Final answer:
Fascism spread over Europe at the beginning of World War II, with notable regimes in Italy and Germany leading the way. Other countries followed suit, enthralled by the promise of national unity and strength during times of economic and political crisis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Spread of Fascism in Europe
At the commencement of World War II, fascism rapidly spread over the continent of Europe. This political ideology aimed at creating a nationalistic, authoritarian state, found fertile ground in the disillusionment and instability following World War I and during the Great Depression. Nations such as Italy, under Benito Mussolini, and Germany, under Adolf Hitler, were notable examples where fascist regimes took power and contributed to the advent of a second global conflict.
German fascism, or Nazism, took a particularly aggressive stance, expanding rapidly into neighboring countries. This culminated in the invasion of Poland in 1939, prompting Britain and France to declare war. Furthermore, fascism was not limited to Italy and Germany. In Spain, General Francisco Franco rose to power after a brutal civil war, and authoritarian regimes aligned with fascist ideologies emerged in various parts of Eastern and Central Europe, as well as in Japan in Asia.
The backdrop of the Great Depression played a central role in the rise of these regimes, as many saw fascism and communism as viable alternatives to capitalism and democratic governance. In Italy, the existing social and political stability attributed to fascism made it appealing to other European countries suffering from economic hardship. However, the authoritarian nature of fascism resulted in the suppression of political opposition and the establishment of totalitarian control over society.