1. The Rise Of Fascism Benito Mussolini Adolph Hitler Targeting the Jews

2. The Rise Of Fascism in Italy  Fascism is a political belief that places the success of a nation over its population  A country’s central government is supreme and power resides in the hands of one individual (dictator)  Business and wealthy elites are valued in this system for their economic worth to the state

3. The Rise Of Fascism in Italy  Italy believed it was shortchanged under the Treaty of Versailles  Italy (& the rest of Europe) suffered from an economic depression in the 1920’s –30’s  This created a desire for a return to greatness, power and prestige

4. Benito Mussolini  A troubled, disenchanted young man who avoided military service twice  1909 - began writing for a socialist newspaper  1921 elected to Parliament  Supported by wealthy businessmen and large land owners because he “made the trains come on time”  The Black Shirts (many were war vets) served as a paramilitary force for Mussolini

5. Benito Mussolini  October 1922 – King Victor Emmanuel III appointed him Prime Minster because the fascist party was growing in influence  Established dictatorship through control of the press, a partnership with the rich and promising a return to Rome’s greatness  Had teachers swear an oath of loyalty to the fascist party; maintained order through intimidation

6. The Roman Question  To appease the Catholic Church, Mussolini acknowledged its independent sovereignty and recognized the Vatican City  Roman Catholicism would be the Italian religion and Italy would make financial payments to the Church for their silence

7. Territorial Expansion  Set up a puppet regime in Albania, colonized Libya, and invaded Ethiopia in 1936  In Ethiopia, Italian troops committed numerous atrocities Threw guerilla fighters from flying planes Impaled and beheaded resistance fighters Used gas on civilians Used concentration camps for civilians

8. Territorial Expansion  Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie asked the League of Nations for help  Britain and France didn’t want to get involved, Ethiopia conquered in 1936  They were trying to prevent an Italian alliance with Germany  In 1939 Italy signs the Pact of Steel with Germany

9. Adolph Hitler  Art school reject who fought in WWI  Unemployed after the war, he blamed the Treaty of Versailles and Jews for Germany’s fate  Speaking for the German Worker’s Party, he realized he had a gift as a charismatic speaker

10. Adolph Hitler  November 1923 - Hitler and the Nazi party attempted to overthrow the German government in the Beer Hall Putsch  Hitler imprisoned, wrote Mein Kampf, which explains his hatred for the Jews and USSR  After released, Hitler seized control of the National Socialist [Nazi] Party, the largest political party in Germany

11. Adolph Hitler  1933 – President Hindenburg appointed him chancellor because of the Nazi party’s dominance  As leader of the Nazi party, Hitler eliminated his opponents during the “Night of the Long Knives”, 1934  Over 1,000 loyalists killed; Hitler’s power was now without question

12. Targeting the Communists  1933 - the Reichstag, Germany’s parliament building, burned down. Nazis blamed communists, who they claimed were organizing an overthrow of the gov’t  Hitler plays on the people’s fear of disorder and passes the “ Decree for the Protection of the German People”  Censors press, prevents public meetings etc = prevents campaigning

13. Hitler as Chancellor  As chancellor Hitler consolidated his power by ending political parties and unions, censoring the press, and abolishing parliament  Used the SA (Sturmabteilung or Brownshirts) and the SS (Shutzstaffel) to maintain control over critics – military police and spies  On the death of President Hindenburg, Hitler takes the title of “fuehrer” or absolute ruler/dictator of Germany

14. Hitler as Chancellor  Introduced the Four Year Plan – expansion of German military & heavy industry  Its economy saw complete employment as it produced war materials and its army & economy grew  Great inequalities between classes remained

15. Hermann Goering  WWI veteran and man of connections  Oversaw the Four Year Plan and acted as intermediary between business and Nazi leadership  Responsible for rebuilding the Lufftwaffe and the secret police (Gestapo)  Shortsighted - lacked understanding of air superiority in modern warfare

16. Heinrich Himmler  Commander of the SS and Gestapo  The Gestapo’s main purpose was to silence opposition to Hitler in the early 1930’s  Gestapo best known for its brutal interrogation methods and use of informants to gather intelligence

17. Heinrich Himmler  During WWII main purpose was to eliminate undesirables in countries conquered by Germany  Officer in charge of the concentration camp system; responsible for 12 million deaths  Author of the Final Solution – “This page of glory in our history has never been written and will never be written….We had the moral right, we were obligated to our people to kill this people which wanted to kill us.”

18. Joseph Goebbels  Head of the Ministry of Propaganda  Produced massive displays of organized rallies to instill loyalty  Pushed the “doctrine of Aryan purity” and identified homosexuals, Jews, immigrants and the mentally ill as threats to racial purity

19. Targeting the Jews  May 10, 1933, “Burning of The Books”, German college students burned books considered “un- German”  Most works targeted were by Jewish authors  Occured on college campuses throughout Germany

20. Targeting the Jews  The Nuremberg Laws, 1935 denied Jews the right to German citizenship, the right to marry non-Jews and the right to work in certain occupations  Jews were also prohibited from teaching or attending schools  Nazi propaganda services issued ID charts that helped Germans distinguish Jews and other undesirables

21. Targeting the Jews  Kristallnacht, “Night of the Broken Glass” Nov. 9, 1938 was a planned assault on Jewish peoples in Germany  Synagogues, businesses, cemeteries and homes were looted and vandalized  Dozens of Jews were killed and 30,000 men were sent to concentration camps