The period between the end of World War I and the start of World War II marked a period of challenge. Europe was mostly devastated from the effects of World War I being fought on the continent. With the worldwide depression and the flux in the stability of political institutions, a vacuum of power was created. Arising to fill in the opportunities would become the world’s most revered and feared dictators. Hitler of Germany would assume control and create a powerful militaristic country that would use groups of people as scapegoats to their national ills. Mussolini of Italy would make the Mediterranean the Italian lake with himself as the central leader. In Russia, the Bolsheviks would assume control and the rise of Lenin and then Stalin would emerge In Asia, a similar cult of personality was emerging. The military assumed more and more control of the Japanese government as the Emperor coalesced. These dictators would take the lives of many of their own people and of others too, cause another world war, and ultimately influence world events well beyond their own lives.
What were the terms of the Versailles Treaty in regards to Germany?
Territorial
Germany surrenders Alsace-Lorraine
Germany surrendered Saar Coal Mines to French control with provisions that after 15 years Saar inhabitants would decide if they wanted to rejoin Germany
Poland becomes an independent nation
German-speaking Polish Corridor is given to Poland for water access
Territories in Africa and Pacific given as mandates to Britain, France, and Japan
Disarmament
size of German army limited to 100,000 volunteers; no conscription
subs, airplanes, war industries banned
forbidden to place any troops in Rhineland, a strip of territory in Western Germany
War Guilt and Reparations
sole blame placed on Germany
agreed to pay reparations to all Allies, $31 billion
Czar Nicholas II
1894-1917 Reign
Didn’t want to be Czar, loved his family, but war and food for country took up all his time
Not charismatic; shy and quiet
Secluded life with family
Tsarina, Alexandra = Czar’s wife
hired Rasputin to heal eldest son with hemophilia = Alexis
may have had an affair with Rasputin, people felt Tzarina had too much influence on government
Nicholas II didn’t realize that dissent was growing
Czar was detached, not listening to the people
1905 Revolution — Bloody Sunday
Jan 22, 1905
Peaceful march with more than 100,000 petitioners protesting against corrupt and inefficient Russian government after Russo-Japanese War
Czar made reforms but with his fingers crossed behind his back
March Revolution = Czar is Overthrown
In March of 1917 Czar Nicholas II abdicates
Peter the Great
Tsar of all Russia 1682-1725
Known for modernizing Russia and transforming it into a major power
Birthed Russian army
Alexander II
1855-1881 Reign
Came to power and had to face the defeat of Crimean War against Ottoman Empire
Freed the serfs in 1861 and gave them limited rights
Put down a Polish revolt for independence in 1863
Became a harsh, strict ruler
was assasinated in 1881 with a bomb blast
Bolsheviks
Russians who believed in Communism
On Oct 25, 1917 Bolsheviks seized most of Petrograd = a capital in Russia
nationalized everything — even some communists don’t agree with this act → leads to civil war
Civil War until 1921 — Whites (Anti-communists) vs. Reds (Bolsheviks)
Romanovs
House of Romanovs ruled Russia 1613-1917
Ended with Czar Nicholas II
Anastasia
“Lost“ daughter of Nicholas II
Was assassinated along with family
had three older sisters and younger brother = Alexis
Mensheviks
Whites in civil war
anti-communists
Social Revolutionaries
sudden changes in the structure and nature of society
transforms society, economy, culture, philosophy, and technology along with but more than just the political systems
New Economic Plan
Made by Lenin 1921
“take one step backward to go two steps forward“
Lenin decided that Russia must adopt a little capitalism temporarily
peasants can sell food in open markets, entrepreneurs encouraged to produce consumer goods, foreign investors enticed to invest capital in Russia industry
government allowed some freedom, free market capitalism
Central government retained conrol of major industries like mining, steel production, and transportation
Five-Year Plans
purpose = to set production targets for industries to achieve — to manage the economy
First Five Year Plan (1929) = set out to triple the production of coal, iron, steel, oil, and machinery and increase sixfold electricity production
Called for the construction of massive industrial centers that would provide iron, chemical products, and fuel needed to build tractors, tanks, airplanes, and ships
