A World Ready for War
A Political ImbalanceAfter World War I, the world was at an imbalance. Austria-Hungary was split into two nations, Germany demilitarized and new nations created (such as Czechoslovakia and Poland). Combined with harsh war reparations and unhappy losers, the world was ripe for another war.
The 1920s and 1930s saw the rise of some history’s most powerful totalitarian leaders. From 1922 to 1925, the Italian Fascist movement lead by Benito Mussolini grabbed power and set up a totalitarian, expansionist government. To the east Emperor Hirohito, an advocate for aggressive foreign policy, ascended to the Japanese throne on December 25th, 1926. Returning to Europe, Adolf Hitler rose to power in 1933, when he was appointed Chancellor. He abolished democracy, filled the government with his Nazi supporters, and began major rearmament forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles (which ended World War I). |
TimelineOctober 1922
Benito Mussolini leads the "March on Rome," seizing power over the government December 1925 Benito Mussolini becomes "the Leader" of the Fascist government December 1926 Emperor Hirohito ascends to the Japanese throne January 1933 Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany August 1934 Adolf Hitler becomes Führer (absolute leader) of Germany |