The West Between The Wars

1. The West Between The Wars Mr. Ermer World History Honors Miami Beach Senior High

2. An Uneasy Peace • Peace treaty creates new countries, tries to make most happy, but doesn’t • US President Wilson knows problems in treaty will lead to another war • League of Nations set to deal with probs • US does not join, Senate rejects the treaty • Germany forced to pay $33 billion • Germany says it cannot pay, France takes control of Ruhr Valley (industrial center) • Germany prints more money=inflation

4. Working Toward Peace • German money becomes worthless • Dawes Plan restructures German debt • US begins heavy investment in Europe • Treaty of Lorcano draws new German boarders • Thought to begin new era of European peace • 1926: Germany joins League of Nations • 26 nations promise to ban war, but no rules of enforcement are set. Promises mean little.

5. The Great Depression • Depression: period of low economic activity and rising unemployment • Some countries experience slow economy • U.S. stock market crash of 1929 • U.S. banks pull investment from Europe • Political leaders offer simple, but radical, solutions—people support them • Government economic control increases • Marxist/Communist ideas gain popularity

7. Democracy After The War • After WWI, many European countries adopt democratic systems of government • Women gain right to vote in many nations • Germany est the Weimar Republic, weak • 4.4 million Germans jobless in 1930 • France most powerful continental nation, but depression hurts confidence in gov • Popular Front gov passes economic policy to help end depression, it doesn’t

8. The UK & US • United States and Japan replace British goods, British companies hurting • UK:Labor Party loses power, Conservatives make changes that help economy • John Maynard Keynes argues that the government should put people to work • US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt enacts the New Deal to end depression • New Deal spends money on public works, and creates Social Security

9. The Rise of European Dictators • Dictatorships rise in Italy, Germany, Spain & the Soviet Union (Russia) • France & Britain are only big democracies left • Totalitarian State: government aims to control political, economic, social, intellectual and cultural lives of citizens • Fascism: state is above all else, strong central government ruled by dictator • Authoritarian State: Ultimate authority rests with the state and its dictator

11. Benito Mussolini & Italian Fascism • Economic problems cause middle class fear of Communist revolution like Russia • Worker strikes are many and violent • Mussolini’s Fascists attack Socialists • Uses people’s fears and patriotism to grow support for his Fascist movement • 1922: Mussolini named prime minister • 1926: All other parties outlawed, OVRA • Propaganda molds single-minded community of Italian Fascists

13. The New Soviet Union • Control of production, lack of goods causes Russians to strike and revolt • 1921: Lenin ends war communism for NEP • Modified version of capitalism brings growth • 1924: Lenin dies, Politburo can’t pick new leader—Trotsky vs. Stalin • eventually agrees on Joseph Stalin is leader • Stalin gains complete control of Communists • Purges all who disagree, Trotsky exiled to Mex. • Stalin ends NEP, starts Five-Year Plan

14. Stalin’s Five Year Plan • Sets goals for five year period • Russia industrializes very rapidly • Cities grow too fast, poor conditions • Collectivization of agriculture • Stalin strengthens his control of govt • Purges all old Bolsheviks • 8 million Russians arrested, millions more sent to labor camps or executed • Takes back civil rights/freedoms granted in the 20s

17. Other Authoritarian Regimes • Eastern European countries embrace strong leaders who promise to fight communism • Only Czechoslovakia remains democratic • 1936: In Spain, General Francisco Franco leads Fascist military revolt • Italy and Germany support Franco’s cause • 1939: Franco sets up dictatorship in Spain, favoring large landowners, businessmen and priests

19. Adolf Hitler & The Nazis • Born 4/20/1889 in Austria, fails high school, goes to Vienna to be artist—fails • Fights in WWI’s Western Front, then enters politics in Germany • 1921: Hitler controls the National Socialist German Workers Party (NASDAP-”Nazi”) • Hitler leads a revolt in Munich, fails, jailed • In jail, writes Mein Kampf, where he outlines his belief in Social Darwinism, nationalist, anti-Semitism, and anti-communism

20. Rise of Nazism • Hitler expands Nazism to all of Germany • 1929: Largest party in the Reichstag • Conservatives look to Hitler for leadership • March 23, 1933: Reichstag passes Enabling Act, Hitler can ignore constitution • Concentration Camps set up for opposition • All other parties abolished, Hitler is sole ruler of Germany called Fuhrer • Nazi’s push for an Aryan nation, to dominate Europe like the Romans as third German Empire (Holy Roman and German Empire of 1871)

21. Nazi Germany 1933-1939 • SS: Special force, directed by Heinrich Himmler, acting as Hitler’s body guards, and controlling secret and regular police • $$$ put into building and militarization • Unemployment down, depression ends • Social organizations and parades boost support, help teach Nazi ideals • Gender roles defined by the party • Anti-Semitic policies enacted by govt • November 9, 1938: Kristallnacht

23. Work On It: • Page 450, write and answer questions 1-8