vast amount of capital necessary to accomplish five year places
national effort on the part of Soviet workers, who labored long hours and whose living conditions were inferior to other European countries
Whites
Anti-communists
US sent troops to help Whites
Mensheviks
Reds
Bolsheviks
Wanted to nationalize everything
believed in communism
led by Lenin
Cheka = secret polite created to back up Reds
Lenin
aided by Germans in returning to Russia
was exiled in Switzerland but came back to Russia when March Revolution overthrew czar
“Land, Bread, Peace“
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk = Gets Russia out of WWI but has to give up land (ex: Ukraine)
Soviet Union under Lenin
Goals
transform Russia from a backward, feudal society to a modern, industrialized nation
create a model Marxist society
end illiteracy and class distinctions
Obstacles
WWI and civil war cause loss of lives and money and destruction of property
wages go down and prices go up
Western nations blockaded Russia → nothing in, nothing out
NEP
Atempts to create classless society
dies in 192 before everything becomes good
Stalin comes into power
Rasputin
peasant faithhealer
claimed to be able to cure Alexis’ hemopholia
two-sided and womanizer
became close advisor to royal family
may have had affair with Alexandria
Trotsky
one of Russia’s leaders (w/ Stalin) after Lenin died
political rivals with Stalin
“Death solves all problems“ → killed off all resisters using Red Army
exiled by Stalin, then assassinated in Mexico in August 1940
How was Czarist Russia like France before the French Revolution? (think social conditions — privileged and unprivileged classes)
Working class uprising against royalty
end class distinctions
Cheka = secret police similar to France’s comittee of public safety
Gulag
Group of labor camps — people worked to death
Sent to gulag for ex: being 10 minutes late to work
housed political prisoners and criminals of the Soviet Union
at its height, housed millions of people
“Peace, Bread, and Land“
Lenin’s promise to the people
Bread = food for the people
Peace = Made peace with the Germans, accepted harsh terms
Land = Allowed peasants to take over the land of upper class
Lenin tried to keep this promise but goods became very scarce and the economy slowed down
What was Czarist Russia like?
Political Conditions
Czar = autocrat = leader king
believed in divine right
unlimited wealth and power
ex: railroads, industrial plans, huge palaces, owned lots of land
no questioning decisions
no parliament or court systems
used secret police to oppress opposition
could appoint and dismiss all government ministers
commanded the army and headed the Russian Orthodox Church
“The Czar is a father, his subjects are his children, and children should never question their parents“ — Nicholas I
Social Conditions — feudalism (similar to pre-French Revolution)
Privileged classes = 2% — preached obedience to Czar
clergy and nobility
Unprivileged classes = mostly illiterate
peasants = 80%
town dwellers = 15% — low wages, poor working conditions (similar to san-coullot)
middle class professionals = 3% (similar to bourgeoise)
Kulak
means wealthy farmers
Peasants who resisted collectivization
deported to labor camps, killed, or denied food
Purges
1934-1938
aka Great Terror
systematic arrest and murder of millions of Soviet citizens to eliminate opposition to Stalin
falsely accused millions of Soviet citizens of committing crimes against the government
aka purification of Soviet society
Most public examples = the three Show Trials in 1936, 1937, 1938
high-ranking Communist party officials were charged w/ fabricated traitorous acts
Trials created an atmosphere of fear and suspicion
By 1937 everyone knew at least one person who had “disappeared“
total victims by late 1930’s = 15 million
Totalitarianism
a system of government that is centralized and dictatorial
a form of government that controls every aspect of individuals' lives
examples:
Bolsheviks → Lenin → Stalin in USSR
Mussolini in Italy
Hitler in Germany
Military and Emperor Hirohito in Asia (Japan)
Collective Farming
Stalin believed the best way to make Soviet agriculture more efficient was to collectivize the peasants on large state-owned farms
set production targets for these farms in five-year plans
forced peasants to give up small plots of land in exchange for working collectively
unsuccessful and result = terrible famines in 1932 and 1933 → killed 3-4 million Soviet citizens
Autocrat
a ruler who has absolute power
difference from dictatorship = Autocrats tend to rise and rule with stable means
Abdicate
Definition = renounce one’s throne
In March 1917 Czar Nicholas II abdicates
What happens to Ethiopia in 1935?
