Introduction to the Axis Powers
Goal
• Be able to identify the main reasons why
fascism took hold in Germany and Italy.
• Be able to identify similarities and differences
between the governments of Germany, Italy,
and Japan entering World War II
Germany Post World War I
• Treaty of Versailles
– Terms are dictated to Germany by the Allies
– Massive reparations are required to repay to the allies
• The terms of the treaty are about:
• Land (Taking land from Germany)
• military (cutting the German army to <100,000
soldiers)
• No air force, tanks or heavy artillery allowed
– Navy was allowed 6 battleships and 15,000 men in the
navy
• Blame: Germany was blamed for the war
• money (reparations)
Destabilization
• The Kaiser (leader of Germany) gives up
power in 1918
• Power is handed to a moderate left-wing
Social Democrat Friedrich Ebert
• Still massive shortages of food, soldiers are
disobeying with superiors
• Fears of a communistic dictatorship arise
• Response: The rebellion is crushed, Weimar
Republic is created in 1919
The Weimar Republic
• Weimar Republic is set up in 1919
• No monarchy
• Uses a parliamentary government, president has
powers limited by parliament
• Lack of stability and support for the Weimar
Republic does not allow the government to focus
on fixing the country’s problems.
• Germany has 14 different chancellors (heads of
parliament) during the reign of the Weimar
Republic (1919 - 1932)
The German Reparations and the Economy
• Germany cannot pay all the reparations
• France and Belgium: take over the Ruhr
country as a consequence
• France and Belgium decide to use the profits
from the industries in the Ruhr as a form of
repayment.
• German workers go on strike to protest, the
French use their own workers as a result
Hyperinflation
• Hyperinflation takes off because of the
additional printing of money
• The German government prints more money
for citizens and to pay reparations
– Goods for purchase (I.E. food) were not being
produced anymore than before
– Result: Hyperinflation
•
People that have savings lose everything.
Life savings are lost.
Hyperinflation continued
Big Problems for Germany
German Unemployment
Hitler and the Rise of Nazism
• 1919 Adolf Hitler joins the small political party
the German Workers Party. This party would
eventually become known as the Nazi Party.
There were just 40 members when he joined.
• By 1921 Hitler was the leader of the party. The
party was renamed the National Socialist
German Workers Party (Nazi for short). He
blamed Jews and Communists for the
problems of Germany.
Beer Hall Putsch
• In 1923 Hitler and his followers entered a beer hall
in Munich.
– Hitler announces he is taking control of the
government.
– Hitler states he is forming a temporary government.
– While marching to the government building the police
disperse the crowd.
• Hitler spends 9 months in prison for treason.
During his time in jail Hitler writes Mein Kampf
• The failed Beer Hall Putsch shows Hitler he cannot
take the country by force. He needs another
method.
Using Political Methods
• The Nazis use political campaigns to gain
power
• Originally tried to use violence against
Communists and Jews with the SA (Storm
Troopers of the Nazi Party)
• By 1928 the Nazi Party has 100,000 members
but still gain just 2.6% of German votes.
• Just 12 seats in the Reichstag
Nazi Political Strategy
• Nazis used propaganda to increase support and
appeal.
• Spent large amounts of money on newspapers,
campaigns and slogans
• Joseph Goebbels built Hitler’s image as a great
leader
• Goebbels used fear of uncertainty and instability
to portray Hitler as a man with great vision for
prosperity and stability.
The Nazi Campaign
• Hitler’s plans to re-arm Germany were
popular
• Recruit a large army
• Build a new navy and air force
– As a result: reduce unemployment
• His ideas are appealing with many people out
of work
• Attacked and blamed Jews in the business
world
Gaining Power
• Nazis Gain Power 1929-1933
• Nazis win 33% of the seats in the Reichstag in
November 1932 elections (Largest single party)
• On January 30 1933 Hitler is voted in as
Chancellor (Head of the legislature)
• Other German leaders believed they would have
Hitler pushed into a political corner within
months
Consolidating Power
• Reichstag Fire and Night of the Long Knives
• Reichstag government building is burned to the
ground.
• Hitler asks President Hindenburg for emergency
powers.
• Hitler is given emergency powers
• Communist politicians are arrested
• Nazis now hold a majority (Not 33%) in the
Reichstag because of the arrests.
• Hitler consolidates power.
Fascism in Italy
• Fascism -> roots lie with Mussolini
• Fascio —> Bundle of things
• Core of Fascism —> Extreme Nationalism —>
Neither left or right wing
• Everything is subordinate to the state
• Economy is there to serve national interests —>
State should have absolute control
• Totalitarian —> Aggressive foreign policy rooted
in cultural superiority.
– Nazis are a more extreme version of Italy
Mussolini and his Rise to Power
• Mussolini’s Rise to Power
• 1915 - Starts his own political party (Milan
Fascio) significant because even before WWI he
was starting fascist groups
• Enters WWI as a soldier and leaves in 1919
• 1919 - Creates a new political party - Fasci D.
Combattimento (roughly 200 people) - Strongly
anti-socialist ideology. Worried about the
spread of socialism and communism. Strongly
Nationalist
Fascism Gaining Traction
• 1921 - The Fasci D. Combattimento rename
themselves the National Fascist Party
(becomes a small but relevant party)
• 1922 - Belief in Italy that the government and
the left leaning political leaders are failing to
run the country. Perception that fascists can
bring stability through their uses of force.
