Postwar Europe: A Worldwide Depression Gives Way to the Rise of Dictators

Unstable New Democracies After WWI countries who for centuries had been ruled by kings and emperors attempted democracy. However there were so many political parties often times that it was impossible for one party to win a majority. – Coalition government Temporary alliance of several governments (i.e. France)

Can you save us? The weakness of the governments led people to look for answers elsewhere. Willing to give up democratic government for authoritarian leadership. – One leader who held all the power, not elected (i.e. Russia and others followed) Storm Ahead

Weimar Republic Inflation – No wartime taxes – Print a bunch of money!! Loaf of bread – 1918 = less than one mark – 1922=160 marks – 1923= 200 billion marks

Dawes Plan

Peace? Gustav Stresemann (Germany) Foreign Minister Aristide Briand (France) Kellogg- Briand Pact (1928)- prohibiting the use of war as "an instrument of national policy" except in matters of self-defense.

U.S. Stock Market Crash Black Tuesday! October 29, 1929

Germany’s Answer Effect – High unemployment – Inflation Solution – Fascism (No more Democracy) – Adolf Hitler- promises, promises! – Chancellor 1932 – Structured economy toward the military/war under disguise of public works projects – Everyone had jobs but wages still low

Great Britain Effect – Hit hard by depression Economic output fell 25% Solution – National Government High tariffs Increased taxes Lowered interest rates – Slow recovery

France Effect – Not effected as hard as other European countries – More self-sufficient – million unemployed Solution – Popular Front Coalition – Series of reforms but unemployment still high – Democracy remains intact

Scandinavia Effect – High Unemployment Solution – Government – socialist ideals – “middle way” between communism or fascism – Lots of government sponsored public works

United States’ Hero: FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT Roosevelt remained vague on the campaign trail, promising only that under his presidency government would act decisively to end the Depression and restore faith in the American system (our government and the economy).

Solution: The NEW DEAL Many public works programs! 1 st New Deal ( ) The New Deal is a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and Major The programs were responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call the "3 Rs": relief, recovery, and reform. That is, relief for the unemployed and poor; recovery of the economy to normal levels; and reform of the financial system to prevent a repeat depression. The major them was Public Works Projects - building schools, roads, dams, and providing electricity to create jobs.

Soviet Union (Russia) Effect – Little to no effect Solution – Communist -Totalitarianism – Building an industrial society – Five Year Plan-The five year plans were harsh. Everybody had a quota. Failure to fulfill your quota, say if you were miner or farmer could result in treason charges and a trip to the gulag- a prison camp. Pure command economy Killed or exiled millions – Great Purge- a campaign of terror directed at eliminating anyone who threatened his power. Joseph Stalin ( )

Japan Effect The Great Depression hit Japan The Japanese economy shrank by 8% 1929–31 Solution – Aggressive military government structured around Emperor Hirohito. The invasion (imperialism) of other countries to acquire raw materials and resources Weary of the West & U.S. presence in the Pacific as they wanted a Greater East Asia Prosperity Sphere that included China.