1. 1919-1939

2.  German reparations  Expansion of production capacities and dominance of the United States in the global economy  Britain and France owed huge war debts to the U.S.  Better technologies allowed factories to make more products faster, leading to overproduction  Excessive expansion of credit (people spending money they don’t have)  Stock Market Crash of 1929  Buying stock on margin  A crisis in finance that led the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates  Panic set in when stock prices crashed  Inability of the League of Nations to stop aggression

3.  The Treaty of Versailles was supposed to ensure peace, satisfy nationalistic desires, and exact revenge on Germany  Unfortunately, the terms of the treaty did not have the intended results

4.  The League of Nations is weak  It cannot convince countries to disarm  Why might that be the case?  It cannot help all of the new, struggling nations that were created  It does not include the U.S., Germany, or the newly created Soviet Union  Why would this make it weaker?

5.  The punishment of Germany goes too far and cripples their post-war economy in 1923  Hyperinflation occurs  German money is worthless (when the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services)

6.  Germany’s hyperinflation means it cannot pay war reparations to the winners of WWI  What effect will this have on those economies?  The U.S. had a very strong economy after WWI, so they began to lend money to Germany, which helps end Germany’s hyperinflation  Now, who will start getting their reparation payments again?

7.  In October 1929, the U.S. Stock Market crashed Speculation: When a potential buyer of stock buys it in expectation of it reaching a higher price per share. Margin: The buyer does not pay full value for the stock; the balance (what is not paid for) is borrowed. If the stock price goes up, this benefits the buyer who completely owns the stock and has potential for profit (without paying completely for it). However, if the stock price falls, the buyer not only suffers a loss, he/she still must pay the money borrowed for the balance.

9.  The stock market crash was just one cause of the global economic downturn which became known as the Great Depression  Other causes included:  Overproduction  The expansion of credit  The linked economies due to war reparations

10.  Affected countries across the globe  Unemployment, bank failures, collapse of credit, collapse of prices in world trade  Government responses varied  Some became very involved with running the economy, like in the U.S. with FDR’s New Deal  Some didn’t handle the crisis well, so their people began to look for other alternatives (totalitarian leaders promised CHANGE!!)  Communist parties grew  Dictators who offered simple solutions in exchange for power appeared in some countries

12. Totalitarianism (NEW)vs. Older concepts of dictatorship -Seek to dominate all-Seek limited, typically political aspects of national lifecontrol -Mobilize and make use-Seek pacified and submissive of mass politicalpopulations participation -Seek the complete-Attempt to rule over the reconstruction of theindividual and society individual and society TOTALITARIANISM

13. Country: Italy Type of Government: Fascism (dictatorship) Goals and Ideas: Centralized all power in himself as leader (total control of social, economic, and political life) Ambition to restore the glory of Rome and create a vast Italian empire Invasion of Ethiopia Alliance with Hitler’s Germany Il Duce

14. Country: Soviet Union Type of Government: Communism (dictatorship) Goals and Ideas: Crushed opponents and took control after Lenin’s death Held absolute authority; suppressed resistance Brought his country to world power status but imposed upon it one of the most ruthless regimes in history New Economic Policies (NEP) Collectivization: exported seized goods and gained enough capital to finance a massive industrialization drive Rapid industrialization: three 5-year plans The Great Purges: KGB = secret police killed thousands of army officers and prominent Bolsheviks who opposed Stalin Feared the growing power of Nazi Germany

15. Country: Germany Type of Government: Nazism (dictatorship) Goals and Ideas: Inflation and depression weakened the democratic government in Germany and allowed an opportunity for Hitler to rise to power Believed the western powers had no intention of using force to maintain the Treaty of Versailles Anti-Semitism: persecution of Jews Extreme nationalism: National Socialism (aka Nazism) Aggression: German occupation of nearby countries Lebensraum: unite all German speaking nations Anschluss: German union with Austria Hatred of Communism

16. Country: Japan Type of Government: Militarism Goals and Ideas: Though Japan had an emperor, the military had taken control of the government Emperor Hirohito could not stand up to the powerful generals, but he was worshipped by the people, who often fought in his name Industrialization of Japan, lending to a drive for raw materials – how do you get raw materials? IMPERIALISM Japan conducted aggressive imperialistic policies in Asia: invasion of Korea, Manchuria, and the rest of China (the League of Nations did nothing) Hideki Tojo, Military Leader of Japan Hirohito, Emperor of Japan

17. The Causes of the Second World War

18. Key Terms  Allies and Axis  Theaters of War  Weimar Republic  Treaty of Versailles  League of Nations  The Great Depression  Anschluss  Rhineland  Re-armament  Manchurian Incident  Anti-Comintern Pact  Appeasement  Neville Chamberlain  Winston Churchill  Nazi-Soviet Pact  Munich Pact  Sudetenland  Invasion of Poland

19. Allies and Axis Powers Allies  Great Britain  France  Canada  China  United States (from 1941)  USSR (from 1941) Axis  Germany  Austria  Japan  Italy  USSR (until 1941)

20. Theaters of War  World War II was fought in two theaters of war, meaning that there were two wars happening at the same time.  The main war with Germany was know as the EUROPEAN THEATER.  The other theater was the PACIFIC THEATER. This war was fought against Japanese aggression in the Pacific Ocean.

