Unit 9: In Between the Wars & The Rise of Dictatorships

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Important changes took place in the 20 years

between the two World Wars (1919-1939)

Treaty of Versailles (1919) – End of World War I

“This chapter must be one of pessimism. The Treaty includes no provisions for the economic rehabilitation of Europe, - nothing to make the defeated Central Empires into good neighbors, nothing to stabilize the new States of Europe, nothing to reclaim Russia; nor does it promote in any way a compact of economic solidarity amongst the Allies themselves; no arrangement was reached at Paris for restoring the disordered finances of France and Italy, or to adjust the systems of the Old World and the New.”

- John Maynard Keynes: The Economic Consequences of the Peace, 1920

What was Europe like after World War I ?

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Important changes took place in the 20 years

between the two world wars (1919-1939)

In Europe, the war led to a sense of bitterness &

pessimism among nations

Many European nations were destroyed & bankrupted by years

of fighting along the Western Front

Russia was destroyed after WWI & a three-year civil war that led to communism & the formation of the Soviet Union

The harshness of the Treaty of Versailles created bitterness in Germany who were

unable to pay reparations

Italians were angry when they did not receive land along the Adriatic Coast

The horrors of World War I changed people’s attitudes

about progress

After the war, people started questioning traditional beliefs

What were some new ideas in the post-war era?

Post war Social Changes• The Roaring Twenties

– Rebellious young people were disillusioned by war– Rejected the moral values and rules of the Victorian

Age.– Chased after excitement– The Flapper

Postwar Social Changes: Women’s Lives Lady Nancy Astor first woman elected to Parliament. Labor saving devices became common in middleclass

homes Washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and canned

foods. Women pursed careers in many new areas- from sports

to arts.

New Scientific Theories Marie Curie and radioactivity

Einstein’s Theory of Relativity

Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin

Sigmund Freud probes the mind

Austrian-born Sigmund Freud revolutionized psychology; He believed the mind has conscious & subconscious thoughts that affect peoples’ behavior

German-born Albert Einstein revolutionized physics; His theories on light, relativity, & energy disproved many of Isaac Newton’s discoveries from the 1600s

New abstract art like Pablo Picasso’s cubism (using geometric shapes) & Salvador Dali’s surrealism

(dream-like art) reacted against tradition art forms

The New Literature: The Lost Generation Gertrude Stein an American writer coined the term War novels, poetry, plays and memoirs about WWI

flowed off the presses. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Remarque A loss of faith in western democracy and its moral

breakdown. T.S. Eliot poet: The Waste Land Ernest Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises

What was America like after World War I ?

While European nations struggled to rebuild & pay for the war, some

world nations benefitted from WWI

Japan gained wealth by selling supplies to the Allies & increased

its position as the strongest nation in Asia

The USA was the wealthiest nation in the world & a major world power that

created (but never joined) the League of Nations

After WWI, the United States entered the Roaring Twenties

Mass production in factories led to new consumer goods & high wages for workers

Automobiles became inexpensive & popular…

Electric appliances & radios were popular…

…Americans enjoyed themselves at movies,

sporting events, & jazz clubs

The USA used its wealth to help European nations

repay their debts & rebuild after the war

called the Dawes Plan

Crisis of Democracy in the West • Rebuilding war torn countries• Finding jobs for returning vets• Huge debt• Pursuit of peace Treaty of Locarno settled

Germany’s border disputes• Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928: “renounced war as

an instrument of national policy

What changed in America in the 1930s?

The Roaring Twenties came to an end in 1929 when the stock market crash, bank failures, & high

unemployment led to a Great Depression

The depression in America triggered a world-wide depression in the 1930s when international trade

declined & U.S. investment in Europe ended

The depression led to a sharp rise in unemployment in Europe

Why did powerful dictators come to power in Europe in the 1920s & 1930s?

In Germany, the situation grew desperate by the 1930s & the Weimar gov’t became more unpopular

The Weimar republic was already unpopular because gov’t leaders signed the Treaty of Versailles

To pay war reparations & rebuild the country, the gov’t printed money which led to hyper-inflation Unemployment in

Germany reached 30%

Like Germany, Italians felt betrayed by the

treaty, had a suffering economy, & saw its unemployment rise

Due to the economic depression, bitterness, &

desperation, powerful dictators will seize

power in Germany & Italy

These dictators played an important role in causing

World War II

Contestant #1 I am a womanizer, have self-interested policies

and unfortunately suffer from ailing health.

Contestant #2I have a drinking habit and a defiant tongue or attitude

Contestant #3I am a decorated war hero,

do not drink and want to create a stable economy

Contestant #3Contestant #2Contestant #1

Treaty of Versailles Black Tuesday 1929- stock market crashes

Great Depressionduring 1930s

Increasing influence of new political parties that emphasize

state control-For example: Communism,

Nazism, Fascism

Total Controlof State by a

Dictator

The Rise of Totalitarian Leaders

• European struggles and dissatisfaction during the postwar years had a major effect on European politics.

