Between the Wars Chapters 17 & 18
“Between the Wars” Outline • Economic Concerns • Cultural and Intellectual Trends • Uneasy Peace • The Great Depression • Rise of Dictatorial Regimes • Italy • Russia • Germany • Nationalism • Middle East • Africa and Asia • China • Latin America
Cultural and Intellectual Trends • The “Roaring Twenties” • Radio, movies, music, art, and literature dominate America and Europe • Odd activities abound in U.S. • Living on credit, or money that would have to be paid back later • Science • Physics take the forefront • “Heroic Age of Physics” • Werner Heisenberg suggested that physics could not answer all questions – uncertainty principle • Scientists like Albert Einstein and Ernest Rutherford encourage interest in the field
Uneasy Peace in Europe Creates Crisis • No U.S. means weak League of Nations • French demands of Germany • Upset with lack of payment, French occupy industrial area of Ruhr Valley in Germany • Plan to collect by operating and using mines and factories • German inflation • Germany tried to finance salaries and reparations by printing money • Dawes Plan – US gives Germany $2.5 Billion in loans, Germany pays Allies $2.0 Billion owed, Allies pay US $2.6 Billion owed • Allows U.S. investors to get into Europe • Treaty of Locarno • Guaranteed Germany’s new borders (forfeited lands) • Seen as declaration of peace…FOREVER • Kellogg-Briand Pact • 63 nations sign, bans war • Nations still did not reduce military forces
The Great Depression • Two causes • Individual nations’ economies failing • Stock market crash in US (October 29, 1929) • American investments in Europe go under • 25% of British, 40% of Germans, 22% of Americans unemployed • Responses • Increased gov’t presence in economy • Renewed interest in Marxist beliefs • World safe for democracy? • US, France, Germany, Great Britain primary democratic nations • Collective bargaining, or deals between employers and employees prevented Marxist resentment • Deficit spending, or spending money the nations didn’t have, still continued
Italy and Mussolini • Benito Mussolini began his career as a Socialist • Created FasciodiCombattimento, or the League of Combat • Term Fascism derived from this – strong central government, glorification of state, controlled by dictator • Mussolini takes advantage of financial crisis in Europe • People fear Communist takeover similar to Russia • 1920 – Uses “Blackshirts” to squash Socialist groups • 1922 – Began to demand land for Italy, push Socialist groups further away from country • Gains support • 1922 – Threatens to march on Rome, is given position of Prime Minister
The Fascist Italian State • Totalitarian – Aimed to control all aspects of citizen’s lives • New laws from PM Mussolini: • PM made head of gov’t • Gov’t could suspend any publications criticizing it or the Catholic Church • Police could jail anyone • By 1926, Mussolini has complete control • Known as Il Duce or “The Leader” • Propaganda, youth groups, religion all used to maintain authority • Agreement with Pope to encourage Italians to support the regime
Russia After Revolution • Bad economy, food shortages, and industrial collapse caused Lenin to lose luster • 1921 – Brought back Capitalism disguised as the New Economic Policy • Peasants could sell produce openly • Small retail stores could be privately owned • NEP was only designed to be a short-term answer, but Lenin died in 1924 • Who would take control? • Politburo, or the policy-making body of the Communist Party, clashes over question
Rise of Stalin • Politburo divided over future of Russia • End the NEP? • Worldwide Communist revolution? • Focus only on Russia? • Two big opponents • Leon Trotsky • Joseph Stalin • Stalin wins out because of job position • Began to remove old Bolshevik people from power, replacing them with his people • By 1929, Stalin establishes a powerful dictatorship in Russia
Russia Under Stalin • 1928 – Ends NEP, begins Five-Year Plans • Russia would become industrial overnight • Collectivization, or elimination, of farms • Focus on jobs still left living conditions in question…many had work, but poor homes • Resistance? • Millions fought back…especially peasant farmers, old Bolsheviks • If you resisted, you were sent to forced labor camps • Around 20 million political enemies and resistors were killed
Other Authoritarian States • Eastern Europe • Nations forged from Russia after WWI • Still heavily influenced by Russians, weak when beginning to start up • Only Czechoslovakia remained democratic • Spain • Civil War broke out in 1936 • Republicans aided by Soviet Union, Mexico, and France • Nationalists aided by Portugal, Germany and Italy • Take Madrid and win war in 1939
Exit Slip • 3 new things you learned • 2 things you found interesting • 1 thing you still have a question about
Photo Analysis • What do you think is going on in the picture? • List 3 significant things you see.
