How did ideology of fascism contribute to the holocaust during world war 2?

Answer 1

To start, it should be noted that there's a difference between Fascism and Nazism. Although they are outwardly similar ideologies, one of the most striking differences between them is that Fascism did not feature the intense racism that characterized Nazism. In the early 1930s, before Fascist Italy allied with Nazi Germany, Benito Mussolini (Italy's Fascist leader) often criticized Adolf Hitler (Nazi Germany's leader) for his "pointless racism" and thought that Hitler was insane. Once they became friends and allies, Mussolini backed off on his criticisms.

Nazism, which is the ideology that actually led to the Holocaust, was intensely racist at its core; upon coming to power in 1933-34, Hitler enacted racist laws that institutionalized antisemitism- so racism was officially the law. The "Nuremberg Laws" stripped Jews of their German citizenship, and disallowed them from doing things like owning businesses or marrying Germans. Over time, the solution to the "Jewish Question" became to simply imprison Jews (and other "undesired" people) in concentration camps, where they would be enslaved and/or killed.

Fascist Italy initially did not really participate in the Holocaust. Although Mussolini stopped criticizing Hitler for his racism, he also did not do a lot to support it at first. While Germany had a long history of antisemitism, Italy did not- so antisemitic policies were not as popular there. Once World War II started, Italy's military quickly showed itself to be inadequate, and was unable to win in places like Greece and North Africa; Germany had to help. So as a favor to their friend, Italy started more strongly participating in the Holocaust.

By summer 1943, Mussolini had become very unpopular. Italy's war efforts were a total disaster, and Italy had lost her colonies in northern and eastern Africa; Allied troops had invaded Sicily and were preparing to invade Italy itself. German troops were occupying parts of Italy. And Mussolini's switch to adopting Nazi racism was not sitting well. Mussolini was thus overthrown by the Fascist party, and then the King of Italy (who had let Mussolini run the government) had him arrested. Italy then began talking to the Allies in order to surrender and then join them.

After German commandos successfully rescued Mussolini from prison, he was given a new country to rule- most of northern Italy was controlled by Germany's military, so it was renamed the "Italian Social Republic" and Mussolini became its leader. But Germany was actually in charge, and the Social Republic fully supported Germany's efforts to carry out the Holocaust. This lasted until the Allies drove out the German troops in April 1945, and then Mussolini was captured and killed by anti-Fascist rebels near the border with Switzerland.

Other ideologies that are considered very closely related to Fascism, notably Falangism (a form of Fascism that controlled Spain from 1939 to 1975), also did not heavily emphasize racism.

Answer 2

To start, it should be noted that there's a difference between Fascism and Nazism. Although they are outwardly similar ideologies, one of the most striking differences between them is that Fascism did not feature the intense racism that characterized Nazism. In the early 1930s, before Fascist Italy allied with Nazi Germany, Benito Mussolini (Italy's Fascist leader) often criticized Adolf Hitler (Nazi Germany's leader) for his "pointless racism" and thought that Hitler was insane. Once they became friends and allies, Mussolini backed off on his criticisms.

Nazism, which is the ideology that actually led to the Holocaust, was intensely racist at its core; upon coming to power in 1933-34, Hitler enacted racist laws that institutionalized antisemitism- so racism was officially the law. The "Nuremberg Laws" stripped Jews of their German citizenship, and disallowed them from doing things like owning businesses or marrying Germans. Over time, the solution to the "Jewish Question" became to simply imprison Jews (and other "undesired" people) in concentration camps, where they would be enslaved and/or killed.

Fascist Italy initially did not really participate in the Holocaust. Although Mussolini stopped criticizing Hitler for his racism, he also did not do a lot to support it at first. While Germany had a long history of antisemitism, Italy did not- so antisemitic policies were not as popular there. Once World War II started, Italy's military quickly showed itself to be inadequate, and was unable to win in places like Greece and North Africa; Germany had to help. So as a favor to their friend, Italy started more strongly participating in the Holocaust.

By summer 1943, Mussolini had become very unpopular. Italy's war efforts were a total disaster, and Italy had lost her colonies in northern and eastern Africa; Allied troops had invaded Sicily and were preparing to invade Italy itself. German troops were occupying parts of Italy. And Mussolini's switch to adopting Nazi racism was not sitting well. Mussolini was thus overthrown by the Fascist party, and then the King of Italy (who had let Mussolini run the government) had him arrested. Italy then began talking to the Allies in order to surrender and then join them.

After German commandos successfully rescued Mussolini from prison, he was given a new country to rule- most of northern Italy was controlled by Germany's military, so it was renamed the "Italian Social Republic" and Mussolini became its leader. But Germany was actually in charge, and the Social Republic fully supported Germany's efforts to carry out the Holocaust. This lasted until the Allies drove out the German troops in April 1945, and then Mussolini was captured and killed by anti-Fascist rebels near the border with Switzerland.

Other ideologies that are considered very closely related to Fascism, notably Falangism (a form of Fascism that controlled Spain from 1939 to 1975), also did not heavily emphasize racism.