EVENTS LEADING TO WWII (INCLUDES MAJOR DICTATORS)

Ch. 17

Europe after WWI WWI left every

major European country nearly bankrupt

Only the U.S. & Japan came out of WWI in better financial shape than before (Why?) Neither had been a

wartime battlefield

Germany after WWI

Weimar Republic- GY’s new democratic govt.

Weaknesses: GY lacked a

strong democratic tradition

Postwar GY had several major political parties & minor ones

Millions of Germans blamed the Weimar govt. for the country’s defeat & postwar humiliation

Inflation in Germany

During WWI- GY didn’t increase its wartime taxes To pay expenses of

the war, the Germans simply printed money: The paper money

lost value after GY’s defeat

Burdened with heavy reparation payments, GY printed even more money

Result = value of the mark (GY’s currency) fell sharply & severe inflation set in

Do not write

A loaf of bread cost less than a mark in 1918

A loaf of bread cost more than 160 marks in 1922.

A loaf of bread cost more than 200 billion marks by late 1923.

People took wheelbarrows full of money to buy food.

Recovery The Dawes Plan-

American and British bankers provided loans to enable Germany to expand production and make reparations payments to the Allies

Kellogg-Briand Pact- treaty that attempted to outlaw war. (Pact of Paris)

The Great Depression- U.S.

1929- stock market crashed, businesses failed, banks closed, & people lost their life savings

The U.S. placed high tariffs on imported goods to protect U.S. jobs & products

World trade dropped & unemployment soared

World economies suffered because of the U.S. economy’s problems

CSWK/HMWK- Do not have to write questions P. 535 #1 only- “Geography Skills” P.536 “Reading Check”- There are

two. P. 538 “Section Assessment”- #1,

2, 4, 5, 7, 8 For the terms/names- quadrants

not required, but give full details for terms & country & importance of the people

Soviet Union Communists- instituted one-party rule, suppressed individual liberties, & punished opponents

Totalitarianism

Joseph Stalin- *“Uncle Joe”*name given by the

U.S. 1926- Stalin became

the Soviet dictator (after Lenin’s death)

1927- Stalin began a massive effort to industrialize his country

8-10 million peasants died resisting USSR & Stalin’s communist policies

Italy Fascism- the nation was more important than the individual. Individualism- made

countries weak & a strong govt. needed to be led by a dictator that would impose order on society.

Strongly anti-communists.

Stood for the protection of private property & the middle class.

Benito Mussolini- “Il Duce”- The Leader

Former schoolmaster & journalist

1919- founded Italy’s Fascist Party

Offered working class full employment & social security, stressed national pride

Backed by Fascist militia (Blackshirts)

Benito Mussolini- seizes power 1922- Threatened to

march on Rome to “defend Italy against a communist revolution”.

Conservative advisers persuaded the king to appoint Mussolini as the premier.

Worked quickly to destroy democracy & set up a dictatorship.

Supported by industrialists, landowners, & the Catholic Church

CSWK/HMWK- Do not have to write the questions.

P. 541 “Geography Skills”- #1 only P. 541 Reading Check P. 543 Reading Check P. 546 #1, 2, 4, 6

Japan’s Dictatorship Japan hit by a

depression Military officers

blamed the country’s problems on corrupt politicians & said: Japan was destined

to dominate East Asia

Democracy was “un-Japanese” & bad for the country

Japan’s Leaders

Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito)

Hideki Tōjō (the prime minister)

Sep. 1931- Japan invaded Manchuria

1937- Japan attacked China

Spain’s Dictatorship

1936- General Francisco Franco led a rebellion with the Fascists

Helped by the Soviet Union, Germany, & Italy

Germany

Nazism Germany

brand of fascism

Swastika- Ancient “good luck” symbol.Used by Buddhists & Hindus

1930s- Hitler turned the swastika sideways & it became a symbolof hatred.

Adolf Hitler Anti-communist & admirer of Mussolini

Fought for GY in WWI

Hated the Weimar Republic

Joined the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party)- nationalistic & anti-communist

Hitler- Rise to power

Nov. 1923- Nazis tried to seize power in Munich & Hitler tried to seize power at a bar (Beer Hall Putsch)- failed & he was arrested

Wrote Mein Kampf- “My Struggle”, blueprint for the future

Hitler’s Plans Unification of all Germans under one govt.

Germans (blonde-hair, blue-eyed) belonged to a “master race” called Aryans

Germans needed more lebensraum (living space)

Believed Jews were responsible for GY’s defeat in WWI and problems thereafter

Hitler becomes a leader

Focused on getting Nazis elected to the Reichstag-lower house of the German parliament

Many German leaders felt if Hitler became leader of Germany legally, they could control him

1933- Hitler appointed chancellor (prime minister)

Hitler institutes his plans

Called for new elections

Ordered police to crackdown on the Socialist & Communist Parties

Storm Troopers- intimidated voters

The Reichstag voted to give Hitler dictatorial powers

Hitler as Leader 1934- Hitler

became President

Führer- Leader

Began to rebuild Germany’s military (violation of the Treaty of Versailles)

The Bad Guys Form Alliances

1936- Rome-Berlin Axis (Italy and Germany)

1936- Anti-Comintern Pact- (Germany, Italy, & Japan)

1940- Axis Powers- (German, Italy, and Japan)

Depression & effects of WWI June 1934- all

the debtor nations from WWI (except Finland) announced they would no longer repay their war debts

Bread & Soup lines were common in debt ridden Europe

What’s up with the U.S. ???? After WWI, many Americans

supported isolationism FDR supports

internationalism- trade b/w nations creates prosperity & helps to prevent war He was outvoted by those

who supported isolationism

Neutrality Act of 1935- made it illegal for Americans to sell arms (weapons) to any country at war

Neutrality Act of 1937- required warring countries to buy non-military supplies from the U.S. on a “cash-and-carry” basis

CSWK/HMWK

P. 558 #2-6, 8-10, 11-13, 15, 16, 18-20

*Do not have to write question/sentence.