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The Rise of Authoritarian Regimes

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

Why did the military come to dominate Japan in the 1930s and lead it toward aggression and war?

Explain how economic crisis, nationalism and the power of the army led to military domination of Japan in the 1930s
A clear N(A)-Level answer on how the military came to dominate Japan in the 1930s. The effects of the Depression, the need for resources, the rise of nationalism and the army, the invasion of Manchuria, and how to explain the drift to aggression.
9 min answer →

How did Stalin gain total control of the Soviet Union and rule it as a dictatorship?

Explain how Stalin gained and kept total control of the Soviet Union through methods such as terror, propaganda and central control of the economy
A clear N(A)-Level answer on how Stalin gained and held total power in the Soviet Union. Winning the power struggle, the purges and terror, the cult of personality, control of the economy, and how to weigh his methods of control.
9 min answer →

How did Mussolini and the Fascists come to power in Italy after the First World War?

Explain how problems after the First World War allowed Mussolini and the Fascist Party to take power in Italy
A clear N(A)-Level answer on how Mussolini and the Fascists took power in Italy. Postwar problems, fear of communism, the March on Rome, and how to explain the conditions that let a dictator rise.
9 min answer →

Why were Hitler and the Nazis able to rise from a tiny party to power in Germany by 1933?

Explain how the Treaty of Versailles, economic crisis and the appeal of the Nazis allowed Hitler to take power by 1933
A clear N(A)-Level answer on how Hitler and the Nazis took power in Germany by 1933. Anger at Versailles, the Great Depression, Nazi propaganda and promises, and how to explain why a crisis brought a dictator to power.
10 min answer →