Between the Wars

1. Between the Wars Modern World History C. Corning – Feb. 2010

3. What are the effects of economic downturns? • How do economic problems affect politics and peoples’ attitudes towards government?

4. League of Nations • The League of Nations was created in 1919 by the peace treaties that ended WWI. • Two goals: (1) keep peace among nations and (2) make the world a better place for ALL people. (Including colonies?) • Member nations had to sign a promise that they would not go to war with other member nations AND if a member attacked another member, the other nations would defend the country under attack (Collective Security)

5. League of nations • There were only three peace-keeping actions the League of Nations could take against a member nation: • Legal means – Court of International Justice • Economic sanctions - member nations would not trade with the attacker, thus threatening economic ruin for the attacker • Military sanctions – forming a League of Nations army (from the member nations) to fight the attacker ** In first ten years, League dealt with 9 disputes

6. Limitations of League • Not every nation was a member. • USA – policy of isolationism • USSR – “capitalist” club • Some members lacked “enthusiasm” for the League. • Germany – excluded until 1926, club of “victors” • The League’s ability to keep the peace had never been fully tested by 1929 (guess who is going to test them!) • No proof that League could settle a dispute between two major powers – OR that sanctions could stop a war.

7. Europe After the war • 1920s European nations were rebuilding after the war. • Only U.S. and Japan were in good financial shape • Europe had to borrow money from the U.S. • From 1914-1918 the last of Europe’s absolute monarchies were overthrown • Russia, Germany and Austro-Hungary • New democracies took their place • Multiple parties, need for coalition government • Difficult to govern effectively

8. Germany • New democratic gov’t established in 1919 – Weimar Republic • Many weaknesses: • Germany lacked a democratic tradition • Too many political parties • Germans blamed the Weimar gov’t for country’s defeat and the Treaty of Versailles • Germany faced big economic issues: • Inflation – too much money printed to pay war expenses • Reparation payments • Dawes Plan – by 1929 Germany was producing as much as before the war

9. Stab in the Back theory

10. Russia/Soviet Union • Lenin died in 1924 – Stalin assumes power in 1929 after forcing Trotsky into exile • Stalin wanted the Soviet Union to be one of the most powerful nations in the world • Totalitarianism – a gov’t that takes total, centralized STATE control of every aspect of public and private life (see pg 441) • Leaders give a sense of security and direction for the future • Uses secret police to crush opposition and create an environment of fear to control people • Challenges the values most prized by democracies: reason, freedom, individuality, etc. • Tool: terror, indoctrination, propaganda, censorship and religious/ethnic persecution • Economic measures: Five-Year Plan and collective farms

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12. japan • During the 1920s the Japanese government became more democratic and built international relations • However Japan’s parliamentary system had weaknesses: • Constitution put limits on the powers of the Prime Minister and the cabinent • Civilian leaders had little control over the armed forces • Military leaders reported only to the emperor

13. United States • Political model -Democratic Capitalism • One of the few countries to come out of the WWI stronger economically • Roaring 20’s – economic boom • Retreated into isolationism • Rejected League of Nations • Imposed high tariffs on foreign goods

14. Italy • Bitter after few territorial gains at 1919 peace conference. Felt like a loss. • Rising inflation and unemployment • 1922 -Fascist Mussolini took control • promised order and uphold Italian patriotism • 1936 – invades Ethiopia. • Create an “Italian empire”

15. Great Depression • Photos on other Power Point (see our blog) • Oct 1929 Black Tuesday – share prices on Wall Street fell – basically worthless • Depression began in the US and then spread to most other countries • Depression: a severe economic slump/a sustained, long-term downturn in economic activity • Germany and Austria hit very hard because of war debts and dependence on American loans and investments

16. Depression - Impact • How did Depression affect world peace? • (1) gov’ts tried to protect their citizens with new economic policies (protectionism) • These policies of protectionism and self-sufficiency harmed international relations. • (2) Depression caused social unrest among the people of many countries • Germany 6 out of 64 million by 1934, Japan experienced idle factories/peasants starving • (3) Massive unemployment – people blamed their gov’ts – this led to the collapse of democratic governments in Germany and Japan • New gov’ts acted agressively towards other countries in order to improve the situations in their countries

17. Problems with Empires • The Great Depression added to another problem that was threatening world peace in 1929 • Division of world: empire haves and have nots • Britain and France owned the largest empires in 1929 – why? • How did this effect world peace? • (1) Other countries envied these empires and wanted to expand • (2) Britain and France avoided the worst impacts of the Depression – other countries wanted to do the same • (3) Local peoples wanted the same right of self-determination that European nations received • (4) Britain and France had to keep large, expensive armies and did NOT want to disarm – why?

