Unit 6 Reading Packet Pre WWII

Unit 6 Reading Packet – Pre WWII

Read each section and then answer the questions that follow.

Answers must be in complete sentences.

In 1933, Hitler began to rebuild the German military. This was a clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Many European countries including Great Britain and France did not object because they feared another war. Later the year, Germany withdrew from the League of Nations.

Meanwhile Spain had established a parliamentary democracy in 1931. In 1936 a group of army officers under the leadership of General Francisco Franco took control. A civil war broke out. Germany and Italy were quick to support Franco’s troops. In 1939 Franco was able to capture Madrid and install a dictatorship in Spain.

Back in Germany in 1935, Hitler continued his policy of restoring Germany. His first action was taking back the Rhineland. In 1937 Germany signed an alliance with Japan. In early 1938 Hitler annexed Austria, and moved to reclaim the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia. The Munich Conference of 1938, which included Hitler, Mussolini, and Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain discussed more terms of expansion. Hitler was given the Sudetenland; in return for the land Hitler was to stop his expansion. This policy is known as appeasement, to give in to demands to avoid a war. This policy of appeasement worked for one year and in 1939, Hitler claimed the rest of Czechoslovakia.

The rest of Europe was shocked but did nothing to remove the Nazis from Czechoslovakia. In March 1939 Italy invaded Albania. But the Western powers did not help Albania; instead they signed nonaggression pacts with Greece, Turkey, Romania, and Poland. These agreements stated that if any country were to be attacked, they would all go to war.

The Germans signed the “Pact of Steel” uniting Germany and Italy in May 1939. Germany also signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact in august 1939. They determined how Eastern Europe would be split among them. Germany would take Eastern Poland and Lithuania, and Russia would get the remainder of Poland, Finland and the Baltic States.

With a secure agreement with Russia, German forces marched into Poland on September 1, 1939. Two days later, Britain realized that diplomacy had failed and declared war on Germany, with France following suit. World War II had begun.

1. Why did the Western Powers allow Germany to rearm itself?

1. What happened at the Munich Conference?

1. What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

The Rise of Fascism

Between the First and Second World Wars, fascist parties emerged across Europe. The main idea of fascism was to destroy the will of the individual in favor of the “people.” Fascists wanted a unified society, but they were not concerned with eliminating private property or class distinctions. Instead, fascists pushed for another identity, one rooted in extreme nationalism, which often relied on racial identity.

Fascism is a division of totalitarianism. A totalitarian ruler rules absolutely, attempting to control every aspect of citizens’ lives. Fascists are a little different because they rely heavily on nationalism. Their particular brand of nationalism is racism. This means that all the power was in the hands of one militaristic leader. There are a few countries in which fascism rose, in Russia under Stalin, Italy under Mussolini and Germany under Hitler.

1. Define fascism.

1. Define totalitarianism.

Italy: The FirstFascistState

Italy was going through many problems after World War I. Italy had 600,000 deaths and received nothing in the Versailles Treaty. The lack of acknowledgement by the Allies, coupled with Post-war problems like national debt, high unemployment, poverty, anger, strikes, riots, and demands for land reform caused Italy to need a change.

Italy was the first state to have a fascist government. The founder of this government was Benito Mussolini, who created the Nationalist Fascist Party in 1919. Mussolini recalled the glories of the ancient Roman Empire, in contrast to the defeat and poverty of the new 20th century. The members of the party, known asBlackshirts, fought against the violent movements of Socialists and Communists on the Left. This won them wide support among all of whom feared disorder. By 1921, the party seated its first members in the Italian parliament.

Although the fascists were just starting out and had limited representation, Mussolini demanded that King Victor Emanuel III give him and several other fascists some positions in government. To rally support, Mussolini organized his parliamentary thugs to march to Rome and seize power. Rather than cause a fight between the army and the fascists, the king named Mussolini Prime Minister.

Mussolini faced very little opposition to his consolidation of political power. He took over parliament in 1922. When he did take over Mussolini limited the power of parliament, banned labor unions, abolished rival political parties, set up a secret police, and used the Black Shirts to intimidate opponents. He also used propaganda. He was called "Il Duce" (the Leader), and propaganda photos and documentary films, music, education, television, and parades to help his image. In addition he rejected Democracy, Capitalism, Liberalism, Free Trade, Marxism, and just about everything else, “only the Duce can solve your problems.”

1. What were some problems in post-war Italy?

1. What did Mussolini do when he received all political power?

Fascism in Germany

Immediately following World War I, a revolt occurred that left Germany in a mess. But because of the large number of Germans favored democracy and this was the beginning of the WeimarRepublic.

The WeimarRepublic was in trouble from its inception. With the unsteady government many new political parties began to form. Corporal Adolf Hitler was ordered in September 1919 to investigate a small group in Munich known as the German Workers' Party. In 1920 the party was renamed the Nationalist Socialist German Workers’ Party, or the Nazis. Hitler joined the party and would slowly rise to the head of the party.

