Garden City High School
Global History & Geography ill
Lesson:
Mr. M. Stratis, Esq.
Fascism
Aim: How did fascism become a popular political belief in post-war Italy?
I.
What are the origins offascism?
A.
B.
C.
II.
What are the basic ideas offascism?
A.
B.
C.
D.
III.
Ancient Greece: tyrants of city-states (e.g. Peisistratus)
Ancient Rome: dictators ofthe republic (e.g. Julius Caesar)
Based on the fasces - Roman symbol of authority for consuls
Fascism opposes democracy
1.
Democratic government is seen as being weak and inefficient
2.
Ridicules belief that state exists to serve the people
3.
Civil liberties and themultiparty system are unnecessary
Fascism opposes communism
1.
Opposes goals of a socialist economy
2.
Condemns international unity of workers
3.
Believes that communism cannot save a nation
Fascism supports Dictatorship
1.
Praises dictatorship as being strong and efficient
2.
Claims that the "people are nothing; state is everything"
.- '.
3.
Endorses a totalitarian state (where government controls every aspect of
life)
Fascism favors extreme nationalism 1.
Exaggerates the accomplishment ofthe nation
2.
Advocates imperialism to create an empire
3.
Praises military force and war (mastery ofthe world)
Why was fascism popular in post-war Italy?
A.
Economic Distress - Low living standards
1.
Ruinous inflation
2.
Heavy taxes to pay war costs
3.
Widespread unemployment
1
B.
C.
D.
E.
IV.
How did Mussolini seize control of the Italian government?
A.
B.
C.
V.
Fears of Communism
1.
Contended with Communist belief that workers seize factories and
peasants seize estates
2.
Fought socialists and communists with support of factory and landowners
3.
Gained major fmancial support from rich and middle class
Appeal to Nationalism
1.
"Italia Irredenta" : beliefthat Italy should receive all territories where
Italians lived
2.
"Marenostro" (our sea): wanted to dominate the Mediterranean Sea
3.
"ImperoRomano": boasted of the restoration of the Roman Empire
Weak Government
1.
No one political party commanded a parliamentary majority (51%)
2.
Relied on coalition and bloc governments which often fell apart
3.
People lacked a democratic tradition and had little training in civic
responsibilities
Leadership of Benito Mussolini (1883-1945)
1.
Ambitious and unscrupulous personality who was the son of a blacksmith
and originally an elementary schoolteacher
2.
Became ajournalist in Switzerland, France and Austria (1902-10) and then
editor ofAvantil , a socialist newspaper (1912)
3.
Went from being a socialist (he was expelled from the Socialist Party) to a
nationalist (founded fascist newspaper)
4.
Promoted Italian cooperation with Entente Powers and served in the
Italian Army in World War I (1915-17) - was wounded
5.
Organized fascist military bands called Black Shirts (used violence and
brutality against opponents) in Milan (1919)
6.
Created Fascist Party (1921) and appeared as the "Saviour ofItaly "
In 1922, Mussolini felt powerful enough to demand control of the government
He threatened to use force and ordered his supporters to "March on Rome"
1.
King Victor Emmanuel ill refused to declare martial law and give power
to Mussolini
2.
Unopposed by the army, Mussolini's Black Shirts.poured into Rome
3.
Feeling immense political pressure, king gave Mussolini the right to form a
government
Mussolini seized power without popular vote or parliamentary majority
What policies did Mussolini prescribe for Italy?
2
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Governmental Policies
1.
Totalitarian dictatorship with Mussolini as supreme leader (n Duce)
2.
Only one political party (Fascist Party) was allowed to operate
3.
Legislative elections were limited to a "yes" or "no" vote for candidates
chosen by the Fascists
4.
Civil liberties were denied and secret police, violence and jailings were
frequently used
Labor Policies
1.
Fascists strictly controlled workers
2.
Determined wages, hours and working conditions
3.
Controlled labor unions and prohibited strikes
Industrial Policies
1.
Strict regulation ofthe economy
2.
Organized both labor and industry into small fascist-controlled economic
associations called corporations
3.
Encouraged industrial development
Public Works - clearing slums, building roads, bridges and public buildings
Religious Policies
1.