• Leaders who reflected the people’s bitterness and anger emerged.

• These leaders promised a return to greatness.

• This was very appealing to unhappy Europeans, and many were willing to give up basic freedoms in return for future glory.

• Government establishes complete control of all aspects of the state(political, military, economy, social, cultural)

• Highly nationalistic (flags, salutes, rallies, uniforms)

• Strict controls and laws

• Military state (secret police, army, military)

• Censorship (opposing literature and ideas)

• Propaganda (media – radio, newspapers, posters)

• One leader (dictator); charismatic

• Total conformity of people to ideas and leader

• Terror and Fear

In the climate of postwar uncertainty, nationalism increased & citizens turned to totalitarian dictators to rule the nation

Totalitarian leaders are dictators who control all aspects of the government & the lives of the citizens

Totalitarian leaders gained

support by promising jobs,

promoting nationalism, &

using propaganda Dictators held on to their power by using censorship,

secret police, denying liberties,

& eliminating opposing rivals or political parties

Totalitarianism

Among the first totalitarian dictators was Joseph Stalin

of the Soviet Union

Stalin was Communist & seized all property, farms,

factories in order to control the economy & create equality

He used a secret police & the Great Purge

to eliminate rivals

Stalin’s Five Year Plans & collective farms improved the Soviet Union’s industrial & agricultural output

Not all totalitarian dictators were Communists

In Italy, Germany, & Spain, people turned to an extremely

nationalist gov’t called fascism Fascist gov’ts

were controlled by dictators who

demanded loyalty from citizens

Fascists did not offer democracy & used one-party to rule the nation

Unlike Communists, fascists believed

people could keep their property

I am Benito Mussolini the leader (Il Duce) of Italy from 1922 to 1943.

What is Fascism?

• RIGHT WING• Intense nationalism and

elitism• Totalitarian control • Interests of the state more

important than individual rights

• Maintain class system and private ownershipInteresting Fact: Fascism name was derived

from the fasces, an ancient Roman symbol of authority consisting of a bundle of rods and an ax

I am Adolf Hitler the leader (der Fuhrer) or dictator of Germany from 1933 to 1945. What is Nazism?

• Extremely fascist , nationalistic and totalitarian

• Based on beliefs of the National Socialist German Workers Party

• Belief in the racial superiority of the Aryan, the “master race”

• Belief that all Germans should have “Lebensraum” or living space in Europe

• Violent hatred towards Jews and blamed Germany’s problems on them

Common ideals of Fascism• Government run by dictator• Nationalistic• Imperialistic• Militaristic• Racist • Kill all opposition

Totalitarian Regimes in Europe & AsiaMussolini & Hitler believed in fascism: the idea that nations need strong dictators, total authority by one

party, but that people can keep private propertyStalin was a Communist believed that the

government should control all property & business

In Italy, Benito Mussolini

formed the Fascist Party

Mussolini gained popularity by promising to revive the economy,

rebuild the military, & expand Italy to create a new Roman

Empire Mussolini named his Fascist Party after the fasces, a Roman symbol of authority & power

Benito Mussolini (Il Duce)• Fascism fueled by disappointment over the Versailles

Treaty/failure to win large territorial gains/ inflation/ high unemployment/ Fear of Communism/ Democratic gov’t too weak

• Newspaper Editor and politician• Black shirts/ October 1922 30,000 fascist march on

Rome/ King Victor Emmanuel III• Mussolini was named prime minister

As prime minister, Benito Mussolini was known as “Il Duce” (the chief)

Mussolini ended democracy & all opposition parties

Mussolini built up the military to

create new jobs

He planned to conquer new territories in

Africa for Italy

Weakness of the Weimar Republic (Germany)• New democratic gov’t setup in the city of Weimar after

WWI• No single party commanded a majority.• Leading moderate parties differed on economic and

religious matters.• Nazis on the right and communists on the left had more

votes than those groups fighting for the republics survival.

• Unstable gov’t; unable to cope with problems.

– Politically weak– Many economic problems caused

by the Versailles Treaty

-- Weak tradition of democracy

The Nazis were a fascist group in Germany that

wanted to overthrow the disloyal Weimar Republic

Hitler was impressed by Mussolini & used many of his ideas to make the Nazi Party strong in Germany

Adolf Hitler was an early Nazi recruit

& quickly rose to power in the party

The Nazis created their own militia called the Brown

Shirts Hitler planned a march on Munich but he was arrested

& jailed for 9 months

While in jail, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf which outlined

his plans for Germany

He wrote that Germans were members of a master race called Aryans & all non-

Aryans were inferior

He declared that Germans needed Lebensraum (living space) & should conquer Eastern Europe & Russia

He called the Versailles Treaty an outrage & vowed to regain land taken from

Germany after the war

Effect of Hyperinflation

• Germans lost their life savings• Salaries were paid in worthless money• Groceries cost billions• Hunger riots broke out

Cost of Bread in Germany

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cost ofBread

• 1921: 1 mark• 1922: 1 mark• 1923: 60,000 marks

• Value of 42,000 marks in American Dollars

• 1921: $600.00• 1923: 1 cents

Fall of German mark (Hyperinflation)• 1921 four marks to one dollar• 1922 four hundred marks to one dollar• Jan 1923 18000 marks to one dollar.• July 1923 160000 marks to one dollar.• Nov 1923 4,000,000,000 to one dollar.

