1. Rise to Power
Adolf Hitler

2. PowerPoint credited to Mrs. Ellet!

3. CONTEXT
The economies of most European countries never recovered from WWI
Depression made it worse
Unemployment was high, food was scarce, and lawlessness became a major problem

4. People became divided over how these problems should be solved.
Some believed communism was the only solution to the economic and social suffering
Others believed a strong military was needed to restore law and order

5. The result was the rise of several leaders who, once in power, proved to be powerful dictators who suppressed all forms of opposition.

6. Joseph Stalin
In the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin took over as leader of the Communist Party after the death of Lenin, the leader of the 1917 revolution.
“The man of steel” was a ruthless and cruel leader whose agricultural and economic policies caused the death of millions of Soviet workers

7. Stalin or Zayn Malik?

9. Under his leadership, the Soviet Union became a Totalitarian state, with every aspect of people’s lives controlled by the Communist Party

11. Benito Mussolini In Italy, Mussolini came to power in 1922
He created a fascist government
Fascist governments are opposed to democracy, are extremely nationalistic, and rely on military and police power to maintain absolute control

13. They control all media, and use propaganda to promote the ideals of the state.
Soon, there were fascist parties based on Mussolini’s system in many countries.
The most powerful fascist party was the German Nationalist Society party or NAZI party under the leadership of Adolf Hitler

14. Germany after the War
Since the end of WWI, Germany had grown increasingly unhappy with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. It bitterly resented the “war guilt” clause that required it to make reparations to other countries

15. The German economy had been ruined by the war; in order to make reparations, the government began printing large amounts of money in the early 1920’s.
As a result, the value of the German currency declined and inflation spiralled

18. In other words, German money became worth less and less, while the prices of basic goods increased rapidly.

19. Overall Purpose:
The overall purpose of this presentation is to explain how this little boy on the left became the man on the right who was ultimately responsible for the death of about 50 million people all over the world!!

20. Birth Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau, Austria.
Adolf was 1 of 6 children - 3 of who died at early ages

21. Education
Attended a Benedictine monastery school where he took part in the choir.
When it was time to choose a secondary school, Adolf wanted to become an artist.
His father wanted him to become a civil servant, but after his father died, he dropped out of high school and attempted to get into the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts - he failed.
The following slides are examples of Adolf’s artwork.

22. signature

23. signature

24. Years in Vienna
After his mother died, Adolf (now 18) decided to move to Austria to pursue his dream of becoming a great artist.
Again he failed to gain entrance into the Academy
He eventually sold all his possessions and became a homeless drifter who slept on park benches and ate at soup kitchens throughout Vienna (age 19)
Adolf did manage to sell some paintings and postcards, but remained impoverished

25. Vienna -Importance
Influenced by the anti-Semitic mayor of Vienna, Karl Lueger
Became interested in the idea of German nationalism.
Also received first taste of politics
Lueger did not hesitate to exploit the prevalent anti-semitic and nationalistic currents in Vienna for his manipulative purposes. Under his leadership, Vienna became an efficient modern metropolis.

26. Military Service
Adolf left Austria at the age of 24 to avoid mandatory military service that was required of all men.
But he did sign up for military service at the start of WW I. He joined a Bavarian unit of the German Army. This is a picture of Hitler listening to an enlistment speech.

27. World War I Excited to fight for Germany.
Found a home fighting for the Fatherland.
Highest rank held was corporal.
Was a regimental messenger, not an easy job at all.
Hitler was a dispatch runner taking messages back and forth from the command staff in the rear to the fighting units near the battlefield.

28. German Loss in WW I
Hitler was devastated when he heard the news of the German surrender.
He was appalled at the anti-war sentiment among the German civilians.
Believed there was an anti-war conspiracy that involved the Jews and Marxists.
Also, felt that the German military did not lose the war, but that the politicians (mostly Jews) at home were responsible for the defeat.

