Nationalism Around the World:
1919-1939
1
PRODUCED BY
Multimedia Learning, LLC
http://www.multimedialearning.org
WRITTEN BY
HERSCHEL SARNOFF
&
DANA BAGDASARIAN
COPYRIGHT 2006
VERSION 1.0
CONTACT INFORMATION:
hsarnoff@gmail.com
danabag@gmail.com
2
Chapter 10
Nationalism Around the World
1919-1939
Section 1: Nationalism in the
Middle East
3
Nationalism had a dark and dangerous side. Many
nationalists could not resist a sense of “we” and “they.”
If each group was proudly promoting its uniqueness,
character and spirit, this inevitably led to claims of
superiority through comparisons with others, and a
dangerous sense of national mission.
Nationalism
was a major
cause of
World War I
in 1914
4
Decline and Fall of the Ottoman Empire
The Middle Eastern Theater
of World War I was fought
primarily between the British
and Russians against the
Ottoman Empire and Germany.
Fighting in the theater
began on October 29, 1914.
Hostilities ended on
October 30, 1918.
A final peace treaty was
signed on August 10, 1920.
This theater encompassed
the largest territory of all the
theaters of WWI.
Yellow: Ottoman Empire
Red: Battle Zones
5
Lawrence of Arabia
The British government sent Captain
T.E. Lawrence, known now as Lawrence
of Arabia, to assist in the Arab Revolt.
Sharif Hussein, the spiritual leader of
Mecca, entered into an alliance with the
Allies against the Ottomans in June 1916.
Lawrence coordinated the Arab
militias and made hit-and-run attacks on
Turkish railways, forcing the Ottomans to
send needed troops into the desert.
In a historic attack, Lawrence led Arab
militias across an impenetrable desert
and seized the port city of Aqaba, cutting
off supplies to the Ottoman army.
This led to the Ottoman defeat at
Megiddo.
Top: Sharif Hussein
Bottom: T.E. Lawrence
6
In September 1918 the Ottoman army was defeated in the Battle
of Megiddo.
Damascus was captured on September 30, 1918.
This ended 600 years of Ottoman rule in the Middle East.
Palestine
Egypt
Allenby
7
8
Armenians Lived in Eastern Turkey
9
Understanding the Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide refers to the systematic deportation
and killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1918.
The Ottoman government charged that Armenians were aiding
the Russian Empire.
The Ottoman government passed the Tehcir Law, giving the
military authority to deport anyone it considered a threat to
national security.
The Ottomans confiscated Armenian property and deported,
executed, and mass-murdered men, women, and children.
The Ottoman army destroyed defenseless Armenian villages.
10
The Committee of Union and Progress
The actions against the Armenians were directed by
the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP).
In February 1915, all military units with Armenian
soldiers were demobilized.
War Minister Enver Pasha justified this action "out of
fear that they would collaborate with the Russians."
Mass deportations began in May 1915.
Enver
Pasha
Armenian Massacre at Erzingan
11
The Special Organization
The CUP created a “special organization” comprised of
criminals released to escort Armenian deportees to Syria.
Entire families were forcibly marched, without food or water,
to concentration camps in Syria.
The deportees were often massacred by the soldiers or left at
the mercy of murderers and thieves along the way.
Armenians Being Marched to Syria
Cartoon of Abdul
Hamid II, Sultan of
the Ottoman Empire
12
Turkey After the War
Turkish court-martials were set up by Sultan Mehmed VI
to punish the Committee of Union and Progress.
The courts blamed the CUP for the atrocities committed
against the Armenians, and for involving Turkey in the war.
The Ottomans kept no records of the numbers of
Armenians deported or killed.
Estimates of deaths range from 300,000 by the modern
Turkish state to 1,500,000 by modern-day Armenia.
Western scholars place the number at 500,000.
The Republic of Turkey does not accept this as genocide.
Mehmed VI, the
Last Sultan of the
Ottoman Empire,
Reigned 1918–1922
13
The Middle East After the Fall of the
Ottoman Empire
By the beginning of
the 20th century, it
was in political and
economic crisis.
For centuries, the
Ottoman Empire
dominated the
Middle East,
northern Africa, and
southeast Europe.
The empire entered
WWI on the side of
Germany.
After the war, it
collapsed. Turkey
became a republic.
14
Colonialism vs. Self-Determination
in the Post-Ottoman Middle East
In the secret Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916, France and
Britain agreed on a plan for splitting up the Middle East
after the expected fall of the Ottoman Empire.
Imperial Russia was to gain control of Constantinople
and the Turkish Straits.
