Fascism and Nazism

International policy

1936 BCE

Mussolini believed in Imperialism. Hence he meant to create an Italian empire:
The rule over Libya was consolidated.
Mussolini conquered and annexed Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1936.
Albania and Somalia were occupied in 1939.

Hitler ordered to arrest Röhm

1934 BCE

Hitler still had opposition. Ernst Röhm controlled
the SA (over 400.000 men). On the 30th
June 1934, Hitler ordered to arrest Röhm and others. Several hundred people were killed.
This was called the Night of the Long Knives. Röhm
was shot the next day. When Hindenburg
died, Hitler became Chancellor, President and Commander-in chief of the army. He was called
Der Führer (the leader). Democracy was dead.

Hitler burning the parliament

1933 BCE

A fire broke out in the Reichstag (February, 1933)
building,
and Hitler blamed the communists. He used emergency
decrees against terrorists, so communists were arrested
and soon he declared the Communist party illegal. The
Enabling Bill let him govern for four years without a
Parliament and made all other parties illegal. l

The Depression of Germany

1932 BCE

The Depression hit Germany deeply. By 1932 conditions were serious in Germany. Over five
million people were unemployed and the country was
desperate for a strong government.
President Hindenburg called an election (April 1932) but did not get the majority. The new
government still could not govern properly, and after the new elections (November 1932)
Hindenburg offered Hitler the post of Chancellor (head of government)

Germany joined the League of Nations

1926 BCE

Germany joined the League of Nations (1926) and became one of the
permanent members of the Council.

Hitler reorganised Germany

1925 BCE

Hitler reorganised Germany into Gaus (provinces) with a Gaulieiter in charge. Above them were the Reichsleiters like Goering and Goebbels who advised Hitler.
Goebbels was in charge of propaganda and controlled all public information (radio,
newspapers, education). He had the support of the SS (1925), a personal force for Hitler and the leading Nazis. Heinrich Himmler was in charge or the SS.

Hyperinflation of Germany

1923 BCE

In 1923 Germany suffered a hyperinflation. This happens
when production can´t keep up with the amount of money
there is, so money keeps losing its value. As result of this,
prices could increase every day, middle classes lost their
savings and the German market became worthless

Stresemann was a new chancellor

1923 BCE

In 1923 there was a new chancellor, called Stresemann, and Germany was starting to
recover. The National Socialist German Worker ́s Party (Nazis), created by Adolf Hitler tried
to take over Munich (Munich Putsh). They were defeated and Hitler went to prison for nine
months.

Fascism in Italy

1922 BCE

Italy suffered the enormous human and economic after-effects of the Great War. There was
a major political crisis since they did not get as much as they expected (irredentism).
Besides there was a social and economic crisis.
The fascists led by Benito Mussolini began to control many parts of Italy. . When socialists called
for a general strike in 1922, Mussolini's men terrorised them and controlled the situation. That
made him very popular

Fascist economy

1922 BCE

Mussolini promoted a capitalist economic model. He promoted the heavy industrial
sector.
He sought self-sufficiency and imports were limited. Public works were developed
under this regime.
Fascist trade unions were created to represent the workers and the others were
banned

Fascist society

1922 BCE

Fascism counted on the Catholic support. Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty in 1929
with the Pope Pius XI: Italy acknowledged the independence of the Vatican as a
sovereign state.
Catholicism was the Italian official religion. Only religious marriages would be allowed.
Mussolini became more racist with Jews after his approach to Hitler.
Everything was completely controlled by Mussolini and the Fascist National Party, who
imposed censorship and propaganda

German nazism

1919 BCE

After the Great War a republic was set up in February 1919 at. It was a democratic
government. The Weimar republic had many problems:
Thousands of people were poor and starving. The society was divided, they did not accept
losing the war and they thought that the conditions of the Peace Treaties were very unfair
for Germany

Spartacist Revolt

1919 BCE

In 1919, Communists tried to take over Berlin in the Spartacist Revolt, but they were
defeated