Mussolini invaded Ethiopia to make his empire greater
barely won
Ethiopia was verbally supported by League of Nations, but no action was taken against Italy’s invasion
What year did the Russian Revolution take place?
1905 Revolution
Bloody Sunday — Jan 22, 1905
Protested corrupt government and monarchy
March Revolution — 1917
Czar is overthrown
November Revolution — 1917
Bolsheviks put into power
March Revolution
Czar is overthrown
Underlying Causes: Conditions in Czarist Russia
people want end to absolutism and repression
middle class and workers want a voice in government
middle class and workers want voice in government
people were forced to go to war poorly equipped
peasants want noble’s fertile lands
people were still hungry
War Communism
June 1918 to March 1921
economic and political system that existed in Soviet Russia during the Russian Civil War
nationalization of private industry
collectivization
What are the beliefs of Fascists (hint: look at the reading “What is an Ideology“)
individuals and classes are merely parts of a larger, all-embracing whole — the society or state — which can be strong only when all the parts unite behind a single party and a supreme leader
“Everything in the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state“
Intensely nationalistic
Dictatorship — Government should use force to control everything and everyone should be loyal to the dictator
For Extreme Nationalism — believed in Social Darwinism = survival of the fittest
exagerated accomplishments of the state
advocated for imperialism → Mussolini wanted a “new Rome“
For Militarism — strengthening Nation’s military = symbolizes nation’s strength
Against Democracy ← seen as inefficient
believef that equality merely restrains the strong in order to protect the weak
Against Marxism — Fascism believed each class has a certain function and didn’t like how Marxism was only for the working class
Not a clearly defined program like communists
What are the beliefs of Communists?
Everyone contributes time, labor, and talent to a common pool and receives in return enough goods to satisfy his or her needs
Condemn the exploitation of one individual or class by another
Property should be distributed as to benefit not the wealthy few, but the public at large
Critical of capitalism as an economic system and of liberalism as an ideology
Violent revolutionary transformations spearheaded by an elite “vanguard“ party
All previously existing societies were divided along class lines: on the one side was the dominant or ruling class; on the other, a subservient class condemned to do the bidding of the ruling class
Official and unofficial information on women’s rights, housing, and education under Stalin in the Soviet Union?
Women’s Rights
Propaganda: Women had equal rights as men and could vote
Real: Women’s rights were taken away slowly and women in leadership declined
Housing
Propaganda: Buildings were modern, industrialized, and clean. Resources (ex: electricity, central heating) are abundant
Real: Workers lived in slums and mud huts. Some were evicted due to housing shortages
Education
Propaganda: Everyone, including countless peasants, became literate and more than 1.5 million were enrolled in higher education
Real: Half of schools had no central heating, teachers earned 70% as workers, schools taught mostly indoctrination and social discipline
Stalin
20 million Soviets died at Stalin’s hands
Sinister, power-hungry
Stalin = man of steel
Formed anti-Trosky alliances and eliminated competition
Created collectivization, 5-year plans, and gulag
Allowed his son to be killed in German prison camps
By Stalin’s 50th birthday, he was portrayed as a god and savior of his people
Mussolini
A dynamic and extremely nationalistic leader of Italy
“El Duce“
born July 1883
Did not want Italy to join WWI but then changed his mind
in 1919 Italy was on the brink of a civil war → people feared rise of socialism, he increased Fascism
Won support of Catholic Church
“brought Italy into the 20th Century“ by adding telephone lines and making the trains run on time
Didn’t believe in free press → made himself the editor-in-chief of all Italy’s newspapers
Hitler was a big fan of Mussolini and Fascism but Mussolini privately disliked Hitler
Ocober 1935 invaded Ethiopia to make his empire greater — barely won
Started to fear Nazi Germany when visiting it in September 1937
1939 Pact of Steel = alliance btwn Germany and Italy, Italy allows Germany to invade Poland
July 1943 Allies dropped bombs on Rome
60th Birthday: Mussolini was a political prisoner in Italy
Lateran Pacts
Signed February 1929 between Mussolini and the Pope
Italy recognized Vatican City as a sovereign and independent state
Pope recognized Italy and Rome as capital
March on Rome
October 1922
Fascist movement to seize power in a coup
forced King Victor Emmanuel III to make Mussolini prime minister
Black Shirts
followers of Mussolini
fascists
Fasces
carried in ancient Roman parages
12 rods bound together represent the strength of the 12 tribes and axe represents the restrained power and might of Rome
Mussolini wished to create a “New Rome“
Haile Selassie
Emperor of Ethiopia
resisted Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia but was unsuccessful
Italian Lake
a group of large lakes lying on the south side of the Alps
What were Mussolini’s beliefs?
