Thursday 4/21/11

• Today: Please get a wksht and a partner.

• Hmwk: Read pgs. 238-253 in Pink/Purple bk–Complete the ‘Task’ on pg. 255 for a quiz grade. Hmwk is DUE Monday 4/25

Totalitarianism

• A government that aims to control the political, economic, social, intellectual and cultural lives of its citizens.– New form of dictatorship in 20th century

Fascism in Italy

• Fascism- a political philosophy that glorifies the state above the individual by emphasizing the need for a strong central government led by a doctorial leader.– People are controlled by the gov’t and any

opposition is suppressed.

Italy after WWI• Mass male population loss– Out 6 million conscripted-2 million dead, captured &

wounded/disabled

• Severe inflation– Industrial and agricultural workers strike demanding

creation of ‘factory councils’ through which they could bargain with employers

• Land Occupations– Returning soldiers and peasants seized control of barren

land /uncultivated and forced landlords to sell at cheap prices

Fascist Movement is Born

• Employers/Landlords blamed revolutionary demands on Russian Revolution influence and demanded gov’t take suppressive action – When gov’t didn’t take action then,

employers/landlords gathered tenant farmers, veteran soldiers and urban middle class to use violence to submit and suppress these new ‘socialists’

Fascism’s Birthday-March 1919

• Fascio Combattimento (Combat Group) by former school teacher, Benito Mussolini.

• Grew into an anti-socialist force; combatting socialist unions and Catholic peasant leagues.

• Soon Mussolini’s movement was joined by the support of Employers/Landlords looking to fight against socialist.

Benito Mussolini 1883-1945

• Founder of first fascist movement

• Unruly child-expelled for stabbing fellow pupil

• Elementary school teacher

• Prior socialist party member, but expelled

Growth of Fascism

• Parliament elections May 1921– Using Nationalistic ideals, fascists won 35 seats

• November 1921-declared itself political party– Partito Nazionale Fascista (PNF)– Supported monarchy and free tade

• By 1922- Employers/Landowners (middle class) feared socialism and communism.– People were angry they received so little land in

WWI peace treaty agreement.

Prime Minister Mussolini• August 1922-fascist group

had plans to overthrow gov’t and install new regime in Rome

• Against other opinion-King Emmanuel III does NOT counter any fascist march and the Prime Minister resigns in protest…

• October 29, 1922-Mussolini appointed Prime Minister

King Emmanuel III

Consolidation of Power• 1923- Mussolini creates a national fascist militia

and Fascist Grand Council• July 1923- Acerbo Law– Gives leading party at general election 2/3 seats in

parliament• Summer 1924-socialist deputy, Giacomo

Matteotti is stabbed to death by fascists• 1925- Mussolini intends to dictate a more

autocratic gov’t• 1926-Mussolini acknowledged as head of fascist

party…only answered to the king

Fascist Italy• 1926- outlawed other political parties• Established secret police- OVRA to watch citizens and

enforce poilicies• Control mass media- newspapers, radio, films and

spread ‘simple’ propaganda (“Mussolini is always right.”)

• 1939-Fascist youth groups formed to promote military activities and values

• Women seen as foundation of family and state• Overall NOT as severe as Stalin or Hitler…King

Emmanuel III always stayed in power

Domestic Policies• The Lateran Accords, 1929- improved relations

with the papacy– Recognized Vatican City

• The Corporate State, 1930’s- formation of several levels of corporations set to regulate economic activity– Benefited employers and the state– System suffered under depression period

• Modernization of Italian Economy– Changed exchange rate, provided loans, increased

wheat production, land reclamation and improvement

The Lateran Accords

Foreign Policies

• The Corfu crisis- Italian official murdered in Greece– Mussolini demands Greek island, Corfu and $– Mussolini wanted dispute settled by the

Conference of Ambassadors NOT League of Nations

– Britain opposed Italy’s action and only agreed to COA settling dispute if Italy returned Corfu to Greece

– Italy realized the need to be on Britain’s ‘good side’

Foreign Policies

• Due to struggling economy during depression period and relatively small military power- Mussolini sought expansion in ‘cheap’ ways– Accumulation of Yugoslav territory of Fiume– Protectorate of Albania– Africa territory (limited)– Abyssinia treaty 1929

Foreign Policies

• The Abyssinian crisis– Hitler admired Mussolini– Hitler first met him 1934– Caused concern for Britain and France– Mussolini wanted Italian expansion in Africa for

help to suppress Hitler Germany– League turns a ‘blind eye’ to Italian troops forced

take-over of Abyssinia in Africa

Foreign Policies• Spanish Civil War-– July 1936 thru 1939– Mussolini backed the rebels led by General Franco– Attempt to expand Italian influence overshadowed by

Nazi Germany• The Rome-Berlin Axis-– October 1936 first agreement – Mussolini joins forces with Hitler– Italy struggles economically and politically

• Mussolini killed 1945 by Italian Resistance and hung

Mussolini was Hitler’s Role Model

Tomorrow

• Bring BOTH textbooks with you!!!