Long Term Factors of WW2
History: KS3, topic 19.1.1
Long Term Factors of the Second World War
Over the 1920s and 1930s AD, democracy began to fail in several countries. In their place came radical dictators. These dictators had aggressive policies and war became more and more likely.
The Great Depression
- In 1929 AD the world was thrown into an economic depression.
- This caused many people to lose their jobs and their savings.
- This had a serious impact on societies and they became dissatisfied with moderate politicians who could not end the depression.
- Instead, they turned to political extremists.
Italy
- Mussolini was the dictator of Italy.
- He was a ‘Fascist’. This means he had right-wing views and believed that a strong leader should have complete control over a country.
- Mussolini became the leader of Italy in 1922 AD.
- After the Great Depression, Mussolini wanted to distract the Italian population from their economic problems. He did this by invading Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia) in 1935 AD.
Germany
- After the Great Depression, the German Weimar government could not solve Germany’s economic problems.
- People turned to radicals, such as the Nazis.
- The Nazis were an extreme, right-wing party.
- Hitler was a Fascist dictator who wanted to expand Germany and began with Czechoslovakia in 1938 AD.
Japan
- From 1926 AD, Japan was led by Emperor Hirohito.
- Hirohito’s government was run by the military.
- The military wanted to expand Japan.
- They invaded Manchuria (an area in China) in 1932 AD.
- They were not stopped by the European peace-keeping body, the League of Nations.
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When did the Great Depression begin?