An Uncertain Peace: Europe after World War I Chapter 26, pp. 751-754 & 758.

An Uncertain Peace: An Uncertain Peace: Europe after World War IEurope after World War I

Chapter 26, pp. 751-754 & Chapter 26, pp. 751-754 & 758758

What does What does this cartoon this cartoon say about the say about the relationship relationship between between countries countries after World after World War I and the War I and the ability of the ability of the League of League of Nations to Nations to bring peace?bring peace?

Cartoon Source: http://rutlandhs.k12.vt.us/jpeterso/MOREWW1/TIEDUP.JPG

France on the search for AlliesFrance on the search for Allies

US and GB alienate France after WWI US and GB alienate France after WWI Communist Russia is considered a Communist Russia is considered a

hostile threathostile threat France must find new allies to help France must find new allies to help

protect them from Germanyprotect them from Germany– Turn to Poland and Czechoslovakia, Turn to Poland and Czechoslovakia,

Romania and Yugoslavia (Little Entente)Romania and Yugoslavia (Little Entente) WHAT WAS THE FUNDAMENTAL WHAT WAS THE FUNDAMENTAL

PROBLEM WITH THESE ALLIANCES?PROBLEM WITH THESE ALLIANCES?

Europe in the early 1920sEurope in the early 1920s

In the early 1920s all countries in In the early 1920s all countries in Europe were suffering from inflation, Europe were suffering from inflation, unemployment and political unemployment and political instability as a result of WWI, instability as a result of WWI,

HOWEVER Germany suffered the HOWEVER Germany suffered the most.most.

A post-WWI worldA post-WWI world Germany --- angry, humiliatedGermany --- angry, humiliated

– Versailles---Too soft…? Too Versailles---Too soft…? Too hard…?hard…?

E. Europe---communist…spreading???E. Europe---communist…spreading???

France---afraid, isolated – turns East!France---afraid, isolated – turns East!– 1921 pact with Poland / Czech / 1921 pact with Poland / Czech /

Yugo…Yugo…

England---undependable – but saw England---undependable – but saw German’s healthy economy as keyGerman’s healthy economy as key– John M. Keynes: John M. Keynes: Econ. Conse. Of Econ. Conse. Of

the Peacethe Peace

US---isolationistUS---isolationist

Post-War EnglandPost-War England England: 1919 D.L.George – England: 1919 D.L.George –

– Labour Party: revisionist socialism replaces Labour Party: revisionist socialism replaces liberal-Ramsay McDonald, 1924liberal-Ramsay McDonald, 1924

– IRELANDIRELAND Easter Rebellion 1916: Sinn Fein of Ireland Easter Rebellion 1916: Sinn Fein of Ireland

prominentprominent 1921 Free State – but Ulster revolts1921 Free State – but Ulster revolts 1949 Republic of Ireland1949 Republic of Ireland

– Depression: 1920s-unemploymentDepression: 1920s-unemployment– India:India:

Mahatma Gandhi 1919 leads self-govt. Mahatma Gandhi 1919 leads self-govt. movement (1948 assassinated because of movement (1948 assassinated because of his agreement to independent Pakistan)his agreement to independent Pakistan)

Urges Indians to revive customs – spinningUrges Indians to revive customs – spinning Independent India in 1947Independent India in 1947

Post-War FrancePost-War France 1919 Election: Premier Alexandre Millerand1919 Election: Premier Alexandre Millerand

– 1921 – replaced by Briand – then Poincare (1926), 1921 – replaced by Briand – then Poincare (1926), who stabilized France’s currency and secured who stabilized France’s currency and secured prosperityprosperity

Financial problems: Debts of war Financial problems: Debts of war – depend on German $ but Dec. ‘22 Germany depend on German $ but Dec. ‘22 Germany

defaultdefault Jan. ‘Jan. ‘223-’25 Ruhr Occupation/Crisis - occupation by France 3-’25 Ruhr Occupation/Crisis - occupation by France

/ Belgium!!!/ Belgium!!! (try to gain money from industry there – resistance)(try to gain money from industry there – resistance)

– Briand – for reconciliation with Germany / USSRBriand – for reconciliation with Germany / USSR 1931 Depression --- recovery? fall again?1931 Depression --- recovery? fall again? 1932 - 6 different political cabinets pre ‘34)1932 - 6 different political cabinets pre ‘34) 1935 Pierre Laval (conserv) – falls ‘361935 Pierre Laval (conserv) – falls ‘36 1936 Coalition 1936 Coalition ““Popular FrontPopular Front”” (Blum) soc/com (Blum) soc/com

French Policy of CoercionFrench Policy of Coercion

b/c France does not feel b/c France does not feel protected from the protected from the German threat they find German threat they find other ways to “deal” other ways to “deal” with the Germanswith the Germans– Economic sanctions and Economic sanctions and

threatsthreats War reparations = $33 War reparations = $33

billion – eventually billion – eventually Germany can’t pay SOGermany can’t pay SO

France and Belgium send France and Belgium send troops to occupy the Ruhr troops to occupy the Ruhr Valley with 70,000 troops.Valley with 70,000 troops.

No! You can’t force me!

WHY THE RUHR?WHY THE RUHR?

