CH 24 CH 24 The West Between the WarsThe West Between the Wars
1919-19391919-1939
CH 24.1 Search for Stability
The treaties after WWI redrew the map of Europe
New countries were established, new boundaries were drawn
Germany vowed to get their territories back
League of Nations
One of W. Wilson’s 14 Points But the US did not join
Members of the League of Nations would not use force to stop aggressive acts
French Demands France wanted the Treaty of Versailles to be
strictly enforced
Germany was ordered to pay $132 Billion German marks ($33 Billion in USD) Every year - 2.5 Billion
After 1921, Germany could not afford to pay
France sent troops the Ruhr Valley (mining area)
Germany Being unable (or unwilling) to pay Germans
resisted however they could
Germany also experienced very high inflation In 1914 – 4.2 marks = $1 US
By November 1923 4.2 Trillion Marks = $1 US
Germans kept printing money to try to get themselves out of debt But this money was worthless
Germany The Dawes Plan
An American banker came up with an idea to help Germany and France
Reduce the amount of reparations
US would loan $200M to aid Germany and introduce new investors into Germany
Led to prosperity for many nations until 1929
Moving towards Peace
Germany and France finally were able to settle their territorial disputes 1925 signed the Treaty of Locarno
“Banning War Forever!”
Germany joined the League of Nations
1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact – War will not be used to settle problems No consequences ever set if someone violated
the pact
Great Depression in Europe
Depression – a period of low economic activity and rising unemployment
2 Causes for Great Depression in Europe 1. Economies all over the world started to go
down
Too much being produced, leads to lower prices
2. US Stock market crash
Many nations depended on loans from US
No more money in US, no more loans
Response to Depression
Almost 30% of German workers were unemployed
German govt didn’t know what to do Increased tariffs on foreign goods
Made things worse
Renewed interest in Marxist ideals Poor should unite and take what is theirs
Communism became more popular
Democracy at stake New leaders emerged speaking out against
capitalism
Democracy had spread across Europe after WWI Germany
Imperial Germany had fallen
Weimar Republic established
France
After WWI – France was the strongest nation in Europe
Chaos in politics however
Popular Front – Communists, Socialists and Radicals
Democracy at stake Great Britain
Conservatives took credit for getting Great Britain out of their Great Depression
John Maynard Keynes
Deficit Spending – go into debt on purpose if necessary
Changes in demand impact unemployment
Take those people who lost their jobs, put them to work building roads and other public works
CH 24.2 Rise of Dictators
Totalitarian States – The govt controls every aspect of the country Political, social, economic, intellectual and cultural
The state comes first – no more freedoms for people
Only 2 states remained democratic France and Great Britain
These new regimes used propaganda to control their populations
Italy Benito Mussolini –
Depression hit Italy like the rest of Europe
Started a fascist group League of Combat
The state above all else
All opposition is stifled
Threatened to march on Rome with all of his followers King Emanuel III made him Prime Minister
Ruled with terror Censorship
All other political parties were outlawed
Italy Fascism in Italy
Secret police created – OVRA
Spied on people
Propaganda – “Mussolini is always right”
Never got rid of the King or had full control of the military
Catholic Church remained very important as well
USSR Lenin established a Communist govt in Russia
Terrible times in Russia Drought, no food
People were very unhappy
Lenin’s new economic policy People could own their own small businesses
and sell their own goods
Big businesses stayed in govt control
USSR 1922 formally organized the nation into the
USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
When Lenin died in 1924
there was a struggle for power Joseph Stalin emerged as
the new leader of USSR
USSR Stalin’s 5 Year Plans
Setting economic goals to be achieved every 5 years
First goal: Increase military production All materials went to military production Nothing to taking care of people
Collectives Farms were combined and taken control of Not enough food grown for people – Millions died of
starvation
Purges Anyone who disagreed with Stalin was sent to a prison
camp in Siberia or killed Millions of people died
Spain Francisco Franco
1936 – took control of the Military and overthrew the govt
Started a civil war
Italy and Germany aided Franco
Soviet Union helped the old govt
Franco won Authoritarian, not totalitarian
Didn’t break with tradition
24.3 Hitler and Germany
Adolf Hitler – born 1889 in Austria Failed artist
Anti-Semite – against Jews
Racist
Extreme nationalist
Served in WWI
Stayed in Germany after WWI and joined a small party
German Workers Party
The Nazi Party Renamed the German Workers Party
National Socialist German Workers Party
Tried to overthrow the Govt The Beer Hall Puscht
Similar to Mussulini’s March on Rome
Quickly arrested
While in jail – wrote Mein Kampf
Lebensraum – stronger nations have the right to spread out
Nazi Party After prison Hitler reorganized the party
Continued to grow
Promised to get Germany out of depression and fix unemployment
Very good speaker
1933 President Hindenburg appointed Hitler chancellor Hitler quickly took control of the entire
government
The Nazi Party 1933 – The Enabling Act
Govt could ignore the constitution for 4 years
Gave time to fix all the problems
Hitler as the Fuhrer –Leader
Established a totalitarian state in about 7 months
Night of Long Knives 1934
The Nazi State The Aryan Race
Hitler wanted to create a superior race that would dominate Europe (the world too?)
The Third Reich
The next German Empire
Used terror to accomplish their goals
Nazi Party Schutzstafflen – Guard Squads/ SS
Started as secret police, but evolved to be major police force
Led by Heinrich Himmler
Economics Public works projects
The Autobahn
Parades and rallies
Nazi Party Women
Wives and mothers
Important to bring children into the world
Domestic work
Anti-Semitic Policies
Jews were excluded from citizenships
Nuremburg Laws
Yellow Stars
Kristallnacht
CH 24.4 Cultural and Intellectual Trends
Movies More and more propaganda used in films
Joseph Goebbels – Hitler’s propaganda minister
Leisure More free time
8 hour work day
Travel
Culture and Intellectual Trends
Art Surrealism
Salvador Dali
Culture and Intellectual Trends
Literature James Joyce
Developing what was happening inside characters
Ulysses
Stream of consciousness
Physics Uncertainty Principle
Everything is based on uncertainty
Randomness