20th Century History: Unit 3

Dictators rise to power

How authoritarian leaders gained control, often exploiting political instability, economic crises, and social unrest.

Adolph Hitler

Leader of Nazi Germany (1933-1945), who promoted fascism, nationalism, and anti-Semitism, leading to WWII and the Holocaust.

Benito Mussolini

Founder of Italian Fascism and dictator of Italy (1922-1943), emphasizing strong centralized control and nationalism.

Joseph Stalin

Soviet Union leader (1924-1953) who transformed the USSR into a totalitarian state through industrialization, collectivization, and political repression.

Emperor Hirohito

Japanese emperor during WWII, symbolizing Japan’s imperial ambitions and militaristic expansion in East Asia.

Mao Zedong

Chinese communist revolutionary and founder of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, leading a communist regime.

Chiang Kai-shek

Leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang), opposing the communists and ruling parts of China before and during WWII.

National Socialists

Nickname for the Nazi Party, combining extreme nationalism with racist and anti-communist ideologies.

NKVD

The Soviet secret police under Stalin was responsible for political repression, secret arrests, and executions.

The S.S.

An elite Nazi paramilitary organization enforcing racial policies, running concentration camps, and suppressing opposition.

Fascism

Authoritarian, nationalist, often racist, emphasizing strong centralized power and private property under state control.

Communism

Classless, stateless society ideal; in practice, a one-party state controlling all property and production, aiming for equality.

Mein Kampf

Hitler’s autobiographical manifesto outlining his ideology of Aryan supremacy, anti-Semitism, and plans for Germany’s future.

The Panay Incident

The 1937 attack by Japanese forces on the American gunboat USS Panay in China, escalating tensions before WWII.

Methods of Totalitarianism

Techniques used by dictators to control society include propaganda, censorship, secret police, and mass surveillance.

Collectivization

Soviet policy forced peasants to give up private farms to collective ones, aiming to increase agricultural productivity, but causing famine.

Rape of Nanking

The 1937 mass murder and rape by Japanese troops in the Chinese city of Nanjing was a notorious war atrocity.

The Third Reich

Nazi Germany under Hitler’s rule (1933-1945) claimed to be the successor to the Holy Roman Empire.

The Long March

1934-1935 strategic retreat by Chinese communists led by Mao to evade Nationalist forces, strengthening communist resolve.

Invasion of Ethiopia

The 1935 Italian military conquest of Ethiopia under Mussolini showcased fascist aggression and a weak international response.

“The Cult of Personality”

A leader’s use of propaganda and media to create an idealized, heroic image, demanding loyalty and obedience.

The role of the Great Depression in the rise of dictators

Economic collapse created desperation and instability, allowing dictators to promise recovery and strong leadership.

Japan’s motivations in the East

Seeking natural resources, land, and regional dominance to support its growing empire and industrial economy.

Japanese government (civilians vs. militarists)

Conflict between elected civilian leaders and powerful military leaders who increasingly controlled policy and expansion.

The United States’ position between the wars

Initially isolationist, avoiding foreign entanglements while focusing on economic recovery during the Great Depression.

Socialist realism

Artistic style mandated in communist countries, glorifying the working class and communist ideals.

The Great Purge

Stalin’s campaign (1936-1938) to eliminate political rivals and perceived enemies through arrests, executions, and labor camps.

Communism in China

A political movement led by Mao aiming to overthrow the Nationalists and establish a socialist state.

Stalin’s Five-Year Plans

A series of state-directed economic goals to rapidly industrialize the USSR and collectivize agriculture, often causing hardship.