Between the wars: the growth of fascism and Nazism
Anger over the peace treaties, the 1929 Great Depression and weak democracies let dictators rise: Mussolini in Italy (fascism) and Hitler in Germany (Nazism).
Why fascism and Nazism grew
- Humiliating treaties: Germany felt crushed by Versailles. Italy fought on the winning side but gained no colonies.
- Economic crisis: scarcity and unemployment after the war, then the Great Depression of 1929.
- Weak governments could not cope with post-war problems.
- Fear of socialism: kings, rich nobles and capitalists backed the fascists, who promised to save them from socialism.
- A helpless League of Nations and divided democratic forces failed to stop them.
- Terror: fascist groups used violence and murder, and governments did little to stop it.
Fascism and Nazism compared
| Point | Fascism (Italy) | Nazism (Germany) |
|---|---|---|
| Leader | Benito Mussolini | Adolf Hitler |
| Rise to power | Came to power in 1922 with the King's support; dictator from 1925 to 1943 | Won support by promising to undo the post-war settlement and restore German power and glory |
| Methods | Banned all other political parties and made some reforms to win people over | Used wounded national pride and hopes of escape from economic decline; persecuted Jews |
| Shared beliefs | Against democracy and socialism; one-party dictatorship; glorified war | Against democracy and socialism; one-party dictatorship; glorified war |
The Great Depression of 1929
After the First World War the USA grew rich and powerful. But in 1929 it suffered its worst economic crisis, caused by overproduction: more goods were made than people could buy. Prices fell, and then share prices crashed. Banks closed and people lost their life savings. The USA called back the loans it had given to Europe, so Europe's economies shook too. President Franklin Roosevelt answered with the New Deal, a programme that created jobs and helped farmers. The Soviet Union, with its socialist economy, was the only major country left unaffected.
Other countries between the wars
- England: faced strikes and unemployment but kept democracy. A coalition of the Labour, Liberal and Conservative parties formed a government in 1931.
- France: a Popular Front government of left-wing parties came to power in 1936.
- Soviet Union: grew as the world's first socialist state.
- Japan: built up a strong army and navy and sided with the fascist powers. It joined the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis and the Anti-Comintern Pact against communism.
- Dictatorships also rose in Hungary, Romania, Portugal and Spain.
- In Asia and Africa, national awakening grew in many colonies.
The Depression reached India too: crop prices crashed in the 1930s and hurt farmers badly. Today India's Constitution protects free elections, many parties and free speech, the very freedoms fascist dictators took away.
2 marks: “Name the dictators of Italy and Germany between the two World Wars, and the name given to each one's system.” Italy under Mussolini (fascism) and Germany under Hitler (Nazism).
2 marks: “How did overproduction in the USA lead to the Great Depression of 1929?” Factories made more goods than people could buy, so prices fell. Share prices then crashed, banks closed and people lost their savings.
3 marks: “What factors helped the rise of fascism in Italy and Nazism in Germany?” (1) Humiliating peace treaties, such as Versailles. (2) Economic crisis and the Great Depression. (3) Weak governments and a helpless League of Nations. Also: rulers and the rich backed fascists out of fear of socialism.
Fasces gave Fascism (Mussolini, 1922). Both dictators were anti-democracy, anti-socialism and pro-war. Depression: 1929, from overproduction.