war sets the seal of nobility on those people who have the courage to face it
rejects socialism and democracy
Fascism is build on its conception of the state, which is absolute
individuals and groups are relative to the state and only admissable as they come within the state
Hitler
Born in 1889 in Austrian border town Braunau
unhappy childhood + high school drop out
becomes a drifter and rejected by Academy of Fine Arts and the School of Architecture
Developed hatred and blame for Jews for WWI
Found a home in military, fighting WWI
1923 Hitler and Nazi party grows in power and influence
Munich Beer Hall uprising attempted to overthrow Wimer Republic
failed and Hitler was inprisoned
Writes Mien Kampf in jail about Nazi ideas
Jan 1933 Hindenburg names Hitler Chancellor
rose to power through emergency rule after Reichstag destroyed in fire
What was the economic situation like in Germany between 1918 and 1923?
extreme hyperinflation
most workers paid daily and given time to shop before the value of their wages fell further
housewives used small bills to fuel their ovens because they were worth less than wood kindling
Weimer Government
9 November 1918 to 23 March 1933
after WWI, before Hitler
economic crisis and political instability led to its collapse
What were Hitler’s first steps toward war?
leave the League of Nations
increase the production of weapons and recruitment of soldiers
occupied Czechoslovakia in 1938
invaded Poland in 1939
Why did the Germans support Hitler in 1932?
Germany was in Great Depression and Germans believed that Hitler could bring Germany out of it
Who did the Nazis blame for Germany’s WWI defeat?
Politicians
Jews
Describe the common pattern that developed in many European countries after World War I
weak government and economy
people drifted towards supporting dictators
dictators often claimed to have easy solutions to difficult problems
Beer Hall Putsch
November 8 and 9 1923
Nazis held a rally in Munich Beer Hall and declared revolution
Led 2000 men to over throw Weimer Republic
Failed and Hitler was imprisoned
Hitler turns setback into victory by using trials to spread ideas
Writes Mien Kamf (My Struggle) while in jail about Nazi ideas
After release, Hitler tries to build NSDAP back up and gets more followers
Tripartite Pact
alliance between Germany, Italy, and Japan
signed in Berlin September 1940
promote military cooperation between Axis powers
What was Japan’s government like in the early 1920’s?
Taisho Period 1912-1926
Taisho = self-righteousness
Emperor Yoshihito = friendly to foreign affairs because he wanted Japan to modernize
was ill for most of his rule → seemed weak
Diet created = the “congress“ or legislative branch of Japan
Voting rights increased
Showa Period
1926-1945
leads Japan into WWII
Emperor Hirohito
Showa = period of enlightened peace (ironic)
Diet previously allowed for multiple parties to emerge and seem reasonable → extreme groups became part of diet
Nationalism grows after victory of Russo Japanese and Sino Japanese War
Peace and Preservation Law of 1925 limited freedom of individual Japanese
Industrialization leads to weakened Feudal Lords and increased loyalty to Emperor
Economic Collapse = depression and unemplyment in Japan
silk prices dropped by ½
Ultranationalists assassinated Prime Minister Osachi after London Naval Conference 1930 denied increase of Japanese military ships
more ultra conservatives march to Tkyo and assassinate officials → military rule and fall of civilian government
1932 Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi assassinated
Military coup in February 1936
Japan controlled Eastern Asia, saw itself as the only nation fit to stand up to the West
Peace and Preservation Act of 1925
must be loyal to emperor and nation
limited freedom of individual Japanese citizens and outlawed groups who disagreed with government
allowed for suppression of more liberal groups such as communists, capitalists
Kokutai = any suggestion or question posed to the gobernment or the politcal state was seen as an outright attack on Japan and emperor itself
special force created that would investigate any groups like socialists, communists, and capitalists, who might threaten this supreme ruling of the centralized government
Diet
the “congress“ or legislative branch of Japan
allowed for multiple parties to emerge and seem reasonable → extreme groups became part of diet
Why does militarism and imperialism in Japan rise in the latter part of the 1920’s?
