• Germany emerged wounded from the world war. The Treaty of Versailles proved a further insult to her sense of national dignity. Hence it looked forward to strong leaders.

• The Treaty of Versailles could not be enforced effectively.

• The League of Nations failed to achieve its objective of maintaining world peace. Hence dictatorships cropped up unchecked.

• The world depression in 1939 threw the world into a state of despair.

• Japan’s invasion of Manchuria was enough to prove to the world that dictatorship is a worthwhile form of government.

• Various post war effects: bankruptcy, starvation, inflation and unemployment led to widespread discontentment in the country. Italy was not a contented victor of the war.

• In 1919, Benito Mussolini established the Fascisti party which comprised of ex-soldiers, industrialists, professionals, middle class people and the intelligentsia.

• The Fascists were against Liberalism, Communism and Democracy. They ensured a number of benefits and that appealed to the people.

• The Fascists were able to defeat the radicals in the civil war that occurred in 1920- 22. By 1923 he from Prime Minister he became a dictator.

• Mussolini crushed all forms of opposition.

• He introduced the highly commendable a ’Charter of Labor’ that ensured certain basic rights to laborers.

• He developed the concept of the ’Corporate State’.

• He signed the Lateran Treatise with the Pope, which announced the formation of a new state Vatican, with the Pope as its sovereign.

• Mussolini strengthened the Italian army, navy and air force in a bid to accomplish national glory abroad.

• Italy was joined with Germany in the Berlin-Rome Axis formed in 1936.

• Mussolini entered the World War II in 1940.

• After Italy surrendered in 1943, Mussolini was gunned down by anti fascist Italians.

• The Treaty of Versailles resulted in widespread discontentment and hatred toward the Allies. The Italians were looking for an opportunity to revenge their insult.

• The post war effects were disastrous; Italy witnessed a terrible inflation that left the entire economy virtually paralyzed.

• The Depression of 1929- 30 added to the misery.

• The labor class was greatly influenced by Communistic ideas hence the middle class looked forward to the Nazis to save the country from the Invasion of Communism.

• Adolf Hitler did a great deal to revive he Nazi party.

• Hitler began to massacre the Jews and the Communists; a ’Bloody Saturday’ witnessed large scale slaughter of the Jews of the country.

• Adolf Hitler became the President and gained control of all the national aspects of the country.

• An important aspect of his foreign policy was to renounce the Treaty of Versailles and acquiring of new lands.

• After Hitler launched an armed attack on Poland in 1939. This heralded the next great war: World War II.

• After Germany was defeated in 1945, Hitler committed suicide and Nazi dictatorship came to an end.

• The inefficiency of King Alphonso and the government led to the breakdown of the functioning of the government.

• This was followed by the military dictatorship of General Primo De Rivera and declared a state of war.

• After restoring political order, he launched ambitious plans for development of the country.

• The World Depression paralyzed the economy of Spain and General Primo resigned in 1943.

• The Republicans, the Moderates and the Popular Front rose to power but for short periods.

• General Franco was successful in overthrowing the Popular Front government. He had the support of the clergymen, royalists, rightists, landlord and conservative republicans.

• A civil war followed and Franco emerged victorious; he enjoyed the backing of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.

• He formed a government in 1936 and ruled as a dictator for four decades.

• Portugal was declared a Republic following the October Revolution of 1910.

• In 1926 the army overthrew the inefficient government and established a military dictatorship in its place.

• General Antonio Oscar Carmona became the President of the new Republic in 1928.

• He was re-elected President three times over and assumed the post until his death in 1951.

• The new finance minister Dr. Salajar introduced a number of economic reforms which highly improved the debt situation of the country.

• The dictatorships especially the Fascist and the Nazi ones were anti humanist and anti international.

• They not only glorified war but were also against any attempts of maintaining international peace.

Index