Notes

The 20th century was a difficult time for Europe as during the century many dictators were starting to take over the countries. These dictators went to extreme measures to enforce their political power over others. Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin were all similar in their lives yet completely different as well in many aspects.
Each dictator had a unique way into getting to power. Stalin had been a major part in the Russian Revolution as he was close to Lenin, the leader of the Bolsheviks. Stalin had manipulated his way to becoming the General Secretary using his wily tactics. Mussolini was a soldier in the first World War and fought among the ranks. He comes home to find out that Italy didn't benefit from the war and he, like many others were outraged. There was an economic depression and social breakdown of the people. Mussolini took advantage of this and organizes a militia called the "black shirts." He used fear to convince the king to make him the Prime Minister, where he would get rid of all the Political parties. Hitler was a soldier in World War I, as well, and was dissatisfied with the results as Germany was "stabbed in the back." He became the leader of the Nazi party and as the great depression happened, many people turned to this politcial party. He won te elections and the enabling act allowed him to become the Chancellor legally.
Stalin had political beliefs which were communist. This means that Russia was a worker's state with state ownership of everything. All the people were equal in every way, to an extreme form called communism. Mussolini was a facist, a nationalistic political belief. He believed that there should only be one leader and he believed that everyone should be dedicated to the state. He disagreed with democracy. Hitler had similar beliefs to Mussolini as he was facist too, however, his form of facism was much more personalized. Hitler wanted to get rid of the Jewish people and he was moreso of a megalomaniac than Mussolini.
Stalin's economy was called the command economy. He would have quotas where people would have to supply a certain amount of resource to him in a certain time period. Benito's economy was one called a corporate state. Everyone would work together in a cooperative environment. Each sector has its own economy. Hitler was similar he also had a corporate state economy. He was able to get a lot accomplished economically.
Stalin was able to achieve many things. He had a powerful state, a powerful military and he was able to establish himself as the unchallenged leader. He also got to be in an agreement with Hitler as there would be no fighting between the two countries. Benito Mussolini was able to lead a large militia called the Black Shirts in a rally called the March on Rome. He also was one of Hitler's main inspiratiosn. Hitler was able to write a book which got him to become popular. He was able to become the leader of the Nazi party, which won the elections. He was able to become the Chancellor legally andobtain a dictatorship. He created the Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass.
Stalin's totalitarianism was one of no freedom. Nobody was able to write books, make movies, etc. Stalin also had a secret police for people who broke the laws. Benito's totalitarian state was less so. He also had censorship and such, however, because the catholic church was centered there. People were allowed to have religious freedom. Hitler's totalitarian state was the msot effiecient. He had the best secret police called the Gestapo. He was able to maintain his reign as leader of the German people.
Albeit they were all different, they were all similar in forms of beign a leader. Each were bad in their own special and unique way. The totalitarian leaders