Europe
Dark Clouds Gather
The end of World War I brought many changes to Europe. It destroyed many empires (German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, Ottoman), shattered the power of old monarchies, and brought hope for a new peace and, perhaps, even democratic government.
Instead, many nations struggled financially. Political instability, and even violence, was common in places such as Germany, Italy, and Eastern Europe. The Great Depression of 1929 made things much, much worse.
In response, several nations turned to dictators; strong leaders who promised a better future. This was a mistake.
The Dictators
In Italy, a dictator named Benito Mussolini had risen to power. He promised to rebuild the ancient Roman Empire, conquering new lands for Italy and bringing glory to the nation.
Germany, heavily punished by the Treaty of Versailles, was bitter and looking for a comeback. The Nazi party, headed by Adolf Hitler, promised to make Germany strong again. They were elected in 1933. Hitler rebuilt the economy and, in secret, rebuilt the military. He had big plans for Germany's future.
Both Mussolini and Hitler were followers of Fascism. Fascism is a type of government in which the government has total control, people worship the leader, and criticism is not allowed. Fascism is usually racist, militaristic, and violent.
Benito Mussolini
Adolf Hitler
Mussolini and Hitler, BFFs
The Democracies
The Democracies of Europe looked at these Fascists with concern. The most powerful democracies, Britain and France, had no desire to fight another world war; together, they had over 8,000,000 people wounded and killed in the last war. Instead, they tried diplomacy to keep Germany and Italy happy.
This diplomacy, called "appeasement", meant giving them land and other gifts to keep them happy. The problem? Give a bully your lunch money today, and what will they do tomorrow? Probably want more, right?
Will this policy of "appeasement" keep the peace? Or, is it just delaying the inevitable fight? We shall see...
Winston Churchill, Britain's wartime leader