At the same time, to get the support of the Arabs against
the Turks in WWI, Britain promised to support an Arab
homeland encompassing much of the Middle East.
In the Balfour Declaration of 1917, Britain also promised
to support a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
15
San Remo and the Mandates
• At the 1920 San Remo Conference, League of Nations
leaders France, Britain, Italy and Japan met to determine
the future of the Mideast.
• Mideast lands were distributed in four "Class A Mandates" to
be administered by France and Britain.
Class A Mandates were territories that were considered to have
reached "a stage of development where their existence as
independent nations can be provisionally recognized subject to
the rendering of administrative advice and assistance by a
Mandatory until such time as they are able to stand alone. The
wishes of these communities must be a principal consideration in
the selection of the Mandatory."
16
The French Mandate of Syria lasted until 1943,
when it was replaced by the independent
nations of Syria and Lebanon.
The British Mandate of Mesopotamia lasted
until 1932, when Iraq gained limited
independence. Britain maintained a military
presence in the country. The mandate period
was marked by conflicts over who would control
Iraqi oil.
Transjordan was an administrative division of
the British Mandate of Palestine until 1946,
when it became the independent kingdom of
17
Jordan.
British Mandate in Palestine
Britain administered Palestine from 1920
through 1948, when the State of Israel was
founded.
The mandate period was marked by
conflict between the Jewish minority and
the Arab majority.
Britain favored establishing a Jewish
homeland in Palestine, and encouraged
Jewish immigration.
The Jewish population rose from 10% to
30% during the mandate period.
After the Arab Revolt (1936-39) Britain
restricted Jewish immigration.
High Commissioner
Herbert Samuel arrives in
Palestine in 1920 to head
the Mandate. At right is
Col. T. E. Lawrence18
(Lawrence of Arabia).
Republic of
Turkey
Map shows the proposed division of
Ottoman Empire, including Turkey
proper, by the Treaty of Sèvres in
1920.
Turkish nationalists objected to the
partition of the Turkish heartland.
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk,
founder of the Republic of Turkey
and its first president (1923-38)
19
The Modernization of Turkey
Ataturk reformed the government of
Turkey and made it more like a Western
nation. Laws were made to ensure that
religion was not in control of the
government and people but freedom of
religion was preserved.
20
From 1919-1922, Turkish forces under Ataturk
resisted the Allied occupation on three fronts:
First, against the French, who occupied portions of
southeast Turkey;
Next, against the Greeks, who had been promised
territorial gains from the old Ottoman Empire and
invaded western Turkey.
On the third front,
Trench warfare in the Greco-Turkish War of
1919–1922
Turks and Armenians
fought over disputed
territory in northeast
Turkey.
The conflict ended in
1923 with the Treaty of
Lausanne, which
established the
modern Republic of
21
Turkey.
Massive Population Exchanges and Ethnic Cleansing Resulted
from the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922
Both sides committed massacres during the war. The Greek forces
attacked Muslims and the Turkish forces attacked Christian Anatolian
Greeks and Armenians.
It has been estimated that Turkey systematically murdered over
500,000 Anatolian Greeks and 1,500,000 Armenians between 1916
and 1923.
The U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman empire accused the Turkish
government of a campaign of "outrageous terrorizing, cruel
torturing, driving of women into harems, debauchery of innocent
girls, the sale of many of them at 80 cents each, the murdering of
hundreds of thousands and the deportation to and starvation in the
desert of other hundreds of thousands, [and] the destruction of
hundreds of villages and many cities," all as part of "the willful
execution" of a "scheme to annihilate the Armenian, Greek and
Syrian Christians of Turkey."
In 1923 Greece and Turkey agreed to a population exchange: 1.5
million Greeks and Christians were expelled from Turkey and
22
500,000 Muslims were forced out of Greek territories.
The Beginnings of Modern Iran
Oil was discovered in Persia
(Iran) in 1908 and Western
companies became interested in
development and control of the
fields. Reza Khan (Reza Shah
Pahlavi), an army officer,
overthrew the government in
1922 and started to create a
secular state like Turkey. In 1938
he renamed the country Iran and
he began an independent foreign
policy. His alignment with Nazi
Germany led to his being
deposed by the Allies during
World War II.
23
Arab Nationalism
Like Iran, Saudi Arabia, which had few people and
was desert wasteland, had oil fields discovered
during the 1930’s. Ibn Saud, had formed a kingdom
of Saudi Arabia in 1932 and benefited from the
wealth generated from the sale of oil.
