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Europe in the 1920s. Europe in 1919. Germany. Maimed German WW I Veteran. The “Stabbed-in-the-Back” Theory. Disgruntled German WWI veterans. German “Revolutions” [1918]. German Freikorps. Sparticist Poster. The Spartacist League. Karl Liebknecht [1871- 1919]
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Europe in the 1920s
The “Stabbed-in-the-Back” Theory Disgruntled German WWI veterans
The Spartacist League Karl Liebknecht [1871- 1919] Murdered by the Freikorps Rosa Luxemburg[1870-1919]murdered by the Freikorps
The Parliament • Constitution established a two house parliament– • Lower house= Reichstag • Allotted seats to the parties in direct proportion to the percentage of votes they polled in the election • Positive: assured representation to minor parties • Negative: encouraged the development of a multi party system which made it impossible for anyone party to have a majority
The Parliament cont… • Upper house: Reichsrat • Consisted of representatives elected by the parliaments of the eighteen German states • It had the power to delay the passage of legislation but could not permanently block bills favored by the Reichstag.
Mein Kampf [My Struggle] • In the book Hitler: • gives a semifictionalized account of his life • Expresses his ideas of: • German racial superiority • German nationalism • Anti- Semitism • Anti- Marxism • Set forth what German foreign policy should be • Germany was vigorous and growing country that needed lebensraum (living space
The Dawes Plan (1924) • Results • Short term economic benefits to the German economy • Softened the burden of war reparations • Stabilized the currency • Brought increased foreign investment and loans to the German market • Made the German economy dependent on foreign markets and economy Main Points 1. The Ruhr area was to to be evacuated by Allied occupation troops 2. Reparation payments would begin at “one billion marks the first year and increase to two and half billion annually after five years” 3. The German Reichsbank would be reorganized under Allied supervision 4. The sources of reparation money would include transportation, and taxes
The Young Plan (1930) For three generations, you’ll have to slave away! $26,350,000,000 to be paid over a period of 58½ years.
Timeline 1925- Paul von Hindenburg wins presidential election in Germany 1930- World Depression strikes Germany (Banks fail, foreign trade declines, factories close, millions are unemployed) 1930- von Hindenburg names Heinrich Bruning chancellor (Reichstag majority disagrees and Hindenburg invokes article 48 of the constitution which authorizes him to rule by decree) 1930- extremist parties make substantial gains (Nazis & communists)
Nazis • Fascist Party of Germany • Won the support of the lower middle class and peasantry • Voters were strongly nationalistic in their political views • Most Nazi supporters were Protestant (German Catholics remained loyal to the Catholic Center Party)
Collective Security
Washington Naval Conference[1921-1922] U. S. Britain Japan France Italy 5 5 3 1.67 1.67
Locarno Pact: 1925 Austin Chamberlain (Br.) GustaveStresemann(Ger.) AristideBriand(Fr.) • Guaranteed the common boundaries of Belgium, France, and Germany as specified in the Treaty of Versailles of 1919. • Germany signed treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia, agreeing to change the eastern borders of Germany by arbitration only.
Kellogg-Briand Pact: 1928 • 15 nations committed to outlawing aggression and war for settling disputes. • Problem no way of enforcement.
The Great Depression
The Great Depression [1929-1941] London in 1930 Paris in 1930
