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Political Progression The Rising Tide of Fascism and Nazism Introduction By 1933, almost 30% of the global workforce was unemployed The turmoil of the post-war world sparked the initial rise of fascism (authoritarian nationalism: the interests of society as a whole are held to be more important than the rights of individual citizens) 1922: Benito Mussolini in Italy had a fascist reign – the first fascist dictatorship in Europe Government Systems 3 Communism: operates as a classless society; workers are also rulers of their own society; the government owns all industry and agriculture for the sole purpose of benefitting all citizens Fascism: characterized by authoritarian nationalism, where the interests of society as a whole are said to be more important than that of individual citizens Authoritarianism: absolute obedience to authority Ethnocentrism: belief that one’s own ethnic group is superior Government Systems 4 Militarism: glorification of the military; use of military force to solve inter/national disagreements Nationalism: the belief that one’s nation is superior; desire to force all nations to become like its own or to become subservient to it Racism: the belief that one’s race is superior to others and has the right to dominate/exterminate other races Hitler Gains Power 1919: Hitler joins a small political group that eventually becomes the Nazi party Took over the party and began to shape it to fit his ideas Hitler’s Promises Get back the land lost during WW1 Restore Germany to world leadership Aryans (Caucasians not of Jewish descent; considered to be of “pure” German descent) would be the master race “Deal” with the Jewish problem Hitler’s Rise to Power Early 1920s: wrote Mein Kampf (meaning My Struggle) in which Hitler wrote his AntiSemitic views for all to see Described Jews as “deadly poison” and “vermin” Hitler had persuaded millions of Germans that their problems (i.e. unemployment, etc.) would be resolved if they followed him The alternative was to go with communism, which is what Russia had and was not working for the people. Hitler’s Rise to Power 1933: Hitler and the Nazis are elected into the German parliament Signifies the end of democracy in Germany Germans pledge absolute obedience to their leader, der Führer Hitler becomes a dictator: Outlaws all other political parties Uses force to keep control Anyone who opposed him was rounded up by the secret police: Stormtroopers (SA) Nazi Party Beliefs 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Government should be run by the army and the wealthy Industry should be privately owned Military power should be increased Democratic government should be outlawed Activities of Jews and foreigners should be severely restricted (Nazis believed these 2 groups were responsible for Germany’s economic problems) Hitler’s Rise to Power The Nazis also controlled the newspapers and radios Germans read and heard only what their leaders wanted them to read and hear Books burned in public bonfires Hitler’s Rise to Power Professions were controlled as well Teachers had to be members of the Nazi party Students were recruited to join the Hitler Youth Movement, where they could learn Nazi ideas Priests and clergy had to obey or be thrown in prison Nazi Germany became a totalitarian state. Anti-Semitism Jews were banned from: Government jobs Teaching, broadcasting, newspaper, and entertainment jobs Marrying non-Jews Many shops and public buildings Anti-Semitism Hitler began a systematic rounding up of Jewish people: placed them in ghettos and concentration camps Germany embassy official in Paris was shot by a young Jew in Nov. 1938: brutal attack on German Jews followed Huge fine forced on the Jewish population 7000 Jewish shops were looted and 20 000 Jews arrested, many of whom were savagely beaten Why Did Germany Want Another War? Germany’s condition between 1918 and 1932 was in dire straits But why was it so bad that the German people were willing to turn to Hitler and consequently treat Jewish people (amongst others) so harshly and savagely? Why did Germans … lose it? Problem #1: The Economy - Inflation Germany didn’t want to tax its people to death – so, she borrowed money Germany was burdened by a HUGE DEBT In order to pay off its debt, the gov’t just printed more paper money It was printed even though the industry, agriculture, and commerce were not expanding Instead of going into the economy, all of the country’s wealth was going to debt payments and war reparations Problem #1 – cont’d This rapid printing of Germany currency did not mean real economic value – this caused severe inflation (the value of the Germany mark went down) Prices for goods and services rose astronomically 1922: 300 marks = 1 American dollar 1923: 50 000 marks = 1 American dollar Soon, Germans needed billions of marks just to pay for a postage stamp! Problem #1 – Cont’d People returned to the bartering system: trading goods and services rather than using money Problem #1 – Cont’d • • • • • Advertisements from a Berlin paper for Schmidt’s Delikatessen 1918 Cabbage: 4.5 marks/kg Dill Pickles: 2.8 marks/kg Sausages: 6.6 marks/kg 1923 13 million marks/kg 12.7 million marks/kg 15.4 million marks/kg Problem #2: Political Instability After WW1, Germany had 12+ different political parties No one party was strong enough to gain and maintain