Many historians have put forth the proposition that "fascism means war." Empirically, this is an obvious fact. Mussolini's Italy and Hitler's Germany both began wars of aggression against other nations. In addition, Fascist and Nazi propaganda both promoted the use of war as an acceptable tool of diplomacy. But is war a necessary result of fascist rule? A careful examination of primary sources can help us learn more. Assuming that we can compare Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, does fascist ideology dictate war as a mandatory action? I believe so.
The first task is to understand what exactly "fascism" meant and what its goals were. Fascism was anti-liberal and anti-conservative movement. Although Nazi Germany carried out genocide, fascism was not necessarily racist. A return to the traditions of society was a primary cultural goal. Fascism was very masculine, and defined a maternal role for women. The leaders looked to create a cultural, not a class revolution, that would merge the old and the new into a "New Man." Yet, in a way, fascism was a class revolution: the young versus the old. The "New Man" was a man of action, not words. Intellectualism was discouraged and community was favored over individuals. Finally, fascism was based upon a continual "dynamo" of action. Not all of these are directly linked to the violence of the fascists; so let us focus on those facets of fascism that are linked to violence.
Both the Nazis and the Fascists demanded change from the "current ways." The driving force behind this change would be the youth -- the veterans of World War I. Mussolini stated that "it is you, the young of Italy, the young of the workplace and the universities, the young in years and in spirit, the young who belong to the generation which destiny has charged with ‘making' history, it is you that I hail with a cry of greeting" that would be the agents of change.[1] The Nazis vowed to overturn the current financial interests (a hollow promise, as much of their support came from the industrialists) as well as the Socialists who were the core of the Weimar Republic.[2] Both the Fascists and the Nazis outlined a "New Man" that was a combination of the current trends towards the future and romanticized memories of the past. In Italy, "[t]he old parties, the old men who carry on with the exploitation of the political Italy of Tomorrow will be swept aside."[3] Mussolini promised another Roman Empire, and claimed, "[t]he Fatherland is no illusion! It is the sweetest, greatest, most human, most divine of realities! No! Italy did not exhaust itself creating its first and second civilization, but is already creating a third … We will create it … with physical effort, with the spirit, with blood and with life."[4] Hitler claimed to have established the Third Reich (the first being the Holy Roman Empire and the second was Kaiser Wilhelm's Germany that was united under Bismarck).
A return to the past, however, was a guarantee for war. Before one even considers other aspects of fascist ideology, one must understand what a "return to the past" would mean. A Roman Empire for Italy would mean conquest. At the very least, it would involve conquering Ethiopia, a piece of territory that Italy had coveted for a long time. Mussolini claimed that Italian control of Ethiopia was a matter of national security.[5] In Germany, it signified a return to military prominence. The return of the land between Prussia and the city of Danzig, which had been given to Poland as part of the Versailles Treaty, would be necessary as well. The Nazis said that "we demand land and territory (colonies) to feed our people and to settle our surplus population."[6] In both cases, the installation of an authoritarian government would be necessary. It is easy to see how a "return to the past" would equate war.
The masculinity of fascism was a major factor in its use of violence. The vision of men was traditional. Mussolini quotes Hegel and declares, "he who is not a father is not a man!"[7] In comparing Italian Fascists and German Nazis, "both of us count on youth, from which we demand the virtues of discipline, courage, tenacity, patriotism, and scorn for the comfortable life." These "virtues" are more than simply masculine traits; they are the foundations of a successful military. In a blow to both tradition and liberalism, both the Nazis and the Fascists believed "in violence as a force determining the life of peoples, as the dynamo of their history." Who would be the agents of this violence? The aforementioned young men, the Fascist and Nazi armies (the Black Shirts and the SA) would be these agents.[8]
When added together, these foundations of fascism are a potent combination. Led by an authority of charisma, gangs of disillusioned soldiers felt that achieving these goals was worth any price, even violence. Furthermore, the violence would extend far beyond the goals of achieving domestic power; external territory was considered necessary. The state-centric view of the fascists made the idea of wars of aggression against other nations seem palatable, even after the experience of the Great War. In addition, the fascist rulers realized that they could not let their "dynamo" ever stop. Aggression was more than the means of claiming leadership domestically and internationally; it would be necessary to maintain power. The continual violence of Nazi Germany kept the Germans in the war as long as Hitler lived, even though all hope of victory had long past. Italy was willing to wage war, which in and of itself is surprising. Mussolini hailed World War I as a revolution.[9] World War I was the beginning of a revolution, the revolution that the fascists continued, and only ended with the total restructuring of Europe.
[1] Mussolini, Benito. "The War as a Revolutionary Event"
[2] "Nazism – The Rise to Power 1919 – 1934" pp. 14-15
[3] Mussolini, Benito. "Trenchnocracy"
[4] Mussolini, Benito. "Fascism as the Creator of the Third Italian Civilization"
[5] Mussolini, Benito. "The Vital Need for Empire"
[6] "Nazism – The Rise to Power 1919 – 1934" p. 14
[7] Mussolini, Benito. "The Strength in Numbers"
[8] Mussolini, Benito. "Blood-Brothers: Fascism and Nazism"
[9] Mussolini, Benito. "The War as a Revolutionary Event"
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