AP EURO Unit #6 – Early 20th Century (The World Wars) Lesson #607 Search for Peace and Stability during the 1920s
The New Germany THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC The Kaiser had abdicated – passed power to an elected Reichstag, based in Weimar They had to deal with MAJOR issues What are they? War guilt clause Reparations payments Mass strikes and unrest A belligerent France on one side, an expanding Bolshevik (Communist) movement on the other
The New Europe France: keep Germany weak Why? How would they benefit? Britain: rebuild the German economy Why? How would the benefit? USA: you’re both dumb! Why? Where does out attitude come from? Maynard Keynes: an impoverished Germany is bad: why would he say that? (he thought it could entice Bolshevism) (Keynesian Economics) France was forced to find new friends with common fears: THE LITTLE ENTENTE
LITTLE ENTENTE
LITTLE ENTENTE
Reparations 33 Billion Gold Marks 2.5 Billion/year Germany started to pay in 1921 Announced it was unsustainable in 1922 France insisted – why? (three reasons) Still owed huge debts to USA Needed $$ to repair damages Keep Germany weak! By 1923 – France demanded – threatened military invasion
The Ruhr Invasion Industrial region of Germany Weimar government ordered a general strike France decided to isolate and starve Germany into submission Brought in African workers (to shame Germans) “Black Shame” Ruhr 35sec
Hyperinflation German response: (economy was paralyzed) What would you do, if you were Mr. Weimar? Just print more $$ 1914: 4.2 Reich Marks - $1 1921: 64 1923: 800 Then… the inflation…
Click – Hyperinflation – 6m
Hyperinflation results End value: 1 trillionth of original value (that’s one million millionth) Economy collapsed Middle Class Savings erased Lower class lost everything Negotiated prices on the spot $$ not worth the paper it was printed on Chancellor Gustav Stressman – introduced a new currency: 1 trillion Reich Marks = 1 new Rentenmark
Click Hyperinflation 3m
Hope for getting along The Dawes Plan (1924) The Young Plan (1929) Americans suggested a solution Why were they the ONLY country with the right do to so? Decrease Reparations Payments Agreed to by Allies and Germans The Young Plan (1929) Lower payments again Remove supervision of Germany Was that a good idea? Locarno Agreements (1925) France and Germany agreed to new border changes France supported German entrance into League of Nations France agreed to pull out of Rhineland within five year (1930) What does this show? Kellogg-Briand Pact
Meanwhile… back in the dark alleys of Germany… Lots of people joined fringe political groups. Bolsheviks were popular. So were extreme nationalist groups.
Hitler joined the Nazi Party Nazis: Nationalist Socialists (extreme nationalists) Their goal: full repudiation of Versailles Rebuild Germany to former greatness What’s he talking about? In 1923 – they struck Beer Hall Putsch – 1923 Coordinated attack on local and national governments Poorly planned and amateurishly executed Hitler and friends arrested How could Hitler use this [rather public] trial as a platform for his politics and popularity? 1m
Hitler in the 1920s Adolf thrown in jail Sentenced to five years for treason Took the time to write Mein Kampf He was released in just six months In mean time, Germany was actually improving - on road to recovery WHY WOULD RECOVERY NOT WORK FOR HITLER? Hitler’s team gathering a following of fringe nutty nuts on the right wing But… US Stock Market Crash will change EVERYTHING…
Economy of post war powers France – repair of trench region and Maginot Line – put France deep in debt Britain – massive unemployment (23% by 1921