Long dispute over Italy's seizure of Papal lands ended with the 1929
Lateran Pacts
Italy agreed to recognize the Pope as sovereign ruler of Vatican
City (mini-state located in Rome)
b.
Italy retained land but made fmancial payment
c.
Italy agreed to establish Roman Catholicism as state religion
2.
Italian Catholics constituted 99% of population
3.
In 1938, Fascists began to persecute Jewish population
Military Policies
1.
Expanded Italy's armed forces
2.
Required military training in Fascist youth groups and schools
3.
Granted bonuses to large families
Imperialism and War
1.
In 1935-36, Italian troops invaded and conquered Ethiopia
a.
Emperor Haile Selassie appeared before a session ofthe League
of Nations but received little support
b.
Ethiopians put up a fight but ultimately failed
2.
In 1936, Italy and Germany made an agreement that became an alliance
called the Rome-Berlin Axis
3.
In 1936, Italy and Germany enabled Spain's Gen. Francisco Franco to
overthrow republican Spanish government and establish a fascist regime
4.
In 1939, Italy invaded and conquered Albania
a.
F.
G.
3
Mr. M. Stratis, Esq.
Garden City High School .
Global History & Geography ill
Lesson:
Nazism and the Rise of Adolf Hitler
Aim: How did the Nazis seize control in Germany?
1.
Why was Weimar Republic weak and easy to overthrow?
A.
B.
C.
D.
II.
Following World War I, the Germans revolted and overthrew Kaiser Wilhelm I
1.
Germans established the Weimar Republic (1919-1933)
2.
Weimar became the new capital ofWeimar Germany
. The new government was democratic
1.
A new constitution was drawn up for the republic
2.
Germany was ruled by a weak presidency, which elected by popular vote
3.
A two-house legislature was created:
a
The Reichstag was directly elected by people
b.
The Reichsrat
4.
Powerful Chancellor and cabinet were responsible to the Reichstag
5.
Bill ofRights were written, civil and political equality for men and women
was granted and minority groups were afforded protection
In 1920, nationalist anny officers tried to overthrow the government
1.
Angered by the fact that the Weimar Republic accepted the Treaty of
Versailles
2.
Felt that this was a betrayal of Germany
3.
Revolt was suppressed
Weimar Republic had to pay reparations of$35 billion to the Entente Powers
and by 1922 could not meet its obligations
1.
France insisted that Germany pay its debt
2.
French troops marched into Germany's industrial Ruhr Valley in 1923
and took control ofthe coal mines and steel mills
3.
German workers went on strike to protest this action
How did the Nazi Party become popular in Germany?
A.
B.
Following WWI, a small group ofextremists led by Adolf Hitler formed the
National Socialist Workers party (Nazionaitschesozialistischeni
Like the Italian Fascists, the Nazis attacked democracy, promised to save
Germany from communism, advocated extreme nationalism andmilitarism, and
called for a dictatorship
1.
C.
The factors explaining the Nazi rise to power were:
1.
Economic distress: the overprinting paper money, severe inflation and
unemployment
2.
German fears of communism: Communists polled 15% in the elections of
1930 (about five million votes)
3.
Its appeal to German nationalism
a.
Pledged to tear up Treaty of Versailles and denounce the German
acceptance ofthe infamous war-guilt clause
b.
Demanded the return ofGerman colonies and European territories
c.
Defended Germany's right to rearm
d.
Claimed that German armies had been betrayed by Jews and
Communists, and was not defeated by the Entente powers
e.
Proclaimed that Germans was purely "Aryan" and that it was the
"master race" destined to rule the world
4.
Its attacks upon the Jews
a.
Anti-semitism was historically widespread in Germany
b.
Many Germans readily accepted Nazi propaganda making the Jews
scapegoats (always blamed) for Germany's troubles
c.
Unprincipled persons looted and seized Jewish businesses and
homes
5.
The weaknesses ofthe Weimar Government
a.
No single party controlled a Reichstag majority (51%)
b.
Moderate parties (Catholic Center and Social Democrats) did not
cooperate
c.
Anti-republican extremists (Nazis and Communists) polled more
votes in 1932 than other parties
d.
Democratic government was unstable
6.
The lack ofa democratic tradition: autocracy was favored
7.
