Benito
Mussolini
“Il Duce”
Fascist
Dictator of
Italy
Benito Mussolini 1883-1945
Fascists Dictator of Italy
• Italy was in a state of unrest
due to unemployment and
rising inflation.
• Fascists were a new militant
political movement that
emphasized loyalty to the
state and obedience to its
leaders.
• Fascists promised to revive
the economy, punish those
responsible for the hard
times and restore national
pride.
• Fascism had no defined
theory or program.
Benito Mussolini
• Fascists preached an
extreme form of
nationalism
• Pledged loyalty to an
authoritative ruler.
• Mussolini marched on
Rome and overthrew
the government. He
had support from the
people because the
weakened economy of
Italy.
Benito Mussolini
• “Il Duce” abolished
democracy and
outlawed strikes.
Forced censorship
of radio and
newspapers.
• Mussolini never had
total control of the
country as other
dictators did in
other countries.
Hitler
Furher Hitler
• 1920 Hitler joined the National Socialist
German Worker’s Party or the NAZI Party.
Their focus was to overturn the Treaty of
Versailles and combat Communism.
• His oratorical ability and leadership led
him to called de Furher or “the Leader”
Furher Hitler
• Hitler tried to seize power of Munich
and was arrested for treason and jailed.
While in jail, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf
(My Struggle).
• Developed his ideas of the master race
or Aryan
Furher Hitler
• Declared that blond haired blue eyed
Germans could make up a master race.
Blacks, Slavs, and Gypsies were subhuman.
• He promised to help with the overpopulation
of Germany by taking land in Poland and
Russia.
• When American loans stopped and the
German economy collapsed, people turned
to Hitler for strong leadership.
NAZI PARTY RALLY
Nazi Party
• Fear of the Communist part rising to
power gave Nazi party power. Nazi
Party largest political party in Germany
in 1922.
• Leaders thought they could control
Hitler if he was to gain power.
Nazi Party
• 1933 Hitler named chancellor of
Germany.
• Hitler demanded absolute power and
formed totalitarian dictatorship.
• Formed an elite unit of the military
called the SS or Schutzstaffel or
protected squad. These black
uniformed men were loyal only to Hitler.
Nazi Party
• The SS murdered hundreds of people
who opposed Hitler.
• The Gestapo was the Nazi parties
secret police.
• These two organizations shocked most
Germans into submission and
obedience to Hitler and the Nazi Party.