Transcript Notes 1: The Ism`s

Notes 1: The Ism’s
Modern US History
March 17th, 2011
Links Between WWI and WWII
 The United States
was not the only
country that
experienced an
economic depression
following the First
World War. However
in Europe, these
troubles opened the
door for dictators and
revolutions.
Links Between WWI and WWII
Several of the
provisions of the
Treaty of
Versailles had a
long lasting impact
on Germany and
it’s people that
were in many ways
a catalyst for
WWII.
Links Between WWI and WWII
Germany was forced to pay $32 billion in
war reparations. Germany couldn’t not afford
to pay this amount and as a result fell into
an economic depression.
The League of Nations had no
peacekeeping forces or way of enforcing
the peace. The United States also refused
to join.
After losing so many men during WWI, few
countries felt compelled to provide
international aid.
Benito Mussolini
 Originally a socialist,
Mussolini was a journalist
during the onset of WWI.
However because the
Socialist party did not agree
with Italy’s involvement,
Mussolini broke from them
and joined the army. He was
wounded in 1917 but his
experience during the war
drove him to create a new
political system.
Fascism
Fascism is a type of government and a
political ideology that was created in Italy
in March of 1919.
Fascism
As a government
• Active
• Dynamic
• Embraces struggle
• Willing to be violent
• State interests are
more important than
individuals
• Youthful
As an ideology
• Anti-Pacifist
• Anti-Democratic
• Anti-Marxist
• Rejects class war
• Anti-liberal
• Willing to reduce
individual
freedoms
• Places state above the
individual
• Nationalistic
Fascist Rise to Power
 Shortly after WWI, close to a million Italians
went on strike and socialist inspired land
seizures spread across the country. Many
who feared a communist revolution similar
to what happened in Russia turned to
Mussolini and his fascist followers. Fascists
began to interfere in the socialist party and in
turn gained widespread support.
Fascist Rise to Power
 Three years later in
1922, Mussolini and his
followers know as the
“Black Shirts” marched
on Rome in efforts to
show the power behind
the movement. Shortly
thereafter King Victor
Emmanuel II named
Mussolini the prime
minister of Italy.
Adolf Hitler
 Hitler was born in Vienna,
Austria and spent his youth
there with aspirations of
becoming a painter. He moved
to Germany shortly before WWI
and joined the army. He worked
as a regimental runner but was
injured in the line of duty. After
the war he remained in
Germany working for the army
and was sent to observe the
German Worker’s Party.
Nazism
Nazism is a type of government and a
political ideology that was created in
Germany during WWI
Nazism
As an ideology
Anti-Democratic
Central direction of the entire
economy
Anti –Marxist
Single mass party mobilizing
Anti-Communism
the population
Racist
Official monopoly on mass
communications
• Anti-Semitism
Supervision of everyone by a
• Anti-Slavism
pervasive leader
Social Darwinism
Single official ideology
projecting a final state of making
Nationalistic
As a government





and claiming priority over both
the legal order and the individual
conscience
Adolf Hitler
Nazism
Hitler was impressed with the doctrine of
the DAP and quickly joined. Because of
his public speaking skills he quickly
emerged as the party leader. Hitler
changed the name to the National
Socialist German Workers Party
(NSDAP) – more commonly known as the
Nazi Party. He referred to himself as Der
Fuhrer (The Leader).
Nazism
 The NSDAP appealed to individuals who were
frustrated and felt powerless – unemployed exsoldiers, people who had lost their businesses after
the war, etc. The Nazi Party provided an explanation
of history, a promise of a bright future and someone
to blame for personal and national troubles.
Nazism
 Hitler and the NSDAP had three goals for
Germany and it’s citizens.
A German Empire should exist where all Germanspeaking people could be united.
German people needed more room to live or
lebensraum so the country needed to expand
“Aryan” Germans would form a master race –
particularly those with lighter coloring. All other
people were considered inferior. This included all
people of color, those with disabilities, gypsies and
especially Jews
Nazism
WWII Clip #1 – Hitler’s Rise to Power
Nazism
Hitler recognized the need to centralize
the party structure and unite the NSDAP.
He proceeded to assign important
symbols to the group such as the
swastika and hail salute, as well as
badges and uniforms for the auxiliary
groups he created such as the
Sturmabteilung (SA) and Schutzstaffel
(SS).
Nazism
Nazism
The party grew over the next 10 years and
by 1932 was the most powerful party in
the German parliament with 37% of the
votes. In 1933, President Hindenburg
appointed Hitler as Chancellor (Prime
Minister) of Germany. Within 6 months
Hitler established a Nazi dictatorship,
which he called “The Third Reich.”
Nazism
 Once in power Hitler used
propaganda to maintain his
power and to implement his
policies. The propaganda
sought to create external
enemies to the German
people and demonstrate the
country’s military power. It
was everywhere – books,
newspapers, films, radio,
posters, and even school
textbooks.
Nazism
WWII Clip #2 – Nazi Propaganda
Militarism
Militarism is a type of government that
believes a nation should have a strong
military capability and use it aggressively
to defend or promote the country’s
interests. Militarists believe that military
type discipline is a key factor in a
successful and prosperous society.
Militarism in Japan