The leadership of Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)
a.
Born in Austria as Adolf Schickelgruber
b.
An unsuccessful artist who servedin the German army in W.W.I.
c.
Briefly imprisoned for an unsuccessful rebellion in 1923 (known as
the famous "Beer Hall Putsch" in Munich)
i.
Had attempted to seize the government with the help of his
Brownshirts, a private army of young veterans and thugs
d.
In prison, he wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle) which outlined his
plans for Germany
e.
Created private armies of Storm troopers which used violence to
terrorize opponents
f
Used spectacular mass rallies (Nuremburg Rallies) and movies
(Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph a/the Will) to sway the Germans
2
III.
How did the Nazis seize power in 1933?
A.
B.
C.
D.
D.
N.
Nazis polled 12 million votes in 1932 elections (37%) and became the largest
party in the Reichstag but lacked majority
Hitler was appointed chancellor in 1933 by President Paul von Hindenburg after
swearing to enforce constitution
Hitler called for new elections to achieve a majority in the Reichstag
1.
A week before elections, the Reichstag was mysteriously burned
2.
Hitler blamed the Communists for the fire
In the election, the Brownshirts forced the German voters to back the Nazis
1.
By way of intimidation, violence and deceit, the Naz is achieved a narrow
majority in the Reichstag
2.
When the Nazi-controlled Reichstag met, it voted Hitler emergency
powers to deal with the "Communist threat"
Hitler ended the Weimar Republic and became dictator
What did the Nazi government do to change German society?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Hitler declared the Third Reich (Third Empire) that would rule a thousand years
1.
Hitler had supreme power (Der Fuhrer=The Leader)
2.
All political parties except the Nazi party were outlawed
The Secret police (Gestapo) under Heinrich Rimmler brutally
3.
suppressed all anti-Nazi opposition (democrats, liberals, socialists,
.communists, Catholics, Jews and Protestants)
4.
The Nazis established a totalitarian state
Hitler used Propaganda effectively to sway the German people
1.
The Propaganda Ministry was headed by Joseph Goebbels
2.
He utilized all media to create the "Big Lie" (any lie, if stated and
repeated many times, will eventually be accepted by the people)
Institutions of education were used to control society, especially the young
1.
Used schools to gain blind obedience
2.
Only Nazis were permitted to teach, and only with Nazi textbooks
3.
Nazis manipulated chemistry, math, and social studies to teach about
poison gases, bombing distances and the Aryan superiority
Science and Culture
1.
Scientists worked on weapons of war
2.
Anthropologists attempted to "prove" Aryan supremacy
3.
Writers praised Hitler and Nazism
4.
Censors held book-burning ceremonies to destroy anti-Nazi works
5.
Government banned works by Jews (Heinrich Heine's poetry and
Felix Mendelssohn's music) and many intellectuals fled to the U.S.
3
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
The Persecution of Jews
1.
Deprived Jews of citizenship, jobs, businesses and homes
2.
Stonntroopers violently tortured, forced into labor and starved Jews in
concentration camps (see Lesson: The Jewish Holocaust***)
Religious Policies
·1.
Nazism was contrary to Christianity
2.
Nazis tried to control activities of Protestant churches
3.
They sent uncooperative ministers to concentration camps
4.
They tried to restrict Catholic Church clergy
Women
Given inferior position in society
1.
2.
Consigned to kitchen and childbearing
Labor
1. Determined wages, hours and work conditions
2. Dominated unions and prevented strikes
Industry
1.
Permitted private ownership of industry subject to gov't. regulation
Hermann Goering headed Nazi Four Year Plan to prepare for war
2.
a.
Slogan was "guns, not butter"
b.
Sought economic self-sufficiency (autarchy)
Militarism
Created large conscript army and powerful air force
1.
2.
Remilitarized the Rhineland
Gave military training to school children and Hitler Youth groups
3.
4.
Violated Treaty of Versailles with actions
5..
Nazis sang: "Today we rule Germany, tomorrOlY the world" [Deutschland
uber alles, national anthem]
/
. 6.
Hitler claimed that Germany needed living space (lebensraum)
7.
Reached alliance with Italy in 1936 and Japan in 1940 (Rome-BerIinTokyo Axis)
4