AP Euro: Unit 16.1-16.4 - The Interwar Years

Unit 16: The Interwar Years

The Interwar Years

A Senseless War

Old WWI battlefields became national historical preservation areas

Monuments
Mass Graveyards where thousands of unnamed people are buried

Most nations who participated created a “tomb of the unknown soldier” to remind them of the senselessness of war
The violence of the last war made people of the generation (especially veterans) accustomed to violence, and were therefore thought that this might embody the new way of life.

A Fragile Hope for Peace

America refused to join the league of nations (which it proposed!) and then they withdrew from European affairs
Russia had gone communist and had strained relations with the nations who had not backed them in their revolution
World was in an unstable place, and because of industrialism and the growth of world trade in the last century, nations around the world are more interconnected (a ripple effect).

One of the downsides of globalization

Countries reacted to this in different ways (NOT all in Europe)

AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

European Colonial Rule in Africa

Africans were made second class citizens in their own countries.

African natives forced off the best lands, which were then taken by Europeans
In some regions, Africans were only allowed to grow certain crops (like cotton) which went directly to European industries, leading to famine and food shortages
Were subject to special taxes
Many weren’t free to travel, and were restricted from living in certain districts.
Forced to wear identification badges

Around 1 million African troops had fought for their European colonizers in WWI.

Educated Africans argued that they should also have the right to self determination
A people ready to embrace radical ideas

European Colonial Rule in Africa

Conditions in South Africa were the worst.
The European colonists actually segregated society between whites and blacks (called Apartheid) which was strictly enforced

Segregated beaches, restaurants, communities, water fountains, everything!
Took away the right of native Africans to vote in their own elections (results in an ALL WHITE government!)
Some people actually moved on to reserves (almost like Indian reservations in the US) which were on the worst land.
Africans organized politically, but were unable to make lasting changes
Passed in 1948, doesn’t end until 1996!

Pan-Africanism

In the early 1910’s and 1920’s, a worldwide movement began to emerge that urged people of African descent to band together and fight to advance the rights of their people.

Marcus Garvey: From Jamaica. Argued for an “Africa for Africans”
W.E.B DuBois: From America. Organized the Pan-African Conference in Paris which produced a charter for African rights. Ignored by Europeans
Negritude movement: an artistic and literary movement which celebrated Africa and instilled pride in African Heritage

Alex Haley (creator of Roots) born in 1920
This movement was crucial in helping organize and provide inspiration for the civil rights movement in the United States!

Egypt won its independence in 1922!

Reform in Turkey and Arabia (Middle East)

As we know, after WWI, the Ottoman Empire collapsed.
Like Africa, its people don’t have the right to self-determination (mandate system)
The original peace settlement even gave parts of Asia Minor (now we call it Turkey) to allied powers including Britain, France and Greece.
The Sultan (king) was overthrown by a young Turkish national named Mustafa Kemal and his supporters.
In place of a monarchy, the Turkish Republic was created

The Reforms of Ataturk

One of Kemal’s first reforms was to negotiate a peace with the outside world following the Sultan’s overthrow

Over 1.3 million ethnic Greeks left Turkey to return to Greece. Over 400,000 ethic Turks made the reverse trip.

Kemal also ordered all Turks to adopt a last name (surname). Kemal chose the name Ataturk, or “Father of the Turks”
Encouraged industrialization
Made Islam subject to Turkey’s laws, instead of the other way around.
“Made nice” with Christianity by adopting Sunday as the day of rest, the Christian calendar, and even adopted a western alphabet and clothing styles.
Gave women more rights including the right to vote and work outside the home.

Pan-Arabism

Just like Pan-Africanism, except it is pride in and celebration of the Muslim (Arab) culture
Inspired by a shared sense of history, as well as Ataturk’s success in Turkey.
Felt by people in present day Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Morocco, Algeria, Iraq and Iran
Similar reforms were attempted in Persia (now Iran) by Reza Khan in the early 1900’s (though it doesn’t gain independence) and rebellion against French and British presence in the region is frequent.
Further resentment grew after the Paris Peace Conference which concluded that Arabs, who had helped Britain fight against the Ottomans in WWI, were NOT given self-determination rights.

