Interwar Period and Fascism

Aim: How can Europeans restore their sense of security in the age of anxiety (1920-1938)?

• World War II caused severe trauma and people did not want war. They became resentful to the government and not so nationalistic anymore. Many were scared of technological development and lost faith in God and religion.
• Despite this, many changes occurred, including:
  • Women’s suffrage and women’s rights increased
  • gay rights movement allowed gay clubs and bars and publications about gay culture, improving gay culture
  • New technology developed rapidly, including airplanes, video cameras, and more
  • People discovered radioactivity or invisible particles that could kill you
  • People learned to express themselves through art, including Cubism, Surrealism, and DADA (random art)

Aim: How does Fascism emerge from the Age of Anxiety?

• Italy After WWI:
  • The Italians were frustrated with treaty of versailles because they did not get what they wanted and their economy was not industrialized
  • the Italians were also not considered a “real” European state, especially after failing to conquer Ethiopia
  • Sporadic Socialist Uprisings: people were unhappy with the current situation and after seeing Russian communism, peasants seized land and launched worker strikes against their weak government. From this chaos, Mussolini and the Black Shirts emerged.
  • Black Shirts: vigilantes; in other words, people who take law in their own hands
    • they were usually corrupt and used violence, which is how Mussolini gained power in Italy
    • The King stepped down after Mussolini marched on Rome on 1922 threatening violence
  • Mussolini was the founder of FASCISM, promising to restore greatness to Italy, since the last time Italy had been successful was in Ancient Rome.
• Mussolini used propaganda to influence people
  • Musslini’s Motto: Believe! Obey! Fight!
  • propaganda was used to suppress freedom of speech and press
  • Mussolini used censorship, or the limiting of ideas, to do so

Aim: Which totalitarian system is worse: Fascism or Communism?

Aim: How will the Great Depression impact the Weimar Republic?

• Germany in the the 1920s was an actual republic, though weak because Germany has little history as a republic.
• Alsace Lorraine was a border between Germany and France, which became French territory after the Treaty of Versailles
  • Germany was forced to pay reparations, making money worthless and causing hyperinflation later on
  • all of Germany’s colonies were also taken away and since their military was reduced, they had no real protection against invaders.
• The US Stock market was booming in the 1920s (roaring 20s) and lent some money to Germany to help Germany get back on its feet
  • this temporarily solved the issue and Germany was able to slightly revive its economy
• In 1929, however, the US stock market crashed, leading the whole world to depression
  • germany can’t pay back the money the US lent them
• As a result, people joined/supported Fascism to have purpose and a sense of belonging
• As the great depression got worse, the Nazi party started to rise in Germany
• Beer Hall Putsch 1923: Hitler tried to take over by force but he was arrested and kicked out
• Miein kampp: memoir written by Hitler to be a good man, or a martyr
• Nazi Strategies to gain followers:
  • The Nazis exploited economic and cultural problems by promising easy solutions to difficult problems
  • this was called populism
  • The Nazis also used propaganda, especially to the youth so later on, people would support Hitler
  • “Hitler Youth”: Hitler promised a utopia society, so kids grew up thinking he was good
  • Controlled information
  • Jews were scapegoated (blamed) for Germany’s problems
  • Promised to restore order and greatness
• Enabling act: Hitler got total power

Aim: How was the “Empire of the Rising Sun” similar to the Fascist Europe?

• Japan was known as the Empire of the rising sun between the wars because
  • the sun rose in japan first (most furthest east)
  • first east Asian country to industrialize
  • dawn of a new era for Japan
  • the Japanese thought they were racially superior to everyone, especially other asians \n