Fascism in Italy and the Rise of Nazism in Germany
The Rise of Mussolini to Power
1 – Rise of Mussolini to power: Debt to finance the war led to higher prices. Demobilization of the army caused unemployment. The population began to support extremist parties—the Communist left and Mussolini’s Fasci Italiani di Combattimento on the right. They aimed to take power by force. Members concentrated in populations of central Italy and executed the March on Rome (October 27 to 28, 1922). Victor Emmanuel III offered Mussolini the government.
Characteristics of Fascism
- Undemocratic and anti-liberal base: The state was totalitarian, directed by the Duce, suppressing individual freedoms.
- Single-party state: Only the Fascist party existed.
- State intervention in the economy: Aimed to achieve self-sufficiency and support private entrepreneurs.
- State domination of society: Violently repressed any opposition.
- Fierce nationalism and expansionism: Demanded the creation of a colonial empire for Italy.
- Cult of violence and militarism.
The Weimar Republic and the Rise of Nazism
2 – After the defeat in World War I, the emperor abdicated, and a republic governed by a democratic Social Democratic Party was created, known as the Weimar Republic.
Opposition to the Weimar Republic
- Far-left: Thought it was too moderate. Spartacus tried to seize power by force but was repressed after a bloodbath.
- Conservatives: Believed the new regime was illegitimate because it accepted the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles.
In 1920, Hitler created the Nationalist Party (NSDAP). In 1923, he attempted to seize power in the Munich Putsch but failed. To address war reparations, many banknotes had to be printed, causing hyperinflation and impoverishment of the population. In 1924, a new government formed by a coalition of Social and centrist parties straightened the economic situation. Marshal Hindenburg was elected president of the republic.
3 – Discontent provoked the middle classes and workers to vote for extremist parties. The Communist Party and the Nationalist Party increased their number of votes. Amid fear of revolution, the financial industry decided to support the Nazi Party. In 1932, there were elections for parliament and the presidency of the republic. The Nazis and the Communists were the most voted for parliament, but neither had an absolute majority. Hindenburg won the presidency and, under pressure from conservatives and businessmen, named Hitler chancellor in 1933.
Key Events Under Nazi Rule
- February 28, 1933: Reichstag fire, used to eliminate the Communists.
- 1934, Night of the Long Knives: Murder of all political rivals.
Hindenburg died in August, and Hitler also became president.
Nazi Ideology and Control
4 – Mein Kampf: Cult leader, the primacy of the state, exaltation of violence, and racism. 1938: Kristallnacht. 1942: Final Solution.
Instruments of Nazi Control
5 – State Police:
- SS (Himmler): Hitler’s personal guard.
- Gestapo (Secret Police): Persecuted all opposition.
To control the population, they used terror and propaganda. Goebbels was in charge of directing propaganda. Education transmitted the Nazi ideology through Hitler Youth. Due to the outcome, oppression, and Nazi propaganda, opposition was almost zero.