Rise of Fascism

3 Causes of Fascism

1. Rise of Communism

2. Treaty of Versailles

3. Great Depression

• Fascism is a political system withA strong dictatorExtreme nationalismNation > individualRacism & no tolerance of opposition

Rise of Communism

• Bolshevik Revolution spreads idea of communism throughout Europe• A political system with state ownership

of the economy & equal distribution of wealth

• Joseph Stalin practices totalitarianism in U.S.S.R.• The state holds total authority &

controls all aspects of life

• Fascism created to counter communism

• Terms of treaty punish losers of WWI

• Germany has to pay & reparations & give up land

• German people humiliated

• GD causes inflation in Europe• November 1923: 4 Billion German Marks = 1

U.S. Dollar• Germany’s middle class lost everything

Treaty of Versailles

Great Depression

Italy

• Benito Mussolini (“Il Duce”) seizes power in 1922

• First fascist takeover

Japan

• Hideki Tojo & military have real power, not Emperor Hirohito

• Japan needed access to raw materials

• Japanese army invaded Manchuria (northern China) in 1931• Violated Open Door Policy• League of Nations did nothing,

U.S. refuses to recognize forceful territorial change

Tojo

Hirohito

Germany

• Adolf Hitler blamed communists & Jews for Germany’s struggles

• Fails to take control of govt. in Beer Hall Putsch (1923)

• Writes Mein Kampf (My Struggle) in prison• Saw Germans as the Master Race

(Aryan = blonde hair, blue eyes)• Anti-Semitism: hostility or

prejudice against Jews

Germany

• When released, increases popularity & takes control of Nazi Party, which adopts Swastika as symbol (ancient religious emblem)

• Creates SS to control & protect the party

• In Jan. 1933, Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany• First speech as chancellor