Chapter 15

Years of Crisis, 1919-1939

Postwar Uncertainty

Will reason really prevail? Question traditional beliefs New science and technology Expanded rights New ideas

Albert Einstein

German-born physicist Revolutionized theory of light Light is constant Space and time are not

Change approaching speed of light Known as relative motion

Theory of relativity

Albert Einstein

More uncertainty Surely time is constant? Even Newton was wrong

Absolute laws overthrown Spreads beyond science

Sigmund Freud

Austrian physician Treats psychological problems

Starts with hypnosis Anna O “Talking Cure”

Human mind is irrational Unconscious

Sigmund Freud

Unconscious control drives Especially pleasure-seeking

Conscious mind unaware Weakens faith in reason Hugely influential by 1920s

Has tailed off

Literature in the 1920s

Affected by World War I Reason? Progress?

Sense of disillusionment Fears about the future Religious doubt Lots of great stuff

Literature in the 1920s

Franz Kafka The Trial and The Castle Inescapable situations Hopelessness People turn into cockroaches

Hugely popular Reflects post-war climate

James Joyce

Irish novelist Influenced by Freud Stream-of-consciousness Ulysses

Existentialism

Insert picture of Sartre here

Existentialism

Philosophers search for meaning Many turn to existentialism

No universal meaning Made by ourselves Choices and actions

No religion

Section 2

A Worldwide Depression

Review – 1920s

What were two major changes in science? What is existentialism? What were two new artistic movements? How did women’s roles change? What two media came to dominate popular

entertainment?

Cinderella Man (2005)

Great Depression era Boxing! Based on true story

James J. Braddock Lots of horrible stuff

But ultimately uplifting 3 Oscar nominations

Section Preview

Europe economies rebuilding Japan and U.S. prospering U.S. providing loans Great American confidence Booming stock market Trouble ahead

Postwar Europe

Europe practically bankrupt $338 billion Land devastation

Declines in world affairs Still lots of tension

Why?

Unstable New Democracies

Last absolute rules gone by 1918 What happened in Russia?

Most European nations democratic Citizens have little experience

Representative government?!?! Kings in Germany and A-H

Unstable New Democracies

Parliamentary troubles elsewhere France and Italy Political infighting Dozen or more parties One party can’t win support

Coalition governments Temporary alliance of parties How long do these last?

Unstable New Democracies

Frequent changes = instability Weak leadership No long-term planning

Worse in crises Mass panic Sacrifice freedoms Authoritarian leaders rise

Weimar Republic

Weimar Republic

1919 – new German government Democratic!

National assembly meets in Weimar Doomed from start

No democratic tradition Many parties Blamed for WWI defeat

Hyperinflation

Many economic problems Reparations Minimal wartime taxes

Unlike Britain and France They printed more money

Terrible idea. Just terrible.

Hyperinflation

Mark plummets in value Severe inflation Cost of bread skyrockets

1918 – less than 1 mark 1923 – 200 billion marks

Is new government working?

Hyperinflation

Economic Stability

Bailed out from outside International committee

Charles Dawes U.S. banker Dawes Plan

How to handle reparations, inflation?

Dawes Plan

$200 million loan from U.S. banks Stabilize currency

American dollar more valuable Strengthen economy More realistic reparations payments

Dawes Plan

Put into effect in 1924 It works

Slows inflation Attracts U.S. loans, investments 1929 – producing at pre-war levels

This sounds like who?

Lasting Peace?

Lasting Peace?

Gustav Stresemann – Germany Aristide Briand – France 1925 – meet in Switzerland Sign a treaty

Never make war with each other Germany respects French, Belgian borders Admitted to League of Nations

Lasting Peace?

1928 – momentum builds Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact

Nearly every country signs Even Soviet Union!

Ambitious goal

“To renounce war as an instrument of national policy.”

Lasting Peace?

How to enforce? No League of Nations military U.S. refuses to join

Why is this a problem?

But a promising start At least they’re talking

Review

What were some problems with the transition to democracy in Europe?

How did inflation affect the German economy?

What was the Weimar Republic? Dawes Plan?

