Inter War Vocabulary

• Reparations: To make amends (say you’re sorry) for doing something wrong. Sometimes involves paying money.

• Inflation: A rise in prices because the increased volume (amount) of money has reduced the money’s value.

• Stock Market: Where stocks (shares) and bonds are sold for a company’s value.

• Depression: A constant economic recession in which a nation's Gross National Product (GNP) is falling. Marked by low production and sales, and a high rate of business failures and unemployment.

Inter War Vocabulary• Tariff: A tax on imported goods.• Fascism: A governmental system led by a dictator having

complete power. He forcibly suppresses opposition and criticism. Has control over industry & commerce, and emphasizes aggressive nationalism along with racism.

• Collectivism: The political principle of centralized social and economic control, especially of all means of production.

• New Deal Programs: Programs passed between 1933-1936 in the USA under President Roosevelt (FDR). They were in response to the Great Depression and focused on the 3 R’s: Relief, Recovery, and Reform.

“Flying a kite made out of German Money”—1923

Why would children be wasting money like this?

Inter War in Europe• European nations

were in trouble after WWI.

• Too much inflation of money Loss of jobs and bad economies.

• Germany felt like the Treaty of Versailles caused their economic problems.

Inter War in Europe• Famine and disease

spread across Europe after WWI. As many people died of disease as in the war.

• Cities had to be rebuilt after the war.

• Railroads and roads had to be rebuilt.

• Germany had to make huge monetary payments to France and England.

Lille, France; WW1Gallery

At the end of the war the US sold food to Europe. After a few years Europe began producing its own food again. How might this affect the US economy?

Reconstruction and Prosperity• After the war the US

became the world’s greatest economy

• Americans began buying consumer goods

• Americans began buying cars

• New appliances like toasters, vacuum cleaners, and refrigerators became available.

• Many people began going to movie theaters and listening to the radio

Describe life in the 1920s based on this information.

Reconstruction and Prosperity• 1920s Women

received the right to vote in the United States and Britain.

• The Socialist Party came to power in several countries.

The Great Depression1929 Stock Market Crash started a chain reaction in the world’s economy.

Stocks tumbled and no one could stop it. Banks began calling in their loans.

The entire world entered into a depression or economic downturn in which businesses fail and people are unemployed.

As many as 40 million people were unemployed in the United States

What Factors Caused the Great Depression?

Stock Market and real estate

speculation (borrowing

money to make a quick profit)

Over production of consumer and

agricultural products

Loans and debts between Europe

and America ensured that the recession spread

Poor reaction by world leaders such as tightening of credit, stopped spending, and cut off international trade.

No safety net for citizens such as unemployment insurance or

social security

The Rise of Fascism

• Characteristics of European Fascism:

– Nationalism: high value on nation

– Unity of All Social Classes: single nation political party, opposed worker unions and strikes

– All Powerful Leaders: strong leader best to represent the people

– Extreme Militarism: used violence to defeat political opponents and prepared to use war to expand country

What are the positive and negative aspects of Fascism?

The Roots of Fascism• Anti-Semitism: Hatred of Jewish

people. Jews were blamed for the problems in many countries.

• Racism: Contempt for other races, strengthened by imperialism and spirit of nationalism.

• Social Darwinism: Belief that all human groups compete for survival and that the stronger group has the right to succeed the weaker group.

Jews were forced to wear identification in Nazi Germany

The Old Order CollapsesGermany

Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced from power after WWI and a democratic republic took over (Weimar Republic).

The republic was opposed by land owners, industrialists, military leaders, and professionals.

They wanted a single leader because they feared the people might become socialist and what happened in Russia might happen in Germany.

They also blamed the republic for accepting the Treaty of Versailles

What affect did the Russian Revolution have on Germany after WWI?

The Old Order CollapsesU.S.S.RLenin established

a totalitarian state in Russia

After his death, Joseph Stalin took over and began to eliminate all of his rivals.

Opponents were sent to icy gulags (forced labor camp) in Siberia

He even starved the Ukraine into submission in 1928.

Because of events in Russia, many European countries supported extreme anti-Communist leaders like Hitler and Mussolini.

The Old Order CollapsesItalyCommunism

became popular in Italy after

WWI.

Communism frightened

Italian industrialists, landlords, and other property

owners.

The country had also experienced workers strikes and riots. Many citizens were tired of these and wanted a strong leader.

Fascists in Italy used the fear of revolution and

desire for national glory to

get Benito Mussolini into

power.

Mussolini, a former socialist,

used many Bolshevik

practices while denouncing their

ideas.

Mussolini had a party newspaper, party

organization, and his own private army. Once in power he

passed laws controlling the press,

abolished unions, used violence against

his opponents, murdered opposition

leaders, and established a

totalitarian state.

Rise of the Nazi (National Socialist) Party

Hitler’s Vision for Germany

Hitler blamed the Weimar Republic for the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles.

He believed that the Aryan race was superior and should rule the world.

He called the Jews an evil race and blamed them for losing WWI. He also saw Communism as a Jewish plot to control the world.

Nazis Come to Power

They created their own army (Brown Shirts)

They beat up political opponents and Jews.

Hitler was elected Chief Minister of the republic.

The party used violence and murder to create chaos in the republic.

The Reichstag (government building) was burned in Berlin and blamed on the Communists.

Hitler declared martial law and established a dictatorship

Germany Under Nazi ControlHuman Rights Violations: People were arrested and executed without trail. Rival political parties, unions, and independent newspapers were closed and replaced with pro-Nazi ones.

Economic Changes: Hitler made use of public works projects like building highways and military rearmament to secure full employment. Economic prosperity returned to Germany.

Secret Police: The Gestapo (secret police) arrested suspected opponents, who were thrown into concentration camps where they were mistreated, tortured, and killed. Dacahu, the first camp, opened in 1938.

Persecution of Jews: Jews were thrown out of government jobs. Jews lost citizenship, were forced to wear yellow stars on their clothes, and were banned from marrying other Germans. Jewish shops were vandalized and synagogues were burned down. Jews were forced into special ghettos and concentration camps.

Why Germans liked Hitler

1. Gave people jobs2. Said that Germans were a superior race3. Got rid of the humiliation of the Treaty of

Versailles4. Restored German military power5. No opposition could speak out against

him

How might things have been different if the press had been able to speak out in Russia, Italy, or Germany?