Prior to WWII, military
leaders in Japan sought to take
control of the country. They
were eventually able to
overthrow the emperor of
Japan, allowing him to remain
as a figurehead. The militarists
held similar beliefs as Hitler
about the need for more living
space to accommodate their
growing population.
Militarism in Japan
 So in 1931, Japanese
military launched an
attack on Manchuria,
a Chinese province
that was rich in
natural resources.
The success of this
campaign put the
militarists firmly in
control of the
government.
Militarism in Japan
The League of Nations sent
representatives to Manchuria to
investigate the situation and released a
report condemning Japan for their hostile
take over of the region. Japan simply quit
the league.
Hideki Tojo
 Tojo was a General in the
Japanese Army and rose to
become the Prime Minister of
Japan throughout WWII. In
1937 after the invasion of
Manchuria, Tojo led an invasion
of China and began plans to
invade several colonies
throughout the Pacific. Many
historians believe that Tojo is
responsible for the attack on
Pearl Harbor
Where’s the US?
As Japan continued to invade countries in
Southeast Asia and Indochina, tensions
grew between the US and Japan. In
efforts to show their disapproval of Japan’s
continued aggression, the US suspended
all trade with Japan, including oil and
steel, two resources integral to the military
success of Japan.
Isolationism in America
 While all of this is going on, the United States is
actively trying to stay out of any armed conflict.
Following WWI the US, along with 61 other
nations, signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which
promised to never go to war again.
Major Flaw: The Kellogg- Briand Pact did not
account for when a country would violate the
pact.
Isolationism in America
Throughout the early 1930’s general
feeling amongst Americans was that they
had been forced into WWI by greedy
bankers and arms dealers who stood to
turn a profit off of war manufacturing. A
poll was taken in 1937, which revealed
that 70% of Americans believed the US
should not have entered WWI.
America First Committee
 The America First Committee
was a non-interventionist
group that was vehemently
opposed to America entering
WWII. They focused on putting
pressure on FDR to enforce
the Neutrality Act, keeping us
out of the war. One of its most
notable members was the
famous pilot, Charles
Lindbergh.
The Neutrality Acts
A series of neutrality
acts were passed in the
US beginning in 1935.
The overall goal of
these acts was to keep
the US out of any future
wars. The first two acts
prohibited the sale of
arms or loans to nations
at war or in a civil war.
The Neutrality Acts
In 1937 however, Roosevelt found it
impossible to remain neutral when Japan
launched an attack on China. Roosevelt
refused to enforce the Neutrality Acts,
reasoning that Japan had never actually
declared war and continued to provide arms
and supplies to the Chinese.
The Neutrality Acts
 Several months later Roosevelt
spoke out against
Isolationism, asking that all
peace-loving nations isolate or
“quarantine” aggressive
nations in an effort to stop the
spread of war and destruction.
Following this speech the
White House was flooded with
letters accusing Roosevelt
with leading the United States
to war.
Critics of Isolationism
 Although the majority of
Americans wanted to
remain uninvolved in
international affairs there
were a few critics of our
unwillingness to help
those abroad.