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    Class 6 Stanley G. Payne-A History of Fascism 1914-1945

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    Anca Gadea
    The document discusses the rise of fascism in interwar Romania, specifically focusing on the Legion of Archangel Michael fascist movement. It describes how after World War I, Romania had to restructure politically and consider its multiethnic population. In the 1930s, the Legion of Archangel Michael gained influence and promoted an ideology focused on cultural revolution and creating "the new man". However, the movement engaged in extreme violence and political assassinations. King Carol II suppressed the Legion and established a monarchist dictatorship, though he faced opposition from both the Legion and the people. Eventually, Ion Antonescu came to power through collaboration with the Legion but later had the movement defeated with Hitler's support.

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    Class 6 Stanley G. Payne-A History of Fascism 1914-1945

    Uploaded by

    Anca Gadea
    42 views4 pages
    The document discusses the rise of fascism in interwar Romania, specifically focusing on the Legion of Archangel Michael fascist movement. It describes how after World War I, Romania had to restructure politically and consider its multiethnic population. In the 1930s, the Legion of Archangel Michael gained influence and promoted an ideology focused on cultural revolution and creating "the new man". However, the movement engaged in extreme violence and political assassinations. King Carol II suppressed the Legion and established a monarchist dictatorship, though he faced opposition from both the Legion and the people. Eventually, Ion Antonescu came to power through collaboration with the Legion but later had the movement defeated with Hitler's support.

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    The document discusses the rise of fascism in interwar Romania, specifically focusing on the Legion of Archangel Michael fascist movement. It describes how after World War I, Romania had to restructure politically and consider its multiethnic population. In the 1930s, the Legion of Archangel Michael gained influence and promoted an ideology focused on cultural revolution and creating "the new man". However, the movement engaged in extreme violence and political assassinations. King Carol II suppressed the Legion and established a monarchist dictatorship, though he faced opposition from both the Legion and the people. Eventually, Ion Antonescu came to power through collaboration with the Legion but later had the movement defeated with Hitler's support.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    42 views4 pages

    Class 6 Stanley G. Payne-A History of Fascism 1914-1945

    Uploaded by

    Anca Gadea
    The document discusses the rise of fascism in interwar Romania, specifically focusing on the Legion of Archangel Michael fascist movement. It describes how after World War I, Romania had to restructure politically and consider its multiethnic population. In the 1930s, the Legion of Archangel Michael gained influence and promoted an ideology focused on cultural revolution and creating "the new man". However, the movement engaged in extreme violence and political assassinations. King Carol II suppressed the Legion and established a monarchist dictatorship, though he faced opposition from both the Legion and the people. Eventually, Ion Antonescu came to power through collaboration with the Legion but later had the movement defeated with Hitler's support.

