causes of wwii depression, fascism, & aggression
TRANSCRIPT
Unstable New Democracies
End of absolute rulers
Little experience w/ democracy
Too many political partiesCoalition government:
temporary alliance of political parties
ResultsLack of strong leadership &
visionDesire for strong
authoritarian leadership
Germany’s Weimar Republic (1919)
No democratic experience
Too many political parties
Received blame for Versailles Treaty
Germany’s Money Problems
Economists typically define severe inflation as an annual inflation rate of 10% or higher
German prices rose 1 trillion %
In 1923 $1 U.S. = 4 trillion German marks!
Financial Collapse
1929 Stock Market Crash in U.S. leading to Great Depression
Starts global depression w/ American investors demanding money from other nations
Nations stop importing to protect their own economies making world trade drop
The Ineffectiveness of the League of Nations
The Ineffectiveness of the League of Nations
No control of major conflicts.No control of major conflicts. No progress in disarmament.No progress in disarmament. No effective military force.No effective military force.
Attempts for Peace
1925 Locarno TreatyFrance & Germany never again
make warRespects borders of Belgium &
FranceJoins League of Nations
1928 Kellogg-Briand Peace PactPlease to not use war as an
instrument of national policyNo means to enforce (esp. L of N)
MAGINOT LINE
The “Stab-In-The-Back” TheoryThe “Stab-In-The-Back” Theory
German soldiers are German soldiers are dissatisfied.dissatisfied.
Traits of Fascism
Loyalty to the state
Extreme nationalism
Peaceful states doomed to be conquered
Authoritarian leader/one party rule
Uniforms, salutes, mass rallies
Rise of the Nazis (National Socialist German Worker’s Party)
Adopt swastika as symbol
Brown Shirt militia
Hitler becomes der Fuhrer (leader)
Hitler tries to seize power in Munich in 1923 but fails and is jailed
Hitler’s Ideology
Mein Kampf (My Struggle)Beliefs and goals for GermanyAryans the master raceNeed for lebensraum (living space)
Hitler’s Rise to Power
1932 – Nazi party is largest political party
1933 – Hitler becomes chancellorBanned other political partiesSS (Schutzstaffel or protection squad) created1934 opponents arrested and murderedGestapo (secret police)Industrializes and rearms Germany
Hitler’s Actions
Propaganda/Censorship
Hitler Youth/League of German Girls
Anti-Semitism1933 Jews deprived of most rightsNovember 9th, 1938 Kristallnacht (Night of
Broken Glass)
Nazi Aggression
1935 – Hitler announces Germany would not agree with Versailles Treaty on size of military. L of N issues mild condemnation
1936 – Hitler invades RhinelandAppeasement continuedStrengthens Hitler’s power in GermanyBalance of power in Europe sides with Germany
1936 – Germany, Italy, Japan form Axis Powers
Hitler’s Continued Aggression
1930s – Appeasement still continues. U.S. remains neutral
1937 – Hitler announces plans to take over Austria & Czechoslovakia to form Third Reich
1938 – Germany annexes Austria
1938 – Hitler annexes Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia
Munich Conference
1938 – Britain and France appease Hitler by recognizing his claims in exchange for the promise of no more advancements
Six months later Hitler takes all of Czechoslovakia and Poland
1939 – Hitler & Stalin sign Non-aggression Pact
Appeasement: The Munich Agreement, 1938
Appeasement: The Munich Agreement, 1938
Now we have “peace in our time!” Herr Hitler is a man we can do
business with.
Now we have “peace in our time!” Herr Hitler is a man we can do
business with.
British Prime Minister Neville British Prime Minister Neville ChamberlainChamberlain
Czechoslovakia Becomes Part of the Third Reich: 1939
Czechoslovakia Becomes Part of the Third Reich: 1939
Invasion of Poland
Failure of Munich Conference
Nonaggression Pact: Germany & S.U.
Hitler invades Poland No threat of 2 front war GB & FR declare war
Blitzkrieg (“Lightening War”)
Holocaust begins
The Nazi-SovietNon-Aggression Pact, 1939
The Nazi-SovietNon-Aggression Pact, 1939
Foreign Ministers Foreign Ministers von Ribbentrop & von Ribbentrop &
MolotovMolotov
Hitler Trivia
Adolph Hitler had a half brother named Alois Hitler, he owned a bar in Germany that was frequented by prominent Nazi officials. Alois would never share his opinion on Adolph because he was afraid Adolph would revoke his liquor license!
Adolf Hitler had some Jewish heritage in him. His great great grandmother was Jewish who was a maid.
Hitler ordered tanks to be made in Michigan and told the company to not worry about sending them to Germany, he'd 'pick them up on his way through Detroit.
"Quisling," which is used to describe a traitor, was the name of Vidkun Quisling, a Norwegian fascist and supporter of Adolf Hitler, who was appointed Führer of Norway in World War II. Arrested in 1945, Quisling was so despised, Norway broke with their centuries-old policy against capital punishment and executed him.
Hitler Trivia Cont…
Hitler's 3rd grade report from his teacher remarked that Hitler was...'bad tempered and fancied himself as a leader.‘
Adolf Hitler was fascinated by hands. In his library there was a well-thumbed book containing pictures and drawings of hands belonging to famous people throughout history. He liked particularly to show his guests how closely his own hands resembled those of Frederick the Great, one of his heroes.
The NY phone book had 22 Hitlers before WWII. The NY phone book had 0 Hitlers after WWII.
Hitler was voted Time Magazines man of the year in 1938
Adolph Hitler kept a framed photograph of Henry Ford on his desk and Ford kept one of Hitler on his desk in Dearborn, Michigan. Hitler had used in 'Mein Kampf' some of Fords anti-semitic views, and he always welcomed Ford's contributions to the Nazi movement.
Rise Fascism in Italy – Benito Mussolini (Il Duce)Problems
Lack of territorial gain - resentment of Versailles Treaty
Economic frustration with democratic leadership
1919 Mussolini starts Fascist Party Blackshirts: Attack communists
& socialists to win support
1922 Fascists march on Rome and demand King Victor Emmanuel III to put Mussolini in charge
Italian Aggression
1935 – Mussolini invades Ethiopia
Emperor Haile Selassie appeals to L of N but no response
Britain and France begin policy of appeasement
Emperor Emperor Haile Haile
SelassieSelassie
Spanish Civil War
1931 – Spanish Republic forms led by liberals and socialists (Republicans)
1936 – Army leaders (Nationalists) led by Francisco Franco stage a revolt Aided by Germany & Italy Republicans receive little help
(Soviet Union, GB, Fr, U.S.)
1939 – Franco becomes Spain’s Fascist dictator
Japan’s Growing Military Power
Modernized and Militaristic leadership
Manchurian Incident: Occupation of Manchuria from ChinaNeed for raw materialsPuppet state
Japanese Militarism
1929 - Military leaders win control
1931 – Japanese army seizes Manchuria
1933 – League of Nations objects and Japan withdraws membership
War versus China
July 1939 full scale war vs. China’s Nationalists & Communist
Rape of Nanjing
Japan Condemned & British support – Burma Road
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere: Asia’s freedom from Europe
Allies: Germany, Italy, and Japan