18. japan • 1929 Great Depression hit Japan hard – citizens blamed the gov’t • Military leaders gained control of the country however unlike the fascism in Europe they did NOT try to establish a new system of gov’t • Militarists were nationalists • Wanted to restore traditional control of gov’t to military • Made Emperor Hirohito symbol of state power • Goal: solve Japan’s economic problems through foreign expansion

19. Japan – Plans for a Pacific Empire • 1931 Japan seized Manchuria (China’s NE province) • Japanese parliament opposed action • Japanese business had invested there • Rich in iron and coal • 1932 the Army set up puppet government with Puyi, the last Qing emperor, installed as the nominal regent and emperor (Japan really control the gov’t) • This was the first direct challenge to the League of Nations – Japan ignored protests and withdrew from the League in 1933 • 1937 – Sino-Japanese War – Japan invades China and captures northern cities

20. US Response • President Roosevelt (FDR) – New Deal Policies • Expanded power of federal government • Created public works projects • Democratic-Socialist Policies • Social Security Act 1935

21. Soviet Union • Under the rule of Stalin – Communist one-party state. • Fared much better than other Western capitalist democracies during the war • Soviet leaders pointed with pride to the lack of serious unemployment andsteadily rising production rates • Great Purges of the 1930’s

22. Italy and Spain • Italy - Benito Mussolini – Il Duce (Leader) – 1922 • Fascism spread because of Italy’s disappointment with the 1919 Paris Peace Conference • Also rising inflation and unemployment • People lost trust/faith in their democratic gov’t • Fascist Party formed 1919 – Black Shirts • Spain – Gen. Francisco Franco – dictator 1939 • 1936 Civil War between the Nationalists (Fascists) and the Republicans (supported elected gov’t) • Western democracies remained neutral; Germany, Italy (Nat’l) and Soviet Union (Rep) got involved

23. Rise of Fascism • Many democracies remained strong despite the Depression: U.S., Great Britain, France, Scandinavian countries • For many of the younger/weaker democracies, the citizens lost faith and turned to Fascism: Germany, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Poland • Fascism: militant political movement that emphasized loyalty to the state and obedience to its leader. (see pg 477) • Extreme form of nationalism – loyalty to an authoritarian leader • Lots of militarist influence – uniforms, units, salutes

24. Fascism vs Communism • Comparisons: • Rule by dictator – the STATE was supreme • One-party system • Denial of individual rights • Differences: • Fascism had no clearly defined theory or program • Did not seek a classless society • Fascist leaders tend to aristocrats, industrialists, war veterans and the lower middle class – WHY? • Fascists were nationalists – communists were international (“workers of the world unite”)

25. European response to fascism • Rather than taking a stand, most Great Britain and France made concessions, hoping to keep peace • Still dealing with economic issues from the Depression • Deep desire to avoid war • U.S. continued to follow a policy of Isolationism • 1935 Congress pass the Neutrality Acts which banned loans and the sale of arms to nations at war.

26. Germany • Germany was hit very hard by the depression • High unemployment, strikes, civil unrest • Weimar republic seen as weak • Rise of Hitler and the fascist Nazi Party • Played upon people’s anger and bitterness towards the Treaty of Versailles • Created a one-party state around authoritarian ruler

27. Dwight Schrute • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsP-RPG8Pq8&feature=BFa&list=PLAFA11739AF43F09E&lf=results_main

28. Warm Up • How do totalitarian regimes make people, who disagree with their objectives, comply? • Give two reasons why leaders like Hitler and Mussolini were elected?

