Fascism and WW2 Flashcards
What was Italy’s experience in WW1?
Leading up to WW1, Italy had formed an alliance with the Central Powers. When war broke out they should have joined their alliance but instead declared neutrality
Italy had only become a unified nation in 1859 and lacked the industrial base of their enemies and wasn’t prepared for large-scale warfare
During the Paris peace conference, Italy struggled against the other Allied leaders to gain what they believed they had been promised. This caused resentment towards the allied leaders and this anger helped drive the success of Mussolini
Describe Mussolini’s shift to the right wing
He originally started as a communist but realized it was disorganized, had no funds, and only wanted a revolution
Mussolini was a populist because he did and said whatever would get him in power
He recognized that Italy was a fairly conservative place so a right wing, socially traditional approach might be better then left wing innovation and revolution
Describe Mussolini’s anti-communist movement
Mussolini emphasized the anti-communist aspects of his movement and preached that he would saved the country from the Bolshevik threat. He used the fear of a communist revolution as an effective tactic for seizing and maintaining power
What was the 1922 March of Rome?
It was to establish Mussolini and the Fascist party he led as the most important political party in Italy.
He knew the king wouldn’t risk a civil war so he was confident his small number of armed forces would seize the government
He was correct and was sworn in as Prime Minister by the King
What was the Weimar Republic in Germany?
Democratic
Elected president
Appointed Chancellor who is responsible to the Reichstag (parliament)
Individual rights
Article 48 of the new constitution provided that in an emergency the president could suspend rights and freedoms to restore order, this included the use of military force if necessary
Describe the unrest in Germany after WW1
Suffering from loss of war Treaty of Versailles Economic collapse Humiliation and “war guilt” Rise of extreme political movements leading to dangerous tensions within society
Describe the rise of fascism in Germany?
As in Italy, German Fascists used the fear of communism among the wealthy business owners and middle class to promote fascism as the only strong anti-communist alternative
