Garden City High School Global History & Geography ill. Mr. M. Stratis, Esq. How did fascism become a popularpolitical beliefin post-waritaly?

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1 Garden City High School Global History & Geography ill Mr. M. Stratis, Esq. Lesson: Fascism Aim: How did fascism become a popularpolitical beliefin post-waritaly? I. What are the origins offascism? A. Ancient Greece: tyrants ofcity-states (e.g. Peisistratus) B. Ancient Rome: dictators ofthe republic (e.g. Julius Caesar) C. Based on the fasces - Roman symbol ofauthority for consuls II. What are the basic ideas offascism? A. Fascism opposes democracy 1. Democratic government is seen as being weak and inefficient 2. Ridiculesbeliefthat state exists to serve the people 3. Civil liberties andthemultiparty system are unnecessary B. Fascism opposes communism 1. Opposes goals ofa socialist economy 2. Condemns international unity ofworkers 3. Believes that communism cannot save a nation C. Fascism supports Dictatorship 1. Praises dictatorship as being strong and efficient 2. Claims that the "people are nothing; state is everything".- '. 3. Endorses a totalitarian state (where government controls every aspectof life) D. Fascism favors extreme nationalism - 1. Exaggerates the accomplishment ofthe nation 2. Advocates imperialismto create an empire 3. Praises military force and war (mastery ofthe world) III. Why was fascism popular in post-war Italy? A. Economic Distress - Low living standards 1. Ruinous inflation 2. Heavy taxes to pay war costs 3. Widespread unemployment 1

2 B. Fears ofcommunism 1. Contended with Communist beliefthat workers seize factories and peasants seize estates 2. Fought socialists and communists with support offactory and landowners 3. Gained major fmancial support from rich and middle class C. Appeal to Nationalism 1. "Italia Irredenta" : beliefthat Italy shouldreceive all territories where Italians lived 2. "Marenostro" (our sea): wanted to dominate the Mediterranean Sea 3. "ImperoRomano": boasted ofthe restoration ofthe Roman Empire D. Weak Government 1. No one political party commanded a parliamentary majority (51%) 2. Relied on coalition and bloc governments which often fell apart 3. People lacked a democratic tradition and had little training in civic responsibilities E. Leadership ofbenito Mussolini ( ) 1. Ambitious and unscrupulous personality who was the son ofa blacksmith and originally an elementary schoolteacher 2. Became ajournalist in Switzerland, France and Austria ( ) and then editor ofavantil, a socialist newspaper (1912) 3. Went from being a socialist (he was expelled from the Socialist Party) to a nationalist (founded fascist newspaper) 4. Promoted Italian cooperation with Entente Powers and served in the Italian Army in World War I ( ) - was wounded 5. Organized fascist military bands calledblack Shirts (usedviolence and brutality against opponents) in Milan (1919) 6. Created FascistParty (1921) and appeared as the "Saviour ofitaly " IV. How did Mussolini seize control ofthe Italian government? A. In 1922, Mussolini felt powerful enough to demand control ofthe government B. He threatened to use force and ordered his supporters to "March on Rome" 1. King Victor Emmanuelillrefused to declare martial law and give power to Mussolini 2. Unopposed by the army, Mussolini's Black Shirts.poured into Rome 3. Feeling immense political pressure, king gave Mussolini the right to form a government C. Mussolini seized power without popular vote or parliamentary majority V. What policies did Mussolini prescribe for Italy? 2

