The InterWar Period

Essential questions

• What political changes resulted from the worldwide depression?
• Why did dictatorial governments emerge in Germany, Italy, Japan, and the U.S.S.R. after World War I?
• How did these regimes affect the world after WWI?

During the 1920s, the United STates experienced unprecedented success, but the prosperity was very uneven.

the Rich were super-Rich

On Tuesday, October 29th, 1929, The Stock Market Crashed. Although the loss was staggering, it was only the beginning of the downturn

The Crash Cycle

• People made investments with Borrowed $$$
• Excessive Expansion of Credit
• BAnks invested customer money in the stock market
• Business Failures led to increased bankruptcies
• When the Market collapsed, the banks ran out of money!

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Causes of Worldwide Depression

• German REparations
• High Protective Tariffs
• Excessive expansion of credit
• OVER-Production and Dominance of the United States in the Global Economy

Impact of World Depression

• High Unemployment in Industrial Countries
• Bank Failures and Collapse of Credit
• Collapse of Prices in World TRade
• Nazi Party's growing importance in Germany and blame of European Jews

Economic dislocations following World War I led to unstable political conditions

The Rise of Dictators

Worldwide depression in the 1930s provided opportunities for the rise of dictators in Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Soviet Union

Common themes

• Hold power by force and fear
• Pass laws to forbid political competition
• Appeal to People's prejudices
• blame others for All suffering from hard economic times
• Focus on restoring successes of predecessors

Benito Mussolini

Mussolini's RIse to Power

• 1921-Entered Parliament after having been defeated in 1919
• 1922-Became Premier of Italy
• Mussolini declared Italy a fascist dictatorship and took control over society, politics, and economics, as well as the military.
• Became known as Il Duce

Mussolini's Beliefs

• Wanted to reestablish the roman empire
• First Fascist Dictator of Europe
• FAvored state control of economics, society, and political system by few
• Opposed to Communism
• VERY Militaristic

Mussolini sought to make the Mediterranean a Roman Lake and invaded Ethiopia prior to World War II

Mussolini directly influenced Hitler and the Nazis

ADOLf HITLER

germany during the Interwar Period

• Inflation and depression
• Democratic Government Weakened
• Growing feelings of anti-semitism (Hatred of Jews)

Adolf Hitler

• 1919-Joined a small, right-wing political group
• National Socialist German Workers' Party - NAZI
• 1923- Beer Hall Putsch
• Arrested and thrown in Jail
• 1924-Considered Harmless, released from Jail

Mein Kampf

• Set forth beliefs and goals for Germany
• Believed Aryans were a master race
• All other races were inferior
• Believed Germans needed Lebensraum (Living Space)
• Promised to conquer Eastern Europe and Russia

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Rise of Nazism

• While in Jail, He wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle)
• 1932-Defeated Von Hindenburg in national election
• Became Chancellor of Germany
• 1934-Declared himself Führer of Germany taking dictatorial power

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Adolf Hitler's Beliefs

• German Leaders had betrayed the people
• Treaty of versailles should be overturned
• Anti-Communism
• RAcial Nationalism
• Social Conservatism

The Stab-in-the-Back Myth

Social Conservatism

• Nazis promoted a socially conservative point of view
• Anti-Abstract art
• Anti-Jazz
• Anti-Swing Dancing
• Homophobic
• Strict Morals
• Anti-Intellectualism

War on the Jews

• Anti-Semitism - hatred of jews
• Nazis used them as scapegoats for all Germany's troubles since WWI
• Blamed for the depression
• 1933-Began passing Laws depriving Jews of most of their rights

Kristall nacht

Towards War

• 1st disregarded treaty-militarization and mobilization
• 2nd-March 7, 1936-occupied the Rhineland that served as a buffer between Germany and France
• November 5, 1937-Hitler declared the Third Reich

HIDEKI TOJO

Japan during the Interwar Period

• 1920s Japan was democratic
• Signed a treaty to respect China's border
• Worldwide depression -civilians blamed democratic government for economic problems
• Military leaders focused on nationalism

Industrialized Japan needed more raw materials which led them to expand and invade

Tojo's Rise to Power

• 1920s-Tojo works his way up the military ladder
• 1930s-Led troops to battle in China
• 1940-Appointed War minister
• 1941-Emperor Hirohito elevates Tojo to post of Prime Minister

Japan's government was ruled by its military and began to act aggressively in Asia

Japan Expands

• Japan had already absorbed Korea
• Japan invades Manchuria & Sets up a puppet government
• First Direct Challenge to the LEague of NAtions
• 1937-Invaded Northern China
• Invaded south east asia, indonesia

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Joseph Stalin

A communist dictatorship was established by Vladimir Lenin and continued by Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union.

Stalin's Rise

• Lenin had named Leon Trotsky as the future Ruler of USSR
• Upon Lenin's death, Stalin maneuvers against Trotsky
• Stalin planned to create a perfect communist state
• centralized state - took total control of public and private Life

KGB

Stalin's secret police

• Used to maintain power
• Monitored telephone lines, read mail, and plant informers
• Even children told authorities disloyal remarks they heard at home
• FAmilies lived in Fear

The Great Purge

The Great Purge

• Launched in 1937
• A campaign of terror directed at eliminating anyone who threatened Stalin's power
• Stalin would approve lists of 40-50,000 to be executed
• Won total control of the soviet state

Five-Year PLans

Five-Year PLANS

• 1st of many: 1928-1932
• A list of goals to develop the national economy
• State Industrialization
• Set high quotas to increase the output of steel, coal, oil, and electricity
• Meanwhile, lowered the production of consumer goods

The USSR made substantial gains, but stalin did not reach his goals. Severe shortages of housing, food, clothing

Collectivization of Farms

Collectivization of farms

• 1928-Government began to seize over 25 million privately owned farms
• Create Collective Farms from seized property
• Produced food for the state
• Operated like factories
• Eliminated any protestors

Stalin forcibly transformed the soviet union into a totalitarian regime and an industrial power

Joseph Stalin

• Entrenchment of Communism
• Five-YEar Plans
• Collectivization of farms
• State Industrialization
• Secret Police
• The Great Purge