24
Chapter 10
Nationalism Around the World
1919-1939
Section 2: Nationalism in Africa
and Asia
25
Movements Toward Independence
in Africa
In the 1920’s Africans became much more politically active due to
exposure of Colonial African soldiers to the West during their service
in the World War. Returning to their homelands they saw the vast
differences between Western democratic ideals and actual practice.
This inspired reform and independence movements.
26
Movements Toward Independence
in Africa
Pan-Africanism was a movement to unite all
Africans. This was supported by Black leaders
Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. DuBois in the United
States.
Marcus Garvey
W.E.B. DuBois
27
The Movement for Indian
Independence
28
The Amritsar Massacre, April 13, 1919
Protestors in the Punjab
region demanded the release
of popular Indian leaders.
British forces fired at them,
leading to city-wide attacks
on British property and a
declaration of martial law by
British authorities.
Three days later, on April
13, British General Dryer
fired into a crowd of
unarmed Indians in the
Jallianwala Bagh garden.
Because they were
trapped in a walled plaza
with no escape, hundreds
were wounded or killed.
This event fueled the
Indian independence
movement.
Punjab
region
29
Mohandas Gandhi, 1869-1948
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Mohandas Gandhi, a
Hindu, became the most
influential leader of the
Indian Independence
Movement.
While living in South
Africa, he experienced
discrimination, led
successful protests, and
later moved back to India
with the goal of ejecting the
British.
He advocated non-violent
resistance or satyagraha,
meaning “soul force.”
30
Gandhi’s first
use of satyagraha
was the wearing of
the dhoti.
The dhoti is a
traditional white
garment made in
India.
He called on all
Indians to only
wear fabric made
in India as a way to
end British
mercantilism.
Gandhi and his wife Kasturbai, 1902
31
Gandhi in Kheda 1918
Gandhi next challenged the salt tax.
Indians were forbidden to make their own salt.
The revenues from taxing salt went to the British
government in India.
On March 12, 1930, Gandhi and 78 supporters walked 240
miles to the sea to make salt.
32
Gandhi during the Salt March
Mahadev Desai and Gandhi
On April 6, 1930, Gandhi was arrested for picking up sea salt.
Tens of thousands of Indians were arrested by the British for
making salt.
Britain received worldwide condemnation for both the arrests
33
and brutality against Indians.
During WWII
Gandhi began the “Quit
India” campaign to
gain independence
from Great Britain.
He and his wife
were put in prison,
where she died.
When India gained
independence in 1947,
Gandhi opposed the
partitioning of the
country into separate
states. He believed
India ought to remain
one nation.
34
Indian National Congress
Pandit
Motilal
Nehru
Mohandas
Karamchand
Gandhi
Sarojini
Naidu
Pandit
Jawaharlal
Nehru
Hindu Indians organized the Indian National Congress in
35
1885 to bring about self-rule for India.
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru, another leader of the Indian National
Congress and close friend of Gandhi. He represented a
more modern secular and Western approach for India.36
The Muslim League
Indian Muslims formed the Muslim League in 1906 to work
toward an independent Muslim state.
Aga Khan III, one of the
founders of the Muslim
League.
Sir Muhammad Iqbal, leader of
the Muslim League, demanded a
37
separate Muslim state in India.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah became the leader of the Muslim
League in the 1930’s.
He believed in a separate Muslim state should be
38
created from northern parts of India.
Partition
During the
partitioning there was
widespread violence
throughout India
between Hindus,
Sikhs, and Muslims.
Millions of
refugees left their
homes to resettle
across the new
borders.
On August 15,
1947, India became
the two sovereign
states of the Republic
of India and Pakistan.
Top: 1947 train to Pakistan
Bottom: violence in Calcutta
39
The Rise of Militarist Japan
40
Zaibatsu
Large monopolistic corporations
(zaibatsu) created by the government
controlled much of Japan’s economy.
This caused an imbalance in the
distribution of wealth and hardship on
workers. This also led to a belief in the
return to traditional values and
rejection of Western influences.
Militant nationalists became more influential
in the government during the 1920’s and
gradually took control over the civilians.
This combined with the need for raw
materials led to an aggressive expansionist
policy and China was the most likely target.
41
Manchuria
Japan had a lack of
natural resources
and a growing
population so the
military seized
Manchuria in 1931,
which was part of
China, a vast
source of natural
resources.
42
Nationalism and Revolution in Asia
Communist Russia offered
support to nationalist
movements throughout the
world and became very
influential in Asia. They trained
and financed revolutionaries in
many Asian countries but were
most successful in China and
Indochina. In French
Indochina, Ho Chi Minh, was a
typical nationalist-communist.
