1. The Great Depression & The Rise of Totalitarianism
Unit 4 Notes

2. Unit 4 Key Terms (p. 532-557) recession depression
Franklin D. Roosevelt
New Deal
inflation
Nazi Party
totalitarian state
censorship
fascism
Black Shirts
Munich Conference
Mein Kampf
communism
Enabling Act
anti-Semitism
Five-Year Plans
collectivization
Adolf Hitler
Joseph Stalin
Benito Mussolini
Hideki Tojo
Axis Alliance

3. Great Depression Pre-Test
The stock market crash marked the beginning of the Great Depression.
Historians and economists agree on the main causes of the Great Depression.
The United States was the only nation in the 1930s that had severe economic troubles.
President Hoover made many efforts to end the Great Depression.
Franklin D. Roosevelt inspired confidence in Americans with his proposal for the New Deal.

4. Great Depression Pre-Test
All U. S. citizens showed full support for the New Deal to end the Depression.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt encouraged President Roosevelt to develop a second New Deal.
The New Deal had no effect on labor and employment in the United States.
The New Deal plan included efforts to conserve and protect natural resources.
The Great Depression caused a complete halt in the active cultural life of the Roaring Twenties.

5. From Boom to Bust following World War I, America’s economy was booming
the United States loaned European nations money to rebuild after the war
the United States produced most of the world’s manufactured goods
investment in the stock market increased – but many investors did so with borrowed money
“Black” days and the stock market crash

6. A Worldwide Depression
the depression in Europe began sooner and lasted longer than it did in the United States
there was no coordination between countries and most countries turned inward
one common theme was a nationalist response based on self-interest (a line of thinking that says “it’s only about me”)

7. The Great Depression in Germany
the depression provided the opportunity for radical groups to participate in the political process
the Nazi Party used the depression to gain popularity
Adolf Hitler took advantage of economic anxiety, political discontent and the democratic government of Germany

8. The Great Depression in Germany
in 1933, Hitler was appointed (not elected) Chancellor and used his position to eliminate opponents and establish totalitarian control
Hitler repeatedly denounced the Treaty of Versailles and the public (who also hated it) supported him

9. The Great Depression in America
following the stock market crash of 1929, Americans grew discontented with President Herbert Hoover and elected Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) in 1932
FDR passed several government programs focused on relief and reform called the New Deal
these programs greatly enhanced the national government’s role in the economy and in the lives of individuals
for the first time in American history, direct relief from the government was a significant part of everyday life

10. Totalitarianism

11. Forms of Totalitarianism
fascism – radical racial nationalism that calls for an all-powerful dictator supported by the military (Mussolini, Hitler)
communism – radical socialism in which the government controls production, owns all property, and controls all social activity (Stalin)
militarism – system of government in which a nation puts its military above all else and uses it to achieve national goals (Tojo)

12. Fascism in Italy
Italy was not happy with the Treaty of Versailles – they wanted a large amount of land
democratic government blamed for economic problems
Benito Mussolini founded the Fascist Party in 1919
his supporters, the Black Shirts, attacked his opponents
Mussolini became Prime Minister in 1922 and would begin to build a totalitarian state
he became “Il Duce” (The Leader) and used secret police and censorship to maintain power

13. Nazism in Germany
Germany was devastated by World War I and furious with the Treaty of Versailles
many blamed the Weimar Republic, the democratic government of Germany, for the economic depression as well as for the Treaty of Versailles
Adolf Hitler was a member of the National Socialist German Workers Party or Nazi Party – a fascist group who opposed the Weimar Republic
the Nazis attempted to overthrow the government in 1923 – Hitler ended up in jail where he wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle)

14. Nazism in Germany
in Mein Kampf, Hitler claimed that Germans, or Aryans as he called them, were the master race
he also detailed his goals of uniting all German speaking people, regaining territory, and eliminating the Jews
by 1932, the Nazis were the largest political party in Germany
in 1933, German president Paul von Hindenburg was pressured into appointing Hitler to the position of chancellor
also in 1933, Hitler passed the Enabling Act which gave him dictatorial powers

15. Nazism in Germany Hitler became known as “der Führer” (The Leader)
he focused on remilitarizing Germany (in violation of the Treaty of Versailles)
he created a totalitarian state through the Gestapo (secret police), outlawing opposition to the Nazis, propaganda, and controlling the economy

16. Militarism in Japan
Japan lost large amounts of income during the Great Depression
it also experienced bad harvests at home
military leaders suggested expansionism as a solution
Japan invaded Manchuria (China) in 1931
the League of Nations voiced disapproval but did nothing and Japan withdrew from the league
Japan attacked the rest of China in 1937

17. Stalinism in the USSR
Stalin became the leader of the Soviet Union in 1928 after being general secretary of the Communist Party
Stalin exiled his biggest rival, Leon Trotsky, in 1929
he rapidly industrialized the country
he used the secret police to monitor nearly everything and he censored all sources of information to maintain power

18. Stalinism in the USSR
during the Great Purge, Stalin removed political opponents (some even from his own party) and had them imprisoned or executed
he implemented a command economy where the government made all decisions
his Five-Year Plans sought to transform the economy from agricultural to industrial as quickly as possible
industrialization came rapidly but there were shortages of consumer goods

19. Stalinism in the USSR
Stalin also forced the collectivization of farms (combined small privately owned farms into huge government owned farms)
those who resisted collectivization were imprisoned or executed
also in retaliation, Stalin caused forced starvations in which millions died
under Stalin, people had no political rights

20. Exit Slip What is totalitarianism?
Name two of the leaders of a totalitarian system.
Explain how two of the leaders gained power.
Do you think this type of system works well? Why or Why not?

21. Reactions to Totalitarianism
Italian, Japanese, and German aggression led to World War II
Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935
Germany remilitarized and occupied the Rhineland
Germany, Italy, and Japan formed the Axis Alliance in 1936
Germany and Italy helped fascist Francisco Franco come to power in Spain in 1936

22. Reactions to Totalitarianism
the U.S. declared itself neutral and refused to send money or weapons to anyone involved in war
France and Great Britain hoped the policy of appeasement (giving in to the “reasonable demands” of an unhappy nation to avoid war) would work
Hitler annexed Austria in 1938
Hitler demanded the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia in 1938 and it was given to him
he would later take all of Czechoslovakia and Italy would invade Albania

23. Reactions to Totalitarianism
despite all of the violations of the Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations did nothing to stop totalitarian aggression
France and Great Britain finally abandoned appeasement in September 1939 when Hitler invaded Poland and started World War II