THE WORLD AFTER WWI YEARS OF CRISIS

TERMS OF THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES– WHAT THEY GOT France: Reparations from Germany Land rich in natural resources Britain: Control of German colonies Reparations from Germany Control of German boats United States: League of Nations New nations in Europe Germany: Lost 10% of land & colonies Accept responsibility for war Pay $5 Billion in reparations Military disbanded

POSTWAR DEMOCRACIES Little experience with representative governments Too many political parties Coalition Governments didn’t work: too many disagreements Weak gov’ts in difficult times changed for totalitarian rulers

THE DAWES PLAN $2.6 Bill War debts to be repaid; U.S. goods imported to rebuild economies U.S. lends $2.6 bill to Germany; spent on building up German economy Germany uses increased tax revenues to pay $2.0 bill reparations to France

WEIMAR REPUBLIC of GERMANY Established in 1919 No democratic tradition in Germany Post-WWI Germany had many political parties Many people blamed the Weimar Gov’t for the problems  Treaty of Versailles

HYPER-INFLATION IN GERMANY Wartime taxes not increased German gov’t printed money to pay for war German gov’t printed money to pay for war reparations forced by the Treaty of Versailles Prices increased while the value of the currency (Mark) fell People unable to afford basic necessities

THE UNITED STATES: OVERPRODUCTION AND UNDERCONSUMPTION Factories: U.S. factories producing large amounts of goods Most people in U.S. too poor to purchase these goods Store owners cut back orders from factories Factories reduce production; workers fired Farms: Large amount of crops Competition from foreign crops Surplus food drives prices down Farmers don’t make profit; cannot make loan payments Farmers lose land to banks

DECLINE IN PRODUCTION OF GOODS DECLINE IN OVERALL FACTORY PRODUCTION INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT DECLINE IN DEMAND FOR GOODS

UNEMPLOYMENT, HITLER FDR & NEW DEAL STOCK MARKET CRASHES

CHARACTERISTICS OF TOTALITARIANISM USSR, FASCIST ITALY, NAZI GERMANY All shared the following… Dictatorship and One-party rule Blind obedience to leader State more important than individual State control of economy use of police spies and terror to enforce gov’t rules Gov’t control of media: indoctrination and mobilization of citizens; spread ideology to kids strict censorship of artists and intellectuals

DIFFERENCES Communism: (USSR) International change Classless society Support from urban factory workers and farmers Ideas based on Karl Marx Fascism: Italy/Spain Nazism:Germany Enemies of socialists & communists! Highly nationalist- war is good! Class divisions Support from business leaders, land owners, middle class Ideas differed somewhat by country

What is Fascism? By Benito Mussolini “Fascism is the complete opposite of [Communism]…it combats the whole system of democracy…it denies that the majority [of the people] can direct society…For Fascism the growth of the empire and war is essential…” 1932 BELIEFS OF FASCISM: Loyalty to the state Extreme nationalism Peaceful states would be conquered Uniforms and special salutes Mass rallies Each class has a place & function

The Political Spectrum

What is Fascism? By Benito Mussolini “Fascism is the complete opposite of [Communism]…it combats the whole system of democracy…it denies that the majority [of the people] can direct society…For Fascism the growth of the empire and war is essential…” 1932 BELIEFS OF FASCISM: Loyalty to the state Extreme nationalism Peaceful states would be conquered Uniforms and special salutes Mass rallies Each class has a place & function

Benito Mussolini “Il Duce” ITALIAN FASCISM Wanted to rescue Italy from poor economy, rebuild military after WWI “Black shirts” terrorized Communists 1922 Italian Prime Minister Abolished democracy and all opposition; won support of middle class, aristocracy, industry leaders Italy became the model for fascism in Spain and Germany

The Characteristics of Fascism

Ideology A form of extreme right-wing ideology. Celebrates the nation or the race over individual happiness Powerful and continuing nationalism. – Constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, etc. – Flags are seen everywhere.

