Transcript Unit 9 - Between the Wars and the Rise of Dictatorships

Unit 9: In Between the Wars &
The Rise of Dictatorships
Treaty of Versailles (1919) – End of World War I
“This chapter must be one of pessimism. The Treaty includes no
provisions for the economic rehabilitation of Europe, - nothing to
make the defeated Central Empires into good neighbors, nothing
to stabilize the new States of Europe, nothing to reclaim Russia;
nor does it promote in any way a compact of economic solidarity
amongst the Allies themselves; no arrangement was reached at
Paris for restoring the disordered finances of France and Italy, or
to adjust the systems of the Old World and the New.”
■ Text
- John Maynard Keynes: The Economic Consequences of the
Peace, 1920
Important changes took
place in the 20 years
between the two
World Wars (1919-1939)
What was Europe like after World War I ?
Many
European
nationsafter
were
Russia
was destroyed
destroyed
bankruptedcivil
by years
WWI &&a three-year
war
of fighting
the Western
Front
that ledalong
to communism
& the
formation of the Soviet Union
■ Text
Italians were angry
when they did not
receive land along
the Adriatic Coast
Important changes took
place
in the 20
The
harshness
of years
the Treaty ofInVersailles
Europe, the war led
created
bitterness
in Germany
were
between
the two
to awho
sense
of bitterness &
unable
to pay reparations
world wars
(1919-1939)
pessimism among nations
The horrors of World War I
changed people’s attitudes
about progress
After the war, people
started questioning
traditional beliefs
What were some new ideas in the post-war era?
Post war Social Changes
• The Roaring Twenties
– Rebellious young people were disillusioned by war
– Rejected the moral values and rules of the Victorian
Age.
– Chased after excitement
– The Flapper
Postwar Social Changes: Women’s Lives
 Lady Nancy Astor first woman elected to Parliament.
Labor saving devices became common in middleclass
homes
Washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and canned
foods.
Women pursed careers in many new areas- from sports
to arts.
New Scientific Theories
Marie Curie and radioactivity
Einstein’s Theory of Relativity
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
Sigmund Freud probes the mind
Austrian-born Sigmund Freud revolutionized
psychology; He believed the mind has conscious &
subconscious thoughts that affect peoples’ behavior
German-born Albert Einstein revolutionized physics;
His theories on light, relativity, & energy disproved
many of Isaac Newton’s discoveries from the 1600s
New abstract art like Pablo Picasso’s cubism
(using geometric shapes) & Salvador Dali’s surrealism
(dream-like art) reacted against tradition art forms
The New Literature: The Lost Generation
Gertrude Stein an American writer coined the term
War novels, poetry, plays and memoirs about WWI
flowed off the presses.
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Remarque
A loss of faith in western democracy and its moral
breakdown.
T.S. Eliot poet: The Waste Land
Ernest Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises
What was America like after World War I ?
The USA was the wealthiest Japan gained wealth
nation in the world & a
by selling supplies to
major world power that
the Allies & increased
created (but never joined)
its position as the
the League of Nations
strongest nation in Asia
While European nations struggled
to rebuild & pay for the war, some
world nations benefitted from WWI
After WWI, the
United States entered
the Roaring Twenties
Mass production in factories
led to new consumer goods
& high wages for workers
Automobiles became
inexpensive & popular…
Electric appliances &
radios were popular…
…Americans enjoyed
themselves at movies,
sporting events, & jazz clubs
The USA used its wealth
to help European nations
repay their debts &
rebuild after the war
called the Dawes Plan
Crisis of Democracy in the West
•
•
•
•
Rebuilding war torn countries
Finding jobs for returning vets
Huge debt
Pursuit of peace Treaty of Locarno settled
Germany’s border disputes
• Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928: “renounced war as
an instrument of national policy
What changed in America in the 1930s?
The Roaring Twenties came to an end in 1929 when
the stock market crash, bank failures, & high
unemployment led to a Great Depression
The depression
in America
triggered
world-wide
The depression
led to
a sharp arise
depression
the 1930s when
international trade
inin
unemployment
in Europe
declined & U.S. investment in Europe ended
Why did powerful dictators come to power
in Europe in the 1920s & 1930s?