3 A. Governmental Policies 1. Totalitarian dictatorship with Mussolini as supreme leader (n Duce) 2. Only one political party (Fascist Party) was allowed to operate 3. Legislative elections were limited to a "yes" or "no" vote for candidates chosen by the Fascists 4. Civil liberties were denied and secret police, violence andjailings were frequently used B. LaborPolicies 1. Fascists strictly controlled workers 2. Determined wages, hours and working conditions 3. Controlled labor unions and prohibited strikes C. Industrial Policies 1. Strict regulation ofthe economy 2. Organizedboth labor and industry into small fascist-controlled economic associations called corporations 3. Encouraged industrial development D. Public Works - clearing slums, building roads, bridges and public buildings E. Religious Policies 1. Long dispute overitaly's seizure ofpapal lands ended with the 1929 Lateran Pacts a. Italy agreed to recognize the Pope as sovereign ruler ofvatican City (mini-state located in Rome) b. Italy retained landbutmade fmancial payment c. Italy agreed to establish Roman Catholicism as state religion 2. Italian Catholics constituted 99% ofpopulation 3. In 1938, Fascists began to persecute Jewish population F. Military Policies 1. ExpandedItaly's armed forces 2. Required military training in Fascist youth groups and schools 3. Granted bonuses to large families G. Imperialism and War 1. In , Italian troops invaded and conquered Ethiopia a. Emperor Haile Selassie appearedbefore a session ofthe League ofnations but received little support b. Ethiopians put up a fight but ultimately failed 2. In 1936, Italy andgermany made an agreement that became an alliance called the Rome-Berlin Axis 3. In 1936, Italy andgermany enabledspain'sgen. FranciscoFranco to overthrow republican Spanish government and establishafascist regime 4. In 1939, Italy invaded and conquered Albania 3

4 Garden City High School. Global History & Geography ill Mr. M. Stratis, Esq. Lesson: Nazism and the Rise of Adolf Hitler Aim: How did the Nazis seize control in Germany? 1. Why was Weimar Republic weak and easy to overthrow? A. Following World War I, the Germans revolted and overthrewkaiser Wilhelm I 1. Germans established the Weimar Republic ( ) 2. Weimar became the newcapital ofweimar Germany B.. The newgovernment was democratic 1. A new constitution was drawn up for the republic 2. Germany was ruled by a weak presidency, which elected by popular vote 3. A two-house legislaturewas created: a The Reichstag was directly elected by people b. The Reichsrat 4. Powerful Chancellor and cabinet were responsible to the Reichstag 5. Bill ofrights were written, civil and political equality for men and women was granted and minority groups were afforded protection C. In 1920, nationalist anny officers tried to overthrow the government 1. Angered by the fact that the Weimar Republic accepted the Treaty of Versailles 2. Felt that this was a betrayal ofgermany 3. Revolt was suppressed D. Weimar Republic had to pay reparations of$35 billion to the Entente Powers and by 1922 could not meet its obligations 1. France insisted that Germany pay its debt 2. French troops marched into Germany's industrial Ruhr Valley in 1923 and took control ofthe coal mines and steel mills 3. German workers went on strike to protest this action II. How did the Nazi Party become popular in Germany? A. B. FollowingWWI, a small group ofextremists led by AdolfHitlerformedthe National Socialist Workers party (Nazionaitschesozialistischeni Like the Italian Fascists, the Nazis attacked democracy, promised to save Germany from communism, advocated extreme nationalism andmilitarism, and called for a dictatorship 1.

5 C. The factors explaining the Nazi rise to power were: 1. Economic distress: the overprinting paper money, severe inflation and unemployment 2. German fears ofcommunism: Communists polled 15% in the elections of 1930(about five million votes) 3. Its appeal to German nationalism a. Pledged to tear up Treaty ofversailles and denounce the German acceptance ofthe infamous war-guilt clause b. Demanded the return ofgerman colonies and European territories c. DefendedGermany's right to rearm d. Claimed that German armies had been betrayed by Jews and Communists, and was not defeated by the Entente powers e. Proclaimed that Germans was purely "Aryan" and that it was the "master race" destined to rule the world 4. Its attacks upon the Jews a. Anti-semitism was historically widespread in Germany b. Many Germans readily accepted Nazi propaganda making the Jews scapegoats (always blamed) for Germany's troubles c. Unprincipled persons looted and seized Jewish businesses and homes 5. The weaknesses ofthe Weimar Government a. No single party controlled a Reichstag majority (51%) b. Moderate parties (Catholic Center and Social Democrats) did not cooperate c. Anti-republican extremists (Nazis and Communists) polled more votes in 1932 than other parties d. Democratic government was unstable 6. The lack ofa democratic tradition: autocracy was favored 7. The leadership ofadolf Hitler ( ) a. Born in Austria as AdolfSchickelgruber b. An unsuccessful artist who servedinthe German army in W.W.I. c. Briefly imprisoned for an unsuccessfulrebellion in 1923 (known as the famous "Beer Hall Putsch" in Munich) i. Had attempted to seize the government with the help ofhis Brownshirts, a private army ofyoung veterans and thugs d. In prison, he wrote Mein Kampf(My Struggle) which outlined his plans for Germany e. Created private armies ofstorm troopers which used violence to terrorize opponents f Used spectacularmass rallies (Nuremburg Rallies) and movies (Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph a/the Will) to sway the Germans 2

