1. Chapter 24
The West BETWEEN Wars

2. Chapter 24: Overview
What happened between the World War I and World War II? There is
an age of prosperity (the 1920’s) followed by a financial depression.
This low economic place lead to the rise of totalitarian leaders.
People needed something to believe in.

3. Section 1 The Futile Search for Stability
• The peace settlement at the end of World War I left many nations unhappy
and left border disputes simmering throughout Europe.
• The League of Nations proved a weak institution.
• Economic problems plagued France, Great Britain, and the German Weimar
Republic.
• When Germany declared that it could not continue to pay reparations,
France occupied Germany's Ruhr Valley as a source of reparations.
• The Dawes Plan reduced the burden of reparations and led to a period of
prosperity and American investment in Europe.
• Democracy was widespread, and women in many European countries gained
the right to vote.
• The prosperity ended with the economic collapse of 1929 and the Great
Depression.
• European governments tried different approaches to ending the depression.
With the Great Depression, many extremist parties gained political support.
The new U.S. president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, pursued a policy of active
government intervention in the economy that came to be known as the New
Deal.

4. Section 1 The Futile Search for Stability
Weak League of French Demands Inflation in Germany Treaty of Locarno
Nations
-The League of Nations -France wanted German workers went on strike -Written by France and
was an intergovernmental Germany to pay their and refused to work for the Germany, it guaranteed
organization founded as a debt for WW1 which French. Germany’s new western
result of the Paris Peace was $33,000,000,000 -Germany printed more money, borders with France &
Conference that ended or 33 billion dollars. causing prices to go up (you Belgium.
the First World War. It was By 1922, Germany can’t simply print more -Seemed to encourage
the first international said that they could money…it has to be backed by Peace.
organization whose not pay. So, France gold) -Germany joined the
principal mission was to sent troops into the -1914: German Inflation: League of Nations.
maintain world peace. Ruhr Valley 4.5 German marks =1$ -Weak because it was
-US never joined (the (Germany’s industrial -Nov 1st, 1923 130 BILLION just a promise and did
Senate refused to ratify area) to collect money marks = 1$ not have enforcement to
the Treaty of Versailles), by using the mines -Nov 30th (30 days later) 142 back it up.
making the league weak. and factories. TRILLION marks = 1$
-Nations could not -Printed money was worthless.
approve using force
against aggression.

5. Section 1 The Futile Search for Stability
The Great
Depression
Responses
Causes
40% of Germans were out of work.
Oct. 1929, US stock
Prices on farm market crashed partly Governments did not know how to handle
goods dropped because US withdrew this.
funds from Germany. Governments became very involved in
economic affairs increasing Marxist ideas.
People followed political leaders that
wanted to solve this problem. Hitler was
perfect for this

6. Section 1 The Futile Search for Stability
Germany France Great Britain US
William II led to the Weimar Became the strongest Lost much of its industry After Germany, the US
Republic:: Had many European power. to the US and Japan. This was the worst hit by the
problems inflation, no real 1930’s brought led to unemployment. depression, with
leader, other than political chaos. People The Labour Party lost 12million unemployed.
Hindenburg that were politically control to the President FDR (Franklin
‘left’ communists & Conservatives. They Delano Roosevelt,
A zeppelin socialists from the brought GB out of created the New Deal
named for
Hindenburg
Popular Front depression. Economist where the government
government. They John Maynard Keyes felt became more involved in
started ‘collective the government should putting people back to
bargaining’ (the right ‘spend’ their way out of a work. The New Deal did
of unions to negotiate depression not solve unemployment.
with employers) to get WWII does.
I started programs
a 40hr work week and
2 weeks paid vacation.
that built Hoover
Dam. I’m FDR.

7. Section 2 The Rise of Dictatorial Regimes
• By 1939 most European democracies had collapsed.
• Only France and Great Britain remained democratic.
• Benito Mussolini of Italy began his political career as a Socialist, but he
abandoned socialism for fascism, which glorified the state and justified the
suppression of all political dissent.
• In Italy, Mussolini outlawed most political opposition and controlled the
mass media, but never achieved complete totalitarian control.
• After the Russian civil war, Lenin restored capitalist practices in his New
Economic Policy, which prevented economic and political collapse.
• After Lenin's death, Joseph Stalin emerged as the most powerful Communist
figure.
• Stalin sidelined the Bolsheviks of the revolutionary era and established
totalitarian rule.
• His program of rapid industrialization and collectivization of agriculture
forced horrendous sacrifices on the population.
• His political purges caused millions to be arrested, imprisoned, and
executed.
• Elsewhere in Eastern Europe and in Francisco Franco's Spain, authoritarian
regimes were mainly concerned with preserving the existing social order.