In Germany, the situation grew desperate by the
1930s & the Weimar gov’t became more unpopular
The Weimar republic was already
unpopular because gov’t leaders
signed the Treaty of Versailles
Like Germany, Italians
felt betrayed by the
treaty, had a suffering
economy, & saw its
unemployment rise
To
Unemployment
pay war reparations
in
& rebuild the country, the
Germany
gov’t printed
reached
money
30%which led to hyper-inflation
Due to the economic
depression, bitterness, &
desperation, powerful
dictators will seize
power in Germany &
Italy
These dictators played an
important role in causing
World War II
Contestant #1
I am a womanizer, have
self-interested policies
and unfortunately suffer
from ailing health.
Contestant #2
I have a drinking habit and
a defiant tongue or attitude
Contestant #3
I am a decorated war hero,
do not drink and want
to create a stable economy
Contestant #1
Contestant #2
Contestant #3
Treaty of Versailles
Black Tuesday
1929
- stock market crashes
Total Control
of State by a
Dictator
Great Depression
during
1930s
Increasing influence of new
political parties that emphasize
state control
-For example: Communism,
Nazism, Fascism
The Rise of Totalitarian Leaders
• European struggles and dissatisfaction during
the postwar years had a major effect on
European politics.
• Leaders who reflected the people’s bitterness
and anger emerged.
• These leaders promised a return to greatness.
• This was very appealing to unhappy
Europeans, and many were willing to give up
basic freedoms in return for future glory.
•
Government establishes complete control of all aspects of the state
(political, military, economy, social, cultural)
•
Highly nationalistic (flags, salutes, rallies, uniforms)
•
Strict controls and laws
•
Military state (secret police, army, military)
•
Censorship (opposing literature and ideas)
•
Propaganda (media – radio, newspapers, posters)
•
One leader (dictator); charismatic
•
Total conformity of people to ideas and leader
•
Terror and Fear
In the climate of postwar uncertainty,
nationalism increased & citizens turned
to totalitarian dictators to rule the nation
Totalitarian leaders are dictators who control all
aspects of the government & the lives of the citizens
Totalitarian
leaders gained
support by
promising jobs,
promoting
nationalism, &
using propaganda
Dictators held on
to their power by
using censorship,
secret police,
denying liberties,
& eliminating
opposing rivals or
political parties
Nazism
Totalitarianism
Communism
Fascism
*These theories, specifically Communism and Fascism,
are completely different theories that are bitterly
opposed; however they exhibit the same behavior
Among the first totalitarian
dictators was Joseph Stalin
of the Soviet Union
Stalin was Communist &
seized all property, farms,
factories in order to control the
economy & create equality
He used a
secret police &
the Great Purge
to eliminate rivals
Stalin’s Five Year Plans & collective farms improved
the Soviet Union’s industrial & agricultural output
Not all totalitarian
In Italy, Germany, & Spain,
dictators were
people turned to an extremely
Communists
nationalist gov’t called fascism
Fascist gov’ts
were controlled by
dictators who
demanded loyalty
from citizens
Fascists did not
offer democracy &
used one-party to
rule the nation
Unlike Communists,
fascists believed
people could keep
their property
I am Benito Mussolini the leader (Il
Duce) of Italy from 1922 to 1943.
What is Fascism?
• RIGHT WING
• Intense nationalism and elitism
• Totalitarian control
• Interests of the state more
important than individual rights
• Maintain class system and private
ownership
Interesting Fact: Fascism name was derived from
the fasces, an ancient Roman symbol of authority
consisting of a bundle of rods and an ax
I am Adolf Hitler the leader (der Fuhrer)
or dictator of Germany from 1933 to
1945.
What is Nazism?