French Policy of Coercion:French Policy of Coercion:

The French intended to use the produce The French intended to use the produce of Germany’s industrial heartland as of Germany’s industrial heartland as payment in kind for reparations. The payment in kind for reparations. The German government began a policy of German government began a policy of passive resistance and called a passive resistance and called a general strike. Some began a low level general strike. Some began a low level terrorist campaign. The French reacted terrorist campaign. The French reacted brutally with aggressive house brutally with aggressive house searches, hostage taking and shooting searches, hostage taking and shooting over a hundred Germans.over a hundred Germans.

What is hyper-inflation?What is hyper-inflation?

The economic effects of the occupation The economic effects of the occupation were catastrophic. The loss of were catastrophic. The loss of production in the Ruhr caused a fall production in the Ruhr caused a fall in production elsewhere and in production elsewhere and unemployment rose from 2% to unemployment rose from 2% to 23%.Prices rose out of control as tax 23%.Prices rose out of control as tax revenues collapsed and the revenues collapsed and the government financed its activities government financed its activities through the printing of money. By through the printing of money. By November prices were a billion times November prices were a billion times their pre-war levels.their pre-war levels.

Hyper-Inflation Hyper-Inflation causes…causes…

Increased Increased unemployment unemployment

Hyper-Inflation causes…Hyper-Inflation causes…

Children playing with stacks of worthless German paper money,

Massive increases in the cost of living

Cost of Living Tables: Germany Cost of Living Tables: Germany 1918-19231918-1923

Hyper-Inflation causes…Hyper-Inflation causes…

Communist uprising in Oct. 1923 – Communist uprising in Oct. 1923 – attempt to take over Hamburgattempt to take over Hamburg

Hitler’s Nazi party stages the Beer-Hitler’s Nazi party stages the Beer-Hall Putsch in Munich in Nov. 1923Hall Putsch in Munich in Nov. 1923

The Hopeful Years, 1924-1929The Hopeful Years, 1924-1929

Gustav Streseman Gustav Streseman – Ended passive resistance against FranceEnded passive resistance against France– Accepted Treaty of Versailles and Accepted Treaty of Versailles and

renegotiated reparations paymentsrenegotiated reparations paymentsDawes Plan lower required payments and Dawes Plan lower required payments and

lent Germany $200 million lent Germany $200 million

– Stabilized the currency = end of hyper-Stabilized the currency = end of hyper-inflationinflationGerman and European economy begins to German and European economy begins to

recoverrecover

The Spirit of Locarno = new spirit of The Spirit of Locarno = new spirit of international cooperationinternational cooperation

Treaty of Locarno, 1925Treaty of Locarno, 1925– Germany accepted its borders with France and Germany accepted its borders with France and

Belgium as dictated in Treaty of Versailles…”Peace Belgium as dictated in Treaty of Versailles…”Peace at Last”at Last”

– What about the border with Poland?What about the border with Poland? Maybe not as permanent as the western border, we’ll Maybe not as permanent as the western border, we’ll

see…see…

Germany enters League of Nations, March Germany enters League of Nations, March 19261926– What does this new relationship signify?What does this new relationship signify?

Kellogg-Briand Pact, 1928Kellogg-Briand Pact, 1928– 63 nations pledge to “renounce war as an 63 nations pledge to “renounce war as an

instrument of national policy”instrument of national policy”

European Gov’ts by 1939European Gov’ts by 1939

DemocraticDemocratic TotalitarianTotalitarian AuthoritarianAuthoritarian

Great BritainGreat Britain

FranceFrance

Low CountriesLow Countries

Scandinavian Scandinavian statesstates

SwitzerlandSwitzerlandCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia

(USA)(USA)

Italy Italy (Mussolini)(Mussolini)

Germany Germany (Hitler)(Hitler)

Soviet Union Soviet Union (Stalin)(Stalin)

BulgariaBulgaria

PolandPoland

YugoslaviaYugoslavia

HungaryHungary

GreeceGreece

RomaniaRomaniaSpainSpainPortugalPortugal

What is an Authoritarian State?What is an Authoritarian State?

A state that has a A state that has a dictatorial dictatorial

governmentgovernment and some other and some other

trappings of a totalitarian state BUT trappings of a totalitarian state BUT

does not demanddoes not demand that the that the masses masses

be actively involvedbe actively involved in the in the

regime’s goals as a totalitarian state regime’s goals as a totalitarian state

does.does.

What is a Totalitarian State?What is a Totalitarian State?

A state characterized by A state characterized by government government

controlcontrol over over all aspects of economic, all aspects of economic,

social, political, cultural and social, political, cultural and

intellectual lifeintellectual life, the , the subordination of subordination of

the individual to the statethe individual to the state, and , and

insistence that the insistence that the masses be actively masses be actively

involvedinvolved in the regime’s goals in the regime’s goals

What is the role of propaganda in a totalitarian state?

What is fascism?What is fascism?

An ideology or movement that An ideology or movement that exalts the exalts the

nation above the individualnation above the individual and calls and calls

for for centralized government w/ a centralized government w/ a

dictatorial leaderdictatorial leader, , economiceconomic and and socialsocial

regimentationregimentation and and forcible forcible

suppression of oppositionsuppression of opposition; in particular, ; in particular,

the ideology of Mussolini’s Fascist regime the ideology of Mussolini’s Fascist regime

in Italy and Hitler’s in Germanyin Italy and Hitler’s in Germany