How did Germany and France attempt to make peace? Who else joined in?

Road to Perdition

Crime and revenge Based on graphic novel Tom Hanks as bad guy 6 Oscar nominations A downer Directed by Sam Mendes

Financial Collapse

U.S. carrying the world Great stock market Foreign investment International relations

If it collapses, the world follows What happens?

Flawed U.S. Economy

Richest 5% - 33% of wealth 60% earn less than $2,000

Too poor to buy goods Orders cut back Factories fire workers

The spiral begins

Flawed U.S. Economy

Uneven distribution of wealth Overproduction

Business and agriculture Decreased buying But increased production

50% of world’s industrial goods

Flawed U.S. Economy

Farmers can’t make profit Loans default Go out of business

Danger signs obvious Many provide warnings Don’t gamble in stock market

Widely ignored advice

The Stock Market Crashes

Wall St. – world’s financial capital New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

Investors optimistic Stock prices soar

Middle class buys on margin Small down payment Borrow the rest

The Stock Market Crashes

If prices rise, great If they fall, catastrophe

No money to pay banks September 1929 – panic sets in

Prices unnaturally high Begin selling off

The Stock Market Crashes

Thursday, Oct. 24 – uh oh Gradual lowering snowballs Panic sets in

Everyone wants to sell Who wants to buy?

October 29 – new low 16 million stocks sold And now we have a…?

Review

What were some root causes of the stock market crash?

What are coalition governments? Do they tend to work? (Hint: no)

What was the Weimar Republic? What two countries attempted a “lasting

peace”? Tell me 3 developments in science,

entertainment, and/or the arts.

Review

Three traits of Fascism? Mussolini. Hitler. Go. How does Nazism relate to Fascism?

Escape from Tomorrow (2013)

Filmed in Disney World Without permission iPhones, hidden cameras Customers filmed w/o consent Horror/thriller/drama

Brainwashing? Interested in watching in class?

The Great Depression

People can’t pay on margin Banks can’t call in loans Stocks worthless Unemployment rises

Production drops Wages drop Prices drop

This is the Great Depression

The Great Depression

Many other factors involved Crash simply accelerates process 1932 – 50% production Many businesses close Banks fail

9 million lose savings 1933 – 25% unemployment

A Global Depression

Reverberates around world Bankers demand repayment

Withdraw money from Europe U.S. sets high tariffs

Buy American goods Backfires catastrophically Other nations raise tariffs

World trade drops 65%

Effects Throughout the World

Germany, A-H in trouble Depend on loans, investments U.S. troubles = Europe troubles

1931 – Austria’s main bank fails Asia – value of exports decline 50%

1929-1931 Prices collapse in Latin America

No American demand for crops

Britain

Britain devastated National Government elected

Multiparty coalition High tariffs and taxes Regulated currency

Low interest rates Encourage growth

Britain

It works eventually Slow, steady recovery Unemployment cut in half

1937 Production above 1929 levels Avoids political extremes Preserves democracy

France

More self-sufficient Heavily agricultural Less dependent on foreign trade But things are still bad

1 million unemployed in 1935 Contributes to political instability

France

Coalition governments form, fail 5 in 1933

Antidemocratic forces forming France and abroad

1936 – large coalition Moderates, socialists, Communists

France

Popular Front Series of reforms Designed to help workers

There are wages gains But also price gains

Unemployment still high But democracy prevails!

Socialist Governments Find Solutions

Scandanavian countries succeed “Cooperative community action”

Sweden Public works projects Keeps people employed

Raise pensions for elderly Increased unemployment insurance Other welfare benefits

Socialist Governments Find Solutions

How to pay for these? Tax citizens

Like Britain and France… Democracy prevails!

U.S. Recovery

U.S. Recovery

FDR’s confidence appeals to voters Famous quote:

“let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”

Review

France weathered the Depression better than Britain because they were more……?

What effect did the U.S. tariff have on the world economy?

Britain created a multiparty coalition known as the….? What did it do?

The Popular Front was a coalition in _______ made up of which 3 groups?

In economics, wage gains can be offset by…?

