Dictators Between the World Wars Class Notes
Totalitarian Leaders
Benito Mussolini (Italy)
Adolph Hitler (Germany)
1919 organized the Fascist Party
-comprised of World War I veterans
-helped upper & middle class against
the Socialists. Fascists = Black Shirts
1919 led the Nazi Party (National
-Socialists German Workers Party).
-comprised of WWI vets
-helped working & lower middle class agnst
the Socialists Nazi = Brown Shirts (SA’s)
1921 Appointed Prime Minister
-march on Rome (300,000 black shirts)
-given position by King Victor Emmanuel
to prevent a civil war
1923 Beer Hall Putsch (Bavaria)
-attempted coup, arrested, & jailed
-trial gave Hitler & Nazi’s national exposure
1933 Appointed Chancellor
-1930’s depression increases Hitlers’support
-Pres. Hindenburg tries to prevent civil war
1925 Full Leader (“IL Duce”)
-creates Acerbo Law (voting—party
with 25% or more of the vote entitles
them to 2/3 of seats in parliament)
-Mussolini wins & creates a Totalitarian
State
1934 Full Leader (“Fuhrer”)
-creates Enabling Acts (Chancellor has
powers of a dictator in cases of emergency)
*blames Socialists for burning Reichstag
-Pres. Hindenburg dies & Hitler combines
both positions—creates a Totalitarian State
Totalitarian State
Creates Fascist Youth Organization
-grooming future fascist leaders
Creates Nazi youth Organization
-grooming future Nazi leaders
Increase nationalism thru propaganda
Incr. Nationalism thru propaganda and
anti Semitism (est. a common enemy)
Improved economy and infrastructure
-drained swamp into farmland
made the “trains run on time
Improved economy & infrastructure
-incr. Employment (ex. Volkswagen factory)
Secret police to eliminate rivals
Secret police (SS or Gestapo) to
eliminate rivals ( Night of the Long Knives)