Democracy, Totalitarianism & World War II, 1919-1945

1. Democracy, Totalitarianism &World War II, 1919-1945 Chapters 26 & 27

2. Enforcing the Treaty of Versailles

4. An Uncertain Peace

5. France & the Treaty • France tried to enforce the treaty • US & GB returned to isolationist policies • Bolshevik Revolution knocked out Russia • Many in Europe looked to the L of N • The League lacked enforcement ability • France forms “Little Entente” w/Eastern Europe • 1922 Rapallo Pact • Germany agrees to supply manufactured goods to USSR & engage in joint military maneuvers

6. The Advance of Democracy • Short lived trend to democracy after WWI • Women got the vote in many countries • Labor unions got more power • Social legislation helped civilians • Eastern Europe sees new states with democratic governments • All had ethnic minority issues • Conservatives & Socialists opposed democracy • Land reforms failed to end underdevelopment • Only Czech. Seemed to work

7. Weimar Republic • Two major problems: • Faced numerous economic & political problems • Extremists on the left & right wanted to overthrow it

8. Weimar Politics • Founded by two political parties: • Social Democratic Party - left centered • No longer Marxist – wanted to advance a German welfare system • Catholic Center Party – right centered • Neither party wanted a Communist or right-wing takeover

9. Attempted Coups • 1919 Communist Spartacists tried a coup • They were captured & executed by the right-wing Freikorps • 1920 the Freikorps tried to overthrow the Weimar – Kapp Putsch • Prime Minister Ebert called for a general strike which prevented the rebels from being able to move

10. Weimar Constitution • Representatives to the Reichstag were chosen by proportional representation • 10% of the vote = 10% of the seats • Allowed a diversity of views – made it difficult to establish a stable majority government • Easier for extremists to gain a voice • President of the republic could suspend parliamentary rule in emergencies • “suicide clause” allowed democratic rule to be undermined

11. Most Damaging . . . • Weimar government was associated with the Treaty of Versailles • All saw it a diktat – a dictated peace • Demagogues perpetuated the myth that Germany had been on the brink of winning the war in 1918 • Claimed “Jews, socialists, communists democrats” sold them out to establish a republic • Made the Weimar Republic the scapegoat for all problems

12. Reparations and the Ruhr • 1932 Germany fell behind on its reparations payments • France & Belgium invaded the Ruhr Valley • Wanted to extract payments in coal & steel • Germany encouraged workers to resist (passively) • Weimar had to pay the workers benefits & wages in more & more paper money • By Nov. 1923 the value of the mark was at an all time low

13. Hyperinflation • $1 = 4,000,000,000,000 Deutsche Marks • Overnight wealth became worthless • Confidence in the government plunged • Hitler attempted to overthrown the Bavarian government in the Beer Hall putsch (1923) • The coup failed – Hitler served 5 years • Hitler wrote Mein Kampf while in prison

14. Dawes Plan • Great Britain criticized France and Belgium for their invasion • The US intervened • Our former allies said they could not pay back our loans if Germany didn’t pay them • US gave loans to Germany • This was the Dawes Plan – helped for a while • US rescheduled loan repayments in exchange for French withdrawal from the Ruhr

15. The Spirit of Locarno • 1924-1929 was a period of peace & hope • Diplomats turned to negotiation not war • Locarno Pact • Streseman – Germany & Briand – France • Germany accepted the loss of Alsace-Lorraine • Germany worked with Poland & Czech to make new borders • Germany entered the League of Nations in 1926

16. Kellogg-Briand Pact, 1928 • 65 nations signed the pact • Condemned all war • Had no power to enforce itself • Like the League of Nations • Japan invaded Manchuria (’31) & Italy invaded Ethiopia (’35) but there was no punishment • 1930 France began work on defensive forts along the German border • Maginot Line ~ symbol of false security

17. The Great Depression

18. Causes • Strong Inflationary Pressures • Rationing & borrowing, devalued currencies and inflation • Disrupted Markets • India & others replaced Europe during WWI • Agricultural Depression • Glut on the grain market meant price drop

19. More Causes • Economic Nationalism • Many countries passed high tariffs to protect their industries • Reparations • World capital flowed from US to Germany; from Germany to France & Britain and back to US • Credit financing • Advent of payment plans allows deferred payments • Buying stock “on Margin” allowed borrowing up to 90% of the stock’s value – when it crashed . . . .