Empty Promises

Promises to Arabs unfulfilled
Hoping to win over Europe’s Jews, the British issued the Balfour Declaration which advocated for the restoration of the native Jewish homeland in Palestine
The British encouraged thousands of Jewish immigrants to move to Palestine between 1920 and 1940.
At first they were welcomed, but when their numbers reached the hundreds of thousands, the Arabs tried to close their nation off to immigrants.
Since then, bloody wars have engulfed the region.

INDIA

The Spark that Lit the Fuse

Like Africa, many Indian soldiers had served on the battlefields of WWI, promised they would receive the right to self determination, and were ignored in the Paris peace talks.

Tensions are high

Despite laws banning public meetings, thousands of Indians in the city of Amritsar (northern India) gathered in a large public field to show their discontentment with British rule. They are UNARMED

There HAD been riots and attacks on British citizens in the region prior to this
Indians WERE peacefully gathered

The British commander gave the order to open fire on the crowd killing nearly 400 and wounding an additional 1100.

This incident would become known as the Amritsar Massacre and served as one of the main reasons why Indians felt they needed to govern themselves.

A Leader Emerges

Indians in the Indian National Congress Party called for full independence from Britain.
Most of the people of this party were of the middle class, well educated in British schools, and had little in common with the regular working class people of India,
In the 1920’s, a man named Mohandas Gandhi was able to bridge the gap between the Indian National Congress and the people and get them to work together towards independence.

Educated in England (excellent edu.)
Spent the next 20 years in South Africa trying to fight against racial injustice.
Came back to India, leads INC

Mohandas Gandhi

Gandhi, a Hindu, preached the ancient doctrine of Ahimsa (non-violence)
He also believed in American writer Henry David Thoreau’s ideas about refusing to follow unjust laws (called civil disobedience) that governments impose
Gandhi merged the two practices and staged non-violent protests.

This practice would later be copied by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the American civil rights movement

Also called for Indians to reform their own society by calling for equal rights, getting rid of all old caste system prejudices, including the treatment of the “untouchable” caste

Nonviolent Protests

Gandhi organized boycotts of British made goods (especially cotton textiles) so that India’s textile industry could thrive
The British imposed taxes on goods (like Salt) that by law was only legally sold by British companies.

Gandhi responded by organizing a “salt march” where those involved marched to the sea, where they harvested sea salt which had been left on beaches.

The march started slowly with only a couple dozen followers; throughout his 240 mile journey, people flocked to join him. By the time he reached the sea, his followers numbered in the thousands.
Gandhi was imprisoned along with tens of thousands of other Indians.

Backlash

Stories of the British brutality against the members of the Salt March became world-renowned.
The British faced such criticisms in world newspapers that it slowly started to grant Indians rights to begin ruling themselves.
More Indians would fight FOR England in WWII.

Many of them are forced to travel overseas (like the Sepoys) and it angered them
Those who don’t fight for England are thrown in prison.

Once the war ended, Indian independence could not be ignored

CHINA AND JAPAN

China in Trouble

Chinese government was weak, and could not control all of China.

Chinese president stepped down to let one of his generals take over. He was not successful as a leader of China
When he died, warlords fought each other for who would get to control China

Foreign imperialists still controlled most of Chinese coast (leftover from the Opium War) and used the unrest in China to gain more territory and influence.
Japan is strongly urging China to become a protectorate (kind of a colony) of Japan.

China was too weak to refuse, and gave into many Japanese demands (twenty one-demands)
During the peace treaty at Versailles which ended WWI, Japan was given Germany’s possessions in Asia

May Fourth Movement

Led by students who wanted to reject the traditional teachings of China (Confucius’s teachings) in favor of western industrialism. This became known as the May Fourth Movement.
Soviet Union offered to train a new Chinese military if it favored a communist revolution.

By the 1920’s there was a strong communist presence in China.

