Democracies in the 1920’s

Fear of Communism

• 1919 fear of Bolshevism spread• Red Scare• Communists took over Berlin for a week

Weimar Republic

• Social Democratic Party (S.P.D) took control of German government Nov. 1918

• Kaiser abdicates• SPD proclaims a Republic, afraid of

Communism

Weimar Republic

• Threats from the Left (Communism)– Lack of exposure to democracy– Relied on conservative groups to maintain order– Military supported government in return for

getting rid of Bolsheviks– Weimar gov’t became a prisoner of the German

Army

Weimar Republic

• Freikorps– Anti-communist repression– Right wing paramilitary group

• Spartacists– Communists– Rosa Luxemburg– killed– Anti-communist repression– Right wing paramilitary group

The “Stabbed-in-the-Back” Theory

The “Stabbed-in-the-Back” Theory

Disgruntled German WWI veteransDisgruntled German WWI veterans

German “Revolutions” [1918]German “Revolutions” [1918]

German FreikorpsGerman Freikorps

Sparticist PosterSparticist Poster

The Spartacist LeagueThe Spartacist League

Rosa Luxemburg[1870-1919]

murdered by the Freikorps

Rosa Luxemburg[1870-1919]

murdered by the Freikorps

Weimar Republic

• January 1919 election– Center-left coalition– S.P.D had most seats– Shared with Center Party and German Democratic

Party– German capital to Weimar

Weimar Republic

• Treaty of Versailles– Dictated peace– Article 231– Reparations– Alsace & Lorraine to France– Lost territory to Poland– France occupied Rhineland, demilitarized

Weimar Republic

• France wanted to punish Germany• Secure its borders• Britain believed a healthy German economy

was tied to a healthy British economy• “Stab in the Back”• John Maynard Keynes– Criticized Versailles Treaty

Weimar Republic

• New Constitution– Reichstag– Universal suffrage– Chancellor & President

Friedrich Ebert:First President of the Weimar

Republic

Friedrich Ebert:First President of the Weimar

Republic

Weimar Republic

• Ruhr Crisis 1923– French occupy Ruhr, take over factories, passive

resistance by workers– Poincare– Runaway inflation– Social revolution– Middle class resentment, blamed gov’t, big

business, Jews, workers, communists

The GermanMark

The GermanMark

The German MarkThe German Mark

The French in the

Ruhr: 1923

The French in the

Ruhr: 1923

Weimar Republic

• Beer Hall Putsch, 1923– Hitler, Nazi, arrested, jail, Mein Kampf

• Gustav Stresemann, 1923• Called off passive resistance• Locarno Pact

The Beer Hall Putsch: 1923The Beer Hall Putsch: 1923

Hitler in Landesberg PrisonHitler in Landesberg Prison

Mein Kampf [My Struggle]Mein Kampf [My Struggle]

Weimar Republic

• Dawes Plan, 1924• Young Plan, 1929

European Debts to the United States

European Debts to the United States

The Dawes Plan (1924)The Dawes Plan (1924)

The Young Plan (1930)The Young Plan (1930)

For three generations, you’ll have to slave away!

$26,350,000,000 to be paid over a period of 58½ years.

For three generations, you’ll have to slave away!

$26,350,000,000 to be paid over a period of 58½ years.

Weimar Germany: Political Representation

[1920-1933]

Weimar Germany: Political Representation

[1920-1933]

Political Parties in the Reichstag

May 1924

Dec. 1924

May1928

Sep.1930

July1932

Nov.1932

Mar.1933

Communist Party (KPD) 62 45 54 77 89 100 81

Social Democratic Party (SDP)

100 131 153 143 133 121 120

Catholic Centre Party (BVP)

81 88 78 87 97 90 93

Nationalist Party (DNVP)

95 103 73 41 37 52 52

Nazi Party (NSDAP) 32 14 12 107 230 196 288

Other Parties 102 112 121 122 22 35 23

France

• Multi party system, had to form coalitions, too much compromise

• Economic chaos• Conservatives (right) dominated government– Supported the status quo, business, army and the

church backed them– Raymond Poincare• Slashed spending, raised taxes

Edouard Herriot & the French

Socialists

Edouard Herriot & the French

Socialists 1924-1926.

Progressive social reform.

Spoke for the lower classes, small businessmen, and farmers.

Committed to private enterprise and private property.

Fervently anti-clerical.

1924-1926.

Progressive social reform.

Spoke for the lower classes, small businessmen, and farmers.

Committed to private enterprise and private property.

Fervently anti-clerical.

Great Britain

• Social equality• Unemployment 12%• 1926 General Strike• Labour Party wins 1924 and 1929, Ramsey

MacDonald• Conservatives win between 1924-1929– Compromised, kept social welfare

1926 General Strike1926 General Strike

Trades Disputes Act (1927):

All general or sympathy strikes were illegal.

It forbade unions from raising money for political purposes.

Trades Disputes Act (1927):

All general or sympathy strikes were illegal.

It forbade unions from raising money for political purposes.

Ramsay MacDonald: 1924, 1929

Ramsay MacDonald: 1924, 1929

Labour PartyLabour Party

Stanley BaldwinStanley Baldwin

Conservative PartyConservative Party

Collective Security

• League of Nations• Locarno Pact, 1925• League of Nations, 1926• Kellogg-Briand Pact, 1928• Maginot Line• Washington Naval Conference

League of Nations MembersLeague of Nations Members

Locarno Pact: 1925Locarno Pact: 1925

GustaveStresemann(Ger.)

GustaveStresemann(Ger.)Aristide

Briand(Fr.)

AristideBriand

(Fr.)

Austin Chamberlain (Br.)Austin Chamberlain (Br.)

Guaranteed the common boundaries of Belgium, France, and Germany as specified in the Treaty of Versailles of 1919.

Germany signed treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia, agreeing to change the eastern borders of Germany by arbitration only.

Guaranteed the common boundaries of Belgium, France, and Germany as specified in the Treaty of Versailles of 1919.

Germany signed treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia, agreeing to change the eastern borders of Germany by arbitration only.

Kellogg-Briand Pact: 1928Kellogg-Briand Pact: 1928

15 nations committed to outlawing aggression and war for settling disputes.

Problem no way of enforcement.

15 nations committed to outlawing aggression and war for settling disputes.

Problem no way of enforcement.

The Maginot Line

The Maginot Line

Washington Naval Conference[1921-1922]

Washington Naval Conference[1921-1922]

U. S. Britain Japan France Italy 5 5 3 1.67 1.67U. S. Britain Japan France Italy 5 5 3 1.67 1.67

Great Depression

• Causes– Weak international economy– Overproduction– Unstable banking– Certain weak industries– ½ of Americans living below poverty – STOCK MARKET CRASH– Hawley Smoot Tariff and retaliation– New York Banks recall loans

Great Depression

• Impact on Europe– Shattered optimism in political leaders– Production declined, except USSR– Unemployment• Germany 43%• Britain 18%• U.S. 25%

Great Depression

Attempted Remedies• New Deal, USA• Scandinavia, most successful• Britain: off gold standard, increase tariffs, cut

spending, 1932 was better than in 1920’s, not completely out until WWII

Great Depression

• France– Radical right increased, supported fascists– Popular Front, Leon Blum– French New Deal– France divided on what to do in Spanish Civil War

destroyed Popular Front– Politically divided into the 1930’s