Nationalism is the loyalty people feel toward the territory, language, customs, and culture of their particular nation. In its most modern forms, nationalism includes the belief that the needs of the country should be placed above those of the individual.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, nationalist movements spread throughout Europe. Various ethnic communities demanded separate, independent states, and European nations such as Germany, Italy, and Poland were born. In the 20th century, extreme nationalism led to dictatorial movements such as those of the fascists and Nazis, who promoted the idea that certain national groups were superior to others. This kind of nationalism was used to justify the aggressive military actions that led to World War I and World War II, and it established an ideological basis for the Holocaust.
