1. POST-WAR WESTERN EUROPE

2. WESTERN EUROPE – THE REVIVAL OF DEMOCRACY AND THE ECONOMY
Challenges facing Western Europe in the post-war period
1. rebuild their economies
2. re-create their democratic institutions
3. deal with the growth and challenge of communist parties in their own countries

3. COMMUNISM IN WESTERN EUROPE
Communist parties strongest in Italy and France
Appeal of communist parties fade as they are associated with Stalinism
Socialist parties do well in elections right after the war  then support declines

4. MODERATE POLITICAL PARTIES = CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTIES
pro-democracy parties
Supported economic reform
Strong in Italy and Germany

5. ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN THE WEST
Scene from the 1960 film – La Dolce Vita
Marshall Plan assistance aids in the rapid recovery of Western Europe
Dramatic economic growth and prosperity

6. FRANCE AND DE GAULLE Charles de Gaulle
General and leader of the free French government in exile during WW II
Helped to establish the 4th Republic – a new parliamentary govt after WW II
Withdraws from govt saying the govt is too weak
Forms his own conservative political party
In the late 1950’s France is in a crisis
a. loss of Vietnam
b. war in Algeria
c. weak govt and bitter political divisions

7. DEGAULLE AND THE 5TH FRENCH REPUBLIC
De Gaulle drafts new constitution for France
Creates a strong president –
a. chooses prime minister
b. power to dissolve parliament and call new elections
c. supervises defense and foreign policy
Tries to return France to great power
Pulls France out of NATO
Ends Algerian War
Creates French atomic bomb
Government budget deficits + inflation student demonstrations and labor strikes in 1968 lead de Gaulle to retire

8. WEST GERMANY – A NEW NATION
Dominant figure in post-war Germany =
KONRAD ADENAUER
2. Leader of the Christian Democrats
3. Serves as Chancellor of W. Germany
4. Policy of cooperation with USA and W. Europe
5. In 1955 joins NATO and is rearmed
6. Resurrection of German Economy
- increased production
- rising wages
- higher employment
KONRAD ADENAUER

9. GREAT BRITAIN – THE WELFARE STATE
CLEMENT ATLEE of the Labour Party elected Prime Minister right after the war  Labour controls the govt from
Reform program
Creation of the welfare state
Nationalization of the Bank of England, coal, steel, transportation, gas, electricity
NATIONAL INSURANCE ACT 1946 = creates comprehensive social security program
NATIONAL HEALTH ACT 1946 = system of socialized/state run medicine
Cost of creating welfare state meant less money for foreign affairs
Dismantling of the British Empire
CLEMENT
ATLEE

10. THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY IN BRITAIN
Conservative party returns to power from
THE SUEZ CRISIS 1956
Favored private enterprise but kept the welfare state
British economic recovery was slower than continental Europe
Structural problems with the British econ
- power of the trade unions
- wages rose faster than productivity
- failure to invest in modern ind. technology
4. Decline in British influence around the world
5. THE SUEZ CRISIS – marked end of Brits as world power

11. ITALY – THE WEAKNESS OF COALITION GOVERNMENT
Post-war Italy –
Massive physical damage from war
Italians vote to abolish monarchy
ALCIDE DE GASPERI = leading political figure in period after the war
Christian Democrats strongest party
Economic recovery

12. WESTERN EUROPE – THE MOVE TOWARD UNITY
THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY 1951 = France, West Germany, Benelux, Italy form a common market for steel and coal by eliminating tariffs and trade barriers between the six members states
THE ROME TREATY 1957 = creates the European Economic Community/ also known as “THE COMMON MARKET”
Free trade area
Common external tariffs
Cooperation and standardization of econ policies
EEC becomes world’s largest exporter and purchaser of raw materials