15-Italian Fascism & German Nazism
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Transcript 15-Italian Fascism & German Nazism
CHC2D – Canadian History
Since World One
Unit 2 – Lesson #10
Italian Fascism and German Nazism
Background
The rise of Fascist and Nazi governments in Italy and
Germany was caused by several combining elements.
Both countries experienced anger over the end of
World War I and also experienced economic
difficulties during the 1920’s and 1930’s.
Italy’s Involvement in WWI
Italy did not join the war on the side of the Triple
Alliance (with Germany and Austria) in 1914 when the
war began.
After the stalemate of 1914 set in, Italy began to receive
offers from both Germany and Britain to get Italy to join
the war.
Italy signed a secret treaty with Britain in 1915 which
promised that Italy would be rewarded for entering the
war.
Promises Made & Broken
Britain offered Italy territories in Austria and several of
the German colonies if the allies won the war.
Italy concentrated its attacks on Austria in the alps but
never won a single battle.
Italy did, however, loose 600,000 lives.
At the negotiations after the war, Italy was given some of
the Austrian territory but none of the German colonies.
Post War Italy
Italy was divided politically with fascists and communists
at the far ends of the political spectrum.
During the summer of 1920 there were major strikes in
every major Italian city in the heavy industries and
transportation.
In the rural areas, peasants rose up and took over land
owned by large landowners.
Fascists vs Communists
During this period of strikes, Fascists openly fought with
Communists in the streets.
The 1921 elections saw the Fascists win 35 of 500 seats in
the Italian Parliament.
As strikes and land seizures continued, Mussolini, the
leader of the Fascists, declared that they would protect
national law and order (meaning property) from the
threat of the communists.
Fascist Support
The Fascists were supported by business owners, large
landowners and the middle class.
They feared the potential that the strikes, largely
inspired by the Communists, would have on their
property.
They eagerly supported the Fascists in their crusade
against the Communists.
How the Fascists Operated
Groups of men in unofficial uniforms, called the
“blackshirts”, could arrest and beat suspected
communists and destroy their offices.
Arson and murder were also tactics used by the
fascists.
A favorite tactic was to beat someone up then force
them to drink castor oil, which causes people to vomit
for hours.
The Role of the Fascists
The Fascists operated as a semi-military private police
force that people could hire to “solve” problems.
Squadristi, or a Fascist brigade, would be called up to
break up strikes and disrupt peaceful socialist and
communist rallies.
Basically, they were thugs for hire by the business elite
of Italy.
The March on Rome
In October 1922 the blackshirts organized a coup (a
takeover of the government) by marching through the
streets of Rome.
The Italian government attempted to declare martial
law but the King blocked the move, forcing the Italian
government to resign.
Mussolini was named Premier and granted 1 year of
emergency powers to govern.
Mussolini Takes Power
Before the end of the year, Mussolini changed the
election laws so that the party with the largest number
of votes automatically won 66% of the seats in
Parliament.
In 1924, the Fascists won 60% of the total vote, largely
because of the “supervision” of the election by the
Squadristi.
Mussolini in Power
By 1929, Mussolini’s government began to limit civil
liberties and take full control of the society in Italy.
The press was censored, labour unions were outlawed,
it was illegal to strike and all political parties except for
the Fascist party were abolished.
Mussolini took for himself the title of “Il Duce” or “The
Leader” and began to alter Italy’s political and social
landscape, providing a model by which other Fascist
leaders, such as Adolf Hitler, would follow.
Adolf Hitler
During World War I; Hitler, who was born in Austria,
served in the German army as a dispatch runner.
After the war, he was a member of a special army
instructional unit created to combat socialist and
democratic propaganda.
By 1920, Hitler was the leader of a small political party
called the National Socialist German Worker’s Party.
Hitler Attempts to Seize Power
In 1923, at the height of the German economic crisis,
Hitler attempted to copy Mussolini’s “March on Rome.”
In what is known as the “Beer Hall Putsch” Nazi
brownshirts assembled in a Munich beer hall where
Hitler jumped on a platform, fired a pistol into the
ceiling and proclaimed, “the national revolution has
broken out!”
Hitler in Prison
The police, however, suppressed this revolt and arrested
Hitler, who was sentenced to 5 years in prison where he
wrote Mein Kampf, “My Struggle.”
Hitler’s trial and book transformed him from a fringe
politician into a figure of national prominence.
Hitler & Economics
During the German economic revival (1924 to 1929),
Hitler was almost forgotten, but the Great Depression
brought him back into the spotlight.
Germany suffered the most of all countries during the
Depression, 6 million Germans were unemployed.
Looking for Something to Blame
While many Germans began to turn to Communism
during the depression, others began to blame the
Treaty of Versailles for Germany’s economic problems.
Hitler began to denounce many aspects of German
society, but especially the small Jewish minority.
Only 600,000 Jews lived in Germany.
The Nazis Gain Support
As the depression wore on, Nazi support in elections
grew:
1928, they won 12 seats.
1930, they won 107 seats.
1932, they won 230 seats and were the single largest party
in the Reichstag.
Political instability after 1932 led to Hitler’s
appointment as Chancellor in 1933.
Hitler in Power
Once in power, Hitler began to pass anti-Semitic laws.
He also defined a person as Jewish if 1 grandparent was
Jewish.
The Nuremburg Laws of 1935 removed all citizenship
rights from German Jews.
Jews were barred from the civil service, political office
and from teaching.
Nazi Racism
The Nuremburg laws also forbade the marriage or
sexual relations between Jews and non-Jews.
On November 9, 1938; Kristallnacht, the night of
broken glass, Nazi storm troopers smashed Jewish
shops, businesses and synagogues, they beat
thousands and sent 30,000 to concentration camps.
Hitler in Power
By this time, Hitler had already abolished all other
political parties, outlawed labour unions and made
strikes illegal.
He basically eliminated any form of opposition to his
government.
By now, Hitler was know as “Die Fuhrer”