BETWEEN THE WARS

Modern World History

C. Corning – Feb. 2010

What are the effects of economic downturns?

How do economic problems affect politics and peoples’ attitudes towards government?

LEAGUE OF NATIONS The League of Nations was created in

1919 by the peace treaties that ended WWI.

Two goals: (1) keep peace among nations and (2) make the world a better place for ALL people. (Including colonies?)

Member nations had to sign a promise that they would not go to war with other member nations AND if a member attacked another member, the other nations would defend the country under attack (Collective Security)

LEAGUE OF NATIONS There were only three peace-keeping

actions the League of Nations could take against a member nation:Legal means – Court of International JusticeEconomic sanctions - member nations

would not trade with the attacker, thus threatening economic ruin for the attacker

Military sanctions – forming a League of Nations army (from the member nations) to fight the attacker

** In first ten years, League dealt with 9 disputes

LIMITATIONS OF LEAGUE Not every nation was a member.

USA – policy of isolationism USSR – “capitalist” club

Some members lacked “enthusiasm” for the League. Germany – excluded until 1926, club of

“victors” The League’s ability to keep the peace had

never been fully tested by 1929 (guess who is going to test them!) No proof that League could settle a dispute

between two major powers – OR that sanctions could stop a war.

EUROPE AFTER THE WAR 1920s European nations were rebuilding

after the war.Only U.S. and Japan were in good financial

shapeEurope had to borrow money from the U.S.

From 1914-1918 the last of Europe’s absolute monarchies were overthrownRussia, Germany and Austro-Hungary

New democracies took their placeMultiple parties, need for coalition

governmentDifficult to govern effectively

GERMANY New democratic gov’t established in 1919 –

Weimar Republic Many weaknesses:

Germany lacked a democratic tradition Too many political parties Germans blamed the Weimar gov’t for

country’s defeat and the Treaty of Versailles Germany faced big economic issues:

Inflation – too much money printed to pay war expenses

Reparation payments Dawes Plan – by 1929 Germany was producing

as much as before the war

STAB IN THE BACK THEORY

RUSSIA/SOVIET UNION Lenin died in 1924 – Stalin assumes power in 1929

after forcing Trotsky into exile Stalin wanted the Soviet Union to be one of the most

powerful nations in the world Totalitarianism – a gov’t that takes total, centralized

STATE control of every aspect of public and private life (see pg 441) Leaders give a sense of security and direction for the

future Uses secret police to crush opposition and create an

environment of fear to control people Challenges the values most prized by democracies:

reason, freedom, individuality, etc. Tool: terror, indoctrination, propaganda, censorship and

religious/ethnic persecution Economic measures: Five-Year Plan and collective farms

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JAPAN During the 1920s the Japanese

government became more democratic and built international relations

However Japan’s parliamentary system had weaknesses:Constitution put limits on the powers of the

Prime Minister and the cabinentCivilian leaders had little control over the

armed forcesMilitary leaders reported only to the

emperor

UNITED STATES Political model -Democratic Capitalism One of the few countries to come out of

the WWI stronger economically Roaring 20’s – economic boom Retreated into isolationism

Rejected League of Nations Imposed high tariffs on foreign goods

ITALY Bitter after few territorial

gains at 1919 peace conference. Felt like a loss.

Rising inflation and unemployment

1922 -Fascist Mussolini took control promised order and uphold

Italian patriotism 1936 – invades Ethiopia.

Create an “Italian empire”

GREAT DEPRESSION Photos on other Power Point (see our

blog) Oct 1929 Black Tuesday – share prices

on Wall Street fell – basically worthless Depression began in the US and then

spread to most other countriesDepression: a severe economic slump/a

sustained, long-term downturn in economic activity

Germany and Austria hit very hard because of war debts and dependence on American loans and investments

DEPRESSION - IMPACT How did Depression affect world peace?

(1) gov’ts tried to protect their citizens with new economic policies (protectionism) These policies of protectionism and self-sufficiency

harmed international relations. (2) Depression caused social unrest among the

people of many countries Germany 6 out of 64 million by 1934, Japan

experienced idle factories/peasants starving (3) Massive unemployment – people blamed

their gov’ts – this led to the collapse of democratic governments in Germany and Japan New gov’ts acted agressively towards other countries

in order to improve the situations in their countries

PROBLEMS WITH EMPIRES The Great Depression added to another problem

that was threatening world peace in 1929 Division of world: empire haves and have nots Britain and France owned the largest empires in

1929 – why? How did this effect world peace?

