1. Chapter 15
Years Of Crisis,

2. Chapter 15, Section 1
Postwar Uncertainty

3. Literature in the 1920’s
The brutality of WWI caused many philosophers and writers to question ideas of reason and progress
Some thinkers turned to the theory of existentialism, or the belief there is no universal meaning to life

4. Society Challenges Convention
Women’s roles changed after their work in the WWI war effort
After the war, women won the right to vote in many countries, including the U.S.
Women abandoned traditional dress and began wearing makeup, cutting their hair short, and seeking new careers

5. Technological Advances: The Automobile
The automobile benefitted from wartime innovations
Before the war, autos were typically only owned by the very rich, but after the war, prices dropped
Increased auto use led to lifestyle changes for many, such as travelling for pleasure and moving to the suburbs

6. Technological Advances: Airplanes
In 1919, two British pilots made the first successful flight across the Atlantic
In 1927, Charles Lindbergh made a 33-hour solo flight from New York to Paris
Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932
Passenger airlines were established in the 1920’s, but only the very rich could afford it

7. Technological Advances: Radio and Movies
In 1920, the world’s first commercial radio station- KDKA in Pittsburgh began broadcasting
Motion pictures became a major industry in the 1920’s
Charlie Chaplin was known as the “king” of Hollywood’s silent screen

8. Chapter 15, Section 2
A Worldwide Depression

9. Rebuilding Europe
By the late 1920’s, European countries were rebuilding their economies with the help of American loans
In the U.S., the stock market was booming
The Great War left almost every country in Europe nearly bankrupt

10. Unstable New Democracies
During WWI, the last of Europe’s absolute rulers were overthrown
Most European countries had no experience with democracy
In some countries, when no one political party could win a majority, a coalition government, or temporary alliance of several parts, was needed to form a majority

11. The Weimar Republic Germany’s new government was set up in 1919
Called the Weimar Republic, it was named after the city where the national assembly met
Problems with this included: Germany had no democratic tradition, too many political parties, and Germans blamed the Weimar government for the Treaty of Versailles

12. Inflation in Germany Germany faced huge economic problems after WWI
To finance the war, Germany had simply printed more money, which caused inflation problems after the war
They continued to print more money after the war to pay their reparations
This caused Germans to question the value of their new government

13. Attempts at Economic Stability
Germany recovered from the inflation due to an international committee and a $200 million loan from the U.S., called the Dawes Plan
It also set a more realistic schedule for Germany’s reparation payments
By 1929, German factories were producing as much as they had before the war

14. Efforts at a Lasting Peace
In 1925, foreign ministers from Germany and France met in Switzerland and signed a treaty promising to never again go to war with each other
Germany was admitted to the League of Nations
In 1928, almost every country in the world (besides the USSR) signed the Kellogg-Briand peace pact, renouncing war

15. A Flawed U.S. Economy
Despite prosperity, the U.S. economy had several problems, such as uneven distribution of wealth, overproduction, and the American people buying less
Many factory workers lost jobs as most people could not afford to buy products
A worldwide surplus of food due to new farming technology drove prices down, causing farmers to default on bank loans

16. The Stock Market Crashes
In 1929, Wall Street was booming with soaring stock prices
In September 1929, many investors started to think prices were unnaturally high, and began selling stocks causing panic
Prices plunged to a new low by October 29th, 1929, known as Black Tuesday
This caused the market to collapse

17. The Great Depression Stocks bought at high prices were now worthless
Unemployment rates began to rise, and a long business slump known as the Great Depression, followed from
By 1932, factory production was cut in half
Around 9 million people lost their money when banks closed
By 1933, ¼ of all Americans were unemployed

18. A Global Depression
American bankers demanded repayment of loans overseas, and American investors withdrew their money from Europe
World trade dropped by 65%, contributing further to economic downturn
Unemployment rates soared

19. Recovery in the United States
In 1932, Americans elected Franklin D. Roosevelt as president
Roosevelt began a program of government reform called the New Deal, which consisted of large public works programs to provide jobs
New regulations were imposed on banks and the stock market

20. Chapter 15, Section 3
Fascism Rises in Europe

21. Fascism’s Rise in Italy
Fascism was a new, militant political movement that emphasized loyalty to the state and its leader
Fascists believed in extreme nationalism and authoritarian leaders
Fascists had many things in common with communists, except for the belief in a classless society

22. Mussolini Takes Control
Fascism in Italy was fueled by disappointment over failure to win territory in WWI, as well as inflation and unemployment
A newspaper editor named Benito Mussolini promised to rescue Italy
He founded the fascist party in 1919, and in 1922, 30,000 fascists marched on Rome and demanded the king put Mussolini in charge of the government

