In Italy, Benito Mussolini founded the Fascist Party, supported by middle-class industrialists and large landowners. His policies were to support the Catholic Church (a conservative institution), nationalism, antisocialism and anticommunism. His methods relied on intimidation by using secret police, outlawing other parties and censoring the press. Joseph Stalin was made General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1929. He was responsible for purges, prison and forced-labor camps and executions. He wrote and executed Five Year Plans for rapid industrialization and collectivization of farms. Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933. He was supported by industrial leaders, landed aristocrats, the military and the government bureaucracy. He also used a police force, racial laws and concentration and death camps to eliminate his enemies and groups designated as scape-goats for Germany's post-war troubles. His focus was on rearmament of Germany, public project, Social Darwinism and extreme nationalism. The totalitarian regimes in Germany, Italy and Russia all repressed their people and were ambitious in returning their nations to former glories.
Unions immediately won better working conditions. Child labor was banned, but long workdays continued for older workers. Reformers gradually won better working conditions, but change was slow.
