1. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
The Treaty of Versailles and the economic depression that followed contributed to the rise of antidemocratic governments

2. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
Benito Mussolini founded the fascist movement in Italy, an aggressive nationalistic movement that considered the nation more important than the individual
Fascism was anticommunist
After the Russian Revolution many Europeans feared communism

3. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
Mussolini exploited communist fears by portraying fascism as a way to protect private property and the middle class
The King of Italy appointed Mussolini as the premier after he threatened to march on Rome

4. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
After the Russian Revolution the Communist Party led by Vladimir Lenin took created the United Soviet States Republic (USSR)
There was only one party, opposition was punished, and individual liberties were suppressed

5. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
When Lenin died in 1924 Joseph Stalin became the dictator of the USSR
Stalin began a massive effort to industrialize the nation under his Five- Year Plan
Family farms were combined and turned into collectives, or government-owned farms

6. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
10 million peasants died from famine during 1932 and 1933
Stalin used concentration camps to isolate opponents

7. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
million people were held in concentration camps in the USSR
Prisoners were used as slave labor
15-20 million people died under Stalin’s rule
Stalin died in 1953

8. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
Hitler was a nationalist who hated the Allies and the German government that had accepted their peace terms ending WWI
He became the leader of the Nationalist Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party)
The Nazis wanted Germany to expand its territory and to reject the terms of the Treaty of Versailles

9. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
The Nazis were also anti-Semitic
They Nazi Party was banned for awhile and Hitler was arrested

10. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
While in prison Hitler wrote Mein Kempf (My Struggle), in which he claimed that Germans belonged to the master Aryan race
Hitler also blamed the Jews for Germany’s loss in WWI

11. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
After Hitler was released he focused on getting Nazi party members elected
As Germany sunk deeper into an economic depression more people began to vote for radicals and communists

12. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
1932 the Nazis were the largest party in Germany’s lower parliament
1933 Hitler became chancellor
Storm troopers, the Nazi paramilitary, began intimidating voters

13. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
The Nazi party took control of parliament
1934 Hitler became president he called himself De Fuhrer (the leader)

14. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
Japanese industries had to import nearly all resources they needed to produce goods, especially iron and oil
Military leaders argued to taking over territory was the only way to get much needed resources

15. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
1931 Japan invaded Manchuria, a resource-rich region in China
The Japanese Emperor wanted to bring troops home to avoid conflict with the US, but the military refused to retreat
The Japanese military was in control of the country not the emperor

16. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
1935 Hitler began to defy the Treaty of Versailles
He announced that Germany would build a new air force and begin a military draft
European leaders tried to negotiate instead of going to war for violating the treaty

17. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
Hitler believed that German-speaking nations should be unified
1938 Hitler sent troops into Austria and took it over

18. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
Hitler announced his intent to take over the Sudetenland, part of Czechoslovakia
The Czech resisted Hitler’s demands

19. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
The Munich Conference
Britain, France, Italy, and Germany met in Munich in 1938 to decide Czechoslovakia's fate
They agreed to Germany’s terms in what is known as an appeasement

20. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
Hitler had intentions to take over part of Poland that had once belonged to Germany
Britain announced that if Hitler invaded Poland, Britain and France would defend it

21. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
Hitler and Stalin signed a Non-Aggression Pact in 1939
The treaty secretly promised to divide Poland

22. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
1939 Germany invaded Poland
Britain and France declared war, WWII had begun

23. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
Germany used a new type of warfare called Blitzkrieg
They overwhelmed and destroyed infrastructure by sending in massive amounts of tanks, aircraft, and paratroopers at lighting speed

24. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
It took one month to defeat Poland
Hitler than took over the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium

25. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
German troops overwhelmed France
They surrendered June 1940
General Charles de Gaulle ran a resistance government in exile

26. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
Hitler than turned his sights on Britain
The German Luftwaffe (air force) began raids over the English Channel and bombed Britain

27. Lesson One The Origins of World War II
The British Royal Air Force fought the Luftwaffe it what was known as the Battle of Britain
Hitler eventually gave up the fight to invade Britain, this proved that Germany could be stopped