Interwar Years Notes

Treaty of Versailles Formal end to fighting of WWI Signed June 28, 1919 Germany given all the blame for starting the war Loss of territory Reduced military Pay reparations to Britain and France Wilson’s 14th Point outlined League of Nations International association whose goal would be to keep peace among nations US Congress decided not to join in order to stay out of European conflict Lacking US support, LoN could not take action towards countries with bitterness towards treaty “Peace built on quicksand”

World Wide Depression Causes High protective tariffs Countries tax imports in order to encourage purchase of domestic goods Excessive expansion of credit Buy things you did not have the money for Expansion of production capacities US produced ½ of worlds industrial goods Dominance of U.S. in world market Banking and business influence 1929 stock market crash Mass selling of overpriced stocks that caused US financial market to crash

Effects of Depression Effects High Unemployment Bank Failures US: 25% Germany: 30% Britain: 24% Bank Failures People wanted their money, banks does not hold everyone’s money Could not pay it out so had to close Collapse of Credit People could no longer borrow for what they could not pay Collapse of Prices Price had to match money that the market had, which was very little Economic turmoil leads to unstable governments Economic issues make people desperate (Italy/Germany) Runaway Inflation Price of goods and services go up, while value of money stays the same or goes down Things cost more

Totalitarianism in Italy Totalitarian Italy Fascist Party Militant organization that pledges allegiance to one ruler and the state Benito Mussolini Political leader of party Invasion of Ethiopia (1935) One of 3 independent nations that previously resisted Italian invasion Emperor Haile Selassie appeals to LoN for help, who condemned the actions, but had no way to enforce Britain and France agreed to let Italy have Ethiopia with the hope it would keep peace in Europe Totalitarianism in Italy Contributing Factors Ambition to restore glory of Roman empire Glory days Anger over not recovering more territory after WWI Fear of communism USSR is close to eastern border

Totalitarianism in Germany Contributing Factors WWI Guilt of war Reparation payments (Dawes Plan) German fears of communism USSR to east Severe inflation During war, just printed more money and didn’t raise taxes (decreased value of currency) Resentment over Versailles Treaty (“dictated peace”) They didn’t have a say in compromise Anti-Semitism Blame the Jews for everything that is wrong in Germany Extreme nationalism Supreme Aryan race Totalitarian Germany Nationalist Socialist Party (Nazi Party) Adolf Hitler Chancellor in 1932

Totalitarianism in Japan Contributing Factors Rising militarism When depression hit Japan, government was blamed Militarists gained power, but unlike fascism worked with government and shared power with emperor Hirohito Industrialization Delayed from 1800s while Japan was closed to outside influences Increases need for raw materials Expansion was key, similar to European imperialism Totalitarian Japan United States as an obstacle to Japan’s expansion Navy tried to curb expansion though Asia Invasions of Korea, Manchuria, China Looking for natural resources Set up puppet governments in each Brutal murders of civilians and captured soldiers LoN thought Japan was threat to peace as a member, leaves LoN in 1933

Totalitarianism in Soviet Union Stalin’s Policies (becomes dictator in 1929) Five year plans Unrealistic industrialization plans to increase output of steel, coal, oil, and electricity Consumer goods limited, many shortages Collectivization of farms Government seized over 25 million private farms and combined them into large, state run farms in order to produce food for the state State industrialization Tough methods produced positive results for USSR, productions of each increased Secret police Monitored phone calls and publications and had informers to report disloyal remarks o the state Great Purge Stalin’s campaign of terror aimed at purging those in the communist party who were against him or posed a threat to his success “traitors” were rounded up and either executed or sent to labor camps in Siberia Between 8-30 million killed between 1937- 1938

World Response to Totalitarianism Depression weakens western democracies Britain and France fight to maintain economy and maintain peace Most of new countries created after WWI fall to dictators in 1930s due to weak economies No challenge to totalitarian actions Appeasement: giving into an aggressor to keep peace Failure of the League of Nations No power to enforce “I can tell you not to do it, but can’t make you stop” Italian invasion of Ethiopia 1935 Mussolini invades to avenge prior defeat Japanese invasion of Manchuria Area rich in iron and coal in N. China Direct challenge to LoN Pulled out of organization

Questions to Answer: 1. what impact do you think totalitarianism will on have USSR, Germany, Italy, and Japan moving forward? 2. Why do Britain and France try appeasement so often? Was it effective? 3. Explain three factors the lead the world to a second world war.

Propaganda Lesson What is propaganda? What are some examples you know of? What is the purpose of propaganda? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_egyveH7 48