History (Fascism)

Maginot Line

A barrier France built to stop Germany from attacking.

The Lost Generation

American writers unhappy after WWI, like Hemingway and Fitzgerald.

Kellogg-Briand Pact

A 1928 agreement where countries promised not to use war to solve problems.

Disarmament

Reducing weapons and military forces.

General Strike

A large strike where workers from different jobs stop working at the same time.

Overproduction

Making too many goods, which lowers prices and hurts the economy.

Finance

Managing money, banking, and investments.

Federal Reserve

The U.S. central bank that controls money policies.

Great Depression

A worldwide economic crisis starting in 1929, caused by stock market crashes, bad banking, and overproduction.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

U.S. president who created the New Deal to help recover from the Great Depression.

New Deal

Programs and laws to fix the economy during the Great Depression.

Problem with the League of Nations?

It had no power to enforce its rules, and big countries like the U.S. didn't join.

How did the Manchurian invasion affect the League?

Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, and the League did nothing, showing its weakness.

Three powerful Western countries after WWI?

Britain, France, and the U.S.

Labour Party's 1920s ideas?

Supported workers, socialism, and government-run industries.

Why did the General Strike of 1926 happen?

Workers protested low wages and poor conditions.

Which political party did rich and middle-class people support?

The Conservative Party.

How did the U.S. economy compare to Britain and France after WWI?

The U.S. economy grew, while Europe struggled.

Did Ireland fully gain independence?

Only part of Ireland became free in 1922; Northern Ireland stayed with Britain, causing conflict.

How did overproduction and bad finance systems cause the Great Depression?

Factories made too many products, lowering prices, and weak banks collapsed.

How did U.S. tariffs affect the world?

They hurt trade and made the Great Depression worse.

France's biggest fear after WWI?

Another German attack.

How did the Dust Bowl make the Great Depression worse?

It destroyed farms, leaving people poor and homeless.

Benito Mussolini

Italy's fascist dictator from 1922-1943.

March on Rome

Mussolini's takeover of Italy in 1922.

Black Shirts

Mussolini's violent supporters who attacked enemies.

Totalitarian State

A government that controls everything.

Fascism

A political system that puts the country above individual freedoms.

Il Duce

Mussolini's title, meaning 'The Leader.'

Why was Italy unhappy after WWI?

It didn't get as much land as expected.

What did Mussolini promise?

A strong economy, national pride, and order.

Why was Mussolini able to take power?

The government was weak, people feared communism, and he used violence.

How did Mussolini try to improve the economy?

He controlled businesses and built public projects.

Common features of totalitarian states?

One-party rule, propaganda, and no political freedom.

Common features of fascism?

Nationalism, dictatorship, and military power.

Why did Italians support fascism?

It promised stability and jobs.

How is fascism different from communism?

Fascism allows social classes, but communism wants equality.

Lenin

Leader of the Russian Revolution and first Soviet ruler.

Joseph Stalin

Soviet dictator from the 1920s to 1953.

Command Economy

The government makes all economic decisions.

Collective

Large farms run by the government.

Kulak

Wealthy farmers targeted by Stalin.

Gulag

Harsh labor camps for political prisoners.

Socialist Realism

Government-controlled art to promote communism.

Russification

Forcing Russian culture on other ethnic groups.

Atheism

The Soviet belief in no religion.

Comintern

A Soviet group that spread communism worldwide.

Collectivization

Combining private farms into large government-run farms.

What was Stalin's 5-Year Plan?

Rapid industrial growth and strict government control.

How did it affect businesses and workers?

Factories had tough quotas, low wages, and poor conditions.

Who had power under Stalin?

Communist officials and military leaders.

How did Stalin keep control?

Purges, propaganda, and secret police.

What was Stalin's goal for the kulaks?

He saw them as a threat and wanted to eliminate them.

How did peasants react to collectivization?

They resisted, leading to mass starvation.

How did the Comintern affect the West?

It made Western countries suspicious of the Soviet Union.

Chancellor

Germany's leader, like a prime minister.

Ruhr Valley

An industrial area that France occupied in 1923.

Hyperinflation

When money loses value quickly, making prices skyrocket.

Adolf Hitler

Leader of Nazi Germany.

Third Reich

Hitler's government, aiming for German power.

Gestapo

Nazi secret police.

Nuremberg Laws

1935 laws that took away Jewish rights.

Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass)

A 1938 attack on Jewish people and property.

What caused the Weimar Republic to fail?

Political instability and a bad economy.

Why did conservatives let Hitler take power?

They thought they could control him.

How did Hitler strengthen Germany?

He built the military, created jobs, and improved infrastructure.

Why was Kristallnacht important?

It increased violence against Jews.