the west between wars

The West Between Wars

Chapter 24

The war is over but the world is left now to pick up the pieces.

Weak League of Nations France is demanding Inflation in Germany

World is getting ready to go into a Depression

The Futile Search for Stability

League of Nations- formed at the end of World War I. Formed to prevent this type of war from happening again.

The League was weak because U.S. Congress did not allow America to join.

U.S. Congress did not allow America to sign the Treaty of Versailles.


The French became very demanding.

Part of the Treaty was that Germany was to pay the French back for war damages.

Germany, because of the war, was in great dealt and could not pay back money


The money owed was $33 billion dollars. They were to paid $2.5 billion, yearly.

Germany made one payment and because of economic problems stop paying.

This outraged the French Government

They sent troops to the border to industrialize a part of Germany.


Inflation in Germany was created by printing more money to pay government salaries.

The German dollar was worthless.

Example of Worthless:Woman left a basket of money outside grocery, when she returned the money was there but the basket was stolen


To help with the economic problems:

An international committee was formed to put a plan in place to help Germany out.

Dawes Plan was a loan to help Germany pay back that money to France.

This allowed the U.S. to invest heavy in Europe. It lasted about 6 years.


A brief period of prosperity that last until 1924, ended in a Great Depression.

Two Causes of the Depression Economic downturns in individual nations

International crisis involving the U.S. Stock Market.


By the mid- 1920’s, Germany was relying heavily on the loan from the U.S. Investors were putting more money into the German economy.

By the late – 1920’s, U.S. stock market was booming. More investors were pulling their money out of Germany to invest in the stock market.


In October 1929, the stock market crashed and created a panic. U.S. investors had pulled money out of Germany and left them a massive problem.

DEPRESSION


In Germany,

Banks collapsed Trade slowed down Industrial production slowed Unemployment went up

1932, worst year of Depression Great Britain- 1 and 4 out of work (25%) Germany- 40% of labor force out of work Homeless and poor on the streets


Effects of the Great Depression Government activity in the economy

◦This goes against Laissez- faire

Renewed interest in Marxist doctrine◦Marx thought that Capitalism would fail

because of over-production and Communism would prevail

Masses of people to follow political leaders for solutions and return for a dictatorship


Democratic States after the World War I

Germany

France

Great Britain

United States


Germany

Imperial German was defeated with the War

The democratic state formed the Weimar Republic.

This republic was plagued with many problems


Weimer Republic Did not have a solid political leader

◦Paul von Hindenburg- Old war veteran and did not fully support the Republic

Bad economic times◦People on fixed incomes saw their salary

decrease, hence, pushing the middle class to political parties that did not support the Republic

Germany got stuck in the Great Depression and it paved the way to extreme political groups


FranceThey had a more balanced economy so they did not feel the full effects of the Depression until later

When they did, their political parties fell apart and Communism, Socialism and other radicals formed the Popular Front government.


Popular FrontLaunched a French New Deal. It protected workers

◦Collective Bargaining- right of unions to negotiate with employers over wages and hours

◦40 hour work week◦2 weeks paid vacation◦Minimum wage

Popular Front did not last because it too did not solve the Depression issue


Great BritainTheir economy fell during the Depression.

It lost production to U.S. and Japan. Their political party changed to more conservative measure.

To get them out of the Depression, they used a economic philosopher.


John Maynard Keynes

Endorsed that Depression should be left alone and that unemployment is not created by overproduction but from lack of demand.

He pushed for Government to put people back to work through highway and public buildings


United StatesNo one felt the Great Depression like the Americans did.

Production fell by 50% 12 million people unemployed

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt Democrat Believed in Capitalism Needed to reform Capitalism


President Franklin Delano Roosevelt“New Deal” Developed programs like Works Progress Administration◦Put 3 million people back to work◦Projects such as bridges, building, roads, etc.

1935, this deal provided the Social Security System

Only World War II brought U.S. out of a depression


Democracy in Europe was only recognized in two major countries:

Great Britain France

Dictatorial Regimes gained popularity Italy Soviet Union (Russia) Germany

The Rise of Dictatorial Regimes

Totalitarian States- Government that aims to control the political, economic, social, intellectual, and cultural lives of its citizens

Italy- Mussolini became leader in the early 1920’s.

He introduced Fascism


Fascism Glorifies state above individuals Strong Central Government Dictatorial Ruler

People are controlled by the Government and any opposition is suppressed

Fascism promised a lot but delivered very little back to the citizens


Soviet UnionLenin was the leader in the early 1920’s Favored a New Economic Policy (NEP)

◦Modified capitalist system◦People could sell products on open-market◦Privately owned business◦Heavy Industry, banking, and mines

remained in the control of the Government Lenin created the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)


With the death of Lenin in 1924, USSR went through a difficult time to find a leader.

Joseph Stalin became leader in 1929.5-year plan for USSR It ended the NEP Maximum production of capital goods Armament production Steel industry quadrupled


Opposition to the 5-Year plan were the farm workers (peasants)

In retaliation, farmers were hoarding their crops and killing their livestock.

In response, Stalin seized their farms and combined the farms to make a massive agricultural community to feed USSR.


Cost of Stalin’s Plan

Collectivization cause food shortage ◦Famine killed about 10 million peasants◦Concession was to allow each peasant a

small area to have a garden Strengthen bureaucracy Purge major officials and citizens

◦Sent to labor camps in Siberia◦Many did not return


If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed. – Adolf Hitler

Hitler and Nazism

beginning of Hitler Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria

on April 20, 1889. Dreamed of becoming an artist as a youth

◦Rejected by the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts in 1907 and 1908

◦After his mother‘s death, he spent four years trying to sell his artwork on the street

Beginning of Hitler Cont. Hitler moved to Munich, Germany to avoid

Austrian Military service but would later volunteer for the German Army◦Fought for four years and earned two Iron

Crosses for Bravery◦Was so disappointed in the German

surrender that he was determined to enter politics

German Worker’s Party Hitler found his place in German politics in

1919 by joining the German Worker’s Party◦By 1921, Hitler was party’s leader and had

renamed it the Nationalist Socialist German Worker’s Party (or Nazi Party for short)

The Nazi party grew very quickly and so in 1923, Hitler staged an uprising in Munich (Beer Hall Putsch).

Prison and Mein Kampf The uprising in Munich was quickly crushed

and Hitler was then put in prison While in Prison, Hitler wrote his book: Mein

Kampf (Which outlined his plan for Germany)◦German Nationalism◦Anti-Semitism◦Anticommunism◦Lebensraum- Stronger nations should

expand to obtain living space

Germany After WWI

Rise of Nazism After being released from prison, Hitler

sought out to expand the Nazi party◦By 1929, the Nazis had a national party

organization and by 1931, the Nazi Party became the largest political party in the Reichstag (parliament).

Hitler appealed to the German people through nationalism and militarism.

Nazi Victory As the Nazi’s grew in power, Germany cried

for Hitler to take control◦He became Chancellor in 1933 and created

a new government for Germany through the Enabling Act. The Enabling act allowed Hitler to become a appointed dictator.

After the death of the German president, Hitler was declared the Führer ◦Concentration camps were set up for all

who apposed Nazism

The Third Reich The Nazi’s used terror to maintain control of

the German people and to reach their goals◦Heinrich Himmler- Leader of the

SS(Helped Hitler enforce his laws) Nuremburg Laws- passed in 1935, singled

out and oppressed the Jewish community

the west between wars

Documents

germany world

stabilityin germany

stabilitythe money

basket of money

end of world war

war damages

type of war

stock market