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