America and the World
Less than 20 years before the dictatorial German government expelled Dorothy Thompson, the future of democracy in Europe seemed bright. When World War I ended in 1918, President Woodrow Wilson had announced, "Everything for which America fought has been accomplished." Wilson has hoped that the United States could "aid the establishment of just democracy throughout the world." Instead, the treaty that ended the war, along with the economic depression that followed, contributed to the rise of antidemocratic governments in both Europe and Asia.
Mussolini and Fascism in Italy
One of Europe's first major dictatorships arose in Italy. There, a former schoolmaster and journalists named Benito Mussolini returned from World War I convinced that his country needed a strong leader.
In 1919 Mussolini founded Italy's Fascists Party. Fascism was a kind of aggressive nationalism. Fascists believed that the nation was more more important than the individual. They argued that individualism made countries weak and that a strong government led by a dictator was to impose order on society. Fascists believed a nation became great by expanding territory and building up its military.
Fascism was also strongly anticommunist. After the Communist revolution in Russia, many Europeans feared that Communists, allied with labor unions, were trying to bring down their governments. Mussolini exploited these fears by portraying fascism as a bulwark against the Communists. Fascism began to stand for the protection
In 1919 Mussolini founded Italy's Fascists Party. Fascism was a kind of aggressive nationalism. Fascists believed that the nation was more more important than the individual. They argued that individualism made countries weak and that a strong government led by a dictator was to impose order on society. Fascists believed a nation became great by expanding territory and building up its military.
Fascism was also strongly anticommunist. After the Communist revolution in Russia, many Europeans feared that Communists, allied with labor unions, were trying to bring down their governments. Mussolini exploited these fears by portraying fascism as a bulwark against the Communists. Fascism began to stand for the protection