II. Fascism in II. Fascism in EuropeEurope

A. Rise of Mussolini• Italy was upset that they did not

gain more land after WWI• Also had high inflation and high

unemployment • Wanted a leader who could take

action

Benito Mussolini

•Promised to rescue Italy’s economy and strengthen its army

B. Mussolini Takes Control• Creates Fascist Party in 1919• Fascism – Political movement that

promotes nationalism, denies individual rights, and has dictators

• Believes that rights and wrongs do not exist

• 1922 – King Emmanuel III puts Mussolini in power

• Came to power legally

Mussolini and Hitler

“Pact of Steel”

• Il Duce – Takes this title – “The leader”

• Mussolini abolished democracy • Outlaws other political parties • Put all opponents in jail

C. Rise of Hitler• Weimar Republic – Democratic

government established after WWI• Faced major problems

– 1 Germany lacks democratic tradition– 2 Germans blamed it for signing Treaty

of Versailles – 3 Germany is hit hardest by depression

Picture of Hitler During World War I

Adolf Hitler

• Born in Austria • Applies to Imperial

Art Academy• Rejected for his

lack of talent• Twice awarded

the Iron Cross for bravery in WWI

• 1920 – Hitler joins the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NAZI)

• Der Fuhrer – “The leader” • Beer Hall Putsh (1923) – Hitler

tries to take power by force

D. Mein Kampf

•Hitler is sent to prison •Writes Mein Kampf (My

Struggle)•Main points become the

blue print for the Nazi Party

Mein Kampf

Main Points • 1 – Aryans – Were a master race

– Social Darwinism – “Survival of the fittest”– Hitler used these beliefs to argue that inferior people

needed to be eliminated because he claimed that they were polluting the superior race

• 2 – Vowed to overturn the Treaty of Versailles • 3 – Lebensraum – Wanted to provide

Germans with greater “living space”• 4 – Wanted to eliminate Jews from German life

E. Results of Mein Kampf

•Most people ignored the book and few people read it

F. Hitler Becomes Chancellor• 1932 – Nazi Party becomes the

largest political party• Weimar Republic believed that they

could control Hitler• 1933 – President Paul von

Hindenburg named Hitler Chancellor• Hitler also came legally to power

Primary Source – April 8, 1933

“I can say with pride, comrades of the SA and SS, that if the whole German people now was possessed of the spirit which is in us and in you, then Germany would be indestructible. Even without arms, Germany would represent an unheard-of strength through this inner will tempered like steel.” -Adolf Hitler

Nazi Rally

Hitler Youth

G. Hitler is Supreme

• Enabling Act (1934) – Makes Hitler’s word the law

• Banned other political parties• SS – Killed many who oppose Hitler• 1936 – Unemployment in Germany

dropped from 6 to 1.5 million

World War II - American Cartoon