Section 1: The Western Democracies
In 1919, Britain, France, and the United States were major world powers, but they and other nations faced serious problems:Soldiers returning from World War I needed
jobsNations had war debts to payCities needed to be rebuilt
Postwar IssuesHuge WWI debts because countries had
borrowed heavily to pay for the warDissatisfaction with peace settlements
(especially in Germany)Nations had seen the horrors of war, now they
looked for ways to keep the peace
Kellogg-Briand Pact: nations pledge to not use war as an “instrument of national policy”
**encourages disarmament **no enforcementOverproduction leads to depression worldwide
Recovery and DepressionThe United States was the leading
economic power of the 1920sAmerican Banks and businesses controlled a
global network of trade and finance.American loans and investments backed the
recovery of Europe. As long as the American economy was healthy, the global economy remained prosperous.
Recovery and DepressionAmerican economy had weak spots: one being OVERPRODUCTION
This is when production of goods exceeds the demand for them
In 1929, many Americans lost money in the stock market crashBanks failed and Businesses closed
Great Depression
Worldwide depression left millions out of work
Across Europe, people lost faith in their governments In France and Britain,
democracy survived In other nations, hungry,
hopeless people turned to leaders who demanded absolute power
Section 2: A Culture in ConflictNew Views of the UniverseRadioactivity – Marie
Curie (DO NOT WRITE: atoms of certain elements
such as radium randomly release
charged particles. Also they found
atoms of one element could change
into atoms of another which proved
that atoms were not solid
and indivisible)
Relativity (Einstein) – (DO NOT WRITE: Measurements
of space and time are not absolute but are determined by many factors, objective reality)
Psychoanalysis (Freud) – a method of studying how the mind works and treating mental disorders.
(DO NOT WRITE: subconscious mind drives much human behavior. Morality and reason help people repress or check urges)
New CultureAbstract art: composed of lines, colors, and
shapes with no recognizable subjection matter at all.
Kandinsky
Paul Klee
Salvador Dali: The Persistence of MemorySuggests the chaotic dream state
Surrealism—attempts to portray the workings of the unconscious mind
War led to loss of faith-
Ernest Hemingway: wanderings
of young peopleJazz: combination of western
harmonies with African rhythms*Louis Armstrong (trumpeter)
*Duke Ellington
Nightclubs and jazz music were
Signs of freedom to the youth
Radios spread new cultureMore affordable cars gave
people greater mobility
The Younger GenerationRejection of moral values and rules of pre-WWI
in search of excitement“Lost Generation”: Gertrude SteinImmoral pleasure seekers?
Liberated young woman = flapper
*short hair
*shorter skirts
*unchaperoned dates
*smoked and drank
Sec. 3: Fascism in Italy
How did conditions in Italy favor the rise of Mussolini?
How did Mussolini reshape Italy?
What were the values and goals of fascist ideology?
Section 3: Fascism in Italy
Rise of Mussolini1919: Italy angry by Paris peace treaties
*They didn’t get the land they expectedPeasant and worker revolts/strikes caused
chaosGovt. divided into factionsBenito Mussolini emerged as new leader
Organized veterans and other discontented Italians into the Fascist party (intense nationalism)
Black-shirted “combat squads”
Intimidation and terror—Fascist gangs ousted elected officials in N. Italy
1922: 10s of 1000s Fascists swarmed Rome to demand changes
King Victor Emmanuel III fearing civil war asked Mussolini to a form govt. as prime minister and Mussolini assumed power
Mussolini’s Italy1925: Mussolini took title Il Duce or “The Leader”Suppressed rival parties, censored press, rigged
elections, appointed loyal Fascists to govt. positionsEconomy brought under state control Social policies
*individual unimportant except as a member of the state
*Men: be ruthless, selfless warriors
*Women: have children—14+ kids got them a medal
*Children: “Mussolini is always right!”
