THE RISE OF FASCISM AND THE

CAUSES OF WORLD WAR II

EUROPE 1921-1939

FASCISM• Gov’t system • State control over all

aspects of life

• Strident Nationalism

• Dictator Leadership

• Harsh Suppression of all Opposition

• Severe Social and Economic regementation

Tools of FascismTools of Fascism

• Strict control of the Media (Censorship)Strict control of the Media (Censorship)

• Extreme use of PropagandaExtreme use of Propaganda

• Secret Police Secret Police

The Rise of Benito Mussolini • Italy in social chaos

• Fear of Bolsheviks (Communists)

• Economic Depression

• Mussolini builds the legend of “Il Duce” (The Leader) – title he bestows upon himself

• A man who never slept, was always right, and could solve all the problems of politics and economics.

Italy Invades Ethiopia - 1935

Causes for Fascism in GermanyCauses for Fascism in Germany• Mass Suffering from Mass Suffering from

terms of Versailles Treatyterms of Versailles Treaty

• Severe Economic Severe Economic DepressionDepression

• Germans are a Dejected Germans are a Dejected PeoplePeople

• German People starving German People starving for a change – want a for a change – want a leaderleader

The Rise of Hitler• Joins German Workers Party in

1919

• Re-Names it National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi)

• Swastika adopted as Party Symbol

• Appointed Chancellor in 1933

• German President Hindenburg dies in 1934 – Hitler declares himself “Reichsfuhrer” (national leader)

Hitler’s Nazi Culture • Based on Hitler’s “Mein

Kampf” (My Struggle)

• Written (dictated) while in prison

• Writes of Childhood, Race, Politics, Goals of Nazis, Future of Germany – return to glory

• Aryan Race – best of all humans (Master Race)

• Cites Jewish and Slavic Peoples (Polish, Russian, Czechs) as inferior and the enemy

• Blames Jews for Germanic Hardships

“Kristallnacht” = Night of Broken Glass

The Road to War Hitler infuses German people with nationalism and pride

Massive propaganda campaign – Nazi Party rallies, speeches, censorship

Violates Versailles Treaty

Begins German Re-armament

Gets German Economy going

Mirrors USA New Deal – building Germany internal improvements

Nazi Propaganda

Germany “Rebirth”• 1936 Olympics

USA Jesse Owens

Axis Powers Created 1937

• Germany, Italy, Japan sign alliance treaty

• Italy invades Ethiopia

• Japan invades Manchuria and China

Hitler’s Unification Plans Hitler’s Unification Plans

• Unite Germanic Peoples of Unite Germanic Peoples of Europe – Create the Third Europe – Create the Third Reich (Third German Reich (Third German Empire)Empire)

• Begins reclaiming and Begins reclaiming and invading “German” landsinvading “German” lands

• League of Nations League of Nations powerless to stop Hitler – powerless to stop Hitler – won’t go to warwon’t go to war

Hitler’s Aggression in EuropeReclaiming German lands Reclaims Rhineland (WW I lost territory) & Saar and Ruhr Valleys (coal rich France exploiting) Forces Anschluss (union) with Austria in 1938 Invades Sudetenland (German areas in Czechoslovakia)

Germans and the SovietsGermans and the Soviets• Germany signs non-

aggression pact with Soviets

• Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

• Soviet leader Joseph Stalin deals up Eastern Europe with Hitler

• Another Embarrassment to Britain and France

Appeasement Strategy• England and France cut a deal

with Hitler – give in to Hitler

• Let Hitler have what he has taken if he’ll stop there

• Betrayal of Czechoslovakia

• Becomes the Munich Agreement

• Britain Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain: “There will be peace in our time”

• Proved to be a flop and a huge embarrassment

Hitler Violates Munich AgreementHitler Violates Munich Agreement

• Takes over the rest of CzechoslovakiaTakes over the rest of Czechoslovakia• Invades Poland on Sept. 1, 1939Invades Poland on Sept. 1, 1939• Britain and France declare war on Germany Britain and France declare war on Germany

(alliance with Poland)(alliance with Poland)

Where is the USA??? (Again)Where is the USA??? (Again)

• IsolationistIsolationist

• Great DepressionGreat Depression

• Neutral???Neutral???

Dr. Seuss Political CommentaryDr. Seuss Political Commentary