Benito Mussolini - Beliefs
Picture taken from http://www.comandosupremo.com/Mussolini.html
• Mussolini was in favor of state control of economics, society, and
that the political system should be in the hands of few.
• He was opposed to Communism and was very Nationalistic and
Militaristic. He directly influenced Hitler and the Nazi’s.
• Like Hitler, he was dismayed with classic liberal capitalism – but his
movement was hyper-capitalist with a very strong state.
Marching on Rome
• October 1922- March on Rome (roughly
200,000 fascists) including Mussolini. King
appoints Mussolini the Prime Minister.
• Mussolini is granted absolute control for 1
year by the legislature. King ok’s the absolute
control. Mussolini is backed up by Black Shirts
(similar to the S.A.)
Consolidating Power
• 1923 - Mussolini makes the Black Shirts a
voluntary militia (MVSN).
• Legislature is convinced to pass the Acerbo
Law.
• Whichever party is the largest party in the
legislature has 25% of the vote gets 2/3 of the
seats in Parliament.
• Consequence: The Fascists with the help of
the Blackshirts get a 2/3 vote.
Consolidating Power Continued
• 1925 - Mussolini makes famous January
Speech, considered formal start of his official
dictatorship.
• Takes responsibility for Blackshirts.
• Mussolini is a charismatic speaker. Legislature
passes a new law saying there are no checks
on Mussolini’s power.
Hitler Learns From Mussolini
• Mussolini’s tactics that bring him to power
are also used by Hitler to bring Hitler to
power.
Hitler looks up to Mussolini as a role model in
his early days
• Hitler attempts the Beerhall Putsch out of the
example set by Mussolini’s march on Rome.
Benito Mussolini - Beliefs
• Mussolini was in favor of state control of
economics, society, and that the political
system should be in the hands of few.
• He was opposed to Communism and was very
Nationalistic and Militaristic. He directly
influenced Hitler and the Nazi’s.
• Like Hitler, he was dismayed with classic
liberal capitalism – but his movement was
hyper-capitalist with a very strong state
Japan Dreams of an Empire
• Starting with a new dynasty in Japan (1868)
came a period of radical modernization.
• New desires for wealth, power, and prestige
came about
• They were attempts to correct the unequal
treaties placed on Japan by America and
Europe
Japan at War
• Sino-Japonese War (1894-1895)
• Gave Japan its first real foothold on the Asian
continent.
• Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
• Japanese victory stunned Europe and America
• Many believe that Japan is the natural leader of
Asia
• The Treaty of Portsmouth ended the war
– Negotiated by Teddy Roosevelt
• Gave Japan control over Korea and influence
over Manchuria
Japanese Expansion
• During World War I Japanese elite that
engaged in business and the military wanted
Japan to expand.
– Specifically southward in Asia
– Expanding southward would make natural
resources available to Japan
– Japan lacked many natural resources
– After World War I Japan acquired German
territories in Asia
Japanese Aggression 1931
• The Japanese attack Machuria in 1931
• Justifications:
– Japan’s economy was deadlocked.
• The Great Depression caused European countries to limit
trading with Japan.
• Barriers were placed by Europeans and Americans on trade
with the Japanese because of the Great Depression.
• There was also a shortage of raw materials
• Japan also had an expanding population and sought new land
for their expanding population
Japanese Expansion Continued
• Belief that the League of Nations favored Europeans
• The theory of breaking the world into economic
blocs (I.E. Europe, North America, and Asia) Japan
should control Asia
• Create a federation in East Asia
– “Asia for Asians” (Leave out westerners)
Preparing for an Empire
• Japan experiences a power change (1930s)
– The military takes more power away from the
government
• Assassinations, intimidation, and propaganda
are used to promote Japanese nationalism
• Japan’s political groups were not as extreme
as right wing fascists
– Many embraced economic reform
– None of the groups seized power
– However, international liberalism (free trade and
diplomacy) were no longer discussed.
Japan 1940
• Japan felt the need to expand south into French
Indochina
• Began to ally with Germany and the Axis
powers.
– Fearful of Germany claiming territories in Asia
• Japan was also fearful of the “ABCD
encirclement”
– America, Britain, China, and the Dutch
• ABCD Encirclement: Attempt to cut off Japan
from natural resources needed to allow Japan to
continue expanding their empire
Hideki Tojo Takes Power
• 1920’s - Tojo works his way up the military
ladder in Japan.
• 1930’s - Led troops in battle in China
(Manchuria)
• 1940 - Appointed War Minister
• 1941 - Emperor Hirohito elevates Tojo to the
post of Prime Minister
Hideki Tojo - Beliefs
1. Tojo believed in the Superiority of the Japanese
people (within the Pacific Rim). He was also ultranationalistic as well as very militaristic. He wanted to
expand the Japanese empire throughout the Pacific
Rim.
2. Military alliances signed by the Japanese Emperor,
England, and the US that kept Japan’s military inferior
to US/UK. This angered the Japanese military
nationalists who challenged the legitimacy of the
agreements.
3. Heavy presence of “spheres of influence” by western
nations in China resulted in Japan claiming the
present agreements were simply to maintain western
imperialism.
4. Depression in Japan –> need more resources
Hideki Tojo Beliefs Continued
• Tojo is a fascist and believes in a totalitarian
government.
• He believes in promoting a nationalistic and
imperialistic indoctrination within Japan
• Similar to Hitler, he is complicit in inhumane
experimentation with people considered
unfit.