Key Concepts and Causes of World War II and Fascism

Historical Terminology: Russian Revolution Era

Key Definitions

• Soviet: Workers' and soldiers' assembly.
• USSR: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
• Duma: Russian parliament.
• Bolshevik: Radical socialists.
• Menshevik: Moderate socialists.
• Red Army: The Bolshevik Army.
• Tsar: Russian Emperor.

The Road to World War II

The period leading up to the war saw several aggressive actions by Germany and its allies:

• Hitler broke the Treaty of Versailles and marched his soldiers into the Rhineland (1936).
• Germany signed the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan and Italy, directed against the Soviet Union.
• Hitler provided military aid to the Nationalist rebels during the Spanish Civil War.
• Germany annexed Austria (the Anschluss), as Hitler believed the nations belonged together.
• Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (1939), agreeing not to attack each other and secretly dividing parts of Poland.

Characteristics of World War II (1939–1945)

• It was the biggest military conflict in history.
• It was a worldwide conflict. Fighting took place across diverse environments, including the desert, arctic, and jungle.
• Technology had advanced significantly, leading to a war of rapid movement, not the trench stalemate seen in WWI.
• Operation Barbarossa: Refers to the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 (not 1914).
• Widespread National Resistance Movements emerged.
• Extensive use of Espionage.
• The Holocaust: Approximately 6 million Jews died due to radical Nazi racial theories.
• The USA dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities (Hiroshima and Nagasaki).
• Allied Powers: Included Britain and Commonwealth nations (e.g., Australia, New Zealand, Canada).

Hitler's Ideology and the Roots of Conflict

The war was driven by a desire for revenge and radical ideology. The Swastika symbolized radical hatred and intolerance. Hitler wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle), in which he articulated his belief that the Aryan race was superior. This ideology fueled the Holocaust, a term meaning “burning sacrifice” in Greek.

• Anti-Semitism: This hatred of Jews was central to the Nazi philosophy.
• Nuremberg Trials: Sentenced several Nazi leaders to death for crimes against humanity following the war.

Global Effects of the Great Depression

The economic crisis destabilized governments and encouraged aggressive foreign policies:

• Germany: Broke the Treaty of Versailles, which Hitler constantly reminded the public had been unfair.
• Japan: Needing resources, they invaded Manchuria (1931) and subsequently resigned from the League of Nations.
• Italy: Mussolini attempted to distract Italians from domestic economic problems by increasing power abroad.
• Britain: Suffered high unemployment, reaching 3 million.
• France: The effects hit them later; they were unable to export wine effectively.
• USA: The Republican government lost power, leading to the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
• Soviet Union: The country had begun rapid industrialization, insulating it somewhat from the global crisis.

Factors Contributing to the Rise of Fascism

• Fear of Communism.
• Severe Economic Crisis.
• Exaltation of extreme Nationalism.
• Weakness of existing Democratic Governments.

How the Economic Crisis Spread to Europe

The crisis expanded because the USA attempted to recover its capital and loans from European debtors.

Key Interventionist Economic Measures

Governments adopted interventionist policies to combat the Depression:

• Re-distribution of the workforce.
• Better utilization of land resources.
• Raising the value of agricultural products.
• Implementing credit systems and programs to re-employ the unemployed.
• Stabilizing the national currency.

Note: Traditionally, liberal countries were not interventionist, but the severity of the Depression forced many to adopt these measures.