*Taught to obey with strict military discipline
What is Fascism?Today it means any authoritarian govt. that is not
communist1920s/1930s: meant different things in different
countries; some commonalities:*extreme nationalism*glorified action, violence, discipline, blind loyalty to the state*anti-democratic*rejected Enlightenment ideas of reason, equality, and liberty*aggressive foreign expansion
Enemies of socialists and communists
Fascism Communism
Nationalist goalsSupport from business leaders, wealthy landowners, lower middle class
International ChangeSupport from urban and agricultural workers
Similarities between Fascism and Communism
1) Single-party dictatorship
2) State control of economy
3) Use of police spies and terror to enforce
4) Strict censorship and govt. monopoly of media
5) Use of schools and media to indoctrinate and mobilize citizens
6) Unquestioning obedience to a single leader
Appeal of FascismPromised strong, stable govt.Revived national prideSense of power and confidence in a
leaderGood worldwide press
Sec. 4: Hitler and the Rise of Nazi Germany What problems did the Weimar Republic
face?
How did Hitler come to power?
What political, social, economic, and cultural policies did Hitler pursue?
How did Hitler take action against German Jews?
Section 4: Hitler and the Rise of Nazi Germany
The Weimar Republic1919: new constitution setting up a democratic
govt. with a parliamentary system led by a chancellor
*gave women the vote
*included a bill of rightsWeak because of many small political parties
that foughtGermans blame Weimar Republic for the hated
Versailles Treaty and heavy reparations
Economy
*1923: Germany fell behind in reparations payments
*Inflation: spiraled out of control
*U.S. reduced German reparations and loaned them $$$ to help in economic recovery (Dawes Plan)
*Great Depression hit and Germany again sunk into crisis
Adolf HitlerBorn in AustriaRejected from art schoolFanatically anti-SemiticFought for Germany in
WWI1919: joined Nazi party1920: leader of National
Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi)
Organized “storm troopers” to battle enemies
1923: arrested, tried, and guilty of treason
In jail wrote Mein Kampf, which included:*extreme nationalism, racism, and anti-Semitism“Germans belong to a superior ‘master race’ of Aryans”*enemy = Jews*blamed Jews for loss in WWI*Revive Germany by uniting, expanding, and forcing inferior races to bow to Aryan needs
Hitler left prison and rose to prominence in the Nazi party
Workers joined and party grew Nazis won seats in govt. as other
parties were divided Hitler elected chancellor in 1933 Within a year, Hitler had taken complete
control and disbanded other political parties
Hitler’s Third ReichHitler moved to build a new Germany
*appealed to nationalism by recalling past glories
*rejected Treaty of Versailles and began scheming to unite Germany and Austria
Achieved goals by:
*organizing system of terror and repression
*Nazis controlled all areas of life
*SS troops enforced Hitler’s will
*Gestapo (secret police) rooted out opposition
Economic Policy
*to combat depression, started large public works programs
*rearm military
*big business and labor came under govt. control
Social Policy
*indoctrinated young people—Hitler Youth
*Hitler gave speeches filled with racism and encouraged citizens to destroy “enemies”
*Limited women’s roles— “pure-blooded Aryan” women get rewards for having more kids
Purging German CultureEducation used as a propaganda tool
*rewrote books to reflect racial viewsArts
*modern art and jazz denounced *glorified old German myths*book burning
The Churches*Christianity is “weak”*replace religion with racial creed*closed all churches and united all into one state church
Campaign Against the Jews BeginsHitler starts to drive out Jews1935: Nuremberg Laws place severe restrictions on
Jews
*couldn’t marry non-Jews, teach or attend at German schools/universities, hold govt. jobs, practice law or medicine, or publish books
Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass)
*Nov. 7, 1938: young Jew shot and wounded German diplomat
*Hitler used event to attack all Jews
*Nov. 9-10: “Revenge for Paris! Down with the Jews!”
*communities attacked: smashed windows, looted shops, burned synagogues, Jews beaten in the streets
*Aftermath—negative world response, Jewish victims had to pay for damage
*In the years that followed 1000s of Jews would be sent to concentration camps