Subordination to the State Nothing is more important than the State (country) It uses organized violence to suppress opposition. – Glorification of force. – Is anti-democratic.

Cult of State Worship The individual had no significance except as a member of the state. The fascists were taught: – Credere! [to believe] – Obbedire! [to obey] – Combattere! [to fight]

The Myth of Rebirth Emphasis on a national or racial rebirth after a period of decline or destruction (such as the Great Depression and WWI) Seeks to purge “alien” forces and groups that threaten the “pure” community.

Militarism

Identification of Enemies or Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe. This foe could be racial, ethnic, a religious minority, liberals, communists, etc.

Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights Because of the fear of enemies and the need for security, the people are persuaded that human rights can be ignored out of “need.” People look the other way or even approve of torture, executions, long incarcerations of prisoners, assassinations, etc.

The Fascist Family The Fascists encouraged the development of large families.

Religion & Government Are Intertwined Fascist governments tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. They meld religious rhetoric, symbolism, mythology, etc., into their policies [appears to give a religious approval for government policies!]

Disdain for Intellectuals & for the Arts Open hostility to higher education and academia is promoted. Professors and other academics are censored or arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.

Controlled Mass Media

Emphasis on Physical Fitness

Fascism in Spain Civil war in Spain: Italy and Germany supported General Francisco Franco- Spanish Fascist 1939 Franco became dictator until 1970s Guernica: Spanish village bombed by German planes

The Spanish Civil War: Francisco Franco

The Spanish Civil War: A Dress Rehearsal for WW II? Italian troops in Madrid

“Guernica” Pablo Picasso

Adolf Hitler “The Fuhrer” Joined National Socialist German Worker’s Party (NAZI) in 1920 Mein Kampf: set Hitler’s beliefs as later policy for nazi party Great Depression gave him followers; nazi’s became largest political party Economic and cultural control

NAZI PROPAGANDA “The greater the mass of men to be reached, the lower its intellectual level must be.” --Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf

Techniques To convince the masses, Nazi’s must have a few points driven home through: Simple slogans Repeat them endlessly Use of mass meetings to get people to feed off of one another; new members of the movement will feel a sense of belonging

“I want to exploit film as an instrument of propaganda.” – Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda “It is possible by means of shrewd and unremitting propaganda to make people believe that heaven is hell- and hell heaven.” Hitler “The Fuhrer above all! Above the tremendous symphony of crowds, marching columns, meetings, commemorations, marches and congresses: his words on the present- for the future.” – Leni Riefenstahl

“Europe’s victory is your prosperity”

One People, One Nation, Our Fuhrer!

The World Drifted Towards War

Japan Invades Manchuria

Japan challenged the League of Nations 1931: Japan invaded Manchuria Set up puppet gov’t in Manchuria (controlled by Japan) Japan withdrew from League of Nations War between China and Japan 1937 Rape of Nanking: Japanese army executed 200,000 men, women and children as a show of force

Mussolini meets Haile Selassie Mussolini attacks Ethiopia to expand Italian empire Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, appeals to League of Nations for help “It is us today. It will be you tomorrow.”

Hitler takes the Rhineland And joins with Mussolini and Japan Occupied the former buffer zone between France and Germany Oct. 1936: Germany and Italy alliance called Rome- Berlin Axis Nov. 1936: Germany, Italy and Japan– Axis Powers

1937: Hitler declares the need for Lebensraum: living space Took Austria, 1938 Majority of Austrians supported unity w/ Germany

Munich Conference- Sept. 1938

The Sudetenland

Munich Conference Hitler wanted the Sudetenland: area between Germany and Czechoslovakia with 3 million German speakers Britain, France and Italy agreed to let Hitler take the Sudetenland, as long as he promised to respect Czech’s new borders March 1939: Hitler attacks Czechoslovakia, looks to attack Poland Munich Conference a symbol of appeasement and surrender

THE TWO SIDES AXIS POWERS Germany Italy Japan Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary joined in 1941 ALLIED FORCES U.S. Britain Russia Australia Canada China