Topic title: Villains become heroes and heroes become villains. How true is this of post-war leaders?
Year group: 9
When taught: November/ December
What are we learning?
· The features of as well as the differences and similarities between communism and fascism
· Understand what democracy means and how this differs from dictatorship
· Learn about life under both Hitler and Stalin.
· Learn about what impact fascism had in the UK during the 1930s looking at the Mitford sisters as a case study.
Why is this important to know?
· To understand the circumstances that led to WW2;
· To gain an understanding of what life was like under a dictatorship and how this led to the brainwashing of German and Soviet societies;
· To gain a better understanding about how dictatorships work and the implications of such a political system today. To gain a global perspective of early C20th history
· Opportunity to develop our skills of evaluation and analysis further.
Where does this link to our past and future learning?
· This links to the causes of the Russian Revolution and its consequences and the importance of the Russian Revolution in relation to international relations.
· It gives an insight into interwar years and the causes of the second world war
· Concepts of power, dictatorship, democracy
· It feeds into future topics on the Holocaust and the Cold War and gives students an understanding of different political ideologies.
How will we be assessed on this topic?
· This topic will be assessed in the Year 9 exam.
What makes a strong piece of work in this topic? What are teachers hoping to see?
· Use of specific and detailed evidence to support points
· Consistent use of key terms and subject specific vocabulary
· Ability to select, organise and prioritise information
· To evaluate significance and their relative importance
· To explore how different historians have different views on the rise of and impact of different dictators.
What key words are there in this topic?
Year 9 History – Interwar Dictators Flashcards | Quizlet
What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?
· Compare and contrast interwar dictators with others
· Meanwhile, elsewhere: consider what is happening in other countries at the same time.
· Evaluate why dictators come to power
· Consider how historians have interpreted their impact over time
What wider reading can be done on this topic?
· ‘The Hitler Myth’ by Ian Kershaw
· ‘Weimar and Nazi Germany’ by Chris Hinton
· ‘The Second World War’ by Dominic Sandbrook
· Lenin and the Russian Revolution by Steven Phillips
· Russia under Tsarism and Communism by Terry Fiehn & Chris Corin
Useful online links for wider reading
CLIPS
PODCAST
BBC Sounds – Real Dictators – Available Episodes
READING
Supporting documents/ links
· Students will be given a knowledge organiser at the end of the topic to revise for the end of topic assessment.