23. Il Duce’s Leadership Mussolini was now called Il Duce, or the leader
He abolished democracy and outlawed political parties besides fascists
He formed secret police and put government censors in place
Even so, Mussolini never achieved the total control that Stalin or Hitler did

24. The Rise of the Nazis
After the war, Adolph Hitler settled in Munich and joined the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party) in 1919
The group adopted the swastika as its symbol and set up a militia called the Brown Shirts
Hitler was chosen as der Fürher, or leader, of the Nazi party

25. The Rise of the Nazis (cont.)
Hitler and the Nazis marched on Munch in 1923 to seize power, but were unsuccessful
Hitler was arrested and while in jail, wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle), setting forth his beliefs and goals for Germany
After leaving prison in 1924, Hitler was ignored by most Germans until the Great Depression caused them to look for firm leadership

26. Hitler Becomes Chancellor
Conservative leaders in Germany mistakenly believed they could control Hitler, so they advised the president to name him chancellor in 1932
Once in office, Hitler called for new elections which the Nazis won
Hitler turned Germany into a totalitarian state and created the SS (protection squad) and the Gestapo (secret police)
By 1936, unemployment in Germany went from 6 million to 1.5 million

27. The Fürher is Supreme
Hitler wanted control over every aspect of German life
To shape public opinion, Hitler turned to mass propaganda
Books that did not conform to Nazi beliefs were burned in huge bonfires
Schoolchildren had to join the Hitler Youth (for boys) or the League of German Girls (for girls)

28. Hitler Makes War on the Jews
Anti-Semitism (hatred of Jews) was a key part of Nazi ideology
The Nazis used them for the scapegoat for Germany’s troubles since WWI
Beginning in 1933, Nazis passed laws depriving Jews of their rights, and violence against Jews mounted
On November 9, 1938, known as Kristallnacht, Nazi mobs attacked Jews in the streets and destroyed thousands of Jewish businesses

29. Chapter 15, Section 4
Aggressors Invade Nations

30. Japan Invades Manchuria
Japanese businesses invested heavily in China’s northeast province, Manchuria
In 1931, the Japanese army seized Manchuria and set up a puppet government to take advantage of natural resources there
This directly violated the League of Nations, and in 1933, Japan withdrew from the League

31. Japan Invades China
In 1937, a border incident touched of a war between Japan and China, and Japan invaded northern China
Beijing and other northern cities including the capital, Nanjing, fell to the Japanese
Japanese troops killed tens of thousands of captured soldiers and civilians

32. Mussolini Attacks Ethiopia
Ethiopia was one of Africa’s three independent nations
In October 1935, Mussolini ordered an invasion of Ethiopia
The Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie, appealed to the League of Nations, but its members did nothing
By giving in to Mussolini in Africa, they hoped to keep peace in Europe

33. Hitler Defies Versailles Treaty
In March 1935, Hitler announced Germany would no longer obey their restrictions
The League of Nations only issued a mild condemnation, convincing Hitler to take greater risks
On March 7, 1936, German troops moved into the Rhineland, a 30-mile area between Germany and France
The British urged appeasement, or giving in to an aggressor

34. Hitler Defies Versailles Treaty (cont.)
The German occupation of the Rhineland marked a turning point in the march toward war
It strengthened Hitler’s power and changed the balance of power in Germany’s favor
In October 1936, Italy and Germany made an alliance known as the Rome-Berlin Axis
A month later, Germany allied with Japan, and all three countries became known as the Axis Powers

35. United States Becomes Isolationist
Many Americans supported isolationism, the belief that political ties to other countries should be avoided
Many thought U.S. entry into WWI was an error
Beginning in 1935, Congress passed the Neutrality Acts, banning loans and the sale of arms to nations at war

36. The German Reich Expands
On November 5, 1937, Hitler announced his plans to absorb Austria and Czechoslovakia into the Third Reich, or German Empire
The Treaty of Versailles prohibited Anschluss, or a union between Austria and Germany
In March 1938, Hitler annexed Austria, but the Czechs refused German rule and asked France for help

37. Britain and France Choose Appeasement
Britain and France were preparing for war when Mussolini proposed a meeting of Germany, France, Britain, and Italy called the Munich Conference on September 29, 1938
Britain and France agreed Hitler could take the western region of Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland if he promised to stop there
Less than six months later, Hitler took Czechoslovakia

38. Nazis and Soviets Sign Pact
Britain and France asked the Soviet Union to join them against Hitler
As Stalin talked with them, he also bargained with Hitler and the two reached an agreement
On August 23, 1939, The Soviet Union and Germany signed a pact and pledged never to attack one another