§2.3; The rise of Mussolini and Hitler
Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini and other veterans wanted to start a political movement in Italy, for the reason of
huge debts, unemployment and social unrest. This movement was called fascism and Mussolini
became the leader of the National Fascist Party. Mussolini had a private militia, called the Blackshirts
to beat up the opponents. He took over the government, because the Italian parliament was scared of a
civil war. When Mussolini came to power he immediately started to change Italy into a totalitarian
state (no freedom of speech, terror, propaganda, censorship & indoctrination)
The Weimar Republic
After World War I, the National Assembly met in Weimar to write a new constitution → a
democracy, parliament and president. The state was now unofficially called Weimar Republic.
However, many Germans believed that the politicians had betrayed the army → stab-in-the-back
myth.
Adolf Hitler
Hitler blamed the communists, government and Jews for losing World War I, so he joined the
NSDAP, also called Nazi Party. He promised the Germans National Socialism and to end the Treaty
of Versailles and make Germany powerful again. The Nazi’s founded the Brownshirts to fight
communists. Their strategy was to use violence and spread fear to show how weak the Weimar
Republic was. Eventually, Hitler planned a coup in Munich to overthrow the government, however,
this coup failed and he was sent to prison.
In prison, Hitler wrote a book called Mein Kampf. He wanted to form a totalitarian state called the
Third Reich that glorified violence and the military. He believed that war was a part of evolution, it
separates the strong from the weak.
However, there was a huge difference between Fascism and National Socialism, Nazis believed
that people could be divided into races → Germans were superior (Aryans), while coloured people
were seen as sub-humans (Slavic races) who could be used to serve the Aryans. The hatred to the
Jews was called anti-Semitism.
After Hitler was released from prison, he developed a new strategy; democracy to get power. At first,
the NSDAP didn’t get a lot of votes, but this changed when an economic crisis hit America and spread
to Europe.
§2.5; Hitler’s dictatorship
Hitler’s rise to power
When poverty hit Germany, Hitler promised the Germans to give jobs to the unemployed and to
defend them from communists, Jews and democrats. The Nazi’s grew and eventually were the biggest
party in the Reichstag (German parliament). However, it did not have a majority, so it needed to
cooperate with other parties. The other parties convinced president Hindenburg to be able to control
Hitler, so they appointed him as Reichskanzler (Prime Minister).
, When the Reichstag building was set on fire, Hitler blamed the communists for causing terror
and trying to take power → the communists were arrested and their party was banned → NSDAP
and another nationalist party together gained a majority of the votes.
Eventually, he convinced Hindenburg to sign the Enabling Act, which enabled Hitler to make
and pass laws without the involvement of the parliament → a path to a totalitarian state. Hitler
banished all political parties and divided the country into provinces where each was ruled by a
Nazi he could trust.
Now that Hitler controlled the government, he ordered his lifeguards (SS) to kill all Nazi
members who had opposed or questioned him → Night of the Long Knives. When Hindenburg
died, Hitler combined the presidency and Reichskanzler → he ruled Germany alone.
Nazification
Hitler wanted to turn Germany into a totalitarian state by nazification. He mainly used
propaganda to get the Germans to his side → he encouraged the production of cheap radios, so
everyone could listen to his speeches. This propaganda worked and he gave the unemployed
jobs. Hitler now also used indoctrination and developed a cult of personality (public admiration
for a famous person).
Subsequently, the Gestapo was created (the Nazi secret police), they arrested everyone who disagreed
with Hitler and they were sent to concentration camps, however, later on, people according to Hitler’s
racial doctrine were also sent to these camps.
§3.1; Nazi Germany prepares for war
Lebensraum (Habitat)
Hitler wanted to win back Germans who lived in other states, so he convinced them to join with
their region into a Greater German Reich → Heim ins Reich. His second goal was to make
Germany's economy self-sufficient, so that the people were able to feed themselves with their
own crops and that industry should only rely on their own raw materials → needed to conquer
Eastern Europe. He saw these areas as Lebensraum (future living space for the Aryan race).
The first step of Hitler to unite all Germans was with conquering the Saar, of which the inhabitants
had voted to live under German authority. France and Britain didn’t interfere with Hitler, because they
weren’t ready for another war; economic crisis, memories of the victims of the last war & the
isolationism of the United States. Later on, Hitler also invaded the Rhineland which was another
violation of the Treaty of Versailles.
Subsequently, he formed an alliance with Mussolini called the Axis Powers. Hitler’s next step is
discussed as the Anschluss, which is when the Austrian Nazi Party came to power, so German troops
marched into Austria annexing it to Germany.
