FASCISM RISES IN EUROPE 15.3 MRS. STOFFL

SETTING THE STAGE Many were losing faith in democracies due to the depression and widespread hunger + unemployment.

FASCISM What is Fascism? Intense nationalism and elitism Totalitarian control demanding extreme loyalty to the leader Interests of the state more important than individual rights Maintain class system and private ownership

FASCISM’S RISE IN ITALY Italy did not receive the territory it wanted from WWI A depression started in the country  The people became bitter and angry about inflation + unemployment Some workers talked of turning to communism.

MUSSOLINI TAKES CONTROL 1919: Benito Mussolini founds the Fascist Party in Italy Nationalistic pride that promised to make Italy great again  Black Shirts: Followers of Mussolini that fought socialists and communists  Mussolini played on ppl’s fear of a workers’ revolt to gain supporters

MUSSOLINI TAKES CONTROL October 1922:  30,000 Fascists marched on Rome + demanded King Victor Emmanuel III put Mussolini in charge of gov’t  Mussolini took power immediately + made some aggressive changes…

IL DUCE’S LEADERSHIP Mussolini (aka Il Duce – the leader) gained control of the gov’t + the army  Outlawed political parties (except Fascists)  Took over + censored the press + radio  Formed a secret police  Organized groups to indoctrinate youth  Outlawed strikes  Allied w/ big industry owners to increase control

I am Adolf Hitler the leader (der Fuhrer) or dictator of Germany from 1933 to What is Nazism? extremely fascist, nationalistic and totalitarian based on beliefs of the National Socialist German Workers Party belief in the racial superiority of the Aryan, the “master race” belief that all Germans should have “lebensraum” or living space in Europe Violent hatred towards Jews and blamed Germany’s problems on them

HITLER RISES IN GERMANY Weimer Republic (Germany gov’t after WWI) failing  Great Depression seriously hurt Germany  German youth bitter about Treaty of Versailles Rising Nazi Party steadily growing led by Adolf Hitler (German WWI vet) named der Fuhrer  German brand of Fascism = Nazism  Strongly opposed socialism + communism

THE RISE OF THE NAZIS Nazis adopted swastika Set up a private militia called Brown Shirts  Der Fuhrer (Hitler) plotted to seize power in Munich in 1923  Failed + Hitler was arrested sentenced to 5 years in prison for treason…only served 9 months

THE RISE OF THE NAZIS In prison he wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle)  Declared Germans (Aryans) the master race, “inferiors” were Jews, Slavs,+ Gypsies  Criticized the Treaty of Versailles + vowed to reclaim land lost  Strongest criticism were of the Jews + communists  Vowed to gain lebensraum: Living space for Germans by taking land + getting rid of “inferior ppl” Quickly became a best seller

HITLER BECOMES CHANCELLOR Germany:  Widespread unemployment, poverty, homelessness, hunger, economic in pieces This vulnerability was the perfect storm for Hitler + Nazis to come to power  Appointed Chancellor in 1933 by the president b/c Conservatives thought they could control him  Two years later he became both Chancellor + President  All democratic elements of the Weimar Republic were gone  Reichstag (German Parliament) had no authority

HITLER BECOMES CHANCELLOR Hitler created the SS protection squad  Loyal only to Hitler  1934: the SS arrested + murdered 100s of Hitler’s enemies Gestapo: Nazi secret police used terror to shock Germans into total obedience

THE FUHRER IS SUPREME Hitler reigns as a totalitarian ruler  Extreme propaganda, instilled fear + terror  Indoctrinated the youth  saw him as a god  Hitler Youth + League of German Girls Hitler reignited the economy by rebuilding the military to an extremely powerful level  Also used massive public works projects

HITLER MAKES WAR ON THE JEWS In the book and in life Hitler was violently anti-Semitic b/c religious intolerance + economic resentment  Argued that the greatest threat in Germany was the Jewish population  Claimed they were to blame for losing the war + the depression  Supported by pseudo-science + strong sense of nationalism

PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS Nuremberg Laws  Took citizenship away from Jews  Highly restricted their rights  Forced to wear the yellow star  Put into ghettoes + concentration camps Kristallnacht  “Night of the Broken Glass”  Nazis destroy Jewish businesses + synagogues  Attacked + killed Jews who resisted

NAZISM rhU