Space

Territory designated for the relocation of populations, particularly in the context of Nazi expansion.

Greater Asian Co-Prosperity Shield

A concept used by Japan during WWII to justify its expansion into Asia and promote the idea of Asian unity against Western colonial powers.

Hinge of Fate

A term used to describe pivotal moments in history that significantly alter the course of events.

Blitzkrieg

A military tactic used by the Nazis, characterized by rapid and overwhelming force to achieve quick victories.

Hitler's New Order

The Nazi plan for the political organization of Europe after their victory in WWII.

Final solution of the Jewish question

The Nazi plan for the systematic extermination of the Jewish population in Europe.

Strengths of the Grand Alliance

The combined military, economic, and political power of the Allies during WWII.

Auschwitz

A concentration and extermination camp operated by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.

Gray zone

A term used by Primo Levi to describe the moral ambiguity and complex human behavior in extreme situations like the Holocaust.

Japanese Fascists' goal

To liberate Asia from European colonialism.

First nation targeted by blitzkrieg

Poland.

Human and physical costs of WWII

The extensive loss of life and destruction of infrastructure resulting from the war.

Tehran and Yalta conferences

Meetings of Allied leaders to discuss postwar reorganization and strategy.

Soviet Union's paranoia about Germany

Concerns stemming from historical conflicts and the threat of Nazi expansion.

Western response to Soviet influence

A series of political and military strategies aimed at containing the spread of communism in Europe.

Rise of Big Science

The increase in large-scale scientific research and its impact on the lives and work of scientists.

1943 conference of the 'Big Three'

A crucial meeting held in Tehran to discuss the postwar world.

Purpose of the 1946 Truman Doctrine

To provide support to countries resisting communism and to contain Soviet geopolitical expansion.

Marshall Plan

An economic program to aid in European economic recovery after the war.

European Coal and Steel Community

An economic organization created by two French statesmen in 1950 to foster western European economic cooperation.

COMECON

An economic organization that supported dictatorial regimes in European civil wars.

NATO

A military alliance formed to contain communism to those countries that were already Communist.

De-Stalinization

The reforms that were spurred by Nikita Khrushchev's 'secret speech' of 1956.

Leonid Brezhnev

The leader who replaced Nikita Khrushchev as Soviet premier during a bloodless coup in 1964.

Khrushchev's Twentieth Party Congress speech

A speech in 1956 that evaluated Stalin's policies and led to significant reforms.

Re-Stalinization

The process that began in 1964 following Khrushchev's fall from power.

Brezhnev era

The period after 1964 characterized by specific positive and negative features of the Soviet state.

Indian nationalism

A movement focused on achieving independence and self-governance for India.

Chinese nationalism

A movement aimed at unifying China and promoting its sovereignty.

Decolonization of the Belgian Congo

A process that differed from the rest of Africa due to unique historical and political circumstances.

Algeria

A French colony that faced significant difficulties during its struggle for independence.

United Nations

The international body that voted to divide Palestine into an Arab state and a Jewish state in 1948.

Postcolonial Vietnam and Korea division

Vietnam and Korea were divided into a northern Communist half and a southern pro-Western half.

Middle class structure

The new structure of the middle class after 1945 and its effects on society.

Youth culture

A cultural movement that significantly influenced consumer buying habits.

Economic growth factors in Europe

Various factors that contributed to Europe's economic recovery after the war.

Political vs Economic unity

A comparison of the success of political and economic approaches toward European unity.

Stalin's postwar policy

A policy that disappointed many Russian nationalists and affected Stalin's legacy.

Khrushchev's fall from power

The reasons behind Khrushchev's removal and the subsequent political changes in the Soviet Union.

Life in the Soviet Union after 1964

An overview of the conditions and characteristics of Soviet life during the Brezhnev era.