International Relations of the 1930s, the Rise of Fascism, and U.S. Isolationism

Context of the 1930s: The $1930s$ represented an era defined by international instability, the rise of dictators, and the progression toward the Second World War or World War II ( $1939$ - $1945$ ).
The Rise of Fascist Dictators: * Adolf Hitler: Leader of the German National Socialists (Nazis) who was in power for approximately $12$ years. * Benito Mussolini: The Italian leader and fascist dictator. Mussolini held power for over $20$ years, notably ten years longer than Hitler.
Fascist Political Ideology and Aesthetic: * Both leaders utilized "modern conceptualizations of fascism," characterized as a position of far-right wing political power. * The Fascistic Salute: Often referred to incorrectly as the "Hitler salute," this gesture was also used by Mussolini. It has historical roots connecting back to the Roman Empire. * The military decisions and political leadership of these figures in the late $1930s$ and early $1940s$ shaped European, United States, and macro-level world history.

The National Socialists (Nazis): Despite their name, the speaker notes there was "nothing socialist about them particularly." They emerged as leaders of German culture and politics through developments in the late $1920s$ and early $1930s$ .
Defiance of the Treaty of Versailles: Upon taking over political life, Hitler and the Nazis pushed back against limitations from the Great War (World War I), including: * Recreating the Luftwaffe (the German Air Force). * Engaging in military activities explicitly prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles.
Targeting of Minorities: * The regime implemented political targeting of racial, cultural, and religious minorities. * Jewish People and Roma: The Nazis claimed Jewish and Roma (often incorrectly referred to by the term "gypsies") people were a separate race, which the speaker emphasizes is factually untrue. * Scientific Racism: The German government utilized a form of "racialized scientific racism" to define the nation and limit who was considered appropriately German.
Timeline of Persecution: * $1933$ : Hitler gains power. * $1935$ : Racialized policies begin to be implemented. * $1941$ - $1944$ : The explicit genocide of the Holocaust takes place during World War II.

The Anschluss ( $ext{March } 1938$ ): * This was the unification of Germany and Austria. * The act was explicitly barred by the Treaty of Versailles. * Note on Hitler's Heritage: Hitler was born in Austria and was technically not ethnically German, though he became the most infamous German of the modern era.
Czechoslovakia and the Sudetenland: * Czechoslovakia was a nation-state created by diplomats at the Treaty of Versailles after World War I, combining Czechs, Slovaks, and several million Germans who had been part of the previous German Reich. * The German military invaded the western section of Czechoslovakia known as the Sudetenland.
The Munich Conference ( $ext{September } 1938$ ): * Resulted in the Munich Agreement. * Hitler publicly stated: "We've made our last claim. I will make no more territorial claims in Europe" once the Sudetenland was returned to Germany. * The Outcome: Hitler's statement was a "bold faced lie"; he invaded and took over the remainder of Czechoslovakia only $6$ months later.
Post-WWI Diplomatic Map: Several states were created or restored following the Treaty of Versailles in Paris, including: * Czechoslovakia * Yugoslavia * Poland: Redrawn onto the map after being "wiped off" since the late $18^{th}$ century.

The Domestic Situation: During the $1930s$ , the U.S. was struggling to recover from the Great Depression and dealing with internal economic and cultural strife.
Isolationism vs. Internationalism: There was a significant debate over whether the U.S., now a major world power, should engage in international relationships or remain isolated. * Many Americans did not want the U.S. to take on a worldwide role or get involved in another European war.
The America First Committee: A prominent group led by isolationist figures who argued that the U.S. must be concerned with internal issues before global ones.
Key Isolationist Figures: * Charles Lindbergh: A massive celebrity and the first pilot to fly solo over the Atlantic. * Joseph Kennedy: A financier, businessman, and diplomat/Ambassador. He was the father of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Ted Kennedy.
Public Sentiment: The significant push for isolationism is cited as a reason why the U.S. and other Western powers did not do more to stop German aggression earlier.

Kristallnacht ( $ext{November } 1938$ ): Known as the "Night of the Broken Glass," where Jewish businesses and homes were targeted throughout Germany, making Nazi discrimination undeniable.
Shift in U.S. Immigration Law: * From roughly $1870$ - $1880$ until $1920$ , the U.S. had a relatively open immigration policy. * In the $1920s$ , the U.S. implemented a strict quota system limiting legal immigration by region.
Discrimination Against Jewish Refugees: * The quota system specifically limited how many Jewish people could immigrate. * The U.S. government famously turned away ships of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany, claiming the quota was full. * Racialized Antisemitism: The speaker notes that because this was before the creation of the nation-state of Israel, the U.S. government used a specific category for Jewish people that did not exist for other religious or cultural groups, illustrating a set of "racialized antisemitism" in Western policy.
Transition to War: These complex issues and the inability of Western nations to deal with the political crises in Central and Western Europe led to the eventual entry of the United States into the war in $1941$ .