Fascism is a political term used to describe the nature of four right wing authoritarian political systems which emerged in Italy, Spain, Germany and Japan in the decade prior to World War Two. The term fascism is derived from the Latin 'fasci ' a symbol of authority in Ancient Rome, applying to the defining feature of loyalty towards authority within a fascist government. Whilst each expression of fascism was unique, there were distinct commonalities. Each fascist regime was; nationalistic (veneration of the state), dictatorial (following a strong central leader) and militaristic (having an advanced, significant and technologically superior …show more content…
Through gaining the support of Germany 's youth, he ensured that the values of obedience, patriotism and militarism in particular, were well bred into society and furthermore that the loyalty of the people would remain throughout the generations. His views on the importance of youth in the sustainment of power were further demonstrated in his book 'Mien Kampf ' in which he claimed, 'whoever has the youth has the future '. In implementing such control, German schools were taken from their local state governments and were instead run by a Ministry of Education in Berlin. School curriculum was consequently altered to include nazi propaganda promoting adherence to both the Fuhrur and the state and physical education classes were doubled in order to promote a ' virile and strong ' German public. The significance placed on physical training in particular, correlated with the fascist values of an invulnerable nation and an advanced military, as aggression was fostered and children were taught endurance. Similarly government jurisdiction over education worked to suppress opposition as, through gaining the support of the children of Germany, Hitler effectively disempowered the opinions of the current German public whom he considered inconsequential in the face of future generational support, '`Your child belongs to us …show more content…
Hitler originally encouraged membership of such groups through the use of propaganda and abolishment of all other youth movements, achieving a total of 4 million members by 1936, however by 1939, participation was made mandatory. Boys of the ages 10-13 joined the Deutsches Jungvolk (German Young People) whilst those of the ages 13-18 became a part of Hitler Jingend (Hitler Youth) where they were prepared for military service. Likewise young German girls were placed into the Deutsches Jungvolk until the age of 14 when they graduated into the Bund Deutscher Madel (League of German Girls) and were taught to uphold the values of the ideal German mother. Categorisation of this sort ensured that German children had a firm sense of their role in the servitude of their country and were encouraged to make the fulfilment of that role their utmost priority. Girls were especially advised to keep their bodies in peak physical condition in order to birth healthy German citizens and boys were likewise ordered to complete a series of physical endurance activities so as to purge the future military of vulnerability and further ensure that only the strongest German genes were passed on to the generation to follow. The extent to which this belief was upheld within the youth