6 III. How did the Nazis seize power in 1933? A. Nazis polled 12 million votes in 1932 elections (37%) and became the largest party in the Reichstag but lacked majority B. Hitler was appointed chancellor in 1933 by President Paul von Hindenburg after swearing to enforce constitution C. Hitler called for new elections to achieve a majority in the Reichstag 1. A week before elections, the Reichstag was mysteriously burned 2. Hitler blamed the Communists for the fire D. In the election, the Brownshirts forced the German voters to back the Nazis 1. By way ofintimidation, violence and deceit, the Nazis achieved a narrow majority in the Reichstag 2. When the Nazi-controlledReichstag met, it votedhitleremergency powers to deal with the "Communist threat" D. Hitler ended the Weimar Republic and became dictator N. What did the Nazi government do to change German society? A. Hitler declared the Third Reich (Third Empire) that would rule a thousand years 1. Hitler had supreme power (Der Fuhrer=TheLeader) 2. All political parties except the Nazi party were outlawed 3. The Secret police (Gestapo) under Heinrich Rimmler brutally suppressed all anti-nazi opposition (democrats, liberals, socialists,.communists, Catholics, Jews and Protestants) 4. The Nazis established a totalitarian state B. Hitler used Propaganda effectively to sway the German people 1. The Propaganda Ministry was headed by Joseph Goebbels 2. He utilized all media to create the "Big Lie" (any lie, ifstated and repeated many times, will eventually be accepted by the people) C. Institutions ofeducation were used to control society, especially the young 1. Used schools to gain blind obedience 2. Only Nazis were permitted to teach, and only with Nazi textbooks 3. Nazis manipulated chemistry, math, and social studies to teach about poison gases, bombing distances and the Aryan superiority D. Science andculture 1. Scientists worked on weapons ofwar 2. Anthropologists attempted to "prove" Aryan supremacy 3. Writers praised Hitler and Nazism 4. Censors heldbook-burning ceremonies to destroy anti-nazi works 5. Government banned works by Jews (Heinrich Heine's poetry and Felix Mendelssohn's music) and many intellectuals fled to the U.S. 3

7 E. The Persecution ofjews 1. Deprived Jews ofcitizenship, jobs, businesses and homes 2. Stonntroopers violently tortured, forced into labor and starved Jews in concentration camps (see Lesson: The Jewish Holocaust***) F. Religious Policies 1. Nazism was contrary to Christianity 2. Nazis tried to control activities ofprotestant churches 3. They sent uncooperative ministers to concentration camps 4. They tried to restrict Catholic Church clergy G. Women 1. Given inferior position in society 2. Consigned to kitchen andchildbearing H. Labor 1. Determined wages, hours and work conditions 2. Dominated unions and prevented strikes I. Industry 1. Permitted private ownership ofindustry subject to gov't. regulation 2. Hermann Goering headed Nazi Four Year Plan to prepare for war a. Slogan was "guns, not butter" b. Sought economic self-sufficiency (autarchy) J. Militarism 1. Createdlarge conscript army andpowerful air force 2. Remilitarizedthe Rhineland 3. Gave military training to school children and Hitler Youth groups 4. Violated Treaty ofversailles with actions 5.. Nazis sang: "Today we rule Germany, tomorroly the world" [Deutschland uberalles, national anthem] /. 6. Hitler claimed that Germany neededliving space (lebensraum) 7. Reached alliance with Italy in 1936 and Japan in 1940 (Rome-BerIin Tokyo Axis) 4