Upstream Color (2013)

Director’s second film He does everything Hard to explain plot Limited dialogue Possibly the best movie ever On DVD in May

U.S. Recovery

New Deal initiatives Large-scale government reforms Public works projects Provide jobs Loans to businesses

Government spending Tighter regulations Reform business and stock market

U.S. Recovery

Reforms entire economic system Roosevelt succeeds as leader U.S. keeps faith in democracy Faith in leader will be important

More problems on horizon Like what?

What I Didn’t Cover Thursday

Dictators claiming power Eastern Europe, too First is in 1919 Admiral Miklos Horthy

Hungary Communists overthrown Military and aristocratic support

What I Didn’t Cover Thursday

Lots of countries follow Marshal Jozef Pilsudski

Poland – 1926 Constitutions suspended

Yugoslavia Bulgaria Albania Romania

What I Didn’t Cover Thursday

1935 – ONE democracy in Eastern Europe Czechoslovakia

Democracy survives in some nations Britain, France, Scandinavia

Why? Europe in 2 antagonistic groups Tell me what they are.

Section 4

Aggressors Invade Nations

(Brilliant Title)

Section Preview

Germany and Italy very angry World conquest? Democracies distracted

By what? Pins hope on League of Nations Fascism in Japan?

Japan Seeks an Empire

1920s – more democratic As in Europe

1922 – respect China’s borders Signs Kellogg-Briand Pact Weak Parliament

Limits on leaders Weak civilian control Military reports to emperor

Militarists Take Over

Prosperity helps maintain government Great Depression hits 1929 People blame government

Just like? Military leaders gain support

Win control shortly

Militarists Take Control

Different from Fascists No new system

Restore control to military Emperor symbol of power

Who was it in Italy, Germany? Hirohito

Wins support of army

Militarists Take Control

EXTREME nationalism Just like….?

Expansion will solve problems Pacific empire Conquer China

Have we talked about this?

Militarists Take Control

Why China? Raw materials New markets

Rising population New land

Japan will invade…… We talked about already

Japan Invades Manchuria

Heavy Japanese investment Rich in iron and coal

Seize Manchuria Despite objections

Set up puppet government Scientists arrive en masse

Mines and factories

Japan Invades Manchuria

What about League of Nations? All major democracies in 1932

Except…? Three greatest threats to peace

Who might they be? League protests invasion

Japan doesn’t care Withdraws in 1931

Japan Invades China

Escalates in 1937 Invade northern China 1,000,000 Japanese soldiers Wins fairly easily

Better trained and equipped China’s army led by…?

Beijing, Nanjing fall quickly

Japan Invades China

Massacre 10s of thousands Soldiers and civilians

Forced to retreat New capital at Chonqing Communists fight back

Led by….?

European Aggressors

League of Nations fails Fascists are tickled pink

We should invade too! Mussolini dreams of an empire

Jealous of Britain and France… …who have empires in?

Mussolini Attacks Ethiopia

Ethiopia is independent 1 of 3 in Africa

Italy has attempted to conquer Mussolini wants revenge Massive invasion – 1935 Ethiopia outmatched

Spears and swords vs. WWI technology

Mussolini Attacks Ethiopia

Haile Selassie Emperor

Makes plea to League They do nothing

Except condemn it. Yay. Britain looks the other way Italy cruises through Suez

Hope to keep peace

Hitler Defies Versailles Treaty

Long pledges to undo Versailles Limits size of army Hitler decides to violate this League does nothing

Except condemn. Yay. Hitler convinced to do more

Hitler Defies Versailles Treaty

Germany can’t enter zones 30 miles around Rhine River Buffer from France Ha!

Big industrial area Germany invades

March 7, 1936

Hitler Defies Versailles Treaty

French won’t risk war British push appeasement

Giving into aggressors Keep the peace

Hitler would have backed down Britain, France missed opportunity

Turning point

Hitler Defies Versailles Treaty

Strengthens Hitler’s power Balance of power changes

France, Belgium vulnerable Hitler speeds up expansion

Britain, France will stand by How about the League?