The Rise of Fascism Militarism in Italy Germany

The Rise of Fascism & Militarism in Italy, Germany & Japan; & Prelude to War: American Policy of Neutrality Adapted from a work created by the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Benitio Mussolini: "What is Fascism? " (1932) n n n n 1922 -Mussolini & the Fascist Party came to power in Italy 1932 -Mussolini wrote a definition of Fascism for the Italian dictionary Rejection of Pacifism, Marxism & Democracy Life=duty, struggle & conquest Humans=inherently unequal State=superior to the individual Territorial Expansion=manifestation of a nation’s vitality

Raymond H. Geist’s letter to Moffat (1934) n n n Geist = U. S. Consul in Berlin Moffat=chief of the division of Western European Affairs Letter of Sept. 15, 1934 Describes the newly established Nazi state Germany is remilitarizing n n n Building up its air force & mechanized divisions The German youth is glorifying military heroism Predicts war by the end of the decade

Nuremberg Laws (1935) n n n Proclaimed during the 1935 Nuremburg Rally Laws severely restricted the freedoms of German Jews the Jim Crow Laws in the American South= a model for segregation Forbade Marriage & Sexual Relations between Germans & Jews Stripped Citizenship from German-Jews

Haile Selassie’s Appeal to the League of Nations (June 1936) n n n n October 3, 1935, Mussolini launched an invasion of Ethiopia Haile Selassie I =Emperor of Ethiopia League had promised Ethiopia assistance against Italian aggression Outlines Italian policy of targeting civilians Exposes Italian diplomatic treachery Exposes the League’s goal of collective security as a sham Argues that, by its inaction, the League is establishing a deadly precedent of “bowing before force” ultimately, the League does nothing

Hossbach Memorandum (BERLIN, November 10, 1937) n n n n Since his seizure of power in 1933, Hitler demanded a fair but peaceful revision of the Versailles Treaty. Hitler exploited widespread international pacifism In 1937, Hitler held a secret meeting in Berlin with his top generals Germany’s Problem=lack of living space autarky, participation in the world economy and overseas colonies are rejected as possible solutions Goal of German Foreign Policy=Expansion at the expense of Germany’s neighbors War must come by 1943 -1945, because Germany’s enemies will have caught up with German rearmament

World Defense Spending

Hitler's Defiance of the Western Powers

German Expansion 1935 -1939

Japanese Expansion

Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928 n n n Named after the American secretary of state, Frank B. Kellogg & French Foreign minister Aristide Briand Treaty renounced war as a means of national policy International Disputes should be solved by peaceful means helped to formulater international law especially notions of “crimes against peace. ” Pact lack an efficient enforcement mechanism

Message to the Nations of the World appealing for Peace by Disarmament and the end of Economic Chaos, (May 16, 1933) n n To solve the global financial crisis, Franklin Roosevelt urges economic cooperation and an international agreement for disarmament. Considers Armaments to be unnecessary Proposes that all gov’ts reduce their militaries Urges Gov’ts to adopt transcend domestic needs & create lasting international economic reform

The Nye Report (February 24, 1936) n n n In 1934, Senator Nye headed an investigation of the munitions industry. he charged the industry with corruption by connecting wartime profits of the banking & munitions industries to America's involvement in World War I Many Americans felt betrayed perhaps the war hadn't been an epic battle between the forces of good (democracy) and evil (autocracy) The report bolstered sentiments for isolationism

"Is Neutrality Possible? " By Gerald Nye n n n n World War I led to an unacceptable loss of life & caused grave economic consequences The U. S. should focus its energies at home U. S. should avoid European entanglements Neutrality is the preferred policy over “collective security” Munitions manufacturers stir up animosities between Japan & the U. S. to ensure profits Money wasted on the military could be used for the public’s benefit The spread of Fascism can be checked by building up a better societal model in the United States

n n n "Neutrality Act" of August 31, 1935 spurred by the growth of isolationism after WW 1 Goal=to ensure that the US would not become entangled again in foreign conflicts Prohibited n n n Further amended in 1936, 1937 & 1939 Allowed the President to decide when nations were at war n n Sale of arms to nations at war The transport of arms on American vessels Americans from traveling on belligerent vessels This provided a loophole that FDR carefully exploited to assist American allies from aggressor states Legacy n n Made no distinction between Aggressor states & states being attacked they limited the US government's ability