control The main political parties fell into three general groups: Communists Social Democrats Nazis (National Socialists) Problem #2: Communists Beliefs: Gov’t run by councils of workers Industries and agriculture should be owned by the gov’t rather than by individuals Military should be reduced Workers should be powerful, protected Supporters: Factory/agricultural workers Teachers and professors Pacifists (what is a pacifist?) Problem #2: Social Democrats Beliefs: Gov’t run by elected reps from all parties Key industries owned by gov’t Honour the terms of the Treaty of Vers. Constitution must guarantee the rights of minorities and workers Freedom of worship and of the press Supporters: Some workers Some professional and business people Roman Catholics Problem #2: National Socialists Beliefs: Gov’t run by army, wealthy Industry should be privately owned Military should be increased Outlaw democratic gov’t Jews and foreigners should be restricted Believed these two groups responsible for Germany’s economic problems) Supporters: The army The unemployed Big businesses, land owners and aristocrats Problem #3: Treaty of Versailles Germany was humiliated from it Believed the new boundaries and the reparation payments to be unjust War Guilt Clause was a stain on the honour of all Germans The morning of the signing of the Treaty, the German News ran a headline: VENGEANCE! “Today in Versailles the disgraceful Treaty is being signed. Do not forget it! The German people will, with unceasing labour, press forward to reconquer the place among the nations to which we are entitled! Then will come vengeance for the shame of 1919!” Problem #4: Depression and Unemployment The stock market crash meant that: Americans could no longer afford to buy German goods American banks could not lend money to the German gov’t or businesses German businesses went bankrupt People lost their jobs Germany had little money and could not make its reparation payments Problem #4 – Cont’d Germans who still had jobs watched their wages fall steadily from month to month Families lived in tents or packing crates, even through the winter Couldn’t afford rent Farmers guarded their crops and gardens with loaded rifles Many people were reduced to begging in the streets Berlin 1932: 6 million people unemployed – half of Germany’s labour force! People are hoping to get arrested in order to receive free food and shelter… Problem #4 – Cont’d Hitler saw his chance: “Believe me, our misery will increase! The government itself is the biggest swindler and crook. People are starving on millions of marks! We will no longer submit! We want a dictatorship.” What Hitler said to Germans who were bitter about inflation and economic troubles. The Steps to War Hitler promised to return Germany to world power and take back the land lost in the T.of V. Step 1: Strengthen army, air force “Today Germany. Tomorrow the world!” War weapons poured out of German factories Nazi Stormtroopers were wiping out all opposition to the new regime Steps to War: Step 2: Occupation of the Rhineland March 1936: German troops moved back into the Rhineland The T.of V. states that German troops were forbidden from moving within 50 km of the Rhine River, to keep them away from France No one stopped the German advance! Hitler’s test to see if Britain or France would react – he now had the answer Steps to War: (Step 3) Takeover of Austria and Czechoslovakia Hitler wanted all Germans to live in the new German state (the Reich) Hitler himself was Austrian by birth, so he wanted Austria as part of Germany March 1938: Nazi soldiers crossed into Austria Known as Anschluss (union) Hitler frightened the Austrians with the threat of a Communist takeover: only he would be able to save and protect them No one stopped Hitler because no one wanted another war Steps to War: (Step 3) Takeover of Czechoslovakia Hitler wanted the NW part of Czechoslovakia: the Sudetenland Near the German border: about 3 million Germanspeaking people lived here Also contained heavy industry and the main Czech defences (coincidence?) Czechs were ready to fight Hitler, but France and Britain weren’t Steps to War: (Step 4) The Munich Agreement British PM Chamberlain and Premier Daldier of France met with Hitler in MUNICH where they signed the Munich Agreement Allowed Germany the Sudetenland Supported by CDN PM Mackenzie King Had met Hitler in 1937: convinced Hitler did not want to start a war Britain and France believed this would save the world from another war Steps to War: (Step 4) The Munich Agreement The Czechs were not consulted in the Munich Agreement Sold out by their allies? Chamberlain said this would mean “peace in our time”, but many people disagreed Winston Churchill, who would succeed as British PM, called this appeasement (giving in to the demands of a potential enemy) Argued that Hitler should be stopped at all costs Steps to War: (Step 4) The Munich Agreement Hitler promised to make no new demands for territory March 1939: Germany occupied ALL of Czechoslovakia Britain and France still did nothing August 1939: Germany signs a pact with Soviet Union SHOCK! Hitler opposes communism, so why would he sign an alliance? The deal was that if war came, they wouldn’t fight against each other Secretly agreed to divide Poland between them Left Hitler free to plan attacks on the West – He had no reason to fear the East. Steps to War