Copy of THE RISE OF TOTALITARIAN LEADERS

THE RISE OF TOTALITARIAN LEADERS ITALY, GERMANY, AND JAPAN Directions: Carefully read each section and answer the questions that follow. You will be tested on each of these countries and the totalitarian leaders that came to power.We will work on this assignment over the next few days. Looking back on the 20th century, many historians trace the causes of World War II, including the rise of totalitarian leaders, to factors created by World War I and the treaties signed at the end of the “Great War” (as WWI originally was called). After WWI, many countries faced severe economic problems. Germany was particularly hard hit economically. According to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was required to pay large sums of money, called reparations , to the countries that had won the conflict. By 1930, mass unemployment and economic depression led to bitter poverty in Germany, Britain, Japan, Italy, and the United States, as well as other countries around the world. In Germany and Italy, the economic depression weakened the existing governments. As people demanded change, a political movement that believed in an extremely strong, national government, called fascism , became popular in these countries. Fascism included a sense of nationalism (a powerful sense of patriotism) and leaders were often dictatorial, ruthless in suppressing opposition, and interested in centralizing power. Economic problems and ethnic tensions contributed to instability and helped fascist rulers to gain power. 1. What is fascism? Fascism is a poltical movement where people believed ina strong, national government. ITALY After World War I, Italian nationalists were outraged when Italy received just some of the territories promised by the Allies. Chaos ensued as peasants seized land, workers went on strike, veterans faced unemployment, trade declined, and taxes rose. The government could not end the crisis. Into this turmoil stepped Benito Mussolini , the organizer of the Fascist party. Mussolini’s supporters, the Black Shirts , rejected democratic methods and favored violence for solving problems. In the 1922 March on Rome , tens of thousands of Fascists swarmed the capital. Fearing civil war, the king asked Mussolini to form a government as prime minister. Mussolini soon suppressed rival parties, muzzled the press, rigged elections, and replaced elected officials with Fascists. Critics were thrown into prison, forced into exile, or murdered. Secret police and propaganda (any technique that attempts to influence the opinions, emotions, attitudes, or behavior of a group in order to benefit the sponsor) bolstered the regime. In 1929, Mussolini also received support from the pope. Mussolini brought the economy under state control, but basically preserved capitalism. His system favored the upper class and industry leaders. Workers were not allowed to strike and their wages were kept low. In Mussolini’s new system, loyalty to the state replaced conflicting individual goals. “Believe! Obey! Fight!” loudspeakers blared and posters proclaimed. Mussolini built the first modern totalitarian state. In this form of government, a one-party dictatorship attempts to control every aspect of the lives of its citizens. Today, we usually use the term fascism to describe the underlying ideology of any centralized, authoritarian government that is not communist. Fascism is rooted in extreme nationalism. Fascists believe in action, violence, discipline, and blind loyalty to the state. They praise warfare. They are anti-democratic, rejecting equality and liberty. Fascists opposed communists on important issues. Communists favor international action and the creation of a classless society. Fascists are nationalists who support a society with defined classes.

Both base their power on blind devotion to a leader or the state. Both flourish during economic hard times. Fascism appealed to Italians because it restored national pride, provided stability, and ended the political feuding that had paralyzed democracy in Italy. Known as el Duce (“El Doo-chay,” the Leader), Mussolini wanted to establish the greatness of Italy and create an empire. In order to do this, Mussolini invaded Ethiopia in 1936. The Italians, fighting with modern weapons against poorly equipped Ethiopians, conquered this African nation that same year. 2. Who was the Fascist leader of Italy that created the first totalitarian state? The Fascist leader of Italy that created the first totalitarian state Benito Mussolini. 3. What was the result of the March on Rome? The result of the March on Rome was the creation of a government with Mussolini as prime minister. 4. What is propaganda? Along with propaganda, what was used to bolster the fascist regime? Propaganda is any technique used to influence public opinion. 5. What was the slogan the Fascists used to promote loyalty to the state? The slogan the Fascists used to promote loyalty to the state was “Believe! Obey! Fight!” 6. Describe the characteristics of a totalitarian state. The characterists of a totalitarian state are a one-party state dictatorship that controlled every aspect of the people’s lives. 7. How are Fascism and Communism similar? How are they different? Fascism and Communism are similar because they both base their power on blind devotion. They are different because communists favor a classless society and fascists want well-defined classes. 8. Why did Fascism appeal to Italians? Fascism appealed to Italians because it restored national pride. 9. What did Mussolini do to expand the Italian empire? Mussolini conquered Ethiopia to expand the Italian empire. GERMANY