Post War Europe • New nations began to establish governments that

were responsible to mass electorates. Germany,

Austria, and Hungary, etc. were not used to this

style of government.

• The Treaty of Versailles left many European

nations feeling betrayed or in the case of

Germany humiliated.

• Other nations, such as the United States wanted

to return to Pre-War economic prosperity.

Warren G. Harding return to Normalcy.

• The European economy was devastated by World

War I. Europe’s infrastructure in shambles.

The Soviet Experiment • The Communist Party established in 1917 lasted

until 1991. The formation of the Soviet

Communist state establishes a fear in the rest of

Europe of the spread of Communism.

• The Red Army under the leadership of Leon

Trotsky crushed resistance. The Cheka or secret

police used surveillance and enforced the Central

Committee’s orders.

• The government seized grain from peasants and

controlled production, and ran banks, heavy

industry, and transportation – called War

Communism.

War Communism and the New Russia• The Communists in order to defeat their

many enemies adopted “War Communism” taking over banks, factories, mines, etc. and drafting peasants into the military.

• Trotsky organizes the army into an effective fighting force. Every 10th man was shot if they didn’t perform their duties.

• Lenin adopts a Constitution and the Supreme Soviet, an elected legislature. Lenin used the army and the secret police to keep control. Adopts NEP -semi capitalism.

Stalins’ Soviet Union• Lenin adopts limited capitalism-the“ New

Economic Policy”,by 1928 production is back to prewar levels. Lenin dies in 1924.

• The two contenders for power were Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. Stalin wins the struggle and later Trotsky is murdered in Mexico.

• Stalin sets out to turn Soviet Russia into a modern nation. He begins five-year plans or goals for industry. A Command Economy –the government makes all the economic decisions. ( it doesn’t work)

Post War Italy and Germany• Italy was outraged by the Treaty of

Versailles. They had hoped for land across the Adriatic Sea.(Yugoslavia)

• The economy was in shambles from the expense of World War I. Socialism, Nationalism, and political turmoil added to the growing disorder.

• From the chaos of Italian politics emerges Benito Mussolini.

• He organizes the Fascist party. Black shirted thugs enforce his orders.

Il Duce

Italy’s Postwar Problems• Mussolini organizes a March on Rome,

to take over and fix the problems of government.

• Mussolini without firing a shot is asked by the King of Italy to organize a government.

• Mussolini took more power. He called himself Il Duce-the leader.

• The state took control of business and workers lost rights as well as pay.

Fascism vs. Communism• In theory they are opposite ends of the

political spectrum. Fascism favors the

corporate state and Communism favors the

worker run state.

• In reality they look the same.

• Totalitarian governments control the media,

limit freedoms to participate, one man,

leadership.

• They use schools to indoctrinate, state spies

to spread fear, state control of the economy.

Italy and Mussolini

Mussolini, Hitler and Roosevelt

Italy Invades Ethiopia

Post War Germany• In 1919 a new German Republic drafted a

constitution in Weimar, called the Weimar Republic.

• The Republic was faced with run away inflation, unemployment, Communists and conservatives clashed in the streets.

• The German people blamed the Republic for selling out when negotiating the Versailles Treaty.

• France occupied the Ruhr Valley, when Germany missed reparation payments.

• U.S. helped with aid in the Dawes Plan.

German Recovery and Hitler • American loans and France withdrawing

troops helped Germany begin the long road to recovery.

• Germany begins to recover when the Great Depression hits. Hitler promises to end the economic problems.

• Hitler was born in Vienna Austria moved to Germany. He served in the military in WWI. He was a struggling artist. Hitler joins the National Socialists and becomes the leader in a year. He uses Storm Troopers-Brown Shirts to enforce his rules.

Hitler Takes Control • Britain’s economy was a wreck after

WWI. Low wages, and high

unemployment caused a general strike

in 1926.

• Problems and violence in Ireland lead

to the creation of Eire or Irish free

State.

• Canada, Australia, South Africa and

New Zealand become the British

Commonwealth Nations.

Postwar France • France was devastated from the WWI.

Casualties were high, the economy was

not as bad as some due to war

reparations.

• Socialist Leon Blum and the Popular

Front dominated French politics.

• The Maginot Line a series of forts

across French and German border

attempted to protect france from

German aggression.

Postwar U.S. • The U.S. economy was great after

WWI. “The Roaring 20’s”

• The United States tried to be leaders in

peace, and also leaders in isolationism.

• The Red Scare of the 1920’s and fear of

Bolsheviks.

• The Great Depression bursts the

bubble. Leads to the election of F.D.R.

• Roosevelt implements the New Deal,

government programs to help people.

Russia: 1917-41

Nicholas and Alexis: 1909

Tsarina Alexandra (1906)

“OTMA”

Rasputin: the starets

Nicholas II and Rasputin

Alexander Kerensky (1917)

Vladimir Ilych Ulayanov (Lenin)

Lenin: Propaganda

Lenin and Trotsky: 1917 or ‘18

Trotsky, reviewing Red troops, Civil War

Lenin and Stalin

Romanovs in Tobolsk (1917-18)

Ipatiev House, Ekaterinburg (1921)

Ipatiev House basement (1921)

The execution of the Romanovs (July, 1918)

collectivization poster (1930)

coal mining poster (1930)

espionage trail (British engineers): 1933

poster – “cult of personality” (1930’s)

Nazi-Soviet Pact (1939): Molotov on right

David Low cartoon (9/’39)

Stalin in 1941