The document provides an overview of the rise of totalitarian regimes following World War 1. It discusses how the Treaty of Versailles led Germany to resent the guilt and losses imposed on it. The League of Nations was unable to prevent aggression due to lack of support from major powers. This created a vacuum for non-traditional political solutions like fascism in Italy and Germany. Mussolini rose to power in Italy amid economic and political instability after WWI. He transformed Italy into a dictatorship and crushed opposition while maintaining Catholic support through agreements with the Vatican.

1. THE TOTALITARIAN
STATE
History 20 - Unit TwoSection Four

2. World War One
 WWI proved not to be the “war to end all wars”
 PEACE TREATY
 Germany was held solely responsible
 Germany resented the guilt placed on them, territorial losses,
and the reparation payments
 LEAGUE OF NATIONS
 Although meant to be a peaceful idea, they did not receive
support from major world powers, making them unable to
dissuade aggressions
 In many nations, a political vacuum was created which permitted
the rise of non-traditional political solutions (ex: totalitarian
regimes)

3. League of Nations
A Search for Collective Security
• The Versailles Treaty provided for the creation of a League of
Nations
– The new League of Nations, which was to reconcile disagreements between
nations and contribute to political stability possessed inherent weaknesses
that contributed to its failure
• The League consisted of a Council of Great Powers, an Assembly
of all members, each with one vote and a Secretary
– Action on the part of the League required the unanimous vote of the
Assembly -This made any serious action improbable
– The League lacked the force of authority to achieve its goals. It was
essentially an open forum for international discussion
• The League was weakened by the reluctance of some major
powers to join
– The U.S. did not join
– Germany and Russia also did not join the League at its inception (later
joined in 1926)

4. Search for Peace/Fear of Germany
• The future of Germany was an issue with
caused dissention among the victorious allies
• FRANCE’S ATTITUDE:
– France feared that Germany would pose a military
threat in the future and was determined to keep them
weak
• Their insecurity was reinforced by both the ending of its
wartime alliance with Britain and U.S., plus the US refusing to
join L. of N.
• BRITAIN’S ATTITUDE:
– Reducing Germany to a second-rate power would
create economic hardships for all countries, including
Britain, by reducing the prosperity brought about by
trade from them

5. GERMANY
• Germans felt a need to blame someone:
– Western governments
– Their own government
– Big business
– The Jews
– The workers
– The communists
– ETC.
• They were looking for radical solutions (or a
radical someone) that could put the world right
again

6. Issue of Reparations
• In 1922, the German government announced it was unable to
meet its reparation obligations.
– Germany’s economy suffered from high inflation
– They proposed a suspension of reparation payments for 3 years
• Britain accepted; France refused
– France took over Germany’s industries; German workers strike;
France couldn’t collect
– Germany printed large amounts of money to pay its bill. This
triggered runaway inflation, destroying the currency and the life
savings of its citizens
• The economic difficulties contribute to political instability and
the rise of political extremism

7. Italy – An Authoritarian
State
• After WWI
– The hopes they entered the war with (acquiring territory), were
paid for by a heavy price; over 600,000 Italian soldiers were
killed
– The Versailles Treaty did not give results to Italy
– The returning soldiers were faced with unemployment, rising
inflation, and food shortages
– Labor unrest paralyzed industry
– Rural areas saw peasants using violence to seize land
• The parliamentary government seemed incapable
of dealing with the multitude of problems.
• Enter: Benito Mussolini

8. Fascism
 Fascism: Advocating a dictatorship of a one-
party ruling; believes in extreme form of
nationalism, denying rights and supremacy of
the state
 Fascists: A union (or group) of forces with
fascism ideals

9. Benito Mussolini
• Mussolini, an ex-socialist,
organized war veteran and a
small property owner who
feared Bolshevism into an
organization called the
Fascists
• His hatred of communism
gained him support from the
Catholic and business
communities
• Mussolini was determined to
create a totalitarian state. His
motto was:
“Everything in the state,
nothing outside the state,
nothing against the state”

10. Mussolini Dictatorship
 Upon assuming power in 1922, Mussolini
transformed Italy from a parliamentary
democracy into a dictatorship
 All political opposition was crushed; civil rights were
suspended; strikes were outlawed
 This did not result in a social or economic
revolution, his government did not regulate all
aspects of life like in other dictatorships

11. Italy
 Traditional roles of women:
 Mussolini abolished divorce and encouraged women to stay
at home and raise large families
 Women were restricted to no more than 10% of better
paying jobs in industry and government
 Jews:
 The Italian fascists were not overly interested in
persecuting the Jewish community – it wasn’t until late in
WWII and under heavy German pressure that the Jewish
population were targeted
 Only 23 political prisoners were executed between 1926
and 1944

12. Economics, Religion and Plans for
the Future of Italy
 Economics:
 Employment was stimulated through an extensive program of public
works
 Land reclamation projects increased agricultural outputs
 The taxation system was revised to encourage foreign investment
– the economy did record growth because of this system
 Church:
 Mussolini obtained support of the Catholic Church by recognizing the
sovereignty of the Vatican and by making the Catholic religion the
official state religion in Italy
 Future Plans:
 Mussolini wanted to restore the ancient glories of Rome. He wanted
to create a new Roman Empire. His activities on the international
stage were to be a destabilizing influence for Italy