HIS 222 Terms for IDS

  • Stock Market Crash: The Stock Market Crash of 1929 was the catalyst for the Great Depression, a period of economic collapse that devastated the American economy. The crash set the stage for widespread unemployment and the Dust Bowl's agricultural hardships. Herbert Hoover, president at the time, was criticized for his limited response, which contrasted sharply with the New Deal policies introduced later under Franklin D. Roosevelt.

  • Dust Bowl: The Dust Bowl was an environmental disaster during the Great Depression, caused by severe drought and poor farming practices. It exacerbated the economic struggles of farmers, leading many to migrate westward. The New Deal’s programs, such as the Works Progress Administration (WPA), aimed to provide relief and job opportunities for displaced families.

  • “Bonus Army”: In 1932, the “Bonus Army” of World War I veterans marched on Washington, D.C., demanding early payment of promised bonuses. Herbert Hoover's administration responded by forcibly removing the protesters, further tarnishing his public image. This event highlighted the desperation of the Depression and the need for reforms like those in the New Deal.

  • Herbert Hoover: As president during the onset of the Great Depression, Hoover’s policies were seen as inadequate in addressing the crisis. His approach was contrasted with Roosevelt’s New Deal and measures like the Bank Holiday and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which restored public confidence in the banking system.

  • New Deal: The New Deal was Franklin D. Roosevelt’s series of programs and reforms designed to combat the Great Depression. It included measures like the Social Security Act of 1935 to provide a safety net for Americans and the National Recovery Administration to regulate industry and labor.

  • First 100 Days: Roosevelt’s First 100 Days in office saw an unprecedented flurry of legislation to address the Great Depression. This period included the Bank Holiday to stabilize the financial system and the establishment of programs like the FDIC and the WPA.

  • Bank Holiday: The Bank Holiday temporarily closed banks to prevent further collapses during the Great Depression. This measure, combined with the creation of the FDIC, restored public trust in financial institutions and was a hallmark of the First 100 Days of the New Deal.

  • Fireside Chats: Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats were radio broadcasts that directly communicated New Deal policies to the public, fostering trust and confidence. Topics included banking reforms, such as the FDIC, and relief efforts like the WPA.

  • Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC): Established during the New Deal, the FDIC insured bank deposits to prevent bank failures and restore trust in the financial system. This reform complemented the Bank Holiday and symbolized the government’s active role in stabilizing the economy.

  • National Recovery Administration (NRA): The NRA was a New Deal program aimed at regulating industry, improving wages, and reducing unemployment. It worked alongside other initiatives like the WPA and the Social Security Act to provide economic relief.

  • Father Coughlin: Father Charles Coughlin was a controversial critic of the New Deal, using his radio show to promote alternative economic reforms. His opposition highlighted divisions over how to address the economic and social challenges of the Great Depression.

  • Huey Long: A populist politician, Huey Long criticized the New Deal for not going far enough to address inequality. His "Share Our Wealth" program proposed radical wealth redistribution, contrasting with the more measured reforms like the Social Security Act of 1935.

  • Social Security Act of 1935: The Social Security Act established a safety net for the elderly, unemployed, and disabled. It was a cornerstone of the New Deal, addressing the economic insecurities that the Stock Market Crash and Dust Bowl had worsened.

  • Works Progress Administration (WPA): The WPA was a New Deal program that created millions of jobs during the Great Depression, building infrastructure and supporting the arts. It complemented efforts like the National Recovery Administration and aimed to reduce unemployment on a massive scale.

  • Treaty of Versailles: The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I but imposed harsh penalties on Germany, fueling resentment that contributed to the rise of the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler. Its failure to maintain peace highlighted the weaknesses of the League of Nations, which many nations, including Japan and Germany, would later withdraw from. These issues set the stage for the militarism and expansionism of the Axis Powers.

  • Rise of the Axis Powers: The Axis Powers, led by Germany, Italy, and Japan, emerged as aggressive, expansionist states in the 1930s. Their rise was driven by fascist leaders like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, whose militarism and imperial ambitions, such as the Invasion of Ethiopia and the Anschluss, defied international agreements like the Treaty of Versailles.

  • Fascism: Fascism, characterized by authoritarian rule and nationalism, underpinned the regimes of Benito Mussolini in Italy and Adolf Hitler in Germany. Both leaders promoted militarism and territorial expansion, with Italy invading Ethiopia and Germany annexing Austria and the Sudetenland.

