the great depression + rise of dictators

fascism

• authoritarian, ultranationalist, militarist

• prioritizes national interests above individual rights

• suppressive + violent 

Nazi Party

• led by Adolf Hitler

• National Socialist German Workers' Party

• racist, nationalist, anti-semetic, and anti-democratic

Mein Kampfe

• translates to “my struggle”

• published by Hitler as his autobiography in 1925

• outlines many of Hitler's political beliefs and future plans for Germany and the world

communism

• communal ownership of resources and production

• classless society

• resources are distributed based on need rather than individual contribution

• society without private property or money

Spain:

• dictator

• philosophy/party

• rise of power

• military actions

• General Francisco Franco (El Caudillo)

• Falange/Fascist

• takes power in coup + civil war w/ German and Italian help

  • Franco rules until 1975 (death)

• neutral in WWII

Germany:

• dictator

• philosophy/party

• rise of power

• military actions

• Adolf Hitler (Der Führer)

• Nazi Party

• blames fire in Reichstag on Communists + uses Jews as Scapegoats; publishes Mein Kampfe

• takes the Rhineland, Sudetenland, and Czechoslovakia

Italy:

• dictator

• philosophy/party

• rise of power

• military actions

• Benito Mussolini (Il Duce)

  • was actually a teacher

• Fascist Party

• promises to revive economy and restore glory of the Roman Empire

• invades Ethiopia and Albania

Soviet Union:

• dictator

• philosophy/party

• rise of power

• military actions

• Joseph Stalin (Man of Steel)

• Communist

• eliminates all competition after Lenin’s death; uses 5-yr plans to industrialize

• signs non-agression pact w/ Germany; invades Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia

Japan:

• dictator

• philosophy/party

• rise of power

• military actions

• General Hideki Tojo and Emperor Hirohito

  • Hirohito was emperor until 1989

• Militarists

• PM Tojo and militarists control country

• invade Manchuria and China for iron + coal

what happened with Joseph Stalin’s son and Nazis?

he was taken prisoner by Nazis (even after nonaggression pact), dies in prison b/c Stalin didn’t believe Hitler would actually follow through with his threats

• start seeing Hitler betray everyone and become belligerent

militarism

the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests

ways dictators/fascists maintain power

• capitalize on desperation

Why did the Great Depression spread from the United States to so many other parts of the world so quickly?

The Long Nineteenth Century connected countries around the globe, creating an single economic system that connected the world through trade and finance. The U.S. economy was linked to Europe, which had more connections around the globe.

How did governments react to the Great Depression?

Governments chose to put tariffs in place.

Why was the GD so devastating for Latin America and European colonies in Africa and Asia?

These colonies mainly grew cash crops, which were not for local consumption. So during the Depression, they had tons of crops being created, but no one to sell it to.

What are some ways that states grew more powerful during the crisis?

The state got control of production and distribution. They would focus on allocating resources and preventing crisis, like starvation.

What ended the Great Depression?

War ended the Great Depression. Increased military production helped bring the economy out of a slump, and provided nations with new conquered lands and resources. Employment rose as factories needed more people to create weapons (a big improvement seen in the U.S.).

What event is commonly seen as the starting point of the Great Depression?

The effects of World War I caused the start of the Great Depression; the European countries' economies and social lives were devastated.

List three countries that were severely affected by the Great Depression in Europe.

1. Poland

2. Germany

3. Austria

How did the Great Depression impact European trade?

European trade fell to “one-third of its value in 1929.”

Explain how America's role as the "world's banker" contributed to the spread of the economic crisis.

Since many European countries were depending on America after the first World War to recover, when the U.S. economy crashed, it worsened their conditions.

What was the gold standard, and how did it affect countries' ability to respond to the economic crisis?

The Gold Standard was the European government's attempt to gain currency stability.  It affected the countries’ ability to respond to the economic crisis massively—they couldn’t print money, leading many of them to employ monetary policy.

Describe two political changes after World War I that influenced economic policy-making in Europe.

1. During the Russian Revolution, due to the fear of Bolshevism, governments were pushed to install new economic policies which introduced market elements, private businesses, and implemented industrialization.

2. Extremist leaders came into power, since people were mad at moderate leaders for not taking enough action.

How did the Great Depression affect unemployment rates in the worst-hit countries?

One in five people in the population was unemployed–this was an unemployment rate of 20%.

Explain how the economic crisis impacted domestic politics in European countries.

The economic crisis caused domestic politics to become turbulent. Leaders of moderate parties, who hadn’t yet done something impactful about the problem, ended up losing power to the more extremist Left/Right leaders.

What actions did countries take to protect their national interests during the Depression? How did this affect international relations?

All countries started focusing on their own national interests instead of that of others. This made international cooperation much more difficult.

How did Britain's approach to recovery differ from that of countries still on the gold standard?

Britain, which abandoned the gold standard, was one of the first countries to recover. They focused on domestic economic recovery, utilizing trade concessions to get out of their slump.

Describe two ways in which Nazi Germany's economic policies differed from other countries' approaches to recovery.

1. They used a complex trade system to control their domestic and international relations.

2. They also made a program for the government to control their spending, creating demand and expanding income.

Why was international cooperation difficult during the Great Depression?

Countries struggled to work together due to focusing on their own success–they each had their own desires/interests, making cooperation much more difficult.

How might the Great Depression have been different if there had been international organizations like the International Monetary Fund or the European Economic Community in place at the time?

The Great Depression might not have made such a devastating impact on the countries if they had people to regulate and stimulate the economy. This would have lessened the impact of war overall, which would have helped many. 

What lessons do you think governments and economists learned from the Great Depression that could be applied to modern economic crises?

I think that governments and economists learned that it is important to have budgets and stable institutions when dealing with large events, such as world wars, to ensure that their economies do not falter in times of crisis.