Build up to WWII

1. Build up to WWII Honors Western Civilization Mrs. Civitella

2. Mussolini and fascism in Italy Italy was troubled over not receiving land promised to them on the Adriatic Sea upon entering WWI on the side of the Allies Following WWI a bad economy led to: Peasants revolts Labor strikes High levels of unemployment (including veterans from WWI) High taxes

4. Mussolini created the Fascists Beginning in 1919, Mussolini gathered veterans and other unhappy Italians and formed an extreme right wing party to counter the rise of communism in Italy He pledged to end unemployment Promised to gain land Return Italy to the glory of ancient Rome Promised to end communism and all other rebellion with his terrorist group the “Black Shirts”

5. Fascists take control of Italy In 1922, tens of thousands of Fascists conducted the “march on Rome” King Victor Emmanuel III “asked” Mussolini to form a new government By 1925, the Fascists used force and terror to gain control Ended free elections, free speech, free press Fearing violence, Italians learned to put the goals of the state above the rights of the individual

7. Italy under Mussolini The economy and industry grew The government controlled the economy in order to preserve capitalism Italy was a “corporate state” Wages for workers decreased Strikes were illegal

8. Social control Extreme nationalism was achieved through propaganda and slogans: “Believe! Obey! Fight!” “win the battle of motherhood” “Everything inside the state, nothing outside the state” “Mussolini is always right” Fascists youth groups were formed

9. Fascism and communism are opposites Wealthy landowners, business leaders and the lower middle class tended to be fascists Industrial and agricultural workers tended to be communists

10. Similarities between fascism and communism A single-party dictatorship State control of the economy Use of police spies and terror to enforce the will of the state Strict censorship and government control of the media Use of the education system to indoctrinate citizens Unquestioning obedience to a single leader

11. Fascism Fascism- political philosophy that calls for glorification of the state, a single-party system with a strong ruler, aggressive nationalism Elements of fascism: Censorship and government control of news Strong military Extreme nationalism State control of economy Strict discipline Rule by dictator Use of violence and terror

14. socialism - a political system in which the means of production, distribution and exchange are mostly owned by the state, and used, at least in theory, on behalf of the people. The idea behind socialism is that the capitalist system is intrinsically unfair, because it concentrates wealth in a few hands and does nothing to safeguard the overall welfare of the majority. Under socialism, the state redistributes the wealth of society in a more equitable way, with the ideal of social justice replacing the profit motive.

15. Communism - the political system under which the economy, including capital, property, major industries, and public services, is controlled and directed by the state, and in that sense is "communal." Communism also involves a social structure that restricts individual freedom of expression.

17. The Weimar Republic in Germany Created in 1919 after the Paris Peace Conference Communism was growing in Germany Weimar Republic was a parliamentary system in which the people elected their members of parliament and then a chancellor led the parliament

18. Problems under the Weimar Republic Many small parties fought for power (including socialists) Military leaders, old nobility and the wealthy bourgeoisie believed that the Weimar Republic was too liberal Germans blamed the Weimar Republic for accepting blame for WWI by signing the Treaty of Versailles

19. The rise of Adolf Hitler In 1923, Germany fell behind in reparation payments and France took over the coal-rich Ruhr Valley High inflation and the Great Depression led to a demand for change in Germany

23. Adolf Hitler’s early years In 1923, Hitler failed at his attempt to seize power while imprisoned, he wrote Mein Kampf (“my struggle”) The book outlined Hitler’s plans for Germany: Extreme nationalism Racism, specifically anti-Semitism Germans were a superior “master race” called the Aryans Urged Germans everywhere to untie and expand into one great living space called Lebensraum Preached that a single leader, a Fuhrer was needed to run the Lebensraum

25. Hitler By 1933, Hitler had gained a great following from veterans and the lower-middle class He gained the Chancellorship in 1933 Hitler promised to: End reparations Create jobs Rearm Germany Within one year, Hitler became a totalitarian dictator abolishing all other parties

26. The Third Reich First Reich- the Holy Roman Empire Second Reich- Bismarck's Republic of 1871 Third Reich- Hitler’s promise of a golden age for Germany to last 1,000 years Hitler repudiated the Treaty of Versailles Initiated large public works projects Rearmed Germany Helped to eliminate unemployment

27. Hitler’s social policy Hitler youth groups trained for war Passionate speeches indoctrinated millions Preached racism, specifically against Jews Women were told to raise children (give up careers)

28. Night of Broken Glass November 7, 1938 a German Jew sought retaliation for the mistreatment of his parents and shot and wounded a German diplomat Hitler encouraged revenge against all Jews Kristallnacht (“Night of Broken Glass”) November 9-10, 1938 Nazi-led mobs attacked Jewish communities , businesses and synagogues Jews were pulled into the street and beaten

30. The Fascists and the Nazis Fascists Nazis • Leader was a WWI veteran - Mussolini • Far-right aggressive nationalist movement • The nation and the race were more important than the individual- wanted to regain the power of the Ancient Roman Empire • Gangs with black shirts intimidated any opposition with physical violence • Aggression equals action, Peace equals weakness • Bans on freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, no opposition to the government was tolerated • Anti-Semitic • Aggressive nationalists • Leader was a WWI Veteran- Hitler • Far-right aggressive nationalist movement • The nation and the race were more important than the individual – The Third Reich • Storm Troopers intimidated any opposition with physical violence • Aggression equals action, Peace equals weakness • Bans on freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, no opposition to the government was tolerated • Anti-Semitic • Aggressive nationalists