Transcript The Rise of Fascism

Qualities of a _________
Government
Exalts that the nation and race are above
the individual
 Centralized, autocratic government
headed by a dictator (single pol. party)
 Severe social regimentation, control, and
censorship
• State control of economy, media, and
propaganda
• Use of school to spread ideology

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Elements of Fascism
Aggressive nationalism
 To be strong, the nation needs a strong
gov’t led by a dictator to impose order on
society
 State/gov’t is most important
 Nation needed to expand its territory; build
its military
 Suppress any oppositionAnti-communists
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The Rise of
Fascism
The World at the Brink of War
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The Origins of Trouble
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The Treaty of
Versailles ends and
World War I and left
Germany with
enormous debt and
inflation due to the
reparations they were
forced to pay.
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A Little Corporal Stands Tall
Adolf Hitler a veteran
of World War I
becomes a leading
proponent of German
nationalism in the
1920’s.
 A failed attempt to
overthrow the
government lands
Hitler in prison.
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Mein Kempf
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During his incarceration
Hitler put his political &
nationalistic beliefs as
well as his anti-Semitic
feelings to print in his
book Mein Kempf.
His plan of Racial (Aryan)
Superiority is also
outlined.
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Elected to Office

Feeding on people’s fears
Nazi’s set fire to the
Reichstag prior to the
election and blamed the
communists.

In 1933 Hitler’s Nazi party
were elected into the
majority of the German
Reichstag and Hitler was
elected Chancellor.
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Italy: The Beginning of
Problems
1917Ally of U.S. in
WWIpromised Austrian
territory in return
 1920spost-WWI and
internal problems: economy
and class tensions,
unemployment, and inflation
 1920sCommunists started
organizing the poorstrikes
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Fascism Rises to Power
in Italy
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Facing the same economic
difficulties as Germany a
newspaper editor named
Benito Mussolini is elected
leader.
– powerful speaker and
demagogue (fears)
Blamed Communists, labor
leaders, and weak
politicians for Italian decline
His promise to restore Italy
to the glory of the Roman
Empire.
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Italian Fascism

1919, Fascist Partyextreme nationalism
and race
– Opposed democracy: the power of one
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1922 Mussolini lead thousands of “Black
Shirts” in a march on Romeseized
control of gov’t “Believe! Obey! Fight!”
Mussolini’s Plan
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Complete very public
projects.
Rebuild the transportation
system and have the
trains run on time.
Arrest and harass the
Sicilian led Mafia.
Rebuild the Army
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Hitler & Mussolini
Join Forces
An alliance of the two emerging nations is
forged.
 A plan of divide and conquer is developed;
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– Germany will invade and conquer Central,
Western & Eastern Europe. Plus the Soviet
Union.
– Italy will conquer the nations of the
Mediterranean Sea and North Africa.
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A “new” Rome?
1935 Italy invades
Ethiopia seeking to
control her grain
harvests.
 Invasions move
Eastern into Tunisia.

– Following the path of
the Roman conquerors
to Carthage.
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German Forces March
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An invasion of Austria
began and faced little
resistance as Hitler
claimed to be reuniting
the 2 nations. I seek no
more land!
Shortly thereafter,
Sudetenland is invaded.
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Appeasement
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The nations of Europe
met with Hitler at the
Munich Conference to
discuss the invasion.
An agreement was
reached ending further
hostilities.
Prime Minister
Chamberlain of Great
Britain pronounced that “
“we have attained peace
in our time.”
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An Uneasy Truce
Germany and the
Soviet Union sign a
Non-Aggression Pact
 Under the terms of
this treaty both
countries agree not to
attack the other.
 Stalin & Hitler prepare
for war with each
other.
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Blitzkrieg: Lightening Attack
Hitler’s idea of
“Peace in our Time”
 Invade, Invade &
Invade
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–
–
–
–
Poland
Holland
France
The Soviet Union
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The World is at the Brink of
Fascist Dominance
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Describe and analyze the social
atmosphere that existed in
Europe that allowed the rise of
Hitler and Mussolini.
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Systems Compared
Italian Fascism
 ideology of antidemocracy.
 The state is absolute and
totalitarian and all citizens
must follow the state.
 The state is most
important
German Nazism
 Promotes a racist and
anti-semitic ideology
 Aryan race is superior
 Gov’t must promote the
perfect race
 Nazism tends to be
fascist in gov’t structure
 Race is most important
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Rise of Mussolini
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Discuss the problems
facing Italy after WWI
Discuss the rise of
Mussolini to power.
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