Address Delivered by President Roosevelt Before the Congress, January 3, 1936 n Points n n n International tensions have steadily increased over the past 3 years By contrast, Western Hemisphere enjoys a “good neighbor” policy The U. S. must take note of the rise of aggression abroad n n n These states lack democratic channels for change Bellicose states have blocked disarmament efforts Although it reaffirms American isolation, FDR’s speech is notable for its markedly pessimistic tone

Roosevelt's "Quarantine" Speech (October 5, 1937) n n n n Hopes for global peace are undermined by aggressor states “foundations of civilization” are threatened The U. S. & the Western Hemisphere also in danger Complete isolation from the world isn’t possible U. S. must reestablish international law & morality War is like a disease, it must be quarantined to protect the world With the speech, FDR sounds the alarm that American must now take notice of global problems

Depiction of U. S. Isolationism

America First Party n n Est. September 1940 Pressure group to keep the U. S. out of the war Peak membership=800, 000 April 23, 1941 Charles Lindbergh speech in New York n n n U. S. shouldn’t enter war unless it can win Britain nor the U. S. can defeat Germany Fall of the democracies in Europe can be blamed on the interventionists in those countries (effectively blames the victims) Britain is trying to lure the U. S. into the war FDR is leading the U. S. into war but the majority is against it U. S should follow the Monroe Doctrine & Washington’s advice to avoid “entangling alliances”

Lindbergh’s Des Moines Speech (Sept. 11, 1941) n n Propaganda has led the American public from isolation toward being on the verge of war 3 groups are responsible n n n The British The Jews The Roosevelt Administration According to Lindbergh, these groups control the media & are brainwashing the public Lindbergh’s speech with its anti-Semitic connotations enraged many

Bibliography n Slide #1: n Mussolini/Hitler: http: //www. provincia. torino. it/cultura/rosanero/im/27. jpg n Roosevelt: http: //history. acusd. edu/cdr 2/WW 2 Pics/04629. GIF n Lindbergh: http: //staff. imsa. edu/socsci/jvictory/isolationism/lindbergh_amerfirst. jpg Slide #2 n Photo of Mussolini: http: //homepage. ntlworld. com/haywardlad/famous/heads-mussolini. jpg Slide #3 n Photo of Hitler: http: //www. digischrift. nl/lessen/adolfhitler 1/index. 3. jpg n Photo of Nuremberg Rally: http: //history. acusd. edu/cdr 2/WW 2 Pics/58806. jpg Slide #4 n Photo of Nazi Eugenic Test: http: //cla. calpoly. edu/~lcall/eugenics. jpg n Photo of “Jew Only Bench”: http: //sorrel. humboldt. edu/~rescuers/book/Pinkhof/yaari/sophpix/jewonly. gif n Photo of Jewish Shop: http: //mayoramber. esmartdesign. com/windowbig. jpg Slide #5 Time Cover of Haile Selassie: http: //img. timeinc. net/time/magazine/archive/covers/1936/1101360106_400. jpg Slide #6 n Photo of German Troops: http: //www. umkc. edu/lib/spec-col/ww 2/1939/images/63 -579. jpg Slide #7 n Defense Spending Chart: http: //upload. wikimedia. org/wikipedia/en/5/5 c/Graph_top 7_def_expd_1930 -38. png Slide #8 n David Lowe Cartoon: http: //www. history. ucsb. edu/faculty/marcuse/classes/honsem/theses/mkravetz 03/Spineless. Bg. jpg Slide #9 n German Expansion: http: //www. msubillings. edu/history/Nazi. Expansion. jpg Slide #10 n Slide #11 n Slide #13 n Slide #15 n Slide #17 n Slide #18 n Slide #19 n Slide #20 n n n n n Japanese Expansion Before Pearl Harbor: http: //www. shsu. edu/~his_sub/map--imperial%20 japan. jpg Kellogg-Briand: http: //history. acusd. edu/cdr 2/WW 2 Pics 3/01115. jpg The Nye Committee: http: //history. acusd. edu/cdr 2/WW 2 Pics/00811. jpg Political Cartoon: http: //www. beyondbelief 72. com/hello/27/1105/1024/011140_parrish. jpg Roosevelt: http: //www. theconnection. org/photogallery/fdr/images/1. jpg Political Cartoon: http: //spartans. sstx. org/~wgoodman/WWIIisolationismcart. jpg Lindbergh America First: http: //staff. imsa. edu/socsci/jvictory/isolationism/lindbergh_amerfirst. jpg Dr. Suess Cartoon: http: //orpheus. ucsd. edu/speccoll/dspolitic/pm/10602 cs. jpg