New nationalist movement in China begins, called the Guomindang. It is led by Sun Yixian. When he died, Jiang Jieshi (also called Chiang Kai-Shek)

Work together with the communists and accept help from the Soviet Union
Defeated all the warlords competing for power in China.
When his new government is set up, he turned his back on his communist supporters, and slaughtered them

This kicked off a new civil war in China

The NEW Chinese Civil War

Chiang Kai Shek’s forces hunted the small bands of remaining communists in China.
Mao Zedong is the new leader of the Chinese communist party (post slaughter)
He and his small communist band use guerilla warfare to keep Shek on his heels.
Shek couldn't capture Mao, but he did drive him out of southern China in a several year march into their new home in the north (called the Long March) 1934-5
In response, Shek orders extermination squads to exterminate all communist supporters.

Shek kills people who aren’t even communists
Mao and his troops are always polite and pay for things they need instead of taking them (unlike Shek’s forces)

Communists gain WIDE support in China

The Japanese Invasion(s)

We know that Japan fought China and Russia and won. (annex Korean peninsula and parts of Russia/China)
Japan is at it again. In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria (a region in northern China).

The Chinese are unable to stop them even though communist and nationalist forces take a break from killing each other and fight the Japanese together.

In 1937, Japan started bombing major Chinese cities (Beijing, Guangzhou) and forced Shek’s forces to retreat.

In their absence, Japan would steal more territory, and invade the city of Nanjing sparking one of the most horrific human rights violations in history- the Rape of Nanjing.

Governments around the world condemn the Japanese for their atrocities! (but don’t intervene)

A Communist Takeover

It took a long time (end of WWII) to finally get the Japanese out of China.
By that time, popular support of the people had swung wildly to overwhelmingly support the communists.
Mao would become the new leader of a communist China which would find a willing ally in Russia against western nations!

Meiji Restoration Ends

Meiji restoration made Japan adopt western practices (such as industrialization) and completely changed their standing among world nations.

Annexed Korea and parts of Russia (Wars vs China and Russia)
Benefited from Germany’s defeat in WWI by gaining its territories in Asia though it didn’t fight!
Also developed equal trading relations with European nations during WWI

As the emperor Meiji’s reign came to an end, another emperor was crowned

Emperor Hirohito: reigned from 1926-1989

Both good and bad as an emperor.

Hirohito’s Reign Pre-WWII

1925 - All men get the right to vote, women in 1945
Zaibatsu (wealthy industrial families) continue to be very successful, but wealth doesn’t trickle down to the masses. Poverty is common
New tension between the traditional Japanese values and the new western values and trends that come into Japan.
Political parties emerge. Liberals like the western influence, while conservatives don’t.

Conservatives want to expand more militarily, while liberals want to make agreements with the west to limit the size of their militaries.
Government cracks down on western influences

All success is halted by disasters
Japan’s largest earthquake rocks Tokyo

Kills hundreds of thousands of people
Destroys entire corporations

Great depression is a worldwide event

Demand for Japanese produced goods is super low (makes conservatives say “told you so!” cause foreigners caused it)
Causes some corporations to go out of business and results in unemployment for thousands more

US, Canada, and Australia ban Japanese immigrants
Conservatives adopt the name “ultranationalists” and gain a majority.

Want to return Japan to old ways and urge expansion.

Annexation of Manchuria in 1932

Japanese fabricate (make up!) an accident (blew up their own train tracks) and then blame it on the Chinese in order to attack and annex territory in Manchuria
Military does this without the approval of the emperor/government

Rape of Nanjing in 1937, annex more territory in China

World publicly condemns Japan.
League of Nations also condemns Japan (and SHOULD take military action against them, but DO NOTHING)

In response to the condemnation, Japan will simply withdraw from the league.
PROVES that the League of Nations is USELESS!

Government Oppression and Entry into WWII

Overthrow of the government by ultranationalists almost succeeds
Government cracked down on both liberals and socialists (poor people identify with socialism).
Revived ancient warrior values (bushido, seppuku, etc) of Japan’s feudal age
New sense of loyalty and patriotism, military gets WHATEVER it wants.
Forms an alliance with power (and territory) Hungary, Italy and Germany when WWII breaks out in 1939

These nations have a lot in common: mighty industrialized powerhouses that are looking for more territory, which will HAVE To come at the expense of France, GB and the US!