21. Direct Causes of WWII  It has been said that World War II was just a continuation of World War I, yet there are some specific causes to the Second World War, all of which could not have been possible without the rise of Hitler and his Nazis.  When WWI ended, Germany was made into a republic. Chancellor Hindenburg was its leader. The country had to report regularly to the Allies.  Being “controlled” by the Allies left a bitter taste with most Germans.

22. After WWI, the Treaty of Versailles laid almost impossible conditions upon the German volk (people). Reducing the army to 100 000 men and taking land from Germany, especially the Rhineland, greatly reduced morale. Forcing responsibility upon the Germans for starting the War was also painful. But the most disastrous condition was the war reparations they had to pay—a big fine.

23. One positive thing came out of Versailles. It was the creation of an international “government” that would prevent wars by settling disputes between nations through peaceful talks. Unfortunately, the League of Nations fell apart because of a number of problems, all of which are another direct cause of WWII.

24. The League did not include every nation. Nations could choose to join or not. Decisions required that all countries agree, a rare occurrence. The League could not raise an army to enforce its decisions. It was unable to prevent major incidents like Japan invading Manchuria, or Italy from attacking Ethiopia.

25. Another cause to the Second World War was the Great Depression. The stock-market crash of 1929 was a global event that caused people to lose their jobs and often commit suicide. They lost all hope. Governments also fell as people chose rulers that promised hope and prosperity— dictatorships. Germany thus accepted Hitler because he promised not to pay the war fine and to create jobs.

26. After Hitler became Fuhrer of Germany in 1934, he began to dismantle Versailles. He came good on his promise and began not paying for the war damages. In 1936 he began to deploy 30 000 soldiers into the de- militarized zone (or Rhineland), as well as re-arm Germany; he started training 1 million troops. France and Britain did nothing. They feared another costly war.

27. Once Hitler had complete control of the government, he began to control all aspects of life. Germany became a police state. 2 million Nazis now made up the SA, Hitler’s army of Stormtroopers. He also had his SS (Schutzstaffe). These men had sworn eternal life to Hitler as the protectors of his Aryan race. They were trained, ruthless killers who did whatever Hitler asked. Hitler used propaganda to instill fear in his people.

28. Hitler began restructuring the government to prepare for his master race. Many institutions were created such as the National Labour Service and Strength-Through-Joy Committee (KDF) which guaranteed Nazi sponsored leisure activities, 3740 hours a year. In 1935, he created the Nuremburg Laws that denied inferiors, specifically Jews, rights in Germany. These laws would ultimately destroy the Jewish culture by systematically eliminating their identity, beginning with their history.

29. The Great Depression made many nations abandon democracy for totalitarianism. Increased population in Japan made the need for more space for the Japanese inviting. In 1931, their army invades Manchuria, a Chinese-controlled territory to the north of Korea.

30. The Chinese asked for the League of Nations for help. The League told Japan to withdraw, but it did not. The invasion of Manchuria positioned the Japanese as a major military power in South- East Asia. Between 1933 and ’36, the USSR felt threatened by the Japanese and asked China to support them if there were a war ( Comintern Pact ).

31. The Japanese respond by signing an Anti- Comintern (Communist International) Pact with Germany in 1936. In July 1937, the Japanese invade China and attack Beijing with a million soldiers. They loot, rape, torture, murder and caused pointless destruction. Millions of Chinese civilians died.

32. In 1936, Hitler and Mussolini became allied through the Rome—Berlin Axis. Hitler also wanted to re-establish the Anschluss with Austria, but the Treaty of Versailles forbade it. However, because of Britain’s concern over events in China, Hitler took a gamble that they would do nothing and on March 12, 1938 he began invading Austria.

33. After Germany invaded Austria, Hitler focused on taking-over Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia was a country that rose after WWI made up of various ethnic groups including Czechs, Slovaks and Germans, who lived mostly in the Sudeten province near Germany.

34. The Sudetenland was an obvious region to acquire for the Nazis: Germans lived there, and there was an abundance of natural resources.

35. Britain was concerned with their ports in China. France feared a war with Germany. The Soviet Union was at war with Japan. Once it became clear that the League of Nations was about to do nothing, Britain decides to act. British PM, Neville Chamberlain agrees to appease Hitler.

36. Appeasement means to agree to whichever demands seem reasonable in order to prevent war. The British understood that a war with Germany would cause appalling damage. Also, many believed that Hitler’s demands were just demands, and many Britons believed that Versailles was too harsh. Chamberlain goes to Munich to sign an agreement with Hitler.

37. In September, 1938, Britain, France, Italy and Germany met to discuss Hitler’s aims in Munich. Hitler said he would only take the Sudentenland and if Czechoslovakia falls apart, then he would govern it. The other three agreed to this. Chamberlain went back to London with “the piece of paper, securing Peace in our Time.”

38. On August 23, 1939, Hitler and Stalin signed the Nazi—Soviet Pact. Though Hitler hated Communism, the need for his lebrensraum made it necessary for him to have land. He chose Poland. Hitler promised Stalin that if he invaded Poland, he would eliminate the “undesirables” and give Stalin the eastern part of the country. Stalin agreed, and actually invades Poland from the east.

39. On Hitler invades Poland. Britain and France declare war on Germany two days later, but do not immediately act. They waited to see if Hitler would do more, which he did not for 3 months This becomes known as the Phoney War.