Section 6 Fascism in Italy Totalitarianism Totalitarian state

Section 6: Fascism in Italy

Totalitarianism Totalitarian state- form of government in which a oneparty dictatorship attempts to regulate every aspect of the lives of citizens Features: Single party dictator State control of the economy Use of police or spies to enforce the will of the state Strict censorship and government monopoly of the media Schools were meant to indoctrinate citizens Unquestioning obedience to a single leader

Mussolini’s Rise to Power Italy joined Allies in 1915 Italy was promised some Austro-Hungarian territories Did not receive it. Land went to form Yugoslavia Disorder multiplied in Italy Returning veterans faced unemployment Trade declined Taxes increased Inspired by Russian Revolution- peasants seized land, workers went on strike

Benito Mussolini Son of a socialist blacksmith 1919 - organized veterans and other discontented Italians Mussolini’s nickname was “Il Duce” meaning “The Leader” Formed Fascist group Name comes from ancient Rome – fasces- means unity Promised to end corruption and to replace turmoil with order Spoke of reviving Roman greatness Aimed to gain support from veterans and unhappy Italians

Gains Control Organized “combat squads” Promised to end corruption and replace turmoil with order Wanted to revive Roman greatness Squads wore black shirts Black Shirts- a party that rejected the democratic process in favor of violent action Broke up socialist rallies Fascist gangs used intimidation and terror to oust elected officials in northern Italy Many lost faith in constitutional government

Fascists Take Action 1922 - Fascists went to Rome and demanded government changes Known as the March on Rome Tens of thousands attended Went to King Victor Emmanuel III asked Mussolini to be Prime Minister King Victor Emmanuel III feared civil war- asked Mussolini to be prime minister

Mussolini Takes Control In the beginning, Fascists only had a few spots in the cabinet. By 1925, Fascists and Mussolini took over the government Fascism is the first totalitarian state One party dictatorship Fascism glorifies the state, destructive to basic human rights Mussolini suppressed rival parties, muzzled the press, rigged elections, replaced elected officials with Fascist supporters

Changes Under Fascism Pope Pius XI supported Fascism because Fascism made the Vatican its own individual state Italy kept a parliamentary monarchy under Fascism

Economy Under Fascism brought the economy under state control Preserved capitalism Fascism economy favored the upper class Representative of business, labor, government, and the Fascist party controlled industry, agriculture, and trade Production of goods (industrial goods) increased Workers were forbidden to strike, wages were kept low

Society Under Fascism The Fascists suppressed rival parties, censored the press, rigged elections, replaced elected officials with Fascists Anyone who was against Fascism was arrested and put in prison Fascists used secret police and propaganda

Society Under Fascism State (country) is important, each individual is not Men were taught to be harsh warriors Women were not allowed to have paying jobs Had youth groups to prepare children for the military Children chanted “Mussolini is always right. ”

Building a Totalitarian State Mussolini and Fascist Party built the first modern totalitarian state Totalitarian- one-party dictatorship which regulates every aspect of the lives of its citizens Government controlled the media, enforced strict censorship

Fascism Any centralized, authoritarian government that is not communist whose policies glorify that state over the individual and are destructive to basic human rights Antidemocratic Promised a strong, stable government Rooted in extreme nationalism Opposed communism and the socialists

Section 8: The Rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany

The Weimar Republic Threat of a socialist revolution- Kaiser William II abdicated Moderate leaders signed the armistice and Treaty of Versailles 1919: German leaders drafted a constitution in city of Weimar- created a democratic government (Weimar Republic) Constitution set up parliamentary system led by a prime minister

Issues Before Nazism Struggles in the Weimar Republic- the government that takes over in Germany after WWI. Weimar Republic sets up: a parliament, gave women the right to vote Was politically weak Germans of all classes blamed the Weimar Republic for the Treaty of Versailles

Political Turmoil Republic was weak because there were several small parties Government came under constant attack Germans from all social classes blamed to Weimar Republic for the hated Treaty of Versailles

Issues Before Nazism Issues with major inflation: Economic disaster led to unrest Germany fell behind in reparation payments Inflation went out of control People’s salaries increased, but they still could not afford goods. France occupied the Ruhr Valley- the Ruhr Valley has natural resources

Recovery and Collapse Dawes Plan- 1924 - it was a plan to reduce the amount Germany owed in reparations America fronts the money for Germany to give it back to Britain and France Great Depression hit. Germany became unable to pay back America With chaos, Germany turned to Hitler

Who is Adolf Hitler? WWI veteran 1923 - attempted to seize power in Munich; German government against this act- Hitler was arrested and put in jail While in jail, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf “My Struggle” Wrote about extreme nationalism, racism, and anti-Semitism Stated that Germans belonged to a master Aryan race Germans should not be blamed for WWI Blamed Germany’s defeat in WWI on conspiracy Marxists, Jews, corrupt politicians, and business leaders Believed Germany should expand to gain Lebensraum- living space

Nazism in Government Nazis and Communists take over seats in the Reichstag- lower house Conservatives believed they could control Hitler was elected chancellor in 1933 Hitler’s program appealed to veterans, workers, lower classes, small-town Germans, business people Hitler passed the Enabling Act: He ended civil rights Ended all other political parties except Nazism

Nazism and the Government Totalitarian state Had secret police- Gestapo Censored work Used state capitalism Increased the size of the military Launched a public works program People worked to build highways

Society Under Nazism Hitler Youth Women were to be caregivers Education: children were taught about Nazism and racism Nazi’s burned books that they disapproved of Schools taught that Christianity was weak, and Nazism tried to replace religion with political creed Catholic schools were closed Schools taught Nazism and racism Burned books that the government did not approve of

Hitler and Religion Reichskonkordat: Treaty that was an agreement before the Holy See and Nazi government. Guarantees the rights of the Catholic Church in Germany

Rallies

Anti-Semitism Nuremberg Laws- 1935 - restrictions on the Jews Laws forced Jews to wear a yellow star of David on their clothing Laws stated that Jews were not allowed to work in public or governmental jobs Jews were forced to move into Ghettos Kristallnacht: “Night of Broken Glass”- Nazi mobs smashed the windows of Jewish homes and businesses Over 1, 000 synagogues were burned, 7, 000 Jewish businesses destroyed Nazis arrested 30, 000 Jews and forced them into concentration camps

Anti-Semitic Propaganda

Campaign Against the Jews • • World War II and Eastern Europe Einsatgruppen – mobile killing units Followed soldiers and rounded up Jews and other undesirables and executed them Worst was Wannsee Conference Decided “Final Solution to Jewish Question” Shipped like cattle in railroad carts to concentration camps like Auschwitz & Dachau, Selection • Some went right into the gas chambers – older people, children, and mothers with children • Younger women and men that were of some use to the camp were allowed to live under horrid conditions

Totalitarian State Emerges Nazis controlled all areas of life Elite black uniformed troops called SS enforced laws

The Holocaust: 6 million European Jews eventually killed during WWII ("Final Solution") (to be studied next chapter)