8. Section 2 The Rise of Dictatorial Regimes
Adolf Hitler: Josef Stalin: Leader of the USSR. He was in a powerful
joined the position in the USSR, and took advantage by grabbing
Worker’s Party, power from Leon Trotsky (later found murdered)
‘right’ wing
extreme
nationalism. By
1921 he was in
control and U
named the S
head of the Nation Socialist German S
Workers’ Party (Nazi Party). R
Benito Mussolini, establish first
European fascist movement in Italy.
Military leader Francisco Franco, led forces against the
Fascism glorifies the state above the
Spanish government. Italy & Germany sent forces to
individual with a strong central
help Franco. Troops from the US and USSR went over
government. He formed bands of
to volunteer and help. Franco establish a dictatorship.
squadristi (blackshirts) to attack
It was ‘authoritarian’ not ‘totalitarian’.
socialists. This gave him support from
the landowners.

9. Section 3 Hitler and Nazi Germany
At the end of World War I, Adolf Hitler joined a small right-wing
extremist party in Munich and eventually became its leader.
Hitler staged an uprising against the government in Munich, the
Beer Hall Putsch, which failed. In prison, he wrote Mein Kampf
—an account of his movement and his views. Once out of prison,
he expanded the Nazi party in Germany. As democracy broke
down, right-wing elites looked to Hitler for leadership. In 1933
Hitler became chancellor of Germany. Amid constant chaos and
conflict, Hitler used terror and repression to gain totalitarian
control. Heinrich Himmler led the SS, or Schutzstaffeln (Guard
Squadrons), a police force that maintained order. Meanwhile, a
massive rearmament (building weapons for war) program put
Germans back to work. Mass demonstrations and spectacles
rallied Germans around Hitler's policies. All major institutions
were brought under Nazi control. Women's primary role was to
bear Aryan children. Hitler's Nuremberg Laws established official
persecution of Jews. A more violent anti-Semitic phase began in
1938 with the Kristallnacht – the night of “shattered glass” –
when the Nazis destroyed synagogues and Jewish businesses
and killed or rounded up Jews to send to concentration camps.
Increasingly drastic steps barred Jews from attending school,
earning a living, or engaging in Nazi society. Jews were also
encouraged to emigrate.

10. Section 3 Hitler and Nazi Germany
Hitler & his views Rise of Nazi’s Victory of Nazism The Nazi State
Born: Austria, failed Nazis’ would need to 1930 President was 1933-1939: Aryan state was
secondary school. gain power legally Hindenburg. to be establish, 3rd Reich (1st
Wanted to be an artist. 1929 Nazi’s were a 1933 Hindenburg was was the Roman Empire, 2nd
Served 4 years on the national party (like pressured to make Hitler was German Empire) Terror
Western Front during the Democrats or ‘Chancellor’ and create a was used to control the
WWI. Republicans) in new government people.
1919 Joined German German Parliament March 23, 1933: 1935: Nuremberg Laws,
Workers’ Party (right called the Reichstag Parliament pass Enabling excluded Jews from German
wing) Hitler promised a new Act: allowed 4 years to citizenship, forbade marriages
1921 Controlled the party Germany with jobs, ignore the constitution. between Jews & Germans.
1923 Staged an armed showing national This gave Hitler all of the 1941 – Jews had to wear
uprising (Beer Hall pride. power. Yellow stars
Putsch) he was sentenced Concentration camps Nov. 9, 1938, Kristallnacht, a
to prison were setup for people destructive rampage against
In Prison, wrote Mein who opposed them. the Jews
Kampf (My struggle) 1933 Germany was a
Book about German totalitarian state
Nationalism, linked to
social Darwinism.

11. Section 3 Hitler and Nazi Germany

12. Section 4 Cultural and Intellectual Trends
• After World War I, radio and film became sources of entertainment as well as
propaganda tools.
• Hitler and the Nazis made wide use of both radio and film.
• Eight-hour workdays allowed many people to enjoy mass leisure activities such
as professional sporting events, as well as train, bus, and car travel.
• The uncertainty of the post-war world became a prominent theme in art.
• Dadaism and the surrealism of Salvador Dalí reflected absurdity in the
world.
• Nazi art was intended to be a new German art form. In fact, it was largely
derived from nineteenth-century folk art.
• Literary interest in the unconscious produced the "stream of consciousness"
technique of James Joyce's Ulysses .
• The German novelist Hermann Hesse was influenced by psychology and Asian
religions.
• The revolution in physics begun by Albert Einstein continued in the 1920s with
Werner Heisenberg's “uncertainty principle. “

13. Section 4 Cultural and Intellectual Trends
Salvador Dali, was the ‘high
priest’ of surrealism. He
painted everyday objects,
but separated them from
their normal contexts by
placing recognizable objects
in unrecognizable
relationships.
Hitler rejected modern art as ‘degenerate’
and believed that they could create a new
genuine German art. (very Nationalist)

14. Section 4 Cultural and Intellectual Trends
Modern Art between Wars
Heroic Age of
Physics:
Heisenberg’s
Surrealism: Uncertainty
Dada Movement:
portrayed fantasy, Principal: subatomic
The world doesn’t
dreams & particles are
make sense so why
nightmares. unpredictable. This
should art? Life has
Salvador Dali. challenged Newton’s
not purpose. Hannah
Recognizable objects theory. Albert
Hoch
in unrecognizable Einstein continued
places. working.