Nationalism and urge to modernize grows
Industrialization leads to weakened feudal lords and increased loyalty to Emperor
Economic collapse leads to desire to strengthen Japan
Military rule and fall of civilian government comes from denial of London Naval Conference 1930 (increase military ships)
League of Blood Incident
Manchuria
1931
violated 9-power treaty = respect the sovereignty, the independence, and the territorial and administrative integrity of the state of China
Japan needed resources such as coal, iron, soil
condemned by League of Nations but Treaty of Geneva (prohibiting unfail trial and punishment) did not stop Japan
Stimson Doctrine = US isn’t going to sent troops into China
any land taken from China by Japan ← US doesn’t recognize
sets up puppet government, Manchukuo in 1932
government led by Chinese but does what Japan wants
Manchukuo
puppet state of Japan in previously-known Manchuria
Flying Tigers
First American Volunteer Group of the Republic of China Air Force
US didn’t want to officially declare war on Japan
Flying Tigers flew planes with China flag
Rape of Nanking
300,000-400,000 people killed
Japanese thought they could conquer all of China in 3 months
highest commander gave the Three all policies = kill all, burn all, and plunder all
Rape of Nanking lasted 6-8 weeks
Japanese officers did not control their soldiers, they were encouraged to do it and remove evidence
20,000 women raped in Nanking
Hitler forbid films of Japanese crimes to be showed
War criminals honored and worshipped in Japan
Cause of the Russian Revolution?
people wanted to end absolutism and repression of Czar
food shortage and soaring prices
soldiers had inadequate food, clothing, and battle equipment → high casualties
East Asia Co-Prosperity Pact
Japan wanted Asia to be ruled under Japan and be strong enough to go against the West
Japan controlled Eastern Asia
Name 2 world powers that emerged from WWI in better financial shape than when the war started?
Japan and US
Dawes Plan
new, realistic, target for Germany's reparations payments
Germany's annual reparation payments would be reduced, increasing over time as its economy improved
Kellogg-Briand Pact
1928
outlawed war (unsuccessful), disputes must be sorted peacefully
Washington Conference
1921-1922
a naval conference
21 Demands = Japan demanded more land, bigger army
9 power treaty = demanded trading rights in China
Which event started the worldwide depression of the 1930’s
stock market crash
Why did the Japanese soldiers commit so many atrocities in Nanking?
believed the Chinese soldiers deserved to die for being so willing to surrender
Stimson Doctrine
US isn’t going to sent troops into China
any land taken from China by Japan ← US doesn’t recognize
Spanish Civil War
1931 King Alfonso XIII was dethroned in favor of a democratic government
Democratic government attempted overdue reforms but people were unsatisfied
new elections 1933
National German Socialist Workers Party
Nazi Party
Russo-Japanese War
fought between the Japan and the Russian during 1904 and 1905 over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and the Korean
How did Japan react to the League of Nations condmnation of their actions in Manchuria?
withdraw from the organization in 1933
What were the nicknames of Stalin, Hitler, and Mussolini?
Stalin = man of steel
Hitler = der Führer
Mussolini = El Duce
9 Power Treaty
demanded trading rights in China
Francisco Franco
fascist leader
King Alfonso
last king of Spain before civil war
Republicans (in Spain)
Liberal party
Nationalists (Spain)
Fascists led by Franco
“Death Solves all problems“
Stalin
“Believe, Fight, Obey“
Mussolini
“Fascism was not worked out beforehand with detailed elaboration, it was born of need for action“
Mussolini
“When you lie, tell big lies“
Hitler
He got the trains running on time
Mussolini