Chapter 23: The Rise Of Fascism And Totalitarian States -Introduction

Chapter 23 - The Rise of Fascism and Totalitarian States

1. Introduction

President Woodrow Wilson said the United States joined World War I in 1917 to make the world a safe place for democracy. But when the war ended, things didn't go as planned. Even some countries that won felt like they lost. Germany, which lost, was especially unhappy because they had to follow very strict rules from the Treaty of Versailles. Countries all over were trying to fix their economies after the war but it was hard.

The 1920s were a shaky time with a lot of countries not getting along and having problems inside their own borders. Then, in the 1930s, the Great Depression hit, starting in the United States and spreading worldwide. This made things even worse. With so many problems, people in some countries thought it was a good idea to have leaders who could make things stable and promised a better future, even if it meant giving up some freedoms. This led to dictatorships in places like Germany, Italy, the Soviet Union, and others.

Themes

Cultural Interaction: Fascism was a way of thinking that said being loyal to your country, its strong leaders, and putting the country's needs first was more important than individual freedoms.

Political Systems: The chaos after World War I and the Great Depression made it easier for communism and fascism to spread, and for leaders with total control to take over.

Economic Systems: Under fascism and communism, the government has a lot of control over businesses and the economy.