(1) Other countries envied these empires and wanted to expand

(2) Britain and France avoided the worst impacts of the Depression – other countries wanted to do the same

(3) Local peoples wanted the same right of self-determination that European nations received

(4) Britain and France had to keep large, expensive armies and did NOT want to disarm – why?

JAPAN 1929 Great Depression hit Japan hard –

citizens blamed the gov’t Military leaders gained control of the

country however unlike the fascism in Europe they did NOT try to establish a new system of gov’t Militarists were nationalists Wanted to restore traditional control of gov’t

to military Made Emperor Hirohito symbol of state power Goal: solve Japan’s economic problems

through foreign expansion

JAPAN – PLANS FOR A PACIFIC EMPIRE

1931 Japan seized Manchuria (China’s NE province) Japanese parliament opposed action Japanese business had invested there Rich in iron and coal 1932 the Army set up puppet government with Puyi,

the last Qing emperor, installed as the nominal regent and emperor (Japan really control the gov’t)

This was the first direct challenge to the League of Nations – Japan ignored protests and withdrew from the League in 1933

1937 – Sino-Japanese War – Japan invades China and captures northern cities

US RESPONSE President Roosevelt

(FDR) – New Deal PoliciesExpanded power of

federal government Created public works

projects

Democratic-Socialist PoliciesSocial Security Act 1935

SOVIET UNION Under the rule of Stalin – Communist

one-party state.

Fared much better than other Western capitalist democracies during the war

Soviet leaders pointed with pride to the lack of serious unemployment and steadily rising production rates

Great Purges of the 1930’s

ITALY AND SPAIN Italy - Benito Mussolini – Il Duce (Leader) – 1922

Fascism spread because of Italy’s disappointment with the 1919 Paris Peace Conference

Also rising inflation and unemployment People lost trust/faith in their democratic gov’t Fascist Party formed 1919 – Black Shirts

Spain – Gen. Francisco Franco – dictator 1939 1936 Civil War between the Nationalists (Fascists)

and the Republicans (supported elected gov’t) Western democracies remained neutral; Germany,

Italy (Nat’l) and Soviet Union (Rep) got involved

RISE OF FASCISM Many democracies remained strong despite

the Depression: U.S., Great Britain, France, Scandinavian countries

For many of the younger/weaker democracies, the citizens lost faith and turned to Fascism: Germany, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Poland

Fascism: militant political movement that emphasized loyalty to the state and obedience to its leader. (see pg 477) Extreme form of nationalism – loyalty to an

authoritarian leader Lots of militarist influence – uniforms, units,

salutes

FASCISM VS COMMUNISM Comparisons:

Rule by dictator – the STATE was supreme One-party system Denial of individual rights

Differences: Fascism had no clearly defined theory or

program Did not seek a classless society Fascist leaders tend to aristocrats, industrialists,

war veterans and the lower middle class – WHY? Fascists were nationalists – communists were

international (“workers of the world unite”)

EUROPEAN RESPONSE TO FASCISM Rather than taking a stand, most Great

Britain and France made concessions, hoping to keep peaceStill dealing with economic issues from the

DepressionDeep desire to avoid war

U.S. continued to follow a policy of Isolationism1935 Congress pass the Neutrality Acts

which banned loans and the sale of arms to nations at war.

GERMANY Germany was hit very hard by the

depressionHigh unemployment, strikes, civil unrest

Weimar republic seen as weak Rise of Hitler and the fascist Nazi Party Played upon people’s anger and

bitterness towards the Treaty of Versailles

Created a one-party state around authoritarian ruler

DWIGHT SCHRUTE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsP-

RPG8Pq8&feature=BFa&list=PLAFA11739AF43F09E&lf=results_main

WARM UP How do totalitarian regimes make

people, who disagree with their objectives, comply?

Give two reasons why leaders like Hitler and Mussolini were elected?

HITLER’S RISE TO POWER http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=9CFWH4Fhkak

MEIN KAMPF – MY STRUGGLE Beer Hall Putsch 1923- failed coup

Hitler imprisoned – writes Mein Kampf

Outlines his political ideologyBlueprint for his actions Beliefs and goals for Germany

Government -Strong leadership Purity of race – Aryan dominance Lebensraum

ARYAN/NON-ARYAN Aryan race was a distinctive sub-race of

the larger Caucasian race.

Pure Aryans included Germans and other Germanic peoples including the Dutch, Scandinavians, and the English

Non- Aryan – were Jews, gypsies, and blacks

ARYAN SUPERIORITY "All the human culture, all the results of

art, science, and technology that we see before us today, are almost exclusively the creative product of the Aryan...”

