Rise of Dictatorships After WW1 Flashcards
conditions that enabled dictators to rise to power
prewar developments ww1 collapse of authoritarian rule nationalism reactions to modernity
conditions that enabled stalin’s rise
economic conditions, weak leadership, censorship, terror
how many german soldiers killed or injured?
69.4% of all mobilised soldiers
how many russian soldiers killed or injured?
76.3% of all mobilised soldiers
features of Stalin’s Dictatorship
every aspect of life became dominated by the party
five year plans dictated the direction of the economy
party maintained strict control over education and media
cult of personality
socialist realism controlled culture
heavily reliant on use of force and terror
NKVD
purges and gulags
widespread soviet support
Stalin’s Dictatorship- Historiography
“Soviet citizens at all levels of society were subjected to intense secret police surveillance and were constantly subject to possible arrest for real or imagined infractions, often followed by long, indeed indeterminate sentences to forced labour camps” - Skocpol, 1979
conditions that enabled Mussolini’s rise
Italian economy and political system in decline
rising unemployment and inflation
striking workers in northern industrial regions
poverty and mafia control in the south
widespread violence on the streets
political disruption and disputes
fears of communist revolution
Mussolini’s rise
initially involved in socialist politics
in 1919 he formed a group, from which the fascist party would emerge
ordered his supporters to March on Rome October 1922
appointed PM, and within a few years the fascist party was the only legal party
features of Mussolini’s dictatorship
press freedoms disappeared censorship and propaganda cult of personality - Il Duce genuinely popular amongst italians prior to WW2 faced some opposition from Church, Army, and monarchy emphasis on indoctrinating the youth aggressive foreign policy expansionist withdrew from LoN in 1937 more authoritarian than totalitarian
conditions that enabled Japan’s Dictatorship
by the early 20th century, they were a leading industrial power
made some gains from PPS, but offended by the refusal to include a racial equality clause
came out of the war in a strong economic position, however this didn’t last and they were hit by a post war recession
western powers imposed tariffs on japanese goods
increasing population put pressure on food supplies
great depression greatly impacted Japan
1922 Washington Naval Treaty capped Japan’s Navy, and it was further restricted at the 1930 London Naval Treaty
Features of Japanese Dictatorship
ideology of Kodo which heavily focussed on militarist nationalism
believed that expansion would solve over-population, food shortages and economic stagnation
desire to be economically self sufficient and independent from the west
expansionist - invasion of Manchuria in 1931
no single leader, Hideki Tojo and Emperor Hirohito were the two most powerful figureheads
military dictatorship
violent
propaganda, particularly through education
Manchuria became Manchukuo in 1932 and was a puppet state of the Japanese
In 1937, Japan launched a full scale invasion of China
traditional nationalist values
withdrew from LoN in 1933
Name of Mussolini’s initial party
Fascio di combattimento
