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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, and why did Japan pursue expansion in Asia in the 1930s?

Explain why militarists came to dominate Japan and why Japan began to expand aggressively in Asia in the 1930s
A focused answer to the O-Level History dot point on the rise of militarism in Japan. The effects of the Depression, the weakness of civilian government, the appeal of expansion for resources, and the invasion of Manchuria in 1931.
9 min answer →

How did Stalin gain total control of the Soviet Union and transform it through terror and the planned economy?

Explain how Stalin gained and maintained total power in the Soviet Union and the methods he used to control it
A focused answer to the O-Level History dot point on Stalin's rule. How Stalin won the power struggle after Lenin, the Five-Year Plans and collectivisation, the use of terror and the purges, and propaganda and the cult of personality.
9 min answer →

How did Hitler rise from the leader of a small party to dictator of Germany by 1934?

Explain how Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power in Germany and turned it into a dictatorship by 1934
A focused answer to the O-Level History dot point on Hitler's rise to power. The weaknesses of Weimar Germany, the impact of the Depression, Nazi propaganda and promises, the appointment of Hitler in 1933, and the steps to dictatorship by 1934.
10 min answer →

How did Mussolini rise to power in Italy and turn it into a Fascist dictatorship?

Explain how Mussolini and the Fascists rose to power in Italy and established a dictatorship in the 1920s
A focused answer to the O-Level History dot point on Mussolini's rise to power. Italy's problems after the First World War, the appeal of Fascism, the March on Rome in 1922, and the steps by which Mussolini built a Fascist dictatorship.
9 min answer →