Aim: What led to the rise of Fascism?

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Title: Fascist Dictatorships in Italy and Germany

Do Now: 1. Work with your neighbor(s) to fill out the graphic organizer pertaining to totalitarianism throughout the post war era… work quietly, or “constructive talk.”

Identify/recall some of the nonchalant/mundane choices you make every day

- i.e., music, movies, clothes, transportation, food, drink, etc.

Now, how would you feel about a government that decided most or all of the above choices in which you made daily?

Such governments are called totalitarian (TOTAL (all) I TARIAN (power or form of government in power) = dictatorship, autocrat (AUTO = self control – think of Wall-E [yes, I am referring to the movie – I did say I was corny]; CRAT = government), selfish, greedy ruler.

Confused? Think in terms of the central themes stemming from George Orwell’s 1984.

“ Big Brother” = government is watching your every movement…

- Think of all of the surveillance cameras practically everywhere… Stores, banks, places of business, TRCS!!!!!

Look at how quick the government was able to locate the two “Boston Marathon Bombers” Think about that.

Other forms of leadership/government you ought to know:

Theocracy: THEO (God/deity) +

CRACY (form of government/authority) = Government orchestrated/ruled by religious leaders/clerics. Ex: think in terms of Persepolis or the Pope and the Vatican in Rome.

Oligarchy (OLI = few/small group) + GARCHY (form of government/authority) = form of government where are strong/influential/wealthy few or group have all or most of the power.

Plutocracy (PLUTO = wealthy/elite

group) + CRACY (form of government/authority) = government by wealthy/elite group.

What is it?Describe its characteristics…

Extreme Nationalism

Deny Individual Rights -

Supremacy of The

Increasing influence of new political parties that emphasize

state control-For example: Communism,

Nazism, Fascism

Total Controlof State by a

Dictator

Government establishes complete control of all aspects of the state(political, military, economy, social, cultural)

Highly nationalistic (flags, salutes, rallies, uniforms) Strict controls and laws

Military state (secret police, army, military) Censorship (to examine printed materials to ban or delete

information) Propaganda (media – radio, newspapers, posters) One leader (dictator); charismatic Authoritarian (requiring absolute loyalty and obedience to

the state Terror and Fear

What is Totalitarianism? Totalitarianism: a system of government in

which a leader (dictator) has complete control over his country and the lives of his people Key Traits of Totalitarianism

Dictator: strong leader with total power One party: ruling party is the only legal political party Strict government control of all aspects of life

business, religion, the arts, education, etc. use of propaganda, censorship, terror, and secret

police to control people Individuals have very few freedoms

No freedom of speech, religion, press, etc.

Why Europe in the 1920’s and 1930’s?

Countries had no tradition of self-government before WWI – the new self-government was forced upon nations not ready for it

1930’s saw a world wide depression, making struggling democracies face more problems

Totalitarian Leaders Why did they come to power?

People wanted strong leaders to get them out of the Great Depression

Nationalism—they promised to make their countries big and powerful

What did they want? Total control over country and people Strong military and economy More land—they were willing to go to war for it!

Compare & Contrast the two: Fascism vs. Nazism

1. What is Fascism?

Fascism—a system of government based on extreme Nationalism.Nazism—a version of fascism that developed in Germany. Hitler added racism.

Characteristics of Fascism/Nazism;1. The state is more important that the people.2. Individuals have no rights. Opposition

suppressed by force.3. Nation should have strong leaders with absolute power.4. Reactionary (act first think later), irrational.5. Not an economic theory. Private property is protected. Property owners have to do

what the state orders. Communism is a hated enemy.

6. Have tended to be extremely militaristic. Shown by building up armies, leaders appearing in Uniform, favor military virtues of loyalty, obedience, order.Fascist Nations: former Iraq

Fascism

Fascist ideology & Mussolini Italian dictator Benito Mussolini

coined the term in 1919, referring to the Roman symbol for “power through unity” – abundle of reeds called “fasces,”individually weakbut collectively strong.

Fasces: Symbol of Power in Ancient Rome

Find the Fasces – Symbol of Civic AuthorityIn The U.S. House of Representatives

I am Benito Mussolini the leader (Il Duce) of Italy from 1922 to 1943. First European fascist dictator of Italy

What is Fascism?

• intense nationalism and elitism• totalitarian control • interests of the state more

important than individual rights• maintain class system and

private ownership

TheState

I I I I I

Fascist Model

State =eternal,lasting

State casts aside all who do not serve its purpose

Individual =temporary, expendable

Individual exists toserve the State (a tool)

PowerHere

TheState

I I I I I

Democratic ModelPowerHere

Individualis mostimportant

State serves the individual and may be replaced as expendable if it violates personal right to life, liberty, property

Fascist Principles Anti-individualistic Anti-democratic Anti-egalitarian Anti-capitalist Anti-pacifist Anti-internationalist Anti-conservative Anti-intellectual Anti-Socialist/Communist

1. People are disappointed over the failure to win territorial gains in the Paris Peace conference after WWI

2. Inflation is rising and people want help

3. Unemployment is increasing and people want it FIXED!

4. The people were looking for someone to take action

How does Mussolini gain popularity in Italy?

1. MADE BIG PROMISES to revive the economy and rebuild the armed forces

2. Founded the fascist party3. Criticized the current

government4. Gained the support from

the middle class, artisans and the Industrial leaders

What did Mussolini do once he was in power in Italy?

