Dictators, Heroes, and Weirdos: Leaders Between the World Wars

1. Honors WorldUnit #7 – Modern Euro HistoryLesson #707(Between the World Wars)

2. Dictators, heroes and weirdos Name the leaders of this era • Stalin, Mussolini and Hitler • Il Duce, The Furer, Man of Steel • Brown Shirts, Black Shirts, SA • Nicholas II , Lenin, Kerensky and Rasputin • Orlando, Clemenceau, Lloyd George and Wilson • William II, Bismarck, Nicholas II, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Gavrilo Princip Process the leadership • Name the category • Choose the “best” at each category; why?

3. Why does this matter? Why does this matter?

4. So, what happened to Russia because of WWI?

5. Modern Russia • Nicholas was a REALLY poor Czar • 1894-1917 • Totally unprepared to rule • Most Russians still oppressed… farmers and now workers • When Austria declared war on Serbia in 1914, Nicholas mobilized all 5 million Russian troops to back Serbia • WHY WOULD HE DO THAT, KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN? • Russian mobilization sparked the German Schlieffen Plan, and the start of WWI – why? 4m Bio

6. Nicholas hastened the end of Russia • Russians were pulverized by German troops • 2,000,000 dead in just the first year • Nicholas took command of front line • Nicholas was then blamed for losses • Troops mutinied, and he was forced to abdicate – later executed • Why would he have to abdicate? • Russia plummeted into a civil war • Some blame Rasputin; most just blame the Russians sick and tired of crappy political and economic leadership 1m Summary 6m Bio

7. Bless you, my child

12. TWO Revolutions in Russia • February Revolution (March, 1917) • Czar abdicated • Kerensky duma took over (Provisional Government) • Promised to win the war – Why?! • Why will this be a big mistake? • October Revolution (Nov. 1917) • Lenin transported from exile by Germans • Soviets spontaneously formed (Workers and soldiers) • Bolsheviks wanted to violently overthrow the government • Lenin led Bolsheviks

13. Lenin’s Government • Land, factories and banks were to be nationalized – given to “the people” The war was ended at any cost • LAND! PEACE! BREAD! – WHY WAS THIS GENIUS? • Treaty of Brest Litovsk– March 1918 • Surrender of best farmland • War Communism – excuse of Communists (new name for Bolsheviks) to take all wealth • Civil War raged on – Lenin’s “Reds” were winning, but needed more food • Peasants forced to surrender their new land and food to the Communist cause • Lenin went and died in 1924 (stroke in 1922)

14. Battle between Stalin and Trotsky • Lenin’s death created a power vacuum • Trotsky had led much of Lenin’s plans • But Trotsky was arrogant and idealistic • Stalin was the Secretary of the Party • That meant he had the power to fire and hire all members of the inner circle • Stalin worked for years to gather a following • By 1927, he struck – banned Trotsky from government, then the party, then the country • And then…

15. What ever happened to Nicholas? • His days were numbered as soon as he abdicated • He planned to escaped to Britain or Belgium • Problem: nobody would take him • He was moved to a remote house in Siberia • There, he and his whole family were executed • Why would they do that?! • What did they have that could help the escape? 2) 3m Bio on Nich 1) 7m Indian Nydel on Nich II 3) 3m Execution

17. Paris Peace Conference and Treaty of Versailles

18. The war ended strangely • Armistice began on Nov 11 at 11am • Germans desperate for an end to the madness • Why would Germany agree to peace?

19. Paris Peace Conference Why do they get to make all the decisions? • Started January, 1919 in Paris • 27 nations sent representatives • Germany and Austria not allowed to attend • Russia was not invited • (Lenin’s government not seen as legitimate) • Negotiations lasted five months • Run by “the Big Four” • Britain • France • Italy • United States

21. Goal of each nation was different United States: • Peace without victors – WHY WERE WE UNIQUE? • All nations should exist by self determination France: • Punish Germany – WHY JUST THEM? • weaken Germany – WHY? Britain: • Protect their empire (colonies) • Get rich again (US, too!) Italy: • Get land from Austria

22. Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” • Eliminate the cause of war • Promote free trade and freedom of seas • disarmament for everyone • Why would France have a problem with this? • self-determination of colonies and empires • Why would David Lloyd George have problem with this? • a League of Nations

23. France Punish Germany • Take some of their land • Force them to pay damages Weaken them • Be sure they had no ability to attack again • Keep France strong to defend, just in case How will this clash with Wilson’s plan?

