Nationalism
(Chapter 29, Sections 1-4)
What you need to know:
Political and economic crises after World War I help totalitarian regimes take control in Germany and Italy.
- The Italian government was unorganized and poorly run.
- They elected a new government with Benito Mussolini leading.
- He organized his own political party called fascism.
- Fascism relied on dictatorship and totalitarianism. It was strongly nationalistic and militaristic and opposed to communism as well as most democratic principles. In practice, communist and fascist governments seemed alike, but they were very different.
- Communism appealed to workers, and fascism appealed to the middle and upper class.
- These two governments were in direct opposition with each other.
- Mussolini’s Black Shirts launched a violent campaign to take over the government.
- Mussolini was appointed head of the government, and took the title “Il Duce.”
- He made a corporatist state – representation was determined by economic activity.
- Germany underwent great political change after WWI.
- The German Federal Republic became known as the Weimlar Republic.
- This government was disliked by the citizens for signing the Treaty of Versailles.
- Adolf Hitler became a key figure.
- The Nazi party took over the country.
- Hitler, while in jail, wrote Mein Kampf, meaning “my struggle,” and expressed the evil Nazi spirit.
- Hitler’s emotional speeches attracted many listeners.
- He wanted to build a “greater Germany,” and made himself a dictator, taking the title “der Fuhrer.”
- Political opponents were sent to concentration camps.
- Hitler called his government the “Third Reich.”
- Germany began secretly rebuilding its military.
- Hitler sought an alliance with Mussolini, and the two formed the Rome-Berlin Axis.
Review (Study before you
answer these.)
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