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    CLASS 6

    Stanley G. Payne- A History of Fascism 1914-1945

     In his book Payne analyzes the Romanian fascism and its relations with the state
    leaders (King Carol II, General Ion Antonescu) and also with the representatives
    of extremist movements throughout Europe (Nazi- Hitler and Italian Fascism-
    Mussolini).
     In Romania the fascist movement was represented by the Legion of Archangel
    Michael which in 1930s became comparable with the German Nazi and the
    Hungarian Arrow Cross regarding the influence, membership and their position
    on the national political scene.
     After World War I Romania was faced with an obvious change concerning both
    political structure and social build. Having enlarged its territory Romania had to
    consider now the multiethnic dimension of the state and also to adopt a new
    regime.
     The interwar political scene was divided between those who supported the
    Western influence and the nativists. An example was Junimea which promoted a
    current of “populism”.
     What characterize interwar Romania was anti-semitism being the country where a
    large community of Jews lived in.
     In the interwar period new political parties emerged and the one that existed
    developed their doctrine. In 1926 was formed the National Peasant Party that was
    lacking in reforms, while the Liberal Party was heading down towards
    neoliberalism based on authoritarian and corporative organization in order to
    create a modern social and economic state. The representative of neoliberalism
    was Mihail Manoilescu who made the difference between corporatism and
    fascism, stating that the former refers only to the integration of social and
    economic forces and under no circumstance was about a totalitarian domination,
     Also appeared parties that imitated the German and Italian model such as National
    Socialist Party of Romania (Nazi)- Stefan Tatarescu in 1932 and the Legion of
    Archangel Michael- Corneliu Zelea Codreanu.
     Undoubtedly the Legion of Archangel Michael is “the most unusual mass
    movement of interwar period” as it had the characteristics of a fascist movement
    but at the same time having its own features. In this respect Ernst Nolte stated that
    it “must not only be declared but also plainly appears to be the most interesting
    and the most complex fascist movement because it presents at once both
    prefascist and radically fascist characteristics”.
     The Legion’s ideology aimed a cultural-religious revolution in order to create “the
    new man” so its purpose was rather a spiritual one. Also they made it clear that
    martyrdom was required which means that the Legionnaires must put the enemies
    of the Fatherland above their personal enemies; obviously violence was
    necessary. Beside the spiritual purpose, the Legionnaires aimed to create a
    collective basis for the economy but they lacked material resources and also a
    strong modern army.
    Codreanu’s motto: “Everything depends on will.
     Their main enemies were the political leaders and the Jews; the latter one was
    influenced by the German Nazi and in this respect they applied extreme policies
    (General Zizi Cantacuzino said that that “the only way to solve the Jewish
    problem in Romania was simply to kill the Jewish”).
     The Legion of Archangel Michael is characterized by extreme violence and
    political assassinates (Ion Duca, Armand Calinescu).
     Nazi contacts in Romania increased with the LANC and PSNR while the Legion
    had contact with Italian Fascists during the “universal Fascism” 1933-1934.
     In 1935 LANC- Cuza and National Agrarian Party- Goga formed => National
    Christian Party, an authoritarian and anti-semitic coalition.
     During this events the Legion of Archangel Michael gained a lot of support
    among the peasants and the students (Codreanu was an example of a charismatic
    leader).
     The King Carol II and the Legion of Archangel Michael
     Coming to occupy the throne in 1930, Carol II is described by Stanely
    Payne as “the most cynical, corrupt and power-hungry monarch who ever
    disgraced a throne anywhere in twentieth-century Europe. An admirer of
    Mussolini he quickly intervened unconstitutionally in the political
    process”.
     His regime was a monarchist dictatorship but the people were reluctant in
    supporting his actions.
     His ministers: -Octavian Goga 1937
    -Miron Cristea 1938
     In 1938 he promulgated a new constitution which stated that the power
    was concentrated in the hands of the king =>analogy to the King
    Alexander regime in Yugoslavia and in the same year it was created a new
    political front- Front of National Rebirth.
     Concerning the Legion, its leaders were arrested but Horia Sima, the new
    leader continued the violent acts which resulted useless because on
    November 30 “the night of the vampires” Siguranta removed Codreanu
    and other Legionnaires from prison and were killed. So, the King “had
    suppressed a popular fascist movement, as earlier in Austria and
    concurrently in Hungary”.
     The events in Italy (the end of the fascist regime in Rome) influenced
    directly the political scene in Romania.
     Romania was in 1940-1941 a satellite regime for the German Nazi.
     After the start of World War II Romania’s situation became even harder. The
    King canceled the Anglo-French treaties which protected Romania. The new
    leader of the Legion was offered a position in the Romanian government, but soon
    resigned due to the pressure for the King’s abdication.
     Witj the Second Vienna Award which took Transylvania from Romania and give
    it to Hungary drove the King’s regime to its end. Having no other option he gave
    General Antonescu dictatorial powers and abdicated in favor of his son Michael.
     Ion Antonescu promoted an ultranationalist right radicalism and collaborated with
    the Legion being the only one that had similar perspectives: nationalism,
    authoritarianism and pro-German orientation.
     He created the “National Legionnaire State”.
     But soon the relation Antonescu-Legion started to fade and in 1941 he asked for
    Hitler’s help in order to release a contraoffensive on the Legionnaires. They were
    easily defeated and the Legion had became “paradoxically the first fascis
    movement to fall in a Europe where Germany reigned supreme”
     For the next 3 and a half years Antonescu’s aid was the National Christian Party
    of Octavian Goga.
     He entered World War II and recovered Bukovina and Bessarabia stoled by Hitler
    in 1940.
     Stanley Payne says that”Romania’s army fought rather better in WW2 than in
    WW1.
     In 1946 Antonescu was executed and most of the Legionnaires entered the
    Communist Party and have continued their actions in there.

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