  • Militarism: Militarism defined the policies of the Axis Powers, particularly Japan, Germany, and Italy, as they built up their armed forces for territorial expansion. Japan’s military aggression in Asia and Germany’s invasions in Europe reflected a rejection of the disarmament goals of the Treaty of Versailles.

  • Japan: Japan’s imperialist ambitions, rooted in militarism, led to its withdrawal from the League of Nations after international criticism of its invasion of Manchuria. As part of the Axis Powers, Japan’s aggression paralleled that of Germany under Adolf Hitler and Italy under Benito Mussolini.

  • Italy: Led by Benito Mussolini, Italy became the first fascist state and pursued aggressive expansion, such as the Invasion of Ethiopia in 1935. Mussolini’s Italy formed alliances with Germany and Japan, contributing to the rise of the Axis Powers and the spread of militarism.

  • Benito Mussolini: Mussolini established fascism in Italy and promoted militarism and imperial expansion. His alliance with Adolf Hitler and Japan solidified the Axis Powers, and his Invasion of Ethiopia symbolized the weakness of the League of Nations.

  • Invasion of Ethiopia: Italy’s 1935 invasion of Ethiopia demonstrated the aggressive militarism of Benito Mussolini’s regime and the ineffectiveness of the League of Nations. This event, along with Adolf Hitler’s actions in Europe, signaled the growing threat posed by the Axis Powers.

  • Germany: Germany, under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, defied the Treaty of Versailles through rearmament, the Anschluss with Austria, and the annexation of the Sudetenland. These acts of aggression marked the rise of the Third Reich and pushed Europe toward World War II.

  • The 3rd Reich: The Third Reich, Adolf Hitler’s totalitarian regime, pursued expansionism and racial ideology. Hitler’s ambitions, including the Anschluss and the invasion of Poland, were fueled by Social Darwinism and eugenics, reflecting the regime’s focus on racial supremacy.

  • Adolf Hitler: Hitler led Germany’s Nazi Party, built the Third Reich, and promoted expansionism through militarism and territorial annexations like the Sudetenland and Poland. His ideology, based on Social Darwinism and eugenics, justified the persecution of minorities and the rejection of the Treaty of Versailles.

  • Nazi (National Socialist) Party: The Nazi Party rose to power in Germany under Adolf Hitler, promoting fascism, militarism, and racial ideologies. It was responsible for the Third Reich’s policies, including the Anschluss, the Munich Conference, and the invasion of Poland, which triggered World War II.

  • Social Darwinism: Social Darwinism, the belief in the survival of the fittest applied to human societies, influenced Nazi racial ideology and the eugenics movement. This ideology underpinned Adolf Hitler’s policies in the Third Reich and the Nazi Party’s justification for territorial expansion.

  • Eugenics: The eugenics movement in Germany under the Nazi Party promoted the idea of racial purity and superiority, tied to Social Darwinism. This ideology was central to Adolf Hitler’s goals for the Third Reich and justified policies of persecution and genocide.

  • League of Nations Withdrawal: The withdrawal of countries like Japan and Germany from the League of Nations signaled the organization’s inability to enforce peace. This withdrawal preceded acts of aggression such as the Invasion of Ethiopia and Germany’s annexations.

  • Anschluss: The Anschluss was Germany’s annexation of Austria in 1938, a clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles. It demonstrated Adolf Hitler’s ambitions for territorial expansion and the weakness of appeasement policies pursued by leaders like Neville Chamberlain.

  • Munich Conference: The Munich Conference in 1938 epitomized appeasement, as Britain and France, led by Neville Chamberlain, allowed Adolf Hitler to annex the Sudetenland. This concession emboldened Hitler, leading to further aggression and the eventual invasion of Poland.

  • The Sudetenland: The Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia, was ceded to Germany as part of the appeasement strategy at the Munich Conference. Adolf Hitler’s annexation of this region, like the Anschluss, violated the Treaty of Versailles and encouraged further expansion.

  • Appeasement: Appeasement was the policy of conceding to the territorial demands of Adolf Hitler to avoid conflict. This strategy, exemplified by Neville Chamberlain’s actions at the Munich Conference, failed to prevent the outbreak of World War II.

  • Neville Chamberlain: Chamberlain, as Britain’s prime minister, became synonymous with appeasement, allowing Adolf Hitler to annex the Sudetenland at the Munich Conference. His actions delayed but did not prevent the invasion of Poland and the start of World War II.

  • Poland: The invasion of Poland by Germany in 1939 marked the official start of World War II. This aggression, following the Anschluss and the annexation of the Sudetenland, demonstrated the failure of appeasement and the ambitions of the Axis Powers.