29. Military Record Was awarded the Iron Cross twice. (5 medals overall)
Highest military honor in German Army.
Single handedly captured 4 French soldiers.
Blinded by gas attack towards end of war.
Gas attack- sean spicer

30. Life after WW I Hitler was depressed after WW I.
Still in the army, he became an undercover agent whose job was to root out Marxists
Also, lectured about the dangers of Communism and Jews

31. German Worker’s Party
Hitler was sent to investigate this group in Munich in 1919.
He went to a meeting and gave a speech.
He was them asked to become a member, which he did

32. NAZI Party is Formed
Hitler began to think big for the German Worker’s Party
Began placing ads for meetings in anti-Semitic newspapers
Hitler changed the name to National Socialist German Worker’s Party or the NAZIS

33. Party Platform Hitler drafted a platform of 25 points
Revoke Versailles Treaty
Revoke civil rights of Jews
Confiscate any war profits
Besides changing the party name, the red flag with the SWASTIKA was adopted as the party symbol

34. Beer Hall Putsch October 30, 1923
Hitler held a rally in Munich beer hall and declared revolution
Led 2000 men in take over of Bavarian Government
It failed and Hitler was imprisoned

35. Trial and Jail
At his trial (Hitler was charged with treason), he used the opportunity to speak about the NAZI platform and spread his popularity.
The whole nation suddenly knew who Adolf Hitler was and what he stood for
He was sentenced to five years, but actually only served about 9 months
When he left prison, he was ready to go into action again.

36. Mein Kampf Hitler’s book “My Struggle” - wrote while in jail
Sold 5 million copies, made him rich
Topics included: Jews were evil, Germans were superior race, dislike of Communism and Democracy and need to conquer more living space

37. Legal Rise to Power
Used popularity from failed revolution and book to seize power legally
Spoke to mass audiences about making Germany a great nation again
Nazi Party:
1930 = 18% of vote
1932 = 30% of vote
Hitler becomes Chancellor in 1933

38. Appeal of Hitler
Germany was in the midst of an economic depression with hyper-inflation
Hitler was a WW I hero who talked about bringing glory back to the “Fatherland”
He promised the rich industrialists that he would end any communist threat in Germany
Constantly blamed Jews for Germany’s problems, not the German people.
Hitler was an excellent public speaker.

39. Strong Arm Tactics The “Brownshirts” or SA (Stormtroopers)
SA was used to put down opposition parties
Threatened and beat up Jews and ant-Nazi voters
Wore brownshirts, pants and boots
Numbered almost 400,000 by 1932

40. Dictator “Reichstag fire” gives Hitler total power
In 1933, all parties were outlawed except the Nazi party
People’s civil rights were suspended
“Night of the Long Knives”
Enabling act-gave Hitler emergency powers to enact any laws without the involvement of parliament; Reichstag fire was blamed on communists; once enabling act came into effect, other political parties were banned

41. Absolute Power German economy was improving, people were happy
Hilter had not political opposition
1st concentration camp opened in 1933
Began rearming German Army for expansion of the Reich

42. APPEASEMENT
After the League of Nations crumbled, politicians turned to a new way to keep the peace
This was the policy of giving Hitler what he wanted to stop him from going to war
Hitler militarizes the Rhineland

44. Invasion of Austria (1938)
Sudeten Germans in Czechoslovakia wanted union with Germany
Chamberlain persuades Czechs to hand over Sudetenland

45. Hitler takes Sudetenland (October 1, 1938)
Czechoslovakia invaded by March 15, showed Hitler was not just interested in a Greater Germany
Munich agreement- between France, Britain, Italy, Nazi Germany: Germany would take Sudetenland but not Czechoslovakia.

46. Appeasement ends when Hitler invades Poland September 1, 1939

47. Throughout 1930s, Canadians including PM Mackenzie King, remained isolationist
King went to Berlin in 1937 to find out Hitler’s intentions
Completely taken by what he saw, King came away sure that Hitler had no warlike intentions.
“Hitler had a sort of appealing and affectionate look in his eyes”

50. King- saw no need to accept Jewish refugees
“so long as Canada has an unemployment problem, there will be no “open door” policy to political refugees” - Secretary of State Pierre Rinfret
St. Louis

51. THE
END
Until the start of World War II