Post WWI conditions

1. Post WWI conditions FOUR things you need to know: • 1. Europe’s infrastructure destroyed • 2. Global depression sets in after WWI • 3. Political instability – fragile coalition govts • 4. Wide spread disillusionment with war/prewar society • Insecurity • Despair

2. World In Chaos • In the aftermath of World War I, and the ensuing depression, much of the world felt disillusioned with pre-war institutions • Democracy • Natural Rights • Alliance System

3. The Lost Generation • Term used by American Poet Gertrude Stein describing the WWI Generation – TOTALLY DISILLUSIONED WITH THE WORLD • Many writers/artists moved to Europe to try and “find themselves” • F. Scott Fitzgerald (former soldier in the war) wrote about the pointlessness of war. • Pablo Picasso expressed this in his paintings

4. Existentialism • Emergence of existentialism—belief that there is no “universal meaning” to life. • Each person gives his/her own meaning to life • Rejection of Enlightenment

5. Surrealism • Movement in Art to incorporate dreams with real life • Depicted objects in unrealistic ways • Salvador Dali – “Limp Watches”

6. Science challenges old ideas • Albert Einstein • German born physicist • Theory of Relativity disproved law of motion and gravity discovered by Isaac Newton • Uncertainty and relativity replaced the comforting belief in absolute laws

7. Freud • Sigmond Freud • Austrian physician/psychologist • Theory about human mind based on years of research with mentally ill patients • Much of human behavior is irrational—the unconscious – where numerous drives exist, esp. pleasure-seeking drives • The Interpretation of Dreams (1900) • Weakened people’s faith in “reason”

8. Nietzsche • Friedrich Nietzsche • German philosopher • Believed Western society placed too much emphasis on reason, democracy, progress • Too little emphasis on emotion/instinct • Lack of individuality/creativity • Wanted the return of ancient heroic values of pride, assertiveness, strength • Through willpower & courage a few humans could become “supermen” – rise above others and control the masses • Strongly influenced Hitler and Mussolini

9. New art & media styles of 1920s • Surrealism – inspired by Freud’s ideas • The dreaming mind/unconscious • New music – jazz – spread to Europe • New Orleans, Chicago, Memphis • Led by African Americans – Duke Ellington • New energetic dances outraged public at first • RADIO - reaches millions • FILM - More people take to the movie theater on weekends

10. European Political Instability • Coalition Governments formed after the war=No Single Party wins a majority • Coalition - Alliance of Several Parties • France (1919-1939)—40 Changes in government occurred • Germany – new democratic govt – fragile • Spain – new democratic govt – fragile • Italy – coalition govt - fragile

11. Germany • New Government set up in 1919—Weimar Republic • Very weak Govt – German people were divided about what kind of system should replace the Kaiser • High Inflation (value of German money dropped because of high debt) • Germany was forced to pay $33 Million in reparations to other countries • (Payments for war damage)

12. Great Depression hits the World in the late 1920s • CAUSES – • 1. Uneven Distribution of Wealth – few people control all the world’s wealth • 2. Overproduction by business and agriculture – switch from wartime economy – businesses and banks went broke • 3. Drop in demand for U.S. consumer goods • 4. Borrowing money to buy stocks (buying on Margin) • 5. Stock Market Crash – October 1929 - When U.S. went down, world went down

13. Great Depression – “Tent Cities”

14. Global Depression • Crash of US stock market quickly caused banks around the world to crash also – domino effect. • Germany & Austria hit particularly hard because of war debts • In Japan – crop failure in 1931 led to famine; city workers also suffered

15. Responses to the Great Depression • Great Britain • Gov’t took control of economy – passed protective tariff, raised taxes, regulated currency – slow but steady recovery • France • Political instability; 1933 5 different gov’ts were elected • Socialist/Communist party coalition (1936) passed worker reforms – pay increases, 40 hour work week, paid holidays, etc - Slow and steady recovery • United States • FDR elected 1932 – The New Deal – a plan to solve the Great Depression • Increased social welfare programs – govt created jobs, paid unemployment benefits, established Social Security for old people, etc.

16. Totalitarianism • The instability after WWI and the Global Depression created new and extreme forms of Government/Leaders - Many Europeans had lost all faith in democratic gov’t • Totalitarianism--Examples • Communism – USSR (Lenin/Stalin) • Fascism – Italy/Spain (Mussolini) • Nazism – Germany (Hitler)

17. Fascism • Totalitarian govt system • Loyalty to state; obedience to leader • Extreme nationalism (nations must struggle against weaker nations) – in international brotherhood (like Communism) • Authoritarian leader – military uniform, salutes, mass rallies – evidence of national strength • No political opposition – one-party rule • Emphasis the need for different classes in society (unlike Communism on– only wanted one class) • Some were meant to rule, others to be ruled (Nietzsche)

18. Italy & Germany -- p. 427-8 • Benito Mussolini (Il Duce) • Blackshirts • List 3 reasons (political & economic Italians turned to Mussolini) • Adolf Hitler – created fascism in Germany which he called NAZISM • Mein Kampf – list 3 of Hitler’s beliefs & goals • Lebensraum • Prison – why does Hitler go to prison? • Chancellor • kristallnact