• Extremely fascist , nationalistic and
totalitarian
• Based on beliefs of the National
Socialist German Workers Party
• Belief in the racial superiority of the
Aryan, the “master race”
• Belief that all Germans should have
“Lebensraum” or living space in Europe
•Violent hatred towards Jews and
blamed Germany’s problems on them
Common ideals of Fascism
•
•
•
•
•
•
Government run by dictator
Nationalistic
Imperialistic
Militaristic
Racist
Kill all opposition
Mussolini & Hitler believed in fascism: the idea that
Stalin
was
a Communist
that the
Totalitarian
Regimes
in
Europe believed
&
Asiaauthority
nations
need
strong
dictators,
total
by one
government
should
control
property
business
party, but that
people
can all
keep
private&property
In Italy,
Mussolini gained popularity by
Benito Mussolini promising to revive the economy,
formed the
rebuild the military, & expand Italy
Fascist Party
to create a new Roman Empire
Mussolini named his Fascist
Party after the fasces, a Roman
symbol of authority & power
Benito Mussolini (Il Duce)
• Fascism fueled by disappointment over the Versailles
Treaty/failure to win large territorial gains/ inflation/ high
unemployment/ Fear of Communism/ Democratic gov’t
too weak
• Newspaper Editor and politician
• Black shirts/ October 1922 30,000 fascist march on
Rome/ King Victor Emmanuel III
• Mussolini was named prime minister
As prime minister, Benito Mussolini
was known as “Il Duce” (the chief)
Mussolini ended
democracy & all
opposition parties
Mussolini built up
the military to
create new jobs
He planned to
conquer new
territories in
Africa for Italy
Weakness of the Weimar Republic (Germany)
• New democratic gov’t setup in the city of Weimar after
WWI
• No single party commanded a majority.
• Leading moderate parties differed on economic and
religious matters.
• Nazis on the right and communists on the left had more
votes than those groups fighting for the republics
survival.
• Unstable gov’t; unable to cope with problems.
– Politically weak
– Many economic problems caused
by the Versailles Treaty
-- Weak tradition of democracy
The Nazis were a fascist
Adolf Hitler was
group in Germany that
an early Nazi recruit
wanted to overthrow the
& quickly rose to
disloyal Weimar Republic
power in the party
The Nazis created their own
militia called the Brown Shirts
Hitler planned a march on
Munich but he was arrested
& jailed for 9 months
Hitler was impressed by
Mussolini & used many of
his ideas to make the Nazi
Party strong in Germany
While in jail, Hitler wrote
Mein Kampf which outlined
his plans for Germany
He wrote that Germans were
members of a master race
called Aryans & all nonAryans were inferior
He declared that Germans
needed Lebensraum (living
space) & should conquer
Eastern Europe & Russia
He called the Versailles
Treaty an outrage & vowed
to regain land taken from
Germany after the war
Effect of Hyperinflation
•
•
•
•
Germans lost their life savings
Salaries were paid in worthless money
Groceries cost billions
Hunger riots broke out
Cost of Bread in Germany
• 1921: 1 mark
• 1922: 1 mark
• 1923: 60,000 marks
60000
50000
cost of
Bread
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
1921
1923
• Value of 42,000 marks in
American Dollars
• 1921: $600.00
• 1923: 1 cents
Fall of German mark (Hyperinflation)
•
•
•
•
•
1921 four marks to one dollar
1922 four hundred marks to one dollar
Jan 1923 18000 marks to one dollar.
July 1923 160000 marks to one dollar.
Nov 1923 4,000,000,000 to one dollar.
Cost of Living in Germany
900
800
700
600
500
Cost of living
400
300
200
100
0
1920
1922
1925
1930
Factors explaining the Nazi rise to power
• Economic Distress
– Instead of raising taxes gov’t prints more money
– Value of money declines.
– Savings accounts, life insurance policies and
pensions became worthless.
– Worldwide depression.
– Nazis rose to power “on the empty stomachs of
the German People”.
– Support of the middle class, workers,
industrialists.
Fear of Communism
• Many Germans supported the German
Communist Party
• Property owners, Bankers and industrialists
feared the Communists and supported the Nazis
Appeal to Nationalism
• German patriots unable to cope with defeat in WWI
• Nazis pledged to
– Tear up the Versailles Treaty
– Rearm Germany
– Demand return of Colonies
– Denounced War Guilt Clause
– Punish the Jews and Communists who “stabbed
the German Army in back”.
