Totalitarianism: a concept used to describe political systems where by a state regulates nearly every aspect of public and private

life. Fascism: an authoritarian nationalist ideology focused on solving economic, political, and social problems that its supporters see as causing national decline or decadence. Nazism: the ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Workers Party under Adolf Hitler, and the policies adopted by the dictatorial government of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945

Hitler's Actions
Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933. Almost immediately he began secretly building up Germany's army and weapons. In 1934 he increased the size of the army, began building warships and created a German airforce. Compulsory military service was also introduced. Although Britain and France were aware of Hitler's actions, they were also concerned about the rise of Communism and believed that a stronger Germany might help to prevent the spread of Communism to the West.

In 1936 Hitler ordered German troops to enter the Rhineland. At this point the German army was not very strong and could have been easily defeated. Yet neither France nor Britain was prepared to start another war. Hitler also made two important alliances during 1936. The first was called the Rome-Berlin Axis Pact and allied Hitler's Germany with Mussolini's Italy. The second was called the AntiComitern Pact and allied Germany with Japan.

Hitler's next step was to begin taking back the land that had been taken away from Germany. In March 1938, German troops marched into Austria. The Austrian leader was forced to hold a vote

asking the people whether they wanted to be part of Germany. The results of the vote were fixed and showed that 99% of Austrian people wanted Anschluss (union with Germany). The Austrian leader asked Britain, France and Italy for aid. Hitler promised that Anschluss was the end of his expansionist aims and not wanting to risk war, the other countries did nothing.

Hitler did not keep his word and six months later demanded that the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia be handed over to Germany. Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of Britain, met with Hitler three times during September 1938 to try to reach an agreement that would prevent war. The Munich Agreement stated that Hitler could have the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia provided that he promised not to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia. Hitler was not a man of his word and in March 1939 invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. Despite calls for help from the Czechoslovak government, neither Britain nor France was prepared to take military action against Hitler. However, some action was now necessary and believing that Poland would be Hitler's next target, both Britain and France promised that they would take military action against Hitler if he invaded Poland. Chamberlain believed that, faced with the prospect of war against Britain and France, Hitler would stop his aggression. Chamberlain was wrong. German troops invaded Poland on 1st September 1939.

Benito Mussolini is the youngest Prime Minister of Italy on October 31, 1922. From Intel they believe that Benito Mussolini decided to go into the war because he is trying to keep Italy safe and not to have to pay for the war. Many Italians especially liked Benito Mussolini taking over the Italian government. All of Italy thinks of Benito Mussolini as the hero of Italy. Not too long ago Benito changed the Italian government and now all the rights of the Italians have been taken away, freedoms lost are the freedom of speech and that opposing parties against the new Italian Government are not allowed. In 1924 Mussolini's henchmen kidnapped the socialist leader Giacomo Matteotti who was one of the Italian Government's most hated critics. When Benito Mussolini started to attack other countries the first country he invaded was Ethiopia and they didn't have a chance. Mussolini knew that if he could not reach a peace agreement that Italy wouldn't have a chance World War II. Benito Mussolini was tricked into joining the German Government because he thought it wouldn't cost as much to fight the German rather than the Allies. He watched from the sidelines as Hitler attacked and kept on winning victories in the war. He has hoped for a lose for Germany because he wants to be able to have room to breathe.He doesn't want the pressure of fighting along Germany's side. Mussolini finally decided that it was time to pay Hitler for his protection of Italy. He decided to attack Albania and Greece to pay back Hitler during the year of 1940. When the Allies attacked Sicily Mussolini knew it was just a mater of time until the people and the Fascist Government would turn on him. On July 24th, The Fascist Grand Council dismissed Benito Mussolini from the office of Dictatorship. The next day Mussolini still went to his office and denied any such removal. Later that day the Royal Command arrested him at the steps of the Villa Savoia before the king. He was sent to a prison on the Island of Ponza. He was then transferred to the coast of Sardinia. He finally was sent to the high hotel of Grand Sasso d'Italia the mountains. Eventually he was rescued by the Germans. Everyone thought that it would be impossible to rescue him. German Commandos on September 12, 1943 rescued him with their Hang Gliders. Instead of letting Germany have control of the Government of Italy.

Mussolini decided to suggest to Hitler that he could use the new Fascist Government to execute the members of the Grand Council. The Grand Council included Mussolini's son-in-law Ciano who he dared to vote against him. Mussolini decided to wait because he knew that the Fascist Government shouldn't have stayed with the Germany Alliance. While German defenses broke down the partisan? Leader of Italy decided that Mussolini should be executed. Mussolini rejected the advice to leave the country. He instead traveled to Valtellina trying to make a final stand at the mountains. His problem was that only some men could follow him there. His efforts at disguising himself as a German official was fatal. He was shot on April 28, 1945. The Italians weren't effected by Mussolini's death.Many of them didn't really care for Mussolini, because he had led the Italians into WWII.

Emperor Hiroito However, he had no choice but to approve the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that led to war between Japan and the United States in December 1941. Despite his lack of enthusiasm over the decision to go to war, he was pleased with the Japanese military and naval successes that followed. He frequently appeared in military uniform to raise morale.

When Lenin died in 1924, Stalin was by no means his most likely successor, but through talented political maneuvering, a naturally suspicious mindset, and luck, he bested his rivals and emerged as the partys leader by 1928. Before he died, Lenin had grown disillusioned with Stalin. In a letter from December 1922, he warned prominent members of the party that Stalin "has concentrated boundless power in his hands and I am not convinced that he will always manage to use this power with adequate care." Although Lenin suggested the party remove Stalin, they did nothing, and many of its members soon paid a heavy price. In the 1930s Stalin conducted purges, eliminating party rivals Stalin conducted purges, eliminating party rivals and possible enemies, decimating the Red Army's military leadership, and persecuting citizens he thought were bourgeois, critical of his regime, or potentially dangerous. Throughout his rule, Stalin created an atmosphere of unpredictability and fear that allowed him to reign supreme. Extremely mistrustful of the motives of othersto the point of paranoia, especially

later in lifeStalin crushed initiative and independence, even among his closest associates. Whether a threat was real or imagined, Stalin took no chances. Nikita Khrushchv, who took over leadership of the Soviet Union after Stalins death, wrote, All of us around Stalin were temporary people. As long as he trusted us to a certain degree, we were allowed to go on living and working. But the moment he stopped trusting you, Stalin would start to scrutinize you until the cup of his distrust overflowed.

Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Despite his ruthlessness, under Stalin's leadership the Soviet Union became a global power. With Stalin at the helm, the country was able to stave off Hitler's Nazi invasion during World War II (although this cost the lives of more than 27 million Soviet citizens), and his forced industrialization, which also contributed to the death of millions, wrenched the country into modernity. By the time Stalin died on March 5, 1953, after suffering a stroke four days prior, the Soviet Union had built an atomic bomb, exercised influence over a vast area of eastern Europe, and boasted the world's seco- nd largest economy, trailing only the United States.