Rise of Fascism Key Terms

Totalitarianism

A radical dictatorship that exercised “total claims” over the beliefs and behavior of its citizens by taking control of the economic, social, intellectual, and cultural aspects of society.

Fascism

The name given to political movements, including German National Socialism, characterized by extreme nationalism, anti-socialism, a charismatic leader, and the glorification of war and the military.

Benito Mussolini

1803-1945, fascist dictator of Italy, took power in 1922, supporters called themselves fascists and were determined to create a totalitarian state based on extreme nationalism and totalitarianism, started his career in politics after Treaty of Versailles when Italy was denied territorial gains, increased unemployment, and increased inflation, claimed fascism would help the “little people”

Black Shirts

Mussolini’s private militia, which destroyed socialist newspapers, union halls, and Socialist Party headquarters, eventually pushing Socialists out of the city governments of northern Italy.

Victor Emmanuel III

Italian King, October 1922 group of armed Black Shirts marched on Rome to threaten King and force him to appoint Mussolini as Prime Minister of Italy, had no love of liberal regime. Let Mussolini take over.

Lateran Agreement

A 1929 agreement that recognized the Vatican as an independent state, with Mussolini agreeing to give the church heavy financial support in return for public support from the pope.

Il Duce

Mussolini’s nickname meaning the strong leader who possess al the best qualities of Italians, literally means “The leader”

National Socialism

A movement and political party driven by extreme nationalism and racism, led by Adolf Hitler; its adherents rule Germany from 1933 to 1945 and forced Europe into World War II.

Adolf Hitler

1889-1945, became leader of Nazi Party after WWI, Son of Austrian custom official, dropped out of school at 14, moved to Vienna where he came to believe distortions of Social Darwinism, superiority of German races, and the inevitability of racial conflict. Extreme German nationalist, and antisemitic. After WWI convinced it was the Jewish people and Marxists fault (that they stabbed them in the back), and he became part of German Workers’ party, was a master of propaganda and political showmanship.

Mein Kampf

Written by Adolf Hitler, means my struggle, wrote when he was in prison, wrote about “racial purification” and territorial expansion that defined National Socialism. Claimed Germans were the “master race” and that they needed to defend their “pure blood” from groups deemed “racial degenerates” (Jews, Slavs, and more). Published 1925

Lebensraum

Living space, Hitler claimed in Mein Kampf that the “master race” needed the space to grow, space would be found East of Germany which Hitler claimed was inhabited by “subhuman” Slavs and Jews.

Der Fuhrer

idea of the leader-dictator, Führer, whose unlimited power would embody the people’s will and lead the German nation to victory. Helped propel Germany into second world war.

Paul von Hindenburg

President of Weimar Republic who appointed Hitler as chancellor in 1933, old German army general. Appointed Hitler as chancellor on January 30, 1933.

Enabling Act

March 23, 1933 was pushed through Reichstag by Nazis, gave Hitler absolute dictatorial power. Happened after the Nazis only won 44 percent of the vote in elections, so Hitler outlawed the Communist party and arrested in parliamentary representatives.

SA (Brown Shirts)

Nazi storm troopers, quasi-military band of 3 million toughs in brown shirts who fought communists and beat jews before Nazis took powers.

Nuremberg Laws

1935, classified anyone who had three or more Jewish grandparents as Jewish, and outlawed marriage and sexual relations between Jews and those defined as German, deprived Jews of all rights of citizenship. Conversion to Christianity and abandonment of Jewish faith made no difference.

Kristallnacht

November 9 1938 (the Night of Broken Glass pogrom), Nazi gangs smashed windows and looted over 7,000 Jewish-owned shops, destroyed many homes, burned down over 200 synagogues, and killed dozens of jews. German Jews were then arrested and made to pay for the damage. Organized violence.

Hitler Youth

A nazi party mass organization for children which taught them how to be brave soldiers to protect their country and taught them Nazi beliefs. Millions joined because Hitler promised economic recovery and delivered. Male youth. Part of Volksegemeinschaft (peoples community)

Appeasement

The British policy toward Germany prior to WWII that aimed at granting Hitler’s territorial demands, including western Czechoslovakia, in order to avoid war.

Francisco Franco

right-wing Fascist rebel and general, opened full-scale military campaign against Spanish Republic during Spanish civil war, Fascist army took capital Madrid in 1939, ruled a one-party fascist state until 1975 when he died. Germany and Italy militarily aided him in Spanish Civil war.

Anschluss

(Annexation) of Austria as part of (greater) Germany in 1938

Neville Chamberlain

British Prime minister prior to WWII, followed foreign policy of appeasement to hand Czechoslovakia over to Germany. Believed appeasement would stop Hitler’s aggression, but less than a year later Germany invaded Poland then 1939 Bohemia and Moravia (Czech lands) and EU was at war. Declared that if Hitler invaded Poland (their eastern neighbor) Britian and France would fight.