BELLWORK• Read pgs. 557-558 and answer the following

questions about Mussolini’s rise to power: 1. List three problems Italy faced post-WWI.2. Who was Benito Mussolini?3. What is Fascism? 4. Describe the economic situation in Italy in 1920.5. Who were the Black shirts? How did they help

Mussolini?6. How did Mussolini come to power in Italy?7. THINKER: Why did democracy fail in

Germany?

Benito Mussolini: Il Duce• Oldest of three kids; mother was a

Catholic school teacher and father was a socialist & highly involved in politics.

• As a boy, Mussolini helped his father and became interested in politics at a young age

• Heavily influenced by nationalist sentiment of Giuseppe Garibaldi (even made a speech at the anniversary of his death!)

• Mussolini was rebellious and was soon expelled after a series of behavior-related incidents, including throwing stones at the congregation after Mass, stabbing a fellow student in the hand and throwing an inkpot at a teacher

Benito Mussolini: Il Duce• In 1902, Mussolini moved to

Switzerland to avoid military service.

• Here he became very active in nationalist movements and began to adopt his personal views (violence as a means of politics; and anti-democracy/capitalism)

• He became active in strikes and was even imprisoned for leading a violent strike in 1903

• He was then deported back to Italy where he served in the military until 1909 when he became a teacher

Benito Mussolini: Il Duce• Became active in the Italian

Socialist Party and gained popularity in 1910 by writing his own anti-Italian government newspaper

• Began to lead riots & protests against the Italian war in Libya

• By 1911, he was the most well-known socialist in Italy and had 100,000 followers

• Eventually Mussolini was expelled from the Italian Socialist party due to his opposition to the party's stance on neutrality in WWI.

• Mussolini later founded the Fascist movement.

A man of contradictions:

Religion

Military

Politics

Marriage

Benito Mussolini: Il Duce• Following the March on Rome in

October 1922 he became the 27th Prime Minister of Italy.

• After destroying all political opposition through his secret police and outlawing labor strikes, Mussolini and his fascist followers consolidated their power through a series of laws that transformed the nation into a one-party dictatorship.

• Within five years he established authority by both legal and extraordinary means, aspiring to create a totalitarian state.

• Mussolini remained in power until he was replaced in 1943 and died two years later.

WWII Government Jigsaw• Now that you know about your type of government, we

are going to do a simulation on their method of rule.• The class will be divided into four groups – each group

represents a different government/country from WWII• In your group, pick a leader and two speakers• As a country you are going to order a one-topping

pizza.• Your pizza may ONLY have one topping!• The catch You must reach this decision based on

how your type of government makes decisions• Be ready to tell the class about your discussion

process!

WWII Government Presentations• Pick two representatives from your country to speak

to the class.• While you present, address the following questions:

1. What are the beliefs of your government?

2. Who was the WWII leader of your type of government?

3. What pizza did you decide to order?

4. How did you come to this decision?

5. Were there any problems/arguments while reaching this decision?

6. Do you think everyone in your group supports this decision? Why or why not?

WORLD WAR IIDICTATORS!

Hitler’s Background

The Alter Hof in Munich: Adolf Hitler (1914)

Hitler in WWI; 1915

Why did people support Hitler?

• Most people didn’t know Hitler as a harsh, racist, violent dictator who prohibited individual freedoms

• So why did so many people support him? And how did he come into power?

• These questions will be answered in a short article.

• Be ready to discuss!

Beer Hall Putsch; 1923

Nazi Party Election Results

Date Votes % Seats in Reichstag

Background

May 1924 1,918,300 6.5 32 Hitler in prison

Dec 1924 907,300 3.0 14 Hitler is released from prison

May 1928 810,100 2.6 12  

Sept 1930 6,409,600 18.3 107 After the financial crisis

July 1932 13,745,800 37.4 230 After Hitler was candidate for presidency

November 1932

11,737,000 33.1 196  

March 1933

17,277,000 43.9 288 During Hitler's term as Chancellor of Germany

Hitler in Power• January 1933: Named Chancellor of Germany• February 1933: persuaded German president

(Paul von Hindenburg) to suspend civil rights• March 1933: using threats, he gained the power

to make laws without government consent• June 1934: demanded military swear allegiance

to him• August 1934: Hindenburg dies, Hitler abolishes

title of President & declares himself the Führer , or supreme leader

• Hitler is now the totalitarian dictator of Germany

Hindenburg’s Funeral

Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year” - 1939

Acts of Aggression• When each dictator was in power, there

were specific acts that showed their aggression toward citizens.

• Today, we are going to look specifically at each dictator and what they did to show their violence, hostility and anger.

• As we talk about it, fill in the last column of your graphic organizer that we started on Wednesday

Hitler1. Nuremburg Laws: 1935 anti-Semitic

laws that classified Jews and deprived them of German citizenship.

2. Kristallnacht: 1938 – one night massacre of Jewish homes, buildings, and synagogues.

3. Formation of ghettos: Areas where minority groups are concentrated.

Kristallnacht

Ghettos

Mussolini

• Act of Aggression: Recreate the Holy Roman Empire.

• Wanted to restore Italy’s power, influence, and pride by force!

• People supported Mussolini because he brought order to the nation, solved unemployment and rekindled feelings of patriotism and nationalism.

• It was the Italians destiny to recapture the greatness and glory of ancient Rome!

Stalin• Act of Aggression: Great Purges• Persecution, imprisonment, and execution of

government officials.• As a class, we are going

to read more specifically about the Great Purges.

• Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.

• Be ready to participate!

The Stalin Purges and “Show Trials”1. How did Stalin attempt to improve the economy?

What was the result of this?

2. Who was Sergei Kirov? What happened to him?

3. What was Stalin’s reasoning for killing government officials? (Why did he do this?)

4. How did Stalin “simplify” the judicial system?

5. What types of people did Stalin “purge?”

6. How did Stalin get people to confess?

7. What were the “show trials?”

8. In the end, how many people died during Stalin’s Great Purges?

“The Century: Over the Edge”