28.4 Notes

I.The Rise of Fascism in Italy A. Fascist Doctrine 1. Dictatorship and totalitarianism 2. Opposed communism and democracy B. Mussolini rises to power 1. Appointed Fascists to all positions in gov’t Mussolini established an organization for young people called "Sons of the Wolf," in which children were taught fascist ideas.

II. The Weimer Republic A. Treaty of Versailles 1. Humiliating 2. Opposed Germany’s interests B. Economy 1. High unemployment 2. Soaring inflation Inflation soared in Germany during the early 1920s. The value of the German mark fell so low that people bundled the money and sold it by weight as wastepaper instead of using it as currency.

III. The Nazis & Hitler A. Nazi Party 1. Nationalistic 2. Anti-Semitic 3. Anti-Communist B. Hitler 1. Wrote Mein Kampf 2. Planned for racial purity 3. Promised to repeal the Treaty of Versailles Following Germany's humiliating defeat in World War I, Adolf Hitler set out to establish an iron dictatorship that would rule Germany and the world "for a thousand years." Like Mussolini in Italy, Hitler rose to power through a combination of masterful crowd manipulation, fiery speaking ability, and emotional appeal to German fears. He twisted facts and used Germans' frustrations over World War I to convince Germans that they were victims of international injustice and conspiracy.

IV. The Nazis in Power A. Created Anti-Communist hysteria Nazis and German students carry books and pamphlets to be burned during a demonstration against literature they believed to be anti-Germanic.

28.4 Activity Pairs of students will draw a political cartoon about why the Weimar Republic failed. The cartoons may be sympathetic or unsympathetic.