The Nazi’s continued to cause unrest in the Sudetenland (Czechoslovakian area which possessed
many natural resources), however, Britain, France & the Soviet Union threatened that this invasion
Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini and other veterans wanted to start a political movement in Italy, for the reason of
huge debts, unemployment and social unrest. This movement was called fascism and Mussolini
became the leader of the National Fascist Party. Mussolini had a private militia, called the Blackshirts
to beat up the opponents. He took over the government, because the Italian parliament was scared of a
civil war. When Mussolini came to power he immediately started to change Italy into a totalitarian
state (no freedom of speech, terror, propaganda, censorship & indoctrination)
The Weimar Republic
After World War I, the National Assembly met in Weimar to write a new constitution → a
democracy, parliament and president. The state was now unofficially called Weimar Republic.
However, many Germans believed that the politicians had betrayed the army → stab-in-the-back
myth.
Adolf Hitler
Hitler blamed the communists, government and Jews for losing World War I, so he joined the
NSDAP, also called Nazi Party. He promised the Germans National Socialism and to end the Treaty
of Versailles and make Germany powerful again. The Nazi’s founded the Brownshirts to fight
communists. Their strategy was to use violence and spread fear to show how weak the Weimar
Republic was. Eventually, Hitler planned a coup in Munich to overthrow the government, however,
this coup failed and he was sent to prison.
In prison, Hitler wrote a book called Mein Kampf. He wanted to form a totalitarian state called the
Third Reich that glorified violence and the military. He believed that war was a part of evolution, it
separates the strong from the weak.
However, there was a huge difference between Fascism and National Socialism, Nazis believed
that people could be divided into races → Germans were superior (Aryans), while coloured people
were seen as sub-humans (Slavic races) who could be used to serve the Aryans. The hatred to the
Jews was called anti-Semitism.
After Hitler was released from prison, he developed a new strategy; democracy to get power. At first,
the NSDAP didn’t get a lot of votes, but this changed when an economic crisis hit America and spread
to Europe.
§2.5; Hitler’s dictatorship
Hitler’s rise to power
When poverty hit Germany, Hitler promised the Germans to give jobs to the unemployed and to
defend them from communists, Jews and democrats. The Nazi’s grew and eventually were the biggest
party in the Reichstag (German parliament). However, it did not have a majority, so it needed to
cooperate with other parties. The other parties convinced president Hindenburg to be able to control
Hitler, so they appointed him as Reichskanzler (Prime Minister).
, When the Reichstag building was set on fire, Hitler blamed the communists for causing terror
and trying to take power → the communists were arrested and their party was banned → NSDAP
and another nationalist party together gained a majority of the votes.
Eventually, he convinced Hindenburg to sign the Enabling Act, which enabled Hitler to make
and pass laws without the involvement of the parliament → a path to a totalitarian state. Hitler
banished all political parties and divided the country into provinces where each was ruled by a
Nazi he could trust.
Now that Hitler controlled the government, he ordered his lifeguards (SS) to kill all Nazi
members who had opposed or questioned him → Night of the Long Knives. When Hindenburg
died, Hitler combined the presidency and Reichskanzler → he ruled Germany alone.
Nazification
Hitler wanted to turn Germany into a totalitarian state by nazification. He mainly used
propaganda to get the Germans to his side → he encouraged the production of cheap radios, so
everyone could listen to his speeches. This propaganda worked and he gave the unemployed
jobs. Hitler now also used indoctrination and developed a cult of personality (public admiration
for a famous person).
Subsequently, the Gestapo was created (the Nazi secret police), they arrested everyone who disagreed
with Hitler and they were sent to concentration camps, however, later on, people according to Hitler’s
racial doctrine were also sent to these camps.
§3.1; Nazi Germany prepares for war
Lebensraum (Habitat)
Hitler wanted to win back Germans who lived in other states, so he convinced them to join with
their region into a Greater German Reich → Heim ins Reich. His second goal was to make
Germany's economy self-sufficient, so that the people were able to feed themselves with their
own crops and that industry should only rely on their own raw materials → needed to conquer
Eastern Europe. He saw these areas as Lebensraum (future living space for the Aryan race).
The first step of Hitler to unite all Germans was with conquering the Saar, of which the inhabitants
had voted to live under German authority. France and Britain didn’t interfere with Hitler, because they
weren’t ready for another war; economic crisis, memories of the victims of the last war & the
isolationism of the United States. Later on, Hitler also invaded the Rhineland which was another
violation of the Treaty of Versailles.
Subsequently, he formed an alliance with Mussolini called the Axis Powers. Hitler’s next step is
discussed as the Anschluss, which is when the Austrian Nazi Party came to power, so German troops
marched into Austria annexing it to Germany.
The Nazi’s continued to cause unrest in the Sudetenland (Czechoslovakian area which possessed
many natural resources), however, Britain, France & the Soviet Union threatened that this invasion
