Hitler and Mussolini.....?

Question

How did Mussolini and Hitler come to power? (Im looking for a link or a little summary please) Thanks

Answer 1

The smallest summary I can give is:
They were elected. Period-dot.
Both exploited dissatisfaction about post-WW1 economic and social conditions in their countries.
Both became popular as anti-communist fighters. (Both countries had seen short-lived communist "republics" formed after the war.)
Both used any ideology convenient to attract the working class, professionals, intellectuals (this one's still hard to believe-but it's true), and the military.
Finally both were more ruthless than their opponents in achieving their goal of attaining power.

Answer 2

Mussolini marched his fascist army on Rome and overthrew the government and replaced it with a dictatorship under the Monarchy. This was in 1922.

President Von Hindenburg appointed Hitler Chancellor in 1933 because the Nazis were the largest party in Reichstag (Parliament) and Hindenburg needed Hitler's party to maintain the government. When Hindenburg died in 1934 Hitler moved quickly to combine the offices of Chancellor and President and became the "Fuehrer" of Germany.

Answer 3

Hitler came to power because the German leader Hindenburg died. He was already allowed to be Cancellor as Hindenburg believed he could control Hitler, however Hitler used this as a way to start making official Nazi laws. By the time Hindenburg died Hitler was running the country pretty much anyway, but after his death he made the German army swear an oath of loyalty to him.
I don't know much about Mussolini.

Answer 4

Hitler came to power as the Chancellor of Germany in 1933, becoming the Fuhrer (a new title created for him) in 1934, which he kept until his death. He was the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP in German, or Nazi for short).

Hitler used the crisis in Germany to rise to power. In the early twenties Germany was in a state of absolute economic collapse as a result of their defeat in the First World War, and many people hated the French and other European neighbors, blaming them for Germany's misfortunes. Hitler and people like him believed that Germany would be strong again if the German people could be unified in one great empire, and the 'foreigners' expelled. In 1923 he led a failed attempt at a revolt from Munich called the Beer Hall Putsch; he was sent to prison for five years. While in prison he wrote his book Mein Kampf, and was much adored by the commonfolk in Germany. In 1925 he was released because it was determined he posed no threat to the public. Hitler tried several times to increase his station at this time, but the political scene in Germany had calmed down and the economy had improved.

In 1930 the Great Depression hit Germany, severely weakening the anemic Weimar Republic, and the coalition of the parties in parliament (the Reichstag) was broken. The president had to use authoritarian powers to govern (the Reichstag could not agree on anything), and it set the precedent for a dictatorship in Germany. Hitler ran for President (was narrowly defeated), and in 1933 he was appointed Chancellor. When the Reichstag Hall was burned down (by a dutch Communist), the moment was used to dissolve the Reichstag and suspend basic civil liberties of the people. The Reichstag reconvened in a temporary hall, and gave legislative power to the Cabinet for four years until stability was regained; Hitler continued to consolidate his powerbase during this time. When President Hindenburg died in 1934, rather than holding new elections, the Cabinet legislated that Hitler would become the "Fuhrer and Reichskanzler," or President and Chancellor, giving him complete control of the country.


Mussolini's rise to power was much slower. Italy faced a state somewhat similar to Germany's in the postwar years, though with much more infighting politically. Mussolini sided with the anti-socialist camp, and began to rise through their ranks. In 1922 the fascists marched on Rome with an armed, rag-tag militia. Preferring not to spill blood, King Victor Emmanuel III appointed Mussolini (who had a slim majority of support) as the President of Council. King Victor retained control of the army; the appoint was meant to placate the fascists while retaining the ability to evict them from Rome at any time. Mussolini's early years of prime minister saw him building a coalition government between nationalists and liberal elements, many of whom who had no dictatorial agendas. However, after the assassination of Giacomo Matteotti (the deputy of the Socialist party), things took a turn for the worse. There was a brief outcry, and Mussolini made a famous public statement in 1925 where he took responsibility for the political violence (though not Matteotti's death directly) and making himself the de facto dicator, claiming that the Fascist Party and the State were synonymous.

He had a wide base of support from the people, and he began to skillfully and subtly silence his opponents. His secret police used intimidation to keep his opposition down, and new laws required all journalists to be registered Fascists.

Answer 5

He was elected!