Germany and Hitler • Adolf Hitler • Born in Austria-Hungary in 1899 • Failed artist, was homeless and poor before the war • Served 4 years on Western Front during WWI • Decorated soldier praised by superiors • After the war, was an undercover agent assigned to infiltrate German Workers’ Party in 1919 • Rise of Hitler • Joined National Socialist German Workers’ Party in 1919, took control by 1921 • For short, called Nazi Party • Hitler begins to gain admiration, 55,000 Nazis, 15,000 in the militia • Known as Storm Troops or Brownshirts • Admires Mussolini, wants to copy his “March on Rome” in Germany
The Rise of Nazism • Beer Hall Putsch (1923) • Failed march on Munich • Hitler is arrested, publishes Mein Kampf • Includes anti-Semitic rhetoric, push for Aryan, or super race, of blonde haired/blue eyed people • Hitler wanted to create a Third Reich (1st was Holy Roman Empire, 2nd was German Empire of 1871-1918) • Nazism • Expands Nazi Party across Germany after prison release • By 1932, 800,000 strong & largest party in Reichstag, or German parliament • Germany has over 6 million unemployed • Hitler promises new jobs, a new way of life, and a new Germany
Rise of Nazism Cont’d • Victory of Nazism • Extremist parties gained support, put pressure on gov’t • By 1930, the Nazi party was ruling Germany through President Paul von Hindenburg • 1933 – Hindenburg steps aside and Hitler becomes chancellor of a new German gov’t • March 1933 – Enabling Act passed • Gov’t can ignore constitution for 4 years to deal with German issues • No need for Reichstag, he is now dictator • Jews and democratic supporters thrown out of gov’t, unions dismantled, & all other political parties abolished • All who opposed placed in concentration camps • Hitler now known as Fuhrer, or leader
The Nazi State, 1933-1939 • Controlling Germany • Schutzstaffeln, or SS was Hitler’s personal body guard • Controlled by Heinrich Himmler • Became a militia force • Concentration camps, mass organizations and spectacles • Economics • Public works programs and rearmament put the people back to work • 1934 – 2.6 million unemployed, 1937 – 500,000 • Role of Women • Seen as bearers of children who would bring about triumph for Aryans • Worked in areas away from heavy lifting, hard labor • Anti-Semitic Policies • 1935 – Nuremberg Laws introduced • Excluded Jews from German citizenship • Forbade Jewish-German marriages • Jews had to wear yellow Stars of David and carry ID • November 9, 1938 – Kristallnacht or “Night of Broken Glass” • Germans destroy Jewish synagogues and businesses
Nationalism in the Middle East • Nationalism – pride in your nation • Helps revolutions • Hurts b/c of rivalries it develops • Ottoman Empire • British incited rebellion during WWI • Lawrence of Arabia • Britain and France divided lands in Middle East • Turkey • Only former Ottoman territory not controlled by Allies • Kemal Ataturk, or “Father Turk” turned Turkey into a modern state • Modeled after Western democracies
Nationalism in the Middle East Cont’d • Iran • 1925 – Reza Shah Pahlavi conquers Persia • Models gov’t after Turkey • 1935 – Territory becomes known as Iran • Arab Mandates • Early 1920s Ibn Saud began fighting to remove European presence • Established Saudi Arabia in 1932 • Soon oil is struck, wealth is in the future for the nation • Palestine • Constant fighting between Jews and Muslims • Large influx of Jews during WWII escaping Hitler • Balfour Declaration promised a future Jewish country
Nationalism in Africa • Post-WWI • German colonies divided by Allies • Europeans exploited colonies through taxation and stripping of resources • Resistance was met with force • New Leaders • Call for Pan-Africanism, or the unification of all Africans • W.E.B. DuBois& Marcus Garvey in the US pushed for more education, opportunities for Africans • Despite movements, colonialism in Africa would not end until after WWII
Nationalism in Asia • India • MohandasMahatma (“Great Soul”) Gandhi preached civil disobedience • Refusal to obey laws considered to be unjust • Led to several arrests of Gandhi • Following violent displays of power, British begin to give rights to Indians • Japan • Powerful industrial companies held influence over the country • Zaibatsu – large financial & industrial corporation • Led to economic inequalities, crisis during Great Depression • Japan began to follow path of militarism and imperialism • Invasion of Manchuria • By late 1930s, military leaders ruled Japan, pushed away from West
Chaos in China • A Communist Alliance • Chinese Communist Party (1921) founded by Beijing University staff members in Shanghai • 1923 – CCP joined Sun Yat-sen’sNationalist Party, works to take out imperialists • Sun Yat-sendies in 1925, succeeded by Chiang Kai-shek • 1926 – Formed a Revolutionary Army, take South China within months • 1927 – Shanghai Massacre – Chiang turns on CCP, massacres thousands • 1928 – Chiang begins new dynasty, tries to unify China
Chaos in China cont’d • The Long March • Communists, under Mao Zedong, go into hiding • Begin using guerilla tactics to fight Nationalists • Cornered, Mao’s troops began a 6,000 mile march to the nearest Communist stronghold • 90,000 troops begin, 9,000 finish • Chiang Kai-shek’s China • Chiang begins programs to modernize the country • Encouraged Western influence • Public works programs initiated • Still faced concerns from Japan
Nationalism in Latin America • U.S. in L.A. • 1920s – US eclipses Britain as biggest presence in LA • US military force prevalent • 1933 – FDR issues Good Neighbor Policy, ending military presence in LA • Authoritarianism • Argentina • HipolitoIrigoyen • Brazil • Getulio Vargas • Mexico • Lazaro Cardenas
