Fascism—Benito Mussolini

Fascism . . . believes neither in the

possibility nor the utility of perpetual peace.

War alone brings up to its highest tension

all human energy and puts the stamp of

nobility upon the peoples who have

courage to meet it. . . .

...Fascism [is] the complete opposite

of…Marxian Socialism. . .

...Fascism denies, in democracy, the

absurd conventional untruth of political

equality . . .

. . .The foundation of Fascism is the conception

of the State, its character, its duty, and its aim.

Fascism conceives of the State as an absolute,

in comparison with which all individuals or

groups are relative, only to be conceived of in

their relation to the State.

...The Fascist State organizes the nation, but . . .

[the individual] is deprived of all useless and

possibly harmful freedom, but retains what is

essential; the deciding power in this question

cannot be the individual, but the State alone....

...For Fascism, the growth of empire, that is to

say the expansion of the nation, is an essential

manifestation of vitality, and its opposite a sign

of decadence. Peoples which are rising, or rising

again after a period of decadence, are always

imperialist; and renunciation is a sign of decay

and of death. Fascism is the doctrine best

adapted to represent the tendencies and the

aspirations of a people, like the people of Italy,

who are rising again after many centuries of

abasement and foreign servitude. . . .

Fascism

Who: Benito Mussolini (Italian dictator), Adolf

Hitler (German Dictator)

What: 1. Fascists don’t believe in peace (it is

impossible and useless); war is good—it is

noble and it energizes a nation

2. Fascism is the opposite of communism.

3. Political equality is a lie—not possible.

4. The only important thing is the State, not

individuals.

5. Individual freedoms are harmful and useless.

6. The state must build itself into an empire, or it

will suffer death and decay.

When: Between the World Wars

Where: Italy, Germany

Why: Major factor in the causes of WWII;

result of political instability and economic

problems during Great Depression

Totalitarianism

Read pp. 440-443 and write an

identification

Totalitarianism

Who: Leaders who have total control

over their countries (Joseph Stalin,

Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini,

Saddam Hussein, Kim Il Sung);

leaders were often dynamic

What: System in which government

controls all aspects of life;

Controls all parts of society—

business, education, individuals,

religion

Totalitarianism

What: Erases line between

government and society

Used violence, terror, propaganda,

censorship, technology to gain total

control;

Established a state of terror

Totalitarianism

When: Several examples in 20th-21st

centuries

Where: Currently Cuba, Laos,

Vietnam, North Korea; previously

Germany, USSR, Afghanistan, Italy,

Iraq

Totalitarianism

Why: A main cause of WWII and

modern wars; millions killed as a

result of it (40 million in Germany and

USSR alone)

League of Nations

The League was an international cooperative organization. Some countries, like Germany and the USSR, were at first excluded from membership.

The United States, now the most powerful country in the world, was not a member.

The League did not have the power to enforce its decisions. The Kellogg-Briand Pact made war illegal.

League of Nations

Major divisions existed among

countries after World War I.

Deep isolationism existed after

WWI among the democracies.

Fascism became a powerful force

in Europe—Germany, Italy, Spain

Invasion of Sudetenland

Sudetenland became part of Czechoslovakia after WWI

Hitler wanted the territory and negotiated with the leaders of France and Britain. Mussolini supported Hitler.

France and Britain were desperate to avoid war, so they let Hitler have what he wanted. This was called APPEASEMENT — giving in to avoid a fight.

Invasion of Ethiopia

Haile Selassie was leader of Ethiopia.

Selassie asked the League of Nations for

help against Italy, which was attacking

Ethiopia with poison gas and troops

The League of Nations put economic

sanctions against Italy—weak, had little

effect.

Italy quit the League of Nations in 1937

Invasion of Manchuria

Japan invaded and took control of

Manchuria, a Chinese province. The

Japanese renamed it Manchukuo.

The League of Nations condemned

Japan’s aggression but took no action,

because of the Kellogg Briand Pact

(making war illegal).

Japan withdrew from the League of

Nations because of the condemnation.

League of Nations

Failed.