Totalitarianism: 21.3-4

Fascism

A political movement that promotes an extreme form of nationalism and militarism. Includes a denial of individual rights and dictoral one-party rule.

Communism

An economic and political system where society collectively owns and controls the means of production and distribution of goods and services.

Mussolini

A Politician and newspaper editor with nationalist ideologies who promised to rescue Italy

What group does Mussolini form?

The ‘Fascist’ group, derived from ancient Roman fasces, “unity”

What did Mussolini promise to do?

• Revive it’s economy

• Rebuild it’s armed forces

• Strong leadership

Who did Mussolini appeal to?

The aristocracy

What were Mussolini’s supporters called? (His combat squad)

Black Shirts

How did Mussolini exert his control?

Through violent means

What ideals did Mussolini fight against?

Left ideals

The March on Rome

Apx 30,000 fascists marched to Rome, demanding that King Victor Emmanuel III put Mussolini in charge of the government. The king decided Mussolini was the best hope for his dynasty to survive.

What was the name Mussolini used? (Means leader)

IL Duce

How did Mussolini enforce his policies?

He silenced any opposition and rigged elections to his favor

What did Mussolini preserve? Why?

Capitalism, he favored the upper classes and industrial leaders

How did Mussolini establish a One party dictatorship?

He outlawed all political parties except the Fascist party

The Weimar Republic

The democratic government in Germany, established following WWI and the previous Kaiser’s abdication

What was wrong with the Weimar Republic?

• weak

• Too may coalitions: agreements for combined actions, alliance

• Blamed for the Treaty of Versailles

• Economic/political problems

What put the Weimar Republic in trouble?

Inflation, and the US’ attempts to provide aid. Then, the Great Depression hits

What extremist group did Hitler join?

Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi), who believed Germany had to overturn the TOV and fight communism

What did Hitler quickly achieve in the Nazi party? What is the word used for his position?

He quickly rose through the ranks and was chosen to become the leader of the party, he was named der Führer

What was the private milita of the Nazi party called?

Hitler established the “brown shirts” or the “stormtroopers”

Munich Beer Hall Putsch

A failed attempt by Hitler to take power, after which he was imprisoned for 9 months

What book did Hitler write in prison?

Mein Kampf

What does ‘Mein Kampf’ mean?

My struggle

What did Hitler write about?

• Extreme nationalism

• Aryans

• Racism

• Anti-semitism

What were Aryans?

Germans, the master race. Any non-Arya races, Jews, Slavs, and Gypsies, were inferior

What is lebensraum

Living space

What did Hitler intend to do about Germany’s need for lebensraum?

He promised to get this space through imperialism, by rebuilding Germany’s military and conquering Eastern Europe and Russia

Dawes Plan

A 1924 agreement that restricted Germany’s reparation payments after WWI, included substantial loans from the U.S. to help Germany meet the reparation obligations

The Treaty of Versaille’s purpose

To establish peace after WWI, by imposing conditions on Germany

The Treaty of Versailles details

Germany was forced to accept sole responsibility, lost territory in neigboring countries, reduced Germany’s army largely in size, ordered to pay reparations to the allied powers, and overseas colonies were taken away

Who believed they could control Hitler if he was put into power?

Conservative leaders

What did Hitler with his new power as chancellor?

• turned Germany into a totalitarian state

• Banned all other political parties

• Had opponents arrested

What was the elite unit called that was only loyal to Hitler?

The black uniformed SS was the protection squad for Hitler

What did Hitler promise as he gained power?

• to create jobs

• Cut reparations to Britian/France

• Defy TOV

What did the Nazi’s oppose?

Communism

What was the Third Reich? What does Reich mean?

The period of time where Hitler and the Nazi party ruled the country, succeeding the Weimar Republic. Reich translates to “realm” or “empire”, the third Reich refers to the “third empire”

What did the Nazi’s believe about the Third Reich?

They intended to make the Third Reich a, “Thousand Year Reich”, suggesting eternal rule

Gestapo

Secret Police

What did the Third Reich restore?

Nationalist sentiments, the HRE/Bismarck

How did Hitler affect the youth?

Children had to join the Hitler Youth (boys) or the League of German Girls in order to indoctrinate the next generation

Nuremberg Laws

Laws that stripped Jews of almost all rights and revoked their rights as citizens

Who did people in Japan blame for the Great Depression?

The government

What kind of leaders won control of Japan?

Military leaders

How did the Japanese militarists organize the government?

They made the emperor the symbol of state statute, while the military has total control over all aspects of life in the country

What were Japan’s leaders in addition to being militarists?

Extreme nationalists

How did Japanese militarists fulfill their growing need for resources?

Imperialism, a Pacific empire that would provide Japan with raw materials for goods

Who did the Japanese first decide to conquer?

China, their political/economic rival

Manchuria

A province of China

Who was Japan’s attack on Manchuria challenging?

The League of Nations

How did the League of Nations respond to the attack on Manchuria?

They heavily protested Japan

How did Japan respond to the League of Nations after their response to the attack?

They ignored protests and withdrew from the League of Nations

Why did Mussolini (Italy) wish to attack Africa?

He dreamed of building a colonial empire like BR/FR

What was the motivation behind Mussolini attacking Ethiopia?

As revenge for the previous loss, suffered by Adowa

Who did Halie Selassie (Ethiopian Emporer) plead to for help?

The League of Nations

What did the League of Nations do for Ethiopia?

Nothing

Why did the British continue to let Mussolini pass through the Suez Canal?

An attempt to keep peace in Europe

Rhineland

A zone that formed a buffer between Germany and France, an important industrial area

Why did the Germans move into the Rhineland?

They had refused to obey the TOV, this was a protest

What did the reoccupation of the Rhineland signify, and what were it effects?

It marked a turning point toward war. It strengthened Hitler’s power and prestige within Germany, the power balance shifted towards GRM and the weak response by FR and BR encouraged Hitler to expand further

What was the cause of the Spanish Civil War?

The Spanish republic, made up of liberals and socialists held office amino many troubles, but when army leader who favored a fascist-style government joined Francisco Franco in a revolt, a civil war broke out.

Nazism

the German brand of fascism

What did Hitler gain from the Spanish Civil War?

He used this war as an expirience for new military capabilities

What country remained Neutral (est. Neutrality acts)?

The U.S.

What did the Neutrality Acts prohibit?

Loans and the sale of arms to nations at war

Anschluss

The Nazi German regime’s annexation of Austria, driven by Nazi expansionists and a desire to incorporate all ethic Germans into Hitler’s plans

Sudetenland

Border of Czechoslovakia, populated with 3 million Germans, so coveted by Hitler

The Munich Conference

A meeting tween Germany, Britain, France, and Italy, to discuss GRM’s demand for the Sudetenland region of Czech.

What did the Munich conference result in?

The Munich Agreement: allowing Germany to annex the Sudetenland, despite Czech not being present at agreement

Winston Churchill

BR Prime minister who warned of Nazi threat after Munich Conference

Quote regarding the Munich Conference:

“Now we have peace for our time!”

What happens to Czech?

Hitler takes all of it

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

Agreed to stay out of wars. If the other is involved, and to divide Poland

Why did Hitler agree to a Non-Agression Pact?

He did not want to fight another 2 front war

Why did Stalin agree to the Non-Agression Pact?

Stalin now gives himself time to build defenses