Origins of World War IIOrigins of World War IIThe Rise of Militarism:The Rise of Militarism:

Mussolini & ItalyMussolini & Italy

The Italian Communist PartyThe Italian Communist Party

Italy on winning side of WWIItaly on winning side of WWI Unhappy with the Treaty of with the Treaty of

Versailles – wanted moreVersailles – wanted more

Many Italian veterans could Many Italian veterans could not find jobs due to the Global not find jobs due to the Global DepressionDepression

The Italian Communist PartyThe Italian Communist Party

Many joined the Italian Many joined the Italian Communist PartyCommunist Party

Urged Italians to take over Urged Italians to take over land and seize factoriesland and seize factories

Mussolini & FascismMussolini & Fascism Fascism = a military-dominated Fascism = a military-dominated

government controls all aspects government controls all aspects of societyof society

Mussolini founded the Fascist Mussolini founded the Fascist Party in 1921 Party in 1921

Goals –Goals –•Destroy the communist partyDestroy the communist party•Promote his own powerPromote his own power

The clashes between the The clashes between the

Communists and the Fascists Communists and the Fascists bordered on civil war in Italybordered on civil war in Italy

BlackshirtsBlackshirts – Mussolini’s – Mussolini’s military groupmilitary group

- used torture, gang rape, and - used torture, gang rape, and murder against opponentsmurder against opponents

Fascist March On RomeFascist March On Rome Oct. 1922Oct. 1922 Mussolini and The Blackshirts Mussolini and The Blackshirts

occupied Romeoccupied Rome Had the support of:Had the support of:

•Nationalists Nationalists – Wanted to – Wanted to strengthen Italy strengthen Italy

•Business peopleBusiness people – Disliked – Disliked communismcommunism

Mussolini Becomes Mussolini Becomes Prime MinisterPrime Minister

Appointed prime minister & given Appointed prime minister & given dictatorial powers by the Italian dictatorial powers by the Italian KingKing

Limited the freedom of speech, Limited the freedom of speech, arrested political opponents, and arrested political opponents, and restricted voting to consolidate restricted voting to consolidate his powerhis power

Mussolini & EthiopiaMussolini & Ethiopia Mussolini had pledged to make Mussolini had pledged to make

Italy an imperialistic powerItaly an imperialistic power

Sent troops into Ethiopia in Sent troops into Ethiopia in 1935 to fulfill this promise1935 to fulfill this promise

Ethiopia was no match for the Ethiopia was no match for the Italian armyItalian army

Mussolini & EthiopiaMussolini & Ethiopia The U.S. placed a neutrality act The U.S. placed a neutrality act

banning arms shipments on both banning arms shipments on both sidessides

Did not want to be drawn into the Did not want to be drawn into the conflictconflict

The lack of support for Ethiopia The lack of support for Ethiopia showed Fascist nations that showed Fascist nations that aggression would not be aggression would not be punishedpunished