20. Effects • Investment & world trade plummeted • Unemployment reached all time highs • US & Germany were at 35% unemployment • Unstable credit caused bank failures • Currencies were devalued • Wrecked the gold backed system • First Britain then the US dropped the gold standard ’31 • Trade reverted to bilateral agreements or barter

21. Democratic Responses • Usual economic methods failed to help • John Maynard Keynes offered an idea • Argued gov’t needed to “prime the pump” • Use deficit financing, cut taxes, increase gov’t spending on aid programs • This approach becomes the norm after 1945

22. Democratic Response: GB • Great Britain was most dependent on trade • 1926 General Strike caused by conflicts with industry • Squashed by government • Labour Party replaced the Liberal Party and worked to increase the rights of workers • Britain gave autonomy to many areas under their control • They were in a weakened position

23. Democratic Response: France • Hit less hard than GB since they were less dependent on trade • President Poincaré stabilized the value of the franc – made French goods cheaper to buy • There was a rise in right-wing political power • Left-wing coalition Popular Front took power from 1936-38 & made some reforms • Lost power as tensions increased after the start of the Spanish Civil War

24. Democratic Response: US • FDR’s New Deal started in1933 • Government $ was injected into society • These provided some relief, but unemployment spiked again from 1937-38 • According to most historians, only WWII truly brought the US out of the Great Depression

25. Democratic Response: Scandinavia • Norway, Sweden and Demark combine socialism and democracy • Embraced Keynesian and creative approaches • Used producers’ cooperatives to regulate the prices of agricultural products and state ownership of key industries

26. Totalitarianism Grows • Mass politics and intellectual trends after 1870 contributed to “irrational ideologies” • Anti-Semitism, anarchism’s glorification of violence and the rabid nationalism associated with imperialism • Darwinian evolution was used to justify the strong dominating the weak • Post WWI growth of radio & motion pictures were used to control people

27. Totalitarianism V. Absolutism • Absolute monarchs got power from traditional institutions • Extended power to areas vital to the state • Taxes, trade, religion • Geography & communication issues hindered centralization • Dictators used mass media to mobilize people to fanatical support • Every aspect of life must be subordinated to the party, movement and leader Passive Obedience Total Control of Society

28. Fascism • Fascism was an interwar European phenomenon • It was not the liberalism of democracy or the revolutionary class-based Marxism • This “third way” was based in the 19th century’s irrational ideologies • Fueled by the instability of the 20th century

29. Fascist Ideology • Militarism • War is the proving ground of national identity • Glorification of the state • State=all powerful – culmination of evolution • Fuhrer Principle • Voice of the people was most potent in 1 man • Antidemocracy • Democracy=weakness • Anticommunism • Condemned class warfare • One-Party Rule • Suppressed elections, free press, multiparty systems

30. The Rise of Italian Fascism • Italy was mad that it had been a “winner” but got no prize • Not allowed to reclaim lost lands • Had unemployment, inflation & high deficits • Lots of problems for the parliamentary democracy • Benito Mussolini was left-wing journalist • Became right-wing after WWI • Used the squadristi to intimidate opponents • Mussolini was seen as a champion of law & order • 1922 King Victor Emmanuel III was intimidated into naming BM premier

31. Italy Under Mussolini • Acerbo Law gave 2/3rds of parliaments seats to the party that had the most votes • 1924 Fascists gained control of the parliament • Giamoco Matteotti (Soc leader) was assassinated by fascists • Had exposed corruption & violence in the gov’t • Public demanded Mussolini’s resignation • Used the incident to secure power • By 1926 the press was censored, there was only 1 party & the secret police (OVRA) were everywhere

32. Economy Under Il Duce • Pluralistic society becomes singular • Mussolini introduced the corporative state • Economy was run as 22 separate corporations • Each had representatives from business, fascist-organized labor unions & the state government • The state decided policy & production priorities • Private property & profit were allowed • Failed to address the problems of the GD • Created a program of public works • “Mussolini made the trains run on time” • Needed colonies to survive

33. Society Under Il Duce • Mussolini & RCC signed the Lateran Accords • Recognized Vatican City as separate from Italy • Papacy vows to stay out of Italian politics • Mussolini offers incentives to families with more children, awards for fertile moms & holidays to honor motherhood • The role of women was to have healthy kids • Healthy kids needed physical fitness • Dopolavoro was the state sponsored fitness movement

34. Nazi Germany

35. Hitler’s Early Years • Hitler = Nazism in the minds of the world • Originally Austrian • Embraced anti-Semitism of Vienna’s mayor • Hated the “mongrel” Habsburg Empire • Ethnically diverse with aristocratic snobs • Moved to Bavaria to avoid Austrian draft • Enlisted in Bavarian army – served well • Message runner – victim of poison gas

36. Hitler & the Rise of Nazism • Post-WWI he joined the NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers’ Party) • His speaking ability made him leader • After the failure of the Beer Hall putsch he focused on “legality strategy” • Nazi message was simple: Weimar = rule by the worst – democrats, socialists, Jews – Germany needed strong national government based on race

37. Hitler & the Rise of Nazism • Hitler laid out the need for lebensraum (living space) in Mein Kampf • As a superior race, Germany should take the land to the east • Treaty of Versailles was Hitler’s constant focus for blame • Brown Shirts (Hitler’s S.A. – Stormtroopers) started street fights & generally got off • Targeted workers who only gave him 3% in ‘28

38. Hitler & the Rise of Nazism • Political turn around caused by • Great Depression • Switch in tactics to appeal to the middle class • Nazis used modern tactics to win votes • Hitler visited 50 cities in 15 days by plane • Portrayed as party of youth & dynamic leadership • Had 37% of the vote (230 seats) by 1932 • Now the largest party • Some saw Hitler as the best hope against Communists

39. The Nazi Total State • The Reichstag caught fire • Nazis blamed Communists • Banned the party & arrested the leaders • Still only gained 45% of the vote • Rammed the Enabling Act through • Hitler gets right to rule by decree for 5 years • Hitler=dictator • Passed the Civil Service Act in 1933 – al gov’t employees had to swear personal loyalty to AH

40. Removing all Obstacles • 1934 Hitler smoothes his path • All political parties EXCEPT the NSDAP are declared illegal • Federal governments (such as Bavaria & Saxony) were abolished – now there is 1 German gov’t • Leaders within the S.A. & all political opponents were executed • June 30, 1934 – Blood Purge • Hindenburg died 2 months later – AH = Prez

41. Terror is the Trick • Secret police (Gestapo) arrested all perceived threats • Sent to concentration camps • SS (Schutzstaffel) replaced the SA • Eventually absorbed the Gestapo • Ran the death camps & promoted Aryan elite • All social & civic groups were run by Nazis • All for the state & its goals • See the film, “Triumph of the Will”

42. Solving the Economy? • Nazis used the “pump priming” concept • 1936 Hitler enacted the 4-Year Plan to promote autarky (self-sufficiency) in fuel & rubber – 2 strategic commodities • Promises of gov’t contracts won industry • Independent unions were replaced by Nazi controlled unions • Only union members could get jobs • Built the Autobahn

43. Racial Policy • Boys joined Hitler Youth • Girls joined League of German Maidens • Promoted “church, kitchen & children” • Nuremburg Laws 1935 • At first Jews were excluded from civil service & the army • Defined who was a Jew – striped Jews of citizenship – prohibited relationships with Aryans

44. Kristallnacht • Jews hoped the anti-Semitism would fade • Nov 1938 – it turns violent • Synagogues were burned • Businesses destroyed • Hundreds of Jews were killed or arrested

45. T-4 Program • “Unfit” were sterilized • Terminally ill, insane & physically deformed were euthanized • Approximately 200,000 were killed from 1939-1941 • Protest by Catholic & Protestant religious groups slowed & eventually halted this

46. USSR Under Stalin

47. Socialism in One Country • 1928-1938 was a period of intense modernization • Trotsky was expelled • NEP was ended • It became clear there was no impending world revolution of workers • Stalin took Trotsky’s ideas on strong central planning & implemented them

48. Five Year Plans 1928 • The Goal: • Build a strong base of heavy industry • Aim for self-sufficiency • Create modern infrastructure • Gosplan (central planning agency) was in full control • Could not borrow $ - repudiated tsars debts • Relied on agricultural sector

49. Forced Collectivization • NEP had created a class of wealthy land owning peasants – the kulaks • Kulaks were widely resented • Stalin forced all peasants – including kulaks – onto collective farms • Kulaks resisted by destroying crops & killing livestock • By 1932 collectives were the norm • Millions had died resisting • Millions died from famine – especially the Ukraine

50. Effectiveness • USSR avoided the biggest problems of the Great Depression • Became world’s leading producer of tractors & locomotives • Overall US & Germany surpassed USSR in total industrial production • Often Soviet quality was poor & few consumer goods were produced • Massive growth is explained by its low start point