29. Hitler’s Rise to Power • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CFWH4Fhkak

30. Mein Kampf – My Struggle • Beer Hall Putsch 1923- failed coup • Hitler imprisoned – writes Mein Kampf • Outlines his political ideology • Blueprint for his actions • Beliefs and goals for Germany • Government -Strong leadership • Purity of race – Aryan dominance • Lebensraum

31. Aryan/Non-Aryan • Aryan race was a distinctive sub-race of the larger Caucasian race. • Pure Aryans included Germans and other Germanic peoples including the Dutch, Scandinavians, and the English • Non- Aryan – were Jews, gypsies, and blacks

32. Aryan Superiority • "All the human culture, all the results of art, science, and technology that we see before us today, are almost exclusively the creative product of the Aryan...”

33. Lebensraum • “Living space” • Germans were overcrowded and needed more land • Promised to conquer land from Europe and Russia

34. Hitler Becomes Fuhrer • 1933 - Comes to power legally – named chancellor • Enabling Act –Parliament grants dictatorial powers • Hitler begins to create a totalitarian state • Violates Versailles treaty • Increases size of military • Creates an airforceand strengthens navy • WHY??

35. Instruments of power • SS/Schutzstaffel (protection squad) • Hitler’s paramilitary organization • Mass arrests and murders • Terror used to keep people in check

36. Propaganda • Nuremburg Rally • annual rally of the Nazi party in Germany, held from 1923 to 1938. • They were large Nazi propaganda events. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilXVkgmJk2E

37. Aggressive moves And Appeasement

38. Sino-Japanese war (1937) • 1931 -Japan military seizes Manchuria • Japan withdraws from League of Nations • Allies with Germany: Anti-Comintern Pact • Wanted exclusive dominance in East Asia • Skirmish on border – Japan begins full scale invasion. • Took control of ports and cities around Yangzi River – most fertile and densely populated • Never had full control of all provinces

39. German Rearmament • Why was rearmament important to Hitler? • Versailles Treaty • Army limited to 100,000 • No air force • Limited arms, submarines, warships • 1933 – Began to rearm in secret • 1935 – Rearmament plans made public • created Luftwaffe air force • Inc. army size – called for mandatory conscription • Europe – alarmed but took no action – WHY?

40. Reoccupation of Rhineland • Demilitarized zone between Germany and France • 1936 – German troops move in. • Significance?? • France/Britain do nothing • Encourages Hitler to speed up his plan • Italy and Japan ally with Germany

42. Anschluss – Union (1938) • League of Nations – promised to protect independence of Austria. • Most Austrians spoke German and many favored uniting the two countries. • The Takeover • Pressures Austrian chancellor into resignation and installs Nazi “puppet government” • March 1938 -Hitler’s army occupies all of Austria • Gestapo – rounds up opposition • Major powers do nothing – WHY?

44. Appeasement • Agreeing to whichever demands seemed reasonable in order to prevent war. • Lesser of two evils • Reasons for Appeasement • War would be destructive to Britain • German sympathizers • Harsh treatment of Versailles – appeasement was a way to redress the issues.

45. Munich Crisis (1938) • Czechoslovakia – many nationalities • Sudetenland – Germans dominate this region • Hitler’s plan to take over - • German party were to start riots in Sudetenland • German army would occupy region on grounds of “maintaining order” • France and USSR – Czech allies • France – weak and unable to fight Germany • USSR – at war with Japan

46. Sudetenland

47. Chamberlain - appeasement • Munich Agreement • British PM gives Sudetenland to Germany in order to avoid war • Decision made without Czech’s presence • Unfair?? • http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/ww2outbreak/7907.shtml • Why were people so happy with his news?

49. Churchill “Many people, no doubt, honestly believe that they are only giving away the interests of Czechoslovakia, whereas I fear we shall find that we have deeply compromised, and perhaps fatally endangered, the safety and even the independence of Great Britain and France. This is not merely a question of giving up the German colonies, as I am sure we shall be asked to do. Nor is it a question only of losing influence in Europe. It goes far deeper than that. You have to consider the character of the Nazi movement and the rule which it implies.”

50. "Total and Unmitigated Defeat" "I will begin by saying what everybody would like to ignore or forget but which must nevertheless be stated, namely that we have sustained a total and unmitigated defeat, and France has suffered even more than we have....the German dictator, instead of snatching the victuals from the table, has been content to have them served to him course by course.” —House of Commons, 5 October 1938, after the Munichagreement