In 1923 things became bad in Germany. They could no longer pay reparations to the Allied countries. On 8th November, 1923, the Bavarian government held a meeting with about 3,000 officials. Adolf Hitler and armed storm troopers entered the building. Hitler jumped onto a table, fired two shots in the air and told the audience that the Munich Putsch or (Beer Hall Putsch) was taking place and the National Revolution had begun. It was a failed attempt and Hitler was sent to prison, however it was in prison that Hitler’s true voice would be heard and published in his book Mein Kampfor My Struggle. This book would be the key to his success after prison.

1. How did Hitler become a member of the Nazi Party?

1. What was Mein Kampf?

The Nazi Party

By May of 1926, Hitler was released and had defeated any rivals within the Nazi Party and assumed the title of supreme leader (Führer). From the years 1926-1929, the Nazi Party was relatively small and quiet. On October 29, 1929, the Wall Street stock market crashed with disastrous worldwide effects. The whole world suffered, companies bankrupted, banks failed and people lost their life savings. Unemployment soared; poverty and starvation became real for everyone. Governments seemed powerless to help. Adolf Hitler knew his time had come.

Hitler had a large support base with the peasants and workers. He used the uncertainty of the government to gain more power by claiming he could do it better. By the 1930 Reichstag (legislative house) election the Nazi’s were beginning to gain substantial support. The election gave them 107 seats in the Reichstag, which made them Germany’s second largest party. In 1932 Hitler decided to challenge Paul von Hindenburg the current president, for his seat. Hitler was defeated. But two years later, Hitler used Germany’s suffering to his advantage. Hitler became chancellor in 1933, and concentrated power to the Nazi Party. The German leaders seriously underestimated Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.

An old comrade of Hitler's sent a telegram to President Hindenburg regarding his new chancellor. Former General Erich Ludendorff had once supported Hitler and had even participated in the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923.

"By appointing Hitler Chancellor of the Reich you have handed over our sacred German Fatherland to one of the greatest demagogues of all time. I prophesy to you this evil man will plunge our Reich into the abyss and will inflict immeasurable woe on our nation. Future generations will curse you in your grave for this action." - General Erich Ludendorff

1. How did the Wall Street crash help Hitler rise to power?

1. What did General Ludendorff say about Hitler’s election as chancellor?

Adolf Hitler Becomes Dictator

Adolf Hitler, the new Chancellor of Germany, used the rules of democracy to legally establish himself as dictator. Hitler's plan was to establish a majority of elected Nazis in the Reichstag which would become a rubber stamp, passing whatever laws he desired while making it all perfectly legal.

The burning down of the Reichstag happened on February 27, 1933. The Reichstag Fire was blamed on the Communists, and Hitler used this event to obtain Hindenburg's signature to suspend a number of constitutional civil liberties. This would allow the Nazi government to take swift and harsh action against the communists. On his first day as chancellor, Hitler manipulated Hindenburg into dissolving the Reichstag and calling for the new elections.

After the new elections, the Nazis began a systematic takeover of the state governments throughout Germany. Armed SA and SS thugs barged into local government offices to throw out legitimate office holders and replace them with Nazi Reich commissioners. Hitler proposed the Enabling Act, which gave him dictatorial powers for four years. With his new powers Adolf Hitler becomes dictator of Germany in March 1933.

1. How did the Reichstag fire help Hitler?

1. What was the Enabling Act?

Japanese Expansion

Japan controlled Korea since the late 1800’s. Japanese troops had been located in this area to exercise trade with Manchuria for raw materials and finished goods. The Japanese Army wanted more of Manchuria’s resources and didn’t want to pay for them. In 1931, the Japanese army began to attack Chinese troops in Manchuria. When the war was halted with the influence of the League of Nations, Manchuria was in Japanese hands. The Japanese army controlled all of Manchuria.

In December 1937, Japanese units were on the outskirts of Nanking. The Chinese Army put up a token defense, and its leaders fled. The city would be punished harshly when it surrendered. As many as 300,000 Chinese soldiers and civilians would be executed, and rape, theft, and abuse were rampant. This was known as the Rape of Nanking. Here is an account of the atrocities:

“Those suffered most from the barbarity were women. They were not only raped by the Japanese, they were often brutally killed by the Japanese after the rape. "Sometimes (Japanese) cut off their breasts to reveal their white ribs; sometimes Japanese pierce through their lower body with bayonets, let them cry in pain! Sometimes they sticks wooden sticks, reed pipe or carrots into their lower body and stir, until they are dead, Japanese soldiers clap their hands and loudly laugh alongside"

Another account:

"The bodies in the villages, piled up in tens or hundreds, laid in ditches, ponds, fields or among haystacks. The horror of the scenes is hard to describe. Especially women..., their faces were dark, teeth fell, cheeks broken, blood in their mouth, their breasts had been cut off, chest and abdomen had been pierced through, intestines dragged on the ground, lower abdomens had been kicked at, their bodies had been bayoneted randomly."

By 1938, Chinese and Japanese troops were fighting in stalemate. This stalemate would continue until the Japanese would advance against the Allies in 1941.

1. Why did Japan want to control Manchuria?

1. Explain some of the atrocities that occurred during the Rape of Nanking in 1937?