The Rise of Political Extremism

1. The Rise of PoliticalExtremism Problems Mussolini Stalin Franco Hitler Culture

2. The Search for Stability League of Nations French Demands • Reparations- 132 bil. Marks ($33 bil. US) • Unable to pay • Ruhr Valley occupation German Inflation • Dawes Plan- loans and flexible payments Treaty of Locarno • Guaranteed Germany’s borders • Kellogg-Briand pact- renounced war

3. The Great Depression Causes: • Individual national economies • Farm overproduction • US Stock Market • Loans to Germany • Investment in Europe Responses • Unemployment • England- 25% • Germany- 40% • Increase in government involvement in the economy • Renewed interest in Marxism • Willingness of people to follow leaders who can offer solutions

4. The Rise of Dictators Totalitarian State- a government that wants to control the political, economic, social, intellectual, and cultural lives of the people Wanted to conquer the hearts and minds of the people • Propaganda • Modern communications Single leader • No individual freedom • Collective will of the masses

5. Italy- Benito Mussolini “Il Duce” Fascism-  a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition • Opposed communists- “Blackshirts” • Patriotic/nationalistic appeal • Secret Police- OVRA • Women • Catholic Church

6. Soviet Union- Joseph Stalin Power struggle in Politburo • Trotsky vs Stalin • Industrialization and worldwide communist revolution vs strong socialist state and continuation of Lenin’s New Economic Policy • Stalin was general secretary of the Communist Party • He used this position to gain complete control • Ran out all of the old Bolsheviks including Trotsky

7. Stalin’s Leadership Five-Year Plans • Goals • Transform Russia from agricultural to industrial • Maximum production of goods • Results • Huge increase in urban population • Very poor conditions • Strict laws • Collectivization- private farms eliminated; instead, the government owned all of the land while the peasants worked it

8. Stalin’s Leadership, con’t Costs of the Programs • 10 million peasants died in famines • Stalin allowed workers one small garden to own • Strengthened his control • People who resisted were sent to forced labor camps • Great Purge- eliminated the Old Bolsheviks • 8 million Russians arrested

9. Hitler Became leader of the German Workers’ Party • Changed the name to National Socialist German Workers’ Party- Nazi for short Led Beer Hall Putsch- failed • In jail, wrote Mein Kampf • German nationalism • Anti-Semitism • Social Darwinism

10. Nazism Achieved power through democracy Became the biggest party in the Reichstag Great Depression • National pride/honor • Traditional militarism Enabling Act- allowed the gov’t to ignore the constitution for four years to deal with crisis Hitler as Fuhrer

11. The Nazi State Totalitarian Aryan (misused term) Opposition eliminated Heinrich Himmler- SS • Terror and ideology Massive rearmament Spectacles Women’s roles Anti-Semitic policies • Nuremburg Laws • Kristallnacht