Interwar Period:
Years of Crisis
1919-1939
World Civilizations
The Rise of Totalitarianism
The Ineffectiveness of the
League of Nations
 No control of major conflicts.
 No progress in disarmament.
 No effective military force.
Hyperinflation—German’s
Economy in Shambles after WWI
Weimar Republic: Corruption in 1920’s
Berlin
Germany was taken over by corruption,
chaos and Communist uprisings.
Decadence and anarchy reigned and
everyone seemed to be at war with one
another. In addition the state was under
a constant threat, being unarmed and
unsafe in the neighbor of steadily
strengthening Soviet Union. This was the
situation when the National Socialists
(Nazis) began their struggle.
The Great Depression
The Great Depression
Causes
Long-Term
 World economies connected
 Huge war debts
 Europe relies on American loans &
investments
 Prosperity built on borrowed
money
Short-Term
 US stock market crashes
 Banks demand loan repayments
 Banking system collapses
 American trade declines / no
longer loaning $
Effects
Short-term
 Millions unemployed
 Citizens lose faith in
democracy and capitalism
 Nations turn toward
authoritarian leaders
 Gov’ts take emergency action
to save their economies
Long-term
 Nazis take control of Germany
 Fascism comes to power in
other countries
 Social welfare programs
 Japan expands into East Asia
 WWII begins
Treaty of Versailles
Black Tuesday
1929
- stock market crashes
Total Control
of State by a
Dictator
Great Depression
during
1930s
Increasing influence of new
political parties that emphasize
state control
-For example: Communism,
Nazism, Fascism
 What
is it??
 Describes a government
that takes total, centralized
state control over every
aspect of public and
PRIVATE life.

Government establishes complete control of all aspects of the
state
(political, military, economy, social, cultural)

Highly nationalistic (flags, salutes, rallies, uniforms)

Strict controls and laws

Military state (secret police, army, military)

Censorship (opposing literature and ideas)

Propaganda (media – radio, newspapers, posters)

One leader (dictator); charismatic

Total conformity of people to ideas and leader

Terror and Fear
Nazism
Totalitarianism
Communism
Fascism
*These theories, specifically Communism and Fascism,
are completely different theories that are bitterly
opposed; however they exhibit the same behavior
I am Joseph Stalin, the leader of the
Soviet Union from 1922-1953.
What is Communism?
• LEFT WING
• based on theory by Karl Marx
• revolutionary idea of a political,
economic and social system that
creates a “classless society”
• state ownership and control of the
means of production (no private
ownership)
• Soviet Communism or “Stalinism”,
was more of a totalitarian and
military state combined with
elements of communism
Totalitarianism: Stalin’s Case
Study
Stalin takes firm control of
the government.
• He develops a personality
cult around him, nearlydeifies Lenin and makes
himself Lenin’s successor.
He had eliminated all
enemies.
• Stalin was also good at
changing history.
• CONTROLLING
HISTORY=POWER
"Don't chat! Chatting leads to treason"
Totalitarianism: Stalin’s Case Study
• Peasants are forced onto collective farms, blaming kulaks (wealthy
landowning farmers) for problems.
• Collectivization was an initial disaster. Crop yields were way
down and peasants resisted. They were forced to give up
property, couldn’t sell excess grain, and were making less than
before. Many engaged in sabotage.
• Many who resisted were resettled in labor camps (gulags),
where 5 out of 6 of them died.
• The low grain production was also used to punish people. In
Ukraine, where resistance was high, grain was forcibly taken
and withheld from the people.
• Millions die of starvation… on purpose. Stalin used it as a tool
to empty out the Ukraine.
Ukrainian Children
GULAGS
I am Benito Mussolini the leader (Il
Duce) of Italy from 1922 to 1943.
What is Fascism?
• RIGHT WING
• intense nationalism and elitism
• totalitarian control
• interests of the state more important
than individual rights
• maintain class system and private
ownership
Interesting Fact: Fascism name was derived from
the fasces, an ancient Roman symbol of authority
consisting of a bundle of rods and an ax
Fascist Principles








Anti-individualistic
Anti-democratic
Anti-egalitarian (fairness, equality)
Anti-capitalist
Anti-pacifist
Anti-internationalist
Anti-liberal
Anti-intellectual
The Rise of Mussolini


Italy after the war
 Upset with peace treaty
 Economic and political turmoil
Fiery Speaker
 When speaking he commands
attention
 1919 – organized veterans and other
upset Italians into the Fascist party
 Promised to end corruption and bring
order to Italy
 Promised to take Italy back to the
days of Ancient Rome

http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=wVSalOAosew
The Rise of Mussolini

Seizing Power 1922

Mussolini organized
“combat squads” called the
Black Shirts.

Through terror and
intimidation, got rid of elected
officials in N. Italy
Mussolini’s Italy


Il Duce – “The Leader”
 In theory Italy remained a
parliamentary monarchy
 In reality Italy was a dictatorship
upheld by fascist violence and
terror
 Mussolini feels that democracy is
weak
Economic Policy
 Fascism allows capitalism
 Economy comes under state
control – corporate state
 Economy will improve at the
expense of workers
 “The Trains always run on time”
Mussolini’s Italy

Social Policies
 Facism =Glory of the state, not
the individual
 Slogan – “Believe! Obey! Fight!”
 Men encouraged to be ruthless
warriors
 Women called to win the battle of
motherhood…14 children medal
 Gold wedding bands traded in
for iron ones that represented
their contribution to a stronger
nation
Mussolini’s Italy

Fascist Youth
Strict discipline – instill
strong sense of patriotism
 Youth group toughened
children
 Taught them to obey strict
military discipline
 Taught that Mussolini was
always right
 What is our American
equivalent?

I am Adolf Hitler the leader (der Fuhrer) or
dictator of Germany from 1933 to 1945.
What is Nazism?
• extremely fascist , nationalistic, and
totalitarian
• based on beliefs of the National Socialist
German Workers Party
• belief in the racial superiority of the
Aryan, the “master race”
• belief that all Germans should have
“lebensraum” or living space in Europe
•Violent hatred towards Jews and blamed
Germany’s problems on them
•Supported by middle class, business
leaders, military
Nazism
Fascism taken to
its extreme form.
 Racist and anti-Semitic
elements that did not
appear in Italian fascism.

Mein Kampf (1924)
The title means My
Struggle, and it expounds
on Hitler’s anti-Semitism,
worship of power, scorn
for morality, and plan for
world domination. Hitler
wrote it in prison after a
failed attempt to
overthrow the German
government
• GESTAPO: the Secret State Police
• SS (Schutzstaffel): Defense Corps “black shirts”, an
elite guard unit formed out of the SA
• SA (Sturmabteilung): Stormtroopers "brown-shirts"
early private Nazi army that protected leaders and
opposed rival political parties
• Lebensraum (living space): concept that emphasized
need for territorial expansion of Germany into east
• Wehrmacht:
German army Luftwaffe: air force
• HJ (Hitler Jugend): Hitler Youth
• Einstazgruppen: Nazi Death Squad; mobile killing
units; before the Final Solution was adopted these were
used.
This Nazi propaganda poster reads,
‘Behind the enemy powers: the Jew.
“The Eternal Jew”
Depiction of a Jew holding gold coins in one hand
and a whip in the other. Under his arm is a map of
the world, with the imprint of the hammer and
sickle. Posters like this promoted a sharp rise in
anti-Semitic feelings, and in some cases violence
against the Jewish community.
Lil’ Hitler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aytQJz
dhILM