Interwar Period By The Ultimate Slacker (Madeline Cronin)
All Countries
- Began to investigate science studies more to support disillusion with the world.
- Movies became an big source for entertainment and jobs in show biz.
- Populations grew increasingly terrified of how unpredictable the world was becoming.
- The prosperity of the post war crashed.
- They all "lived in the now" rather than plan ahead for their futures.
America
- Economy crash, "Black Tuesday" on October 29th, 1929. The entire country began to soon fail for several years (The Great Depression).
- To be more rebellious, many women donned the name "Flapper" and dressed what was considered provocative and dance in jazz clubs.
- FDR took over as president after Herbert Hoover during the Great Depression.
- In 1935 the Social Security Act provided for the jobless and the elderly.
- FDR creates "The New Deal" in an attempt to end the Great Depression.
England
- Outdated factories and “replaced” as industrial leader by Japan and America.
- Ramsay MacDonald, leader of the Labour Party in the political arena.
- Easter Rising: revolt against their government in an attempt to gain independence but resulted in executions of many of the movement leaders.
- IRA terrorist group fights for their independence.
- The Locarno Pact in which a series of treaties state problems will be solved peacefully, and guaranteed existing boundaries between France and Germany.
France
- Farmland as well as entire cities of the North lay in ruins as a result of the battles of WWI.
- Wartime alliance with Italy comes to an end.
- Spent large amount of money to fortify borders with the Maginot Line.
- Signed a mutual assistance treaty with Czechoslovakia and Poland.
- The Locarno Pact in which a series of treaties state problems will be solved peacefully, and guaranteed existing boundaries between France and Germany.
Germany
- Leader known as der Fuhrer.
- His inspired speeches led his people to believe they could be restored in their pride, power, and world status.
- Nazi Party leader Adolph Hitler becomes Chancellor & begins the Third Reich.
- The Weimar Republic was the federal government establish after the war, however it proved to be weak and ineffective.
- To help rid the country of the communist his party staged the burning of the Reichstag building and blamed the communist.
- Open violation of the Treaty of Versailles when he marched his troops into the Rhineland.
- The Beer Hall Putsch was an attempt to oust the government. The future leader of the country was involved and jailed for his involvement.
- Began Fascist doctrine that appealed to the upper and middle classes.
- The Locarno Pact in which a series of treaties state problems will be solved peacefully, and guaranteed existing boundaries between France and Germany.
- In a book by the future leader of the country known as Mein Kampf, his racial superiority theory was laid out.
Italy
- His inspired speeches led his people to believe they could be restored in their pride, power, and world status.
- Fascist leader known as Benito Mussolini, also known as Il Duce, rises to power.
- Symbol of country is Roman axe bundled tