INTERWAR PERIOD

1. INTERWAR PERIOD SOL

2. Pessimism after WWI • Traumatic for soldiers; negative feeling or pessimism • People living in fear • As a result, the cultural flourishments following WWI reflected the pessimism and the need to be different

3. Literature • The Decline of the West; Remembrance of things Past; A Farewell to Arms • The Trial –an innocent man on trial facing a horrible punishment and he can’t prove his innocence • The Magic Mountain—the setting is in a tuberculosis sanitarium—everyone is dying • Surrealism—life is portrayed as if it is a dream (escape from reality)

4. Poetry • T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land—negative title • Break from tradition—experimentation with capitalization, punctuation, free verse and design of the poem

5. Music • Breaks from tradition—Big Bands, Harmony introduced, 12 tone scale (flats and sharps) and jazz are all introduced • Pessimism—The Blues!!

6. Breaks from tradition—new styles—surrealism and cubism (Pablo Picasso) Painting

7. Film • Pessimism—comedies offered escape from reality, but many plots were disturbing and cruel

8. Architecture • Breaks from tradition—new style functionalism—need to feel useful. More use of steel to feel safe and secure

9. Things to think about!! • When was the last major war for Europe? • Costs of the war—how many people affected? • Memories of war?—trench warfare, trench rot etc.. • Purpose of the war? Was there one? Was anything accomplished?

10. Roaring Twenties • 1920’s=positive change • War-time economy to peace-time economy—things returning to “normal” • Automobile Industry—had profound effect on life in 1920’s---expanded business and industry—people went back to work

11. Roaring Twenties cont… • Life was happy again • Economy was booming • Women upset they were to go back to the home; some women rebelled—Flappers • Cut their hair into bobs, smoked, drank, cursed, and wore bright lipstick • Danced in public and wore revealing clothes

12. Flappers!!!

13. Prohibition • Gov’t blamed immoral behavior on the influence of alcohol • Passed a law about forbidding the manufacture, sale and transport of alcohol—known as Prohibition • Public responded by making their own alcohol, bootlegging, creating speakeasies, and bribing public officials • Law was quickly repealed

14. Prohibition!!

15. 1920’s • Good Times • Economic Prosperity • Investment in Stocks • Late 1920’s increase in cost of living • Wages remained the same • Companies increased their prices • Lowered demand—lay offs!!!

16. 1920’s cont… • People wondered if they could support their family • Made risky investments to make a lot of money—on-margin investments • Eventually, too many people investing causes stock prices to drop • Everyone was selling at the same time, but no one was buying

17. Black Tuesday • Price eventually hit rock bottom and the crash occurred on October 29, 1929 • Complete shutdown—The Great Depression • People turn to gov’t • Gov’t=laissez-faire • Hoover did not know what to do—raised tariffs on foreign goods—made it worse! • The Great Depression became a worldwide problem

18. New Deal • FDR was elected in Nov. 1932 • Created a plan called the New Deal • Series of plans to help the suffering public • Several plans: CCC, TVA, FDIC, Social Security Act

19. Postwar Problems in Europe • Planned Economy: gov’t temporarily regulates the direction of national resources

20. Postwar Problems in Europe cont… • FRANCE: economy suffered greatly after war; increased debt to repair country • Paying interest on debt • Cost of national security • Middle class/working class expected to help the most, but could not afford the higher prices

21. France cont… • French afraid of another German invasion • Rebuilt army and navy • Constructed Maginot Line: large concrete and steel fortification along their border • 1930’s=France’s alliances started to crumble • France wanted to ensure protection from Germany, but all of the major countries pulled out or were very vague about their commitments

22. France cont… • Riots over a gov’t scandal caused workers to go on a general strike —where various industries refused to work • Results: Popular Front—new coalition gov’t (Short Lived) many work related reforms • Gov’t nationalized some of the major industries • Popular Front ended workers lost many reforms and suffered—public was divided; when WWII came there would be a portion of France that will ally w/Hitler

23. Great Britain • High taxes—war debt (middle class) • Factories outdated and run down • High unemployment rates—caused labor unrest • General strike—crippled gov’t and eventually were illegal

24. Ireland • During WWI, Irish nationalists revolted w/the Easter Rebellion—1916 • Germany had conspired w/nationalists, but failed to send support • British put rebellion down • IRA continued to engage in violent attacks against British troops

25. Ireland cont… • 1921-British gave in and divided Ireland • Southern Ireland became Irish Free State in 1922—self-governing, but not completely independent • 6 counties of Northern Ireland chose to remain part of the U.K. • 1949 Southern Ireland became completely independent—Republic of Ireland

26. Eastern Europe • Newly created countries lagged behind rest of Europe • Most of the land controlled by few aristocrats • Major economic activity still agriculture • After WWI, land redistributed to peasants, but they had not money • Democracy was a struggle in new nations!

27. Austria • Most people wanted Anschluss- German for union- with Germany, but peace treaties and allies would not allow it • 1/3 of population lived in Vienna • Struggle btwn socialists and conservatives which weakened democratic progress

28. Hungary • Republic created after WWI was overthrown w/in a year by a Communist, but aristocrats overthrew the communist • Then an admiral took over • Hungary was landlocked, so what was an admiral doing? “Hungary was a kingdom without a king, and was ruled by an admiral without a fleet.” • Hapsburgs even tried to restore the monarchy, but allies would not allow it

29. Poland • Immediately after WWI, a democratic constitution was created—but divided political parties kept the gov’t from operating efficiently • Eventually military dictatorship took over

30. Four Factors which enabled Hitler and Mussolini to come to power: • Big Daddy Syndrome • Ability to convince people • Nationalism • Economic depression

31. The Rise of Fascism in Italy • Benito Mussolini • Offered stability and hope • Born son of a blacksmith • Became an elementary school teacher • Fought in WWI • Began fascist party

32. Mussolini • Fascism: dictatorship which glorified war and promoted nationalism; is the dictatorship of a state with all classes cooperating (appealed to middle and working classes) • Created a totalitarian regime—highly centralized gov’t which allowed no opposition and held total control

33. Mussolini • Fascists adopted the black shirt as their uniform • The Black Shirts put pressure on the gov’t and Mussolini gained the title of premier • This is where the dictatorship began • Called himself “il Duce” -- the leader

34. Under Mussolini • NO opposition, censorship, no freedom of speech, press, no trial by jury and a secret police was created • Italy became a corporate state • Militarism—increasing the army and navy—put people back to work and prepared them for mobilization

35. Weimar Republic • After WWI, a constitution was created in German city of Weimar— Weimar Republic • 2 house legislature—Reichsrat and Reichstag • There was a president and a chancellor • People not supportive—representatives were the ones who signed the Treaty of Versailles • Terrible economic and social problems—2 attempted revolutions

36. Weimar Republic cont… • Political parties grew—National Socialist German Worker’s Party—Nazi Party • Goal was to stop communism—it attracted mostly wealthy business owners and landowners—one recruit was Hitler

37. Hitler • Born in Austria 1889 • Wanted to be an artist in Vienna—failed • In Vienna he became resentful of Jews because of their success • Served in WWI • Joined the Nazi Party • Arrested for Beerhall Putsch (Nazi uprising) in 1923—sent to prison • Wrote Mein Kampf while in prison—blueprint for Nazi Germany

38. Hitler cont…

39. Hitler cont… • After release from prison—became leader of Nazi Party • People identified w/his feelings of hatred and rejection • Appealed to every group in society • Plan to create an Aryan race—master race

40. Hitler’s Rise to Power!!! • Took the title of “der Fuhrer”—the leader • Turned Germany into a police state • NO opposition, labor unions, there was censorship, used a secret police called the Gestapo

41. Hitler’s Persecution • Started persecuting and imprisoning groups such as • Political opponents • Inferior races • Jews were targeted most • Persecuted and tortured • Forced into segregated communities—ghettos • Forced to wear yellow star of David on clothing

42. Hitler cont… • Third Reich—empire—the third major empire and third period of economic prosperity for Germany • Germany’s racial supremacy justified taking land away from the Slavs to expand German borders to handle the growing population

43. Germany • Secretly rearming since the 1920’s • Hitler ready to openly defy the treaty if challenged • Spring of 1936, Hitler sent an army into the Rhineland • France responded by sending a note • Hitler made alliances w/Mussolini in the fall of 1936—Rome-Berlin Axis

44. Russia/USSR • Lenin—leader of communists • 1919 Com intern- encourage communism around the world • 1922 U.S.S.R. • Economic Policy—NEP (major industry) • Collective farming • Some Free Enterprise

45. Trotsky Created Red Army Encouraged Revolution Everywhere USSR

46. Stalin • Leader of Communist Party • Communism succeeded and spread in USSR • Command economy • 5 year plan

47. 5 year plan agriculture production to buy machinery industrial revolution no everyday goods (toilet paper) Lead to dictatorship and purge Stalin