Cost of Living in Germany

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1920 1922 1925 1930

Cost of living

Factors explaining the Nazi rise to power• Economic Distress

– Instead of raising taxes gov’t prints more money– Value of money declines.– Savings accounts, life insurance policies and

pensions became worthless.– Worldwide depression.– Nazis rose to power “on the empty stomachs of

the German People”.– Support of the middle class, workers,

industrialists.

Fear of Communism• Many Germans supported the German

Communist Party• Property owners, Bankers and industrialists

feared the Communists and supported the Nazis

Appeal to Nationalism• German patriots unable to cope with defeat in WWI• Nazis pledged to

– Tear up the Versailles Treaty– Rearm Germany– Demand return of Colonies– Denounced War Guilt Clause– Punish the Jews and Communists who “stabbed

the German Army in back”.

Anti Semitism• Scapegoats for Germany’s loss in WWI.• Jews were hated throughout Germany even

before WW I.• If Jews were responsible then Germans were

not.• Unprincipled people looked forward to looting

and beating Jews.• Small minority only 600,000 safe to attack.

Lack of Democratic Tradition• Historically more autocratic gov’t in Germany;

not a democracy.• Bismarck and the Kaiser unified Germany,

achieved economic growth, and world power=success.

• Weimar republic signed the Versailles treaty= failure.

• Many Germans willing to exchange freedom for Nazi promises of economic security and nationalist glory.

When Hitler was released from jail in 1924, he spent years organizing the Nazis into

Germany’s most powerful political party

In Jan. 1933, Hitler was named

chancellor (prime minister)

of Germany

As chancellor, Hitler used his power to name himself dictator

He called his gov’t the Third Reich to promote pride &

nationalism

The Third Reich• First Reich - Holy Roman Empire• Second Reich - Bismarck’s Empire• Took the title Fuhrer• Attack on the Jews

Hitler Comes to Power

Released from Prison after less than one year

Nazi membership rises with unemployment,

Great Depression helps

Hitler’s cause

1933: Hitler legally becomes Chancellor of Germany, even though he is viewed as a radical…he is dictator within a year.

Rise of Nazis• 1928:12 seats in the Reichstag.• 1930:107 seats; popular vote

from 800,000 to 6.5 million.• 1932: 230 seats.• Hitler named Chancellor on

January 30, 1933 Calls for new election.

• Week before election day the Reichstag building caught fire.

• Nazis blamed it on the Communists.

• Took dictatorial powers suspended freedom of speech/press.

Why was Hitler able to gain complete power in Germany from 1929 to 1934?• Oct. 24, 1929 Stock market crash: over

production/over supply/low prices/buying stock on margin

• By 1932 6,000,000 Germans were out of work/business failures/falling wages

• Germans wanted a leader who could provide jobs and rebuild German pride

• Nazis promise to improve the economy/win over the middle class, workers, and unemployed

• Nazis “rise to power on the empty stomachs of the German People.”

Economic Policies that made Hitler Popular• Set up public works: every unemployed German male

had a job with the government for 6 months.• Built up infrastructure of Germany• Banned Jews and women from working giving jobs to

German males• Arms industry was labor intensive need many workers• Banned some labor saving machinery so that more

people could work.• Conscription (draft) into the Military reduced

unemployment• Hitler encouraged mass production of radios /

employment increase/ also used for mass propaganda• Strength through joy program: cheap vacations/public theater, concerts and sporting events

Hitler put Germans to work by building factories, highways, weapons, & increasing the military

He created the gov’t protection squad called the SS and a secret police called the Gestapo to

eliminate rivals & control all aspects of Germany

In 1935, Hitler began a series of anti-Semitic laws called the Nuremburg Laws that deprived German

Jews of the rights of citizens, forbade mixed Jewish marriages, & required Jews to wear a yellow star

In 1938, Hitler ordered Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), a series of attacks on

Jewish synagogues & businesses

After WWI, Japan was the strongest nation in Asia & was ready to conquer new lands to provide resources for Japanese industry

Emperor Hirohito gave full control of the Japanese military to Hideki Tojo who served as a military dictator

Rise of Japanese Militarists• Resentment over Versailles treaty• Loss of tradition• The Great Depression• Loss of trade/ high unemployment• Need for raw materials

Effects of Rise of Militarists• Imperialism need raw materials to fuel industrial

growth• More respect for emperor• Invasion of Manchuria in China, Indochina and

the East Indies.• Withdrawal from League of Nations• Loss of democratic freedoms