Totalitarianism & Between the Wars Review

Totalitarianism and Between the Wars

• Essential Question: Why did totalitarian governments emerge between World War I and World War II?

Key Terms and Concepts

• Totalitarianism: A government that controls everything
• Fascism: werA system of government where one leader has total po
• Communism: A system where all property is owned by the community
• Socialism: A system where the government owns and controls some parts of the economy
• Nazi: A party led by Hitler
• Great Depression: A global economic downturn in the 1930s
• Twenty-One Demands: Japan's demands for more control and influence in China during World War I
• May Fourth Movement: A 1919 protest in China against foreign influence
• Guomindang: The Nationalist party in China
• The Long March: A 6,000-mile march by Mao Zedong and his followers in 1934-5, during which many civilians were killed by Japanese soldiers
• Karl Marx: The founder of the Communist party
• Mao Zedong: The leader of the Communist party in China
• Lenin: The founder of the Bolshevik party
• Emperor Hirohito: The Emperor of Japan during World War II
• Manchuria: A region in China invaded by Japan in 1931
• Ultranationalists: Extremists who believe in aggressive foreign policy
• Flapper: A young woman in the 1920s known for her freedom and independence
• Prohibition: The ban on alcohol in the US from 1920-1933
• Surrealism: An art movement that focuses on dream-like images
• Sigmund Freud: The founder of psychoanalysis
• Harlem Renaissance: A revival of African American culture in the 1920s
• Abstract Art: An art movement that does not show reality directly
• Maginot Line: A French defense line built before World War II
• Disarmament: The reduction of military forces and weapons
• Kellogg-Briand Pact: An agreement in 1928 to avoid war
• Overproduction: The production of more goods than people can buy
• FDR's New Deal: A series of reforms set by President Roosevelt
• Benito Mussolini: The Italian dictator and founder of fascism
• Black Shirt: Mussolini's fascist followers
• Joseph Stalin: The Russian ruler who used propaganda to manipulate people and was feared for his strict rules
• Gulag: A Soviet prison camp
• Socialist Realism: An art movement that shows Soviet life in a positive light
• Atheism: The belief of not having a religion
• Weimar Republic: A government in Germany after World War I
• Adolph Hitler: The leader of the Nazi party
• Gestapo: The Nazi secret police
• Nuremberg Laws: Laws that discriminated against Jews and took away their rights
• Pacifism: The belief of avoiding war
• Indoctrination: Teaching people to believe something without questioning
• Censorship: The control of information
• The Great Purge: Stalin's campaign to eliminate opposition, which involved fake trials and executions

Review Questions

• Similarities between totalitarian regimes: Single leaders with power, ability to legally kill, and prioritization of state over individual rights
• Post-war disillusionment and the rise of totalitarian governments: Totalitarian governments took advantage of people's disappointment with the Treaty of Versailles and the lack of stability in Germany
• Treaty of Versailles and the rise of Hitler: The harsh conditions of the Treaty led to resentment and economic instability in Germany, which Hitler used to gain power
• Nuremberg Laws: Hitler passed the laws to initiate discrimination against Jews and take away their rights
• Goals of the Big Three Leaders: Wilson wanted to establish lasting peace, Lloyd George aimed to protect the British Empire, and Clemenceau sought to ensure security for France