The Rise Of Fascism

Benito MussoliniAdolph Hitler

Targeting the Jews

The Rise Of Fascism in Italy Fascism is a political

belief that places the success of a nation over its population

A country’s central government is supreme and power resides in the hands of one individual (dictator)

Business and wealthy elites are valued in this system for their economic worth to the state

The Rise Of Fascism in Italy

Italy believed it was shortchanged under the Treaty of Versailles

Italy (& the rest of Europe) suffered from an economic depression in the 1920’s –30’s

This created a desire for a return to greatness, power and prestige

Benito Mussolini

A troubled, disenchanted young man who avoided military service twice

1909 - began writing for a socialist newspaper

1921 elected to Parliament Supported by wealthy

businessmen and large land owners because he “made the trains come on time”

The Black Shirts (many were war vets) served as a paramilitary force for Mussolini

Benito Mussolini

October 1922 – King Victor Emmanuel III appointed him Prime Minster because the fascist party was growing in influence

Established dictatorship through control of the press, a partnership with the rich and promising a return to Rome’s greatness

Had teachers swear an oath of loyalty to the fascist party; maintained order through intimidation

The Roman Question To appease the Catholic Church, Mussolini

acknowledged its independent sovereignty and recognized the Vatican City

Roman Catholicism would be the Italian religion and Italy would make financial payments to the Church for their silence

Territorial Expansion Set up a puppet regime in

Albania, colonized Libya, and invaded Ethiopia in 1936

In Ethiopia, Italian troops committed numerous atrocities Threw guerilla fighters

from flying planes Impaled and beheaded

resistance fighters Used gas on civilians Used concentration

camps for civilians

Territorial Expansion

Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie asked the League of Nations for help

Britain and France didn’t want to get involved, Ethiopia conquered in 1936

They were trying to prevent an Italian alliance with Germany

In 1939 Italy signs the Pact of Steel with Germany

Adolph Hitler

Art school reject who fought in WWI

Unemployed after the war, he blamed the Treaty of Versailles and Jews for Germany’s fate

Speaking for the German Worker’s Party, he realized he had a gift as a charismatic speaker

Adolph Hitler

November 1923 - Hitler and the Nazi party attempted to overthrow the German government in the Beer Hall Putsch

Hitler imprisoned, wrote Mein Kampf, which explains his hatred for the Jews and USSR

After released, Hitler seized control of the National Socialist [Nazi] Party, the largest political party in Germany

Adolph Hitler

1933 – President Hindenburg appointed him chancellor because of the Nazi party’s dominance

As leader of the Nazi party, Hitler eliminated his opponents during the “Night of the Long Knives”, 1934

Over 1,000 loyalists killed; Hitler’s power was now without question

Targeting the Communists 1933 - the Reichstag,

Germany’s parliament building, burned down. Nazis blamed communists, who they claimed were organizing an overthrow of the gov’t

Hitler plays on the people’s fear of disorder and passes the “Decree for the Protection of the German People” 

Censors press, prevents public meetings etc = prevents campaigning

Hitler as Chancellor

As chancellor Hitler consolidated his power by ending political parties and unions, censoring the press, and abolishing parliament

Used the SA (Sturmabteilung or Brownshirts) and the SS (Shutzstaffel) to maintain control over critics – military police and spies

On the death of President Hindenburg, Hitler takes the title of “fuehrer” or absolute ruler/dictator of Germany

Hitler as Chancellor Introduced the Four Year

Plan – expansion of German military & heavy industry

Its economy saw complete employment as it produced war materials and its army & economy grew

Great inequalities between classes remained

Hermann Goering WWI veteran and man of

connections Oversaw the Four Year Plan

and acted as intermediary between business and Nazi leadership

Responsible for rebuilding the Lufftwaffe and the secret police (Gestapo)

Shortsighted - lacked understanding of air superiority in modern warfare

Heinrich Himmler

Commander of the SS and Gestapo

The Gestapo’s main purpose was to silence opposition to Hitler in the early 1930’s

Gestapo best known for its brutal interrogation methods and use of informants to gather intelligence

Heinrich Himmler During WWII main purpose

was to eliminate undesirables in countries conquered by Germany

Officer in charge of the concentration camp system; responsible for 12 million deaths

Author of the Final Solution – “This page of glory in our history has never been written and will never be written….We had the moral right, we were obligated to our people to kill this people which wanted to kill us.”

Joseph Goebbels

Head of the Ministry of Propaganda

Produced massive displays of organized rallies to instill loyalty

Pushed the “doctrine of Aryan purity” and identified homosexuals, Jews, immigrants and the mentally ill as threats to racial purity

Targeting the Jews

May 10, 1933, “Burning of The Books”, German college students burned books considered “un-German”

Most works targeted were by Jewish authors

Occured on college campuses throughout Germany

Targeting the Jews

The Nuremberg Laws, 1935 denied Jews the right to German citizenship, the right to marry non-Jews and the right to work in certain occupations

Jews were also prohibited from teaching or attending schools

Nazi propaganda services issued ID charts that helped Germans distinguish Jews and other undesirables

Targeting the Jews

Kristallnacht, “Night of the Broken Glass” Nov. 9, 1938 was a planned assault on Jewish peoples in Germany

Synagogues, businesses, cemeteries and homes were looted and vandalized

Dozens of Jews were killed and 30,000 men were sent to concentration camps