Totalitarianism and the Outbreak of World War 2

Totalitarianism

A political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and seeks to regulate every aspect of public and private life.

Joseph Stalin

Leader of the Soviet Union after Lenin, known for his totalitarian rule and Five Year Plans that industrialized the country.

Fascism

An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization that rejects democracy and promotes totalitarianism.

Benito Mussolini

Italian dictator and founder of the Fascist Party, known for his role in establishing a totalitarian regime in Italy.

Adolf Hitler

Leader of the Nazi Party and dictator of Germany, remembered for his fascist policies and the initiation of World War II.

Mein Kampf

A book written by Adolf Hitler outlining his political ideology and plans for Germany, including ideas of Aryan superiority.

Nuremberg Laws

A series of anti-Semitic laws enacted by the Nazi government in 1935 that stripped Jews of their citizenship and rights.

Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass)

A violent pogrom against Jews in Nazi Germany on November 9-10, 1938, marked by the destruction of synagogues and Jewish businesses.

Hideki Tojo

Japanese general and military dictator during World War II who played a key role in Japan's militaristic expansion.

Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact

A treaty between Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939 promising neither would attack the other and agreeing to divide Poland.

Blitzkrieg

A German military strategy meaning 'lightning war', characterized by fast and powerful attacks to quickly overwhelm the enemy.

Appeasement

The policy of making concessions to an aggressive power to avoid conflict, notably used by European nations towards Hitler.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty that ended World War I, imposing heavy reparations on Germany and leading to significant political and economic instability.

Great Depression

A severe worldwide economic crisis that took place during the 1930s, worsening social and political conditions and contributing to the rise of totalitarian regimes.

Lebensraum

A German term meaning 'living space' that was used by Hitler to justify territorial expansion into Eastern Europe.

Five Year Plan

A series of centralized economic plans implemented by Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union, aimed at rapid industrialization and collectivization of agriculture.These plans sought to transform the Soviet economy from agrarian to industrial, significantly increasing production targets and state control over the economy.

Aryans

A term used by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis to describe a supposed 'master race', characterized by features such as fair skin and blonde hair, which they believed to be superior to other races.

Gestapo

The secret state police of Nazi Germany, responsible for enforcing the regime's policies, including the persecution of Jews and opposition to the Nazi regime.