43
Chapter 10
Nationalism Around the World
1919-1939
Section 3: Revolutionary Chaos in
China
44
Kuomintang (KMT)
Kuomintang flag
In July 1914, Sun Yat-sen established the Chinese
Revolutionary Party, also called the Kuomintang
(“kwow ming tang”). By 1915, China was controlled
by a confederation of warlords under a central
government in Beijing.
45
The Soviet Union
In 1920 Sun Yat-sen asked the Soviet Union for
assistance. The Soviet Union and Sun Yat-sen agreed to
the following:
Organize the KMT with the same constitution as the
Soviet Communist Party.
The KMT would ally with the Communist Party of China.
The Soviets would train the new National Revolutionary
Army under Sun Yat-sen’s Lieutenant, Chiang Kai-shek
46
(“Chee-yang Kai-shek”).
In 1925, China had
three different
governments:
•Chiang Kai-shek’s
KMT in Nanjing.
• The Communist
Party of China (CPC)
in Wuhan.
• The internationally
recognized warlord
regime in Beijing.
KMT Army
47
Chiang Kai-shek
Cavalry of KMT
Chiang Kai-shek began conquering the northern
warlords with the help of the communists.
By 1926 he had control of over half of China.
Chiang Kai-shek took control of the KMT.
He sent away the Soviet advisors.
He turned on the communists and killed thousands
in the Shanghai Massacre in April 1927.
48
Chinese soldiers, 1930
Impoverished Chinese
family, 1930
Chiang Kai-shek had taken control of all major cities
in China by 1928 and declared a new Chinese Republic.
The major nations of the world recognized the KMT as
the only legitimate power in China.
49
The Communists in Hiding
The communists had
to flee to rural areas to
escape Nationalist
attacks. Mao Zedong
became the leader of
the communists and
used guerilla tactics to
defeat the Nationalists
who were more
numerous and
powerful.
Mao addressing
peasants and soldiers
50
The Long March
Due to Nationalist attacks against
his base of operations, Mao led
the communist forces People’s
Liberation Army (PLA) on a 6,000
mile march to a new base in
Northern China, losing 90% of his
troops in the process.
51
The New China of Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang tried to fulfill the promises of Sun
Yat-sen but believed he had to use
dictatorial powers first to reform and
modern China. His government still did not
control all of China. He needed the
support of the Chinese elite but this was in
conflict with the peasants. As a result, he
could not implement a land reform
program which would have redistributed
wealth from a small minority of wealthy
landowners. His oppression of democratic
principles led to the alienation of the
peasants and drove them to favor the
communists.
52
Chapter 10
Nationalism Around the World
1919-1939
Section 4: Nationalism in Latin
America
53
The Latin American Economy
Based mostly upon exporting
foodstuffs and raw materials. The
United States became a major
investor in the export companies
and thereby controlled major parts
of the countries economies which
angered many people. They saw
the U.S. as another imperialist
power.
54
The Good Neighbor Policy
In 1933, President Roosevelt of the United
States attempted to change the
relationship by announcing the Good
Neighbor Policy which rejected the use of
military force by the U.S. against its Latin
American neighbors.
55
Impact of the Great Depression
Exports decreased due to the worldwide
depression starting in 1929. With the
decline in revenue, available capital for
purchasing manufactured goods
decreased and new local manufacturing
developed with government investment
and ownership.
56
The Move to Authoritarianism
Domestic instability increased due to the
depression and resulted in the creation of
military dictatorships in many countries.
Many countries had been ruled by small
elites (oligarchies) with a pretense of
democracy but this faded as military rulers
took over.
57
Mexico
Mexico although
democratic was ruled by a
one party system. The
Institutional Revolutionary
Party (PRI) was
representative of the major
groups of Mexican society
and every six years
nominated a presidential
candidate who was then
elected by the country.
There were no serious
opposition candidates.
58
Mexico
President Lazaro Cardenas
(1934-1940) instituted land
reform and nationalized the
oil industry. This made U.S.
oil companies furious but U.S.
President Roosevelt refused
to intervene since he had
issued a promise not to do so
with his Good Neighbor
Policy.
59
Culture in Latin America
Mural by Diego Rivera
Blending of
traditional native
styles of art with
European styles
became popular
and promoted the
history of the Latin
America.
60
Self-Check Quiz
Visit the Glencoe World History: Modern Times Web site
at wh.mt.glencoe.com
and click on Self-Check Quizzes-Chapter 10 to assess
your knowledge of chapter content.
61