Interwar Years: 1920-39
Interwar Years: America America had a lot of
money! Avoided the destruction
that Europe experienced during WWI
Made a lot of money helping to rebuild Europe Made massive loans to
France, England & Germany
Why not Soviet Union?
Poised to become a world power But isolationist urge
strong
Interwar Years: Great Britain
At the end of WWI, the British Empire was at its greatest extent
They took over Palestine, Iran & Iraq from Ottoman Empire
BUT Britain was dramatically changed 2.6 million casualties Women entered
workforce Inflation hurt people on
fixed incomes
Interwar Years: France 6.97 million casualties
Political desire to avoid another war with Germany, at any cost
“Appeasement Policy” France didn’t protest
when Hitler violated the Versailles Treaty
Built Maginot Line along German-French border Elaborate system of forts
to protect against German attack
Interwar Years: Germany
Germany’s new government = Weimar Republic Democratic republic with an
elected president and parliament, the Reichstag
Government was blamed for losing WWI and the Versailles Treaty
Economic problems Couldn’t pay war reparations In 1923, France occupied
Ruhr industrial region But by 1928, Germany’s
economy had recovered to 1913 levels
Interwar Years: Japan After WWI, militarism,
racism and nationalism became powerful forces in Japan
Began establishing their empire Korea, 1904-05 German colonies in
Pacific, WWI Manchuria, 1931 China invaded, 1937
League of Nations Created out of Versailles
Treaty Goals
Disarmament Prevent war through
collective security Settle disputes diplomatically
League had no military force of its own (Great Powers)
Incapable of preventing aggression, during 1930s
Member states = 44, including UK, France, Italy
But NOT USA
Worldwide Economic Problems
Wages were not keeping up with inflation
Falling crop prices hurt Europe’s recovery
Economic Nationalism Tariffs were high That meant European
countries couldn’t sell to US, each other
High inflation + high tariffs meant European countries couldn’t afford US goods
The Great Depression, 1929-39 Causes
Inflation (prices up) Wage stagnation High debt levels of
individuals & business (interest payments)
Businesses began to fail = unemployment = less $ being spent = more business fail
International trade declined due to high tariffs
NY Stock Exchange collapsed on 10/29/29 (Black Tuesday)
Great Depression
Worldwide effect Prices and wages
plummeted Unemployment
skyrocketed Germany stopped
payments to allies European countries
stopped interest payments to US
US banks began closing as people demanded money from them
Effects of Great Depression
America raised tariffs, cut off Europe from loans
British raised tariffs, increased trade within Empire
French weren’t as industrialized, so less effect; but political unrest was high
Germany’s Weimar Republic died Inflation made $ worthless;
currency was worth more as bulk paper
Strengthened National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazis)
Results of the Interwar Years
Dictatorships rise to power during the 1920s-1930s · people are desperate for strong leadership during
the Depression · Treaty of Versailles failed to establish lasting
peace 1922 Mussolini establishes fascist dictatorship in
Italy 1920s Joseph Stalin's communist dictatorship in
the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) 1931 Japanese establish militaristic fascist
dictatorship 1933 Adolf Hitler fascist dictatorship in Germany
(The Third Reich)
Top Related