24. Britain • Protect their empire • How will this clash with Wilson’s plan?

25. The compromise: • Wilson was willing to concede on all his principles, as long as… • There would be a LEAGUE OF NATIONS • Why would this be his fervent goal? • Why would no one else really care about it? • Which would constantly monitor the rise of one power, and talk through conflicts • All nations would join • All nations would have to agree to agree with the findings of the League of Nations • Of course, USA never joined…

26. What was the agreement? • Germany was to be reduced in size • Surrender the Alsace and Lorraine • Allow for the Danzig Corridor • German military was to be shrunk to almost non-existent • 100,000 men total • Modern equipment forbidden (planes, subs, tanks, artillery) • Rhineland demilitarized • Germany was to pay reparations • Damages for war • France and Britain had HUGE debts to USA from loans • $5 billion/ year – re-evaluated in 1921 • Number set in 1921 to $30 billion • Finally paid off in 1915 • Germany was to accept full blame – total humiliation • “war guilt clause” • Germans were to accept full responsibility for starting and perpetuating war • Germans were not allowed to negotiate

27. Nobody liked it • Why would the French hate it? • Why would the British not really plan to support France? • Why would USA grow disinterested? • Why would Russia complain? • Ottoman Empire broken into “mandates” • Austrian Empire broken into new nations based on nationalities • Russia lost most of land signed away in Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

32. Next tragedy… Spanish Flu (1918-1920) • 1 in four American soldiers had the influenza, carried to Europe • Spread FAST • 500 million people infected world wide (about 1/3) • Estimates are as low as 20 million • As high as 50 – 100,000,000 killed by the flu • (5% of world’s population dead) • About 10-20% mortality rate • (normal flu killed .1%)

33. Oddities to Spanish Flu killed mostly healthy adults • (not children and elderly, like normal flu) • majority 20-40 years old • only 1% over 65 • The best guess: focused on immune system – ravaged the healthy – • healthy immune system spread disease faster • 25-75% pregnant women infected • 25% lost their babies Hit in summer and autumn months

35. Search for Peace and Stability during the 1920s

36. The New Germany • THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC • The Kaiser had abdicated – passed power to an elected Reichstag, based in Weimar • They had to deal with MAJOR issues • What are the issues? • War guilt clause • Reparations payments • Mass strikes and unrest • A belligerent France on one side, an expanding Bolshevik (Communist) movement on the other

37. The New Europe • France: keep Germany weak • Why? How would they benefit? • Britain: rebuild the German economy • Why? How would the benefit? • USA: you’re both dumb! • Why? Where does out attitude come from? • Maynard Keynes: an impoverished Germany is bad: why would he say that? • (he thought it could entice Bolshevism) • (Keynesian Economics) • France was forced to find new friends with common fears: THE LITTLE ENTENTE

38. LITTLE ENTENTE

39. LITTLE ENTENTE

41. Reparations • 33 Billion Gold Marks • 2.5 Billion/year • Germany started to pay in 1921 • Announced it was unsustainable in 1922 • France insisted – why? (three reasons) • Still owed huge debts to USA • Needed $$ to repair damages • Keep Germany weak! • By 1923 – France demanded – threatened military invasion

42. The Ruhr Invasion • Industrial region of Germany • Weimar government ordered a general strike • France decided to isolate and starve Germany into submission • Brought in African workers • (to shame Germans) • “Black Shame” Ruhr 35sec

43. Hyperinflation • German response: • (economy was paralyzed) • What would you do, if you were Mr. Weimar? • Just print more $$ • 1914: 4.2 Reich Marks - $1 • 1921: 64 • 1923: 800 • Then… the inflation…

45. Click – Hyperinflation – 6m

46. Hyperinflation results • End value: 1 trillionth of original value • (that’s one million millionth) • Economy collapsed • Middle Class Savings erased • Lower class lost everything • Negotiated prices on the spot • $$ not worth the paper it was printed on • Chancellor Gustav Stressman – introduced a new currency: • 1 trillion Reich Marks = 1 new Rentenmark

47. Click Hyperinflation 3m