1. Abolished democracy2. Outlawed political parties3. Established his own secret police4. Censored the radio, all

publications, 5. Outlawed strikes6. Allied with Industrialists and

large land owners against the “little guys”

Results with Mussolini in Charge in Italy:

Italians constantly threatened violence and uprising if things didn’t change

Mussolini had the support of the popular vote so King Victor Emmanuel III puts Mussolini in charge of the government

What did Mussolini do once he was in power in Italy?

Two Types of Totalitarianism:Fascism & Nazism

FascismExtreme nationalism – the nation

is more important than the individualCharismatic leader – big

personality, good public speaker, inspires people

Different social classes – rich, middle class, poor

Anti-communism

I am Adolf Hitler the leader (der Fuhrer) or dictator of Germany from 1933 to 1945. What is Nazism? German fascism• 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

Nazism

Fascism taken to its extreme form.

Racist and anti-Semitic elements that did not appear in Italian fascism.

• GESTAPO: the Secret State Police

• SS (Schutzstaffel): Defense Corps “black shirts”, an elite guard unit formed out of the SA

• SA (Sturmabteilung): Stormtroopers (STAR WARS!!!!) "brown-shirts" early private Nazi army that protected leaders and opposed rival political parties

• Lebensraum (living space): concept that emphasized need for territorial expansion of Germany into east

• Wehrmacht: German army

• • Einstazgruppen: Nazi Death Squad; mobile

killing units•

Anti-semitism: Hostility and discrimination against the jews Territorial integrity: Territorial domain of a State

Armed Aggression: Military invasion, a War of conquest

Mein Kampf (1924)

The title means My Struggle, and it expounds on Hitler’s anti‑Semitism, worship of power, scorn for morality, and plan for world domination. Hitler wrote it in prison after a failed attempt to overthrow the German government

Questions from Mein Kampf

What is his central point in the selection you read?

That the blood of the highest race must be kept pure from intermingling with other races if human culture is to advance; corruption of blood leads to the destruction of culture.

Nazi racial theoryThree races: Aryans (Germanic) – culture creating Jews – culture destroying Middle – culture maintaining

At various levels of hierarchy between Aryans and Jews.

Nazi racial theory The belief that Germans were

threatened the most from an internal enemy led to the Holocaust, the extermination of 6 million Jewish people in Europe.

Everything was sublimated to the need to purify the German race. In fact, it even drove Nazi policies that worked against the war effort.

Genocide Nazi extermination of the Jews is

considered to be Genocide ‑ the systematic extermination of a whole people or race.

The U.S. government has called the killing of Sudanese in Darfur by government-sponsored militia a “genocide.”

Nazi racial theoryHitler wrote, “The Jew has always been

a people with definite racial characteristics and never a religion.” To him, the Jewish religion is not the problem.

If their religious faith is not a threat, why should Non-Jews worry about Jews?

The Jewish “Problem”

Seek to pollute Aryan blood. Cunning (not smart), with strong will to

survive. Seek to destroy higher cultures. Not “idealistic;” no selfless or noble

attitudes. No original contributions to art or science. In league with communists. Betrayed German state during WWI. Not human but subhuman.

How did Hitler make the argument about racial superiority?

Questions from Mein Kampf 1. Natural law: “one of the most patent

principles of Nature's rule: the inner segregation of the species of all living beings on this earth.”

2. History: historical experience offers countless proofs, e.g., the purity of the race in North America has led to greater achievements than in Central & South America.

3. Religion: “sin against the will of the creator. He refers to a sin against the will of eternal Providence.”

What metaphors does Hitler use to refer to the Jewish people?

a horde of rats parasites in the body of other

peoples subhuman

MEIN KAMPF : Book written by Hitler, set his ideas and goals: Germans were a master race, that jews , latins, black people, gypsies,Homosexuals, were inferior and should be destroyed

LEBENSRAUM: living space for Germans VERSAILLES TREATY : should be destroyed

BothTotalitarian dictatorship – required absolute obedience to leader

Anti-democracyExtreme militarism – glorification of military

GermanyLeader Adolf Hitler (1933-1945)Government FascistPolitical Party Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers’ Party)

Policies/goals Extreme German nationalismAnti-Semitism (hatred of Jewish people)Anti-communismFix economy -Create jobs with public projectsRebuild German militaryCreate a powerful German Empire

ItalyLeader Benito Mussolini (1922-1943)Government FascistPolitical Party Fascist PartyPolicies/goals Extreme nationalism

-Make Italy a powerful nation -Build Italian EmpireFix economyRestore orderSupport Catholic ChurchAnti-socialismAnti-communism

Adolph Hitler Hitler considered himself superior,

eventhough he was a drifter & failed artist during his youth.

A corporal during WWI, he was devastated by Germany’s loss & blamed it on the Jews.

He started his political career at age 30, joining the German Workers Party. He had exceptional speaking skills & came to be revered by others in the party. He was chosen its leader in 1921, and renamed it the National Socialist German Workers Party.

ENABLING ACT: Act that Gave Hitler Absolute Power in Germany for four Years-

This Nazi propaganda poster reads, ‘Behind the enemy powers: the Jew.Nuremberg Laws: Deprived jews of german citizenship and rights

“The Eternal Jew” Posters like this promoted a sharp rise in anti-Semitic feelings, and in some cases violence against the Jewish community.Kristallnocht: The beginning of the nazi persecution of jews

kristallnacht • Kristallnacht—

November 9, 1938—”Night of Broken Glass”—Jewish shops, synagogues, homes violently attacked—after a Jewish teenager from Germany shot a German diplomat in Paris—beginning of mass emigration of Jews and the forced removal to Jewish ghettos

Aim: What led to the rise of Fascism?

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