Post on 19-Jan-2016
Between the Wars
Not a Lasting Peace
• Article 231 - War Guilt Treaty of V
• War Reparations for Germany• Lost Land Eastern Europe• Mandates Middle East• Map p. 799
New Democracies Unstable w/ Exception of Czechoslovakia
After WWI, new democracies (S & SE Europe) had little experience
1914-1918– Europe’s last absolute rulers overthrown
Coalition Government: temporary alliance of several parties - needed to form a parliamentary majority
1920s England Econ suffered through the 1920s Unemployment hovered around 11% Labour Party vs Conservatives–Labour & MacDonald 1923 & 29
1926 General Strike by unhappy miners
John Maynard Keynes ignored
1920s France
Raymond Poincare - conservative prime minister
1923 occupation of Ruhr Valley destroyed German economy w/ “passive resistance”–Also hurt French
1920s France
Little Entente –Yugoslavia, Romania, Czechoslovakia–New countries have much to lose if Treaty of Versailles revised–France joins to neutralize Germany
Weimar Republic
Set up in 1919 (Germany)–Avoids Spartacists in 1919
Very weak Germany lacked democratic tradition
Millions blamed Republic for Germany’s defeat & humiliation
Inflation in Germany Didn’t increase wartime taxes
German gov’t printed money to pay for war (bad for econ) – Ruhr Valley
Paper money lost value
1918: cost of bread—less than 1 mark; 1922: cost of bread—more than 160 marks; 1923: American dollar worth 4.2 trillion marks.
Attempts @ Economic Stability
Germany recovered from 1923 inflation b/c of an international committee
Dawes Plan 1924–200 million dollar American loan–Set more realistic schedule for reparations
Efforts at a Lasting Peace
Gustav Stresemann (German FM) & Aristide Briand (French FM)–Met at Locarno 1925–Promised to never make war against each other –Germany admitted to the League of Nations
Efforts at a Lasting Peace cont…
Kellogg-Briand pact: 1928–Kellogg: U.S. Secretary of State–Outlawed war–Later Germany, Italy, and Japan violated these pacts
A Flawed U.S. Economy 3 major weaknesses:1. Uneven distribution of wealthRichest 5% of population received 33% all personal income (1929)
60% made < $2,000 a year
A Flawed U.S. Economy cont…
2. Overproduction of business and agriculture1929: U.S.—turning out 50% world’s industrial goods
New methods led to dramatic increase in agricultural goods (drove prices down—farmers not making a profit)
3. Less demand for consumer goods
Stock Market Crash
Many middle income people bought stocks on margin- put small percentage down, then borrowed the rest from the stockbroker (bad for econ)
Thursday October 24: downward spiral
Stock Market Crash cont… Tuesday October 29: 16 million stocks sold, market collapsed
Billions of dollars vanished
“Symptom” of the Great Depression: by 1933 ¼ of American workers did not have a job
Global Depression
U.S. placed high tariffs on imports
World trade dropped 65% Japanese also suffered greatly–Starving families ate tree bark
Britain Takes Steps to Improve Economy
National Government: multi party coalition–Passed high protective tariffs–Increased taxes–Regulated the currency–By 1937: unemployment was cut in half
France Responds to Economic Crisis
Better off: less dependent on foreign trade
Led to political instability: 1933—35 coalition governments formed and fell
Preserved democratic government
Socialist Governments Find Solutions
Scandinavian countries successful
Built recovery programs on tradition of cooperative community action
Massive public works Democracy remained intact
Recovery in the U.S. Franklin D. Roosevelt New Deal–Large public works–Helped provide jobs–Regulations on stock market and banking system–Slow recovery
Between the Wars:THE RISE OF DICTATORSHIPS
to·tal·i·tar·i·an
Of, relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed
Fascism
a. A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.
a. A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system
of government.
Fascism
Anti-Semitic Anti-Parliamentary Anti-Communism/socialism Play on fear of people Militaristic
Italy under Mussolini
(opportunist)
Model for Hitler
Fascism’s Basics
Created by Mussolini From Roman “fasces” Beliefs–Against democracy and
Marxism–Extreme nationalism
Reasons for its Rise
Economic distress Fear of Communism Appealed to nationalism Mussolini’s leadership–Weak government–No democratic tradition
Italy under Fascism
1922-1943 led by Il Duce
Mussolini's March on Rome, October, 1922
Italy under Fascism Controlled labor and industry
Created public works Controlled religion–Lateran Accord—1929
Required military service
Built alliances and empire
Germany under Hindenburg
and Hitler
Reich President Hindenburg greets Reich Chancellor Hitler on March 12, 1933
Weimar Republic
1919-1933 Hitler formed the National Socialist Party–Advocated dictatorship, nationalism, and militarism–Belittled intelligence
Factors in Nazi Rise
Economic distress
Factors in Nazi Rise
Nationalism (after WWI)
Fear of Communism Anti-Semitism Hitler’s charisma & leadership –Weaknesses of Weimar government
–Lack of democratic tradition
Nazis Seized Power 1923—Nazi putsch in Munich easily suppressed–Hitler jailed–Mein Kampf
Outlines everythinggoing to do
1932—Nazis largest party in Reichstag
1927, Nuremberg
Nazis Seized Power
Nazi Poster for 1932 Presidential Election - "Our Last Hope: Hitler"
Nazis Seized Power
In 1933, Hitler appointed chancellor by Hindenburg
Nazis narrowly won new elections–Ended Weimar Republic–Hitler became dictator
Jan. 30, 1933
Opening Session of Reichstag, March 21, 1933, Hitler taking oath of office as chancellor
Rise of Stalinism Lenin’s “war communism” to get through Bol. Rev.
1921 Lenin New Economic Policy (NEP)–Peasants sell goods openly–Small industry public
1924 Lenin dies – struggle for power in Politburo - Trotsky v Stalin
VS
Stalin Wins
Stalin’s position as Party Secretary had more influence
Policy of “socialism in one country”
Trotsky expelled murdered in Mexico on Stalin’s orders
Stalinist Era
Five Year Plans (shift in policy):
Industrialization Focus–Ex: 1928-1937 steel production rose 4-18 million tons/yr
Collectivization of Agriculture–Kulaks - land owning peasants 10 million starve
Stalinist Era cont.
Great Purge 1936-1938 millions of Old Bolsheviks arrested/killed
Secret police & Propaganda Reverse of social legislation–Women motherhood patriotic duty
Strengthened bureaucracy
Spanish Civil War 1936-39
General Francisco Franco led right wing military revolt against the Popular Front
Italy & Germany supported Only Soviet Union opposed kept France & Britain out
Franco dictator til death 1975