LEBENSRAUM “Living space”

Germans were overcrowded and needed more land

Promised to conquer land from Europe and Russia

HITLER BECOMES FUHRER 1933 - Comes to power legally – named

chancellor Enabling Act –Parliament grants

dictatorial powers Hitler begins to create a totalitarian

state Violates Versailles treaty

Increases size of militaryCreates an airforce and strengthens navy

WHY??

INSTRUMENTS OF POWER SS/Schutzstaffel (protection squad)

Hitler’s paramilitary organization Mass arrests and murdersTerror used to keep people in check

PROPAGANDA Nuremburg Rally

annual rally of the Nazi party in Germany, held from 1923 to 1938.

They were large Nazi propaganda events.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilXVkgmJk2E

AGGRESSIVE MOVES AND APPEASEMENT

SINO-JAPANESE WAR (1937) 1931 -Japan military seizes Manchuria Japan withdraws from League of Nations Allies with Germany: Anti-Comintern

Pact Wanted exclusive dominance in East

Asia Skirmish on border – Japan begins full

scale invasion. Took control of ports and cities around

Yangzi River – most fertile and densely populated

Never had full control of all provinces

GERMAN REARMAMENT Why was rearmament important to

Hitler? Versailles Treaty

Army limited to 100,000No air force Limited arms, submarines, warships

1933 – Began to rearm in secret 1935 – Rearmament plans made public

created Luftwaffe air force Inc. army size – called for mandatory

conscription Europe – alarmed but took no action –

WHY?

REOCCUPATION OF RHINELAND Demilitarized zone

between Germany and France

1936 – German troops move in.

Significance??France/Britain do nothingEncourages Hitler to speed

up his plan Italy and Japan ally with

Germany

ANSCHLUSS – UNION (1938) League of Nations – promised to protect

independence of Austria. Most Austrians spoke German and many

favored uniting the two countries. The Takeover

Pressures Austrian chancellor into resignation and installs Nazi “puppet government”

March 1938 -Hitler’s army occupies all of Austria

Gestapo – rounds up opposition

Major powers do nothing – WHY?

APPEASEMENT Agreeing to whichever demands

seemed reasonable in order to prevent war. Lesser of two evils

Reasons for AppeasementWar would be destructive to BritainGerman sympathizers

Harsh treatment of Versailles – appeasement was a way to redress the issues.

MUNICH CRISIS (1938) Czechoslovakia – many nationalities Sudetenland – Germans dominate this

region Hitler’s plan to take over -

German party were to start riots in Sudetenland

German army would occupy region on grounds of “maintaining order”

France and USSR – Czech allies France – weak and unable to fight GermanyUSSR – at war with Japan

Sudetenland

CHAMBERLAIN - APPEASEMENT Munich Agreement

British PM gives Sudetenland to Germany in order to avoid war

Decision made without Czech’s presence Unfair??

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/ww2outbreak/7907.shtml

Why were people so happy with his news?

CHURCHILL

“Many people, no doubt, honestly believe that they are only giving away the interests of Czechoslovakia, whereas I fear we shall find that we have deeply compromised, and perhaps fatally endangered, the safety and even the independence of Great Britain and France. This is not merely a question of giving up the German colonies, as I am sure we shall be asked to do. Nor is it a question only of losing influence in Europe. It goes far deeper than that. You have to consider the character of the Nazi movement and the rule which it implies.”

"Total and Unmitigated Defeat"

"I will begin by saying what everybody would like to ignore or forget but which must nevertheless be stated, namely that we have sustained a total and unmitigated defeat, and France has suffered even more than we have....the German dictator, instead of snatching the victuals from the table, has been content to have them served to him course by course.” —House of Commons, 5 October 1938, after the Munichagreement

IN GROUPS… Why was appeasement popular at the

time?

Are there times when appeasement works?

Many leaders have followed Churchill’s ideals about standing up to dictators. Do you think that is always the right policy?

What would you have done if you were Prime Minister in this situation?

KRISTALLNACHT• November 9, 1938 – Nazis destroyed

thousands of synagogues,Jewish businesses and homes.• Stormtroopers killed at least 91 Jews and injured

many others. • Jews were arrested on a massive scale and

transported to Nazi concentration camps.• 30,000 Jews were sent to Buchenwald, Dachau,

and Sachsenhausen. 100’s died within weeks of arrival

• Culmination of escalating violence against Jews that began during the incorporation of Austria into the Reich in March 1938.

• SS responsible for solving “Jewish Question”

INVASION OF POLAND Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression pact

Hitler wanted to avoid two front war Sept. 1 1939 – Hitler Invades Poland Britain and France , allies with Poland,

declare war on Sept. 3rd. WWII begins