Postwar Europe:A Worldwide Depression Gives Way to the Rise

of Dictators

Unstable New Democracies

• After WWI countries who for centuries had been ruled by kings and emperors attempted democracy.

• However there were so many political parties often times that it was impossible for one party to win a majority.– Coalition government

• Temporary alliance of several governments (i.e. France)

Can you save us?• The weakness of the

governments led people to look for answers elsewhere.

• Willing to give up democratic government for authoritarian leadership.– One leader who held all the

power, not elected (i.e. Russia and others followed) Storm Ahead

Weimar Republic

• Inflation– No wartime taxes– Print a bunch of

money!!• Loaf of bread– 1918 = less than one

mark– 1922=160 marks– 1923= 200 billion marks

Dawes Plan

Peace?

Gustav Stresemann (Germany)

Foreign Minister Aristide Briand (France)

Kellogg- Briand Pact (1928)- prohibiting the use of war as "an instrument of national policy" except in matters of self-defense.

U.S. Stock Market CrashBlack Tuesday! October 29, 1929

Germany’s Answer• Effect– High unemployment– Inflation

• Solution– Fascism (No more

Democracy)– Adolf Hitler- promises,

promises!– Chancellor 1932– Structured economy

toward the military/war under disguise of public works projects

– Everyone had jobs but wages still low

Great Britain

• Effect– Hit hard by depression• Economic output fell 25%

• Solution– National Government• High tariffs• Increased taxes• Lowered interest rates

– Slow recovery

France

• Effect– Not effected as hard as

other European countries– More self-sufficient– 1935 1 million unemployed

• Solution– Popular Front

• Coalition– Series of reforms but

unemployment still high– Democracy remains intact

Scandinavia• Effect– High Unemployment

• Solution– Government –

socialist ideals– “middle way”

between communism or fascism

– Lots of government sponsored public works

United States’ Hero:FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT- 1932-1945

Roosevelt remained vague on the campaign trail, promising only that under his presidency government would act decisively to end the Depression and restore faith in the American system (our government and the economy).

Solution: The NEW DEAL• Many public works

programs!• 1st New Deal (1933-35)• The New Deal is a series of economic programs

implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. Major The programs were responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call the "3 Rs": relief, recovery, and reform. That is, relief for the unemployed and poor; recovery of the economy to normal levels; and reform of the financial system to prevent a repeat depression. The major them was Public Works Projects - building schools, roads, dams, and providing electricity to create jobs.

Soviet Union (Russia)• Effect– Little to no effect

• Solution– Communist -Totalitarianism – Building an industrial society– Five Year Plan-The five year plans were

harsh. Everybody had a quota. Failure to fulfill your quota, say if you were miner or farmer could result in treason charges and a trip to the gulag- a prison camp.• Pure command economy• Killed or exiled millions

– Great Purge- a campaign of terror directed at eliminating anyone who threatened his power.

Joseph Stalin (1922-1953)

Japan• Effect

• The Great Depression hit JapanThe Japanese economy shrank by 8% 1929–31

• Solution– Aggressive military government

structured around Emperor Hirohito.

• The invasion (imperialism) of other countries to acquire raw materials and resources

• Weary of the West & U.S. presence in the Pacific as they wanted a Greater East Asia Prosperity Sphere that included China.