In 1920 Hitler joined the German workers party (Anti-Weimar republic) and quickly became the leader. He then changed its name to the Socialists German workers party (Nazi) and this party created an entity quite like Mussolini's Blackshirts, known as the Brownshirts. The Brownshirts were led by Ernst Rohm, and they were a paramilitary - Hitlers henchman- and they were used through the late 20's and 30's to harass opposition parties unmercifully. Hitler also created something known as the Enabling Act which gave hitler complete power, except for the president, but he supported Hitler.
There were many problems that the Weimar Republic faced, some of them being the weakness within the government itself, and others the fact that the people didn't like how it followed the Treaty of Versailles. The constitution gave the government way too much power, the states and the army had too much power and this made the voting somewhat biased due to fear, much like Hitler himself when he ran for president. The worst crisis happened in 1923 when the French invaded to force Germany to pay reparations, this resulted in a huge hyperinflation, rendering money virtually useless, and many uprisings, including the Beer Hall Putsch led by Hitler. Mussolini's rise to power started with him forming the first fascist government in Italy which was in 1923. He supported Hitler all throughout the 30's and supported the fascist government in the Spanish Civil War in Spain as well. In 1939 he joined in alliance with Hitler, and a couple of the things his 'Fasci' government started were similar to Communism, but otherwise the fascists are on the complete other side of the spectrum in regards to Communism. Mussolini even signed 'The Devils Deal' with the church giving him more power in return for the church having its own state, national religion, and control of schools. Once Giacomo Matteotti was killed in public Mussolini's reign slowly went down.
Life is Beautiful is about a man named Guido who works as a waiter and later as a book keeper and his time spent in a Nazi concentration camp trying to make it less scary for his son. A woman who falls on him earlier in the movie later becomes his wife after he takes her away from a party with her very rich husband. He comes in on a lime green, vandalized horse and then takes her away, and gets chased by her soon to be husband because Guido put eggs in his hat. The movie takes a dark turn after when the characters find themselves being sent to a concentration camp. Guido tells his son Joshua that this is all a plan for his birthday because he always wanted to take a trip. once they get to the camp Guido tells Joshua that it is all a game and whoever gets 1000 points will win a tank and be able to leave. At the end of the movie Guido tells his son to hide out and wait until everyone is gone from the camp to come out. After all the Germans leave Joshua comes out and the Americans come, they pick up Joshua in their tank, an start driving home.
|