1. Fascism and the road to World War II

2. Fascism in Italy
Fascism: loyalty to the state and obedience to its leader; authoritarian leader who guided and brought order to the state
Fascism is similar to communism
Due to rising inflation, unemployment, and social unrest, Italy’s democratic government seemed helpless
Italy wanted a leader that took action

3. Continued… Benito Mussolini promised to rescue Italy
Founded Fascist party in 1919
1922: 30,000 Fascist marched on Rome, demanded that Mussolini take charge of the government, and then Mussolini took power “legally”
He outlawed all political parties except the fascist, censored media, and jailed his opponents

4. Hitler’s Rise
At first, Hitler was nothing but a guy in the German army during World War I
He joined a political group called the Nazi Party who then created policies that formed the German brand of fascism known as Nazism
Hitler soon became the leader of the Nazi party
Arrested after an attempt to Seize power in Munich, put in jail, wrote Mein Kampf- My struggle
When the Great Depression began, Germany’s economy collapsed and people turned to Hitler

5. Continued… Hitler is soon named Chancellor of Germany
Hitler turns Germany into a totalitarian state
Hatred of Jews was a key part of Nazi ideology and blamed them for all troubles

6. Other Countries; Other Dictators
By 1935, only one country with democracy remained in Eastern Europe
Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, and Romania all turned into a “one-man show”

7. Rise of Japan
After the Great Depression, military leaders gained control of the Japanese government
Japan’s government wanted expansion
1931- Japanese army seized a section of China called Manchuria
First direct challenge to the League of Nations
Japan withdrew from the League in 1933

8. Aggression Plans Mussolini attacks and gains Ethiopia
Hitler defies the Treaty of Versailles and builds up his troops and moves into the Rhineland
Italy makes an alliance with Germany. Germany then makes an alliance with Japan. These three countries become known as the Axis powers

9. Civil War in Spain
July army leaders who wanted a fascist-style government joined General Francisco Franco in a revolt against the government
Civil war breaks out
1939- Franco becomes Spain’s fascist dictator

10. Wanting Peace
Britain and France hoped to keep peace by not taking a stand against Fascist aggression
United States enters into an isolationist period
1938- Hitler annexes Austria
Hitler also demanded that the Sudetenland be given to Germany and the Czechs refused

11. Appeasement
The making of concessions to an aggressor in order to avoid war.
Britain and France agreed that Hitler could take Sudetenland as long as Hitler respected Czechoslovakia’s new borders
6 months later, Hitler took Czechoslovakia

12. Non-aggression Pact
Britain and France asked the Soviet Union to join them in stopping Hitler’s aggression
Soviet Union was also bargaining with Germany to never attack each other which created the Non- aggression Pact
War seemed inevitable