Anti Semitism
• Scapegoats for Germany’s loss in WWI.
• Jews were hated throughout Germany even
before WW I.
• If Jews were responsible then Germans were
not.
• Unprincipled people looked forward to looting
and beating Jews.
• Small minority only 600,000 safe to attack.
Lack of Democratic Tradition
• Historically more autocratic gov’t in Germany;
not a democracy.
• Bismarck and the Kaiser unified Germany,
achieved economic growth, and world
power=success.
• Weimar republic signed the Versailles treaty=
failure.
• Many Germans willing to exchange freedom for
Nazi promises of economic security and
nationalist glory.
When Hitler was released from jail in 1924,
he spent years organizing the Nazis into
Germany’s most powerful political party
In Jan. 1933, Hitler
was named
chancellor (prime
minister)
of Germany
As chancellor,
Hitler used his
power to name
himself dictator
He called his gov’t
the Third Reich to
promote pride &
nationalism
The Third Reich
•
•
•
•
First Reich - Holy Roman Empire
Second Reich - Bismarck’s Empire
Took the title Fuhrer
Attack on the Jews
Hitler Comes to Power
Nazi membership
rises with
unemployment,
Great Depression
helps
Hitler’s cause
Released from
Prison after less
than one year
1933: Hitler legally
becomes
Chancellor of
Germany, even
though he is
viewed as a
radical…he is
dictator within a
year.
Rise of Nazis
• 1928:12 seats in the Reichstag.
• 1930:107 seats; popular vote
from 800,000 to 6.5 million.
• 1932: 230 seats.
• Hitler named Chancellor on
January 30, 1933 Calls for new
election.
• Week before election day the
Reichstag building caught fire.
• Nazis blamed it on the
Communists.
• Took dictatorial powers
suspended freedom of
speech/press.
Why was Hitler able to gain complete power in
Germany from 1929 to 1934?
• Oct. 24, 1929 Stock market crash: over
production/over supply/low prices/buying stock
on margin
• By 1932 6,000,000 Germans were out of
work/business failures/falling wages
• Germans wanted a leader who could provide
jobs and rebuild German pride
• Nazis promise to improve the economy/win over
the middle class, workers, and unemployed
• Nazis “rise to power on the empty stomachs of
the German People.”
Economic Policies that made Hitler Popular
• Set up public works: every unemployed German male
had a job with the government for 6 months.
• Built up infrastructure of Germany
• Banned Jews and women from working giving jobs to
German males
• Arms industry was labor intensive need many workers
• Banned some labor saving machinery so that more
people could work.
• Conscription (draft) into the Military reduced
unemployment
• Hitler encouraged mass production of radios /
employment increase/
also used for mass propaganda
• Strength through joy program:
cheap vacations/public theater,
concerts and sporting events
Hitler put Germans to work by building factories,
highways, weapons, & increasing the military
He created the gov’t protection squad called the
SS and a secret police called the Gestapo to
eliminate rivals & control all aspects of Germany
In 1935, Hitler began a series of anti-Semitic laws
called the Nuremburg Laws that deprived German
Jews of the rights of citizens, forbade mixed Jewish
marriages, & required Jews to wear a yellow star
In 1938, Hitler ordered
Kristallnacht (Night of Broken
Glass), a series of attacks on
Jewish synagogues & businesses
After WWI, Japan was the strongest nation
in Asia & was ready to conquer new lands
to provide resources for Japanese industry
Emperor Hirohito gave
full control of the Japanese
military to Hideki Tojo who
served as a military dictator
Rise of Japanese Militarists
•
•
•
•
•
Resentment over Versailles treaty
Loss of tradition
The Great Depression
Loss of trade/ high unemployment
Need for raw materials
Effects of Rise of Militarists
• Imperialism need raw materials to fuel industrial
growth
• More respect for emperor
• Invasion of Manchuria in China, Indochina and
the East Indies.
• Withdrawal from League of Nations
• Loss of democratic freedoms