With reference to Nazism, answer the following questions:

(a) What were the aims of Nazism?

(b) How did Hitler establish a totalitarian State in Germany?

(c) State two similarities between the causes that led to the rise of Fascism and Nazism?

(a) The aims of Nazism were as follows-

1. To exalt nationalism
2. To advocate the rule by a great leader from a single party
3. To despise internationalism, peace and democracy
4. To use force and brutality
5. To extol war
6. To uphold the racial supremacy of the Germans and to hate Jews.

(b) Hitler had no faith in the parliamentary system of government.

1. He eradicated all those elements which offered opposition to his authority.
2. He concentrated all power into his hands, suppressed all opposition and propagated the ideology of Nazism.
3. He changed the federal government into a unitary government.
4. Hitler himself became the Governor of Prussia.
5. All provincial legislatures were dissolved in 1934 and the sovereign power of the central government was established.
6. Various political parties were abolished.
7. A ban was imposed on the press, public speeches and writing of articles.
8. Even the members of the Nazi party who challenged Hitler's authority were severely dealt with.
9. A secret police known as the Gestapo, kept a check on the activities of citizens.
10. Those suspected of disloyalty to the State were arrested or executed without trial.

(c) Two similarities between the causes that led to the rise of Fascism and Nazism were as follows-

Discontentment after the Treaty of Versailles —

1. Italy joined the Allies in the First World War to gain territories of Turkey and Germany.
2. But she could get no part of the German and Turkish colonial empire.
3. Germans looked down upon the Weimar Republic which had signed such a disgraceful treaty.
4. The terms of this treaty were greatly resented by the Germans who eagerly looked for an opportunity to avenge the same.

Economic crisis —

1. Italy suffered heavy losses in terms of life and property in the First World War.
2. Unemployment and decline in agriculture and trade made life difficult.
3. Germany had to suffer in agricultural production, colonies, foreign investment, trade contracts, etc.
4. The foreign countries raised tariffs against the German goods.