The Rise of

Totalitarianism and

World War II

The Bolshevik Revolution 1917

Communism and the USSR

V.I. Lenin Leon Trotsky

Josef Stalin

Benito Mussolini and his Blackshirts use terror tactics to introduce Fascism to Italy in 1922

Mussolini riles a crowd of rabid supporters after becoming Il Duce

Addressing the Italian army in Africa

Ranting from the balcony

Hitler joins the National Social German Workers Party and rules Germany - Der Fuhrer rules the “Third Reich” as head of the Nazi government.

Hitler’s humble beginnings in rural Austriabelied the impact he would have as an adult.

Hitler as a young aspiring art student.

Hitler displayedsome talent but fail the art school entrance exam twice.

The swastika flag was his most enduring design.

Destitute and living on the streetsof Bavaria, Hitler cheers the coming of WW I . Hitler joined the German Army and was wounded twice in action.

Hitler in uniform in 1918.

Disillusioned with the outcome of the War, Hitler searched for the cause of Germany’s collapse

He happens upon the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei .

He soon becomes the head of the Nazis

The Beerhall Putsch 1923

The Nazis fail to overthrow the government by force. Hitler is arrested and jailed. However this is far from the end of the Nazi movement.

Hitler learned lessons about how to go about taking power for his party.

Hitler poses in a traditional German outfit on the eve of the Putsch.

(Nice pants dude!)

1926: While in Landsberg prison Hitler pens Mein Kampf .

His rambling, ranting book explains his political philosophy and views on society.

Hitler accepts the position of Chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933.

The Nazi’s celebrate their victory with a torch light parade.

Hitler watches from a balcony.

Only weeks after taking power, Hitler examines the rubble left after the Reichstag - the German capitol building - burned to the ground.

Communists were blamed and punished with imprisonment and executions.

Soon after the Reichstag fire Hitler was installed as Dictator of Germany. There was now virtually no stopping the Nazi rise to superpower status.

Hitler viewed himself as a savior of Germany - riding in armor like the mythical Lohengrin.

The cult of the Master Race

Glorifying the martial spirit and Aryan perfectionwhile demonizing Judaism were staples of Nazi propaganda.

Josef Goebbels - Hitler’s chief propaganda minister