1. An Uncertain Peace
Time Between the Wars

2. League of Nations
Doomed to failure because of American isolationism-> refused to join
Not strong enough
Its sole weapon to halt German and Japanese aggression was economic sanctions

3. French Policy of Coercion (1919-1924)
Apr Allied Reparations Commission est.
132 billion marks ($33 billion) for Ger. Reparations payable in installments of 2.5 billion annually—Ger. says can’t pay
France threatens to occupy the Ruhr valley, Germany’s industrial center
1922 Ger. announces can’t pay anymore- France sends in troops

4. VAST INFLATION, worthless money
(Ger.) Weimar Republic prints large amounts of paper money to pay back France (also a form of passive resistance)
VAST INFLATION, worthless money
US $
German Marks
Nov. 1, 1923 1
130 billion
Nov. 30, 1923
4.2 trillion

5. Hyper-Inflation in Germany: 1923

6. The Hopeful Years

7. Dawes Plan
reduced reparations, stabilized Ger. payments based on its ability to pay, US granted $200 million loan for Ger. recovery
HEAVY American investment

8. European Debts to the US

9. Dawes Plan (1924)

10. Treaty of Locarno (1925)
guaranteed Ger. new borders w/ France and Belgium

11. Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)
signed by 63 nations, promised to NOT ever go to war (also, reducing arms)
Few countries complied with disarmament on grounds of nat’l security

12. The Great Depression

13. Causes Downturn in domestic economies
Decline in agricultural prices due to overproduction
Many nations imposed high tariffs, closed markets to goods of other nations
Increase in use of oil and hydroelectricity led to slump in coal industry
International financial crisis caused y collapse of American stock market (Black Tuesday, Oct. 29, 1929)

14. Era of EXTREMELY high unemployment (~ 50%) and major drop in production

15. Social Consequences
Women re-enter the workforce as servants, laundresses, etc.
Rise in gang activity
Increased gov’t activity in the lives of citizens
Social security programs
Renewed interest in Marxist doctrines
Increased attractiveness of dictatorships/authoritarian gov’ts (fascism, nazism, communism)

16. Postwar Philosophy
Nietzsche
Bergson
Wittgenstein
Sartre
Heidegger

17. Democratic States between the wars
In pairs, research your assigned nation/area during the Depression.
Answer the question HOW DO THEY DEAL WITH IT?
How do they deal?
United States
Britain
France
Scandinavia

18. Great Britain
power struggle between new Labour party and Conservatives- neither succeeded in pulling the country out of depression
Brought out by balanced budgets & tariffs

19. France
unstable political system, power struggle between conservative National Bloc and the Cartel of the Left (coalition of Radicals & Socialists)

20. Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden)
rise of stable Social Democratic governments, encouraged development of rural & industrial cooperatives & expanded social services (esp. for women)

21. United States
hit the hardest by depression, FDR pursued his NEW DEAL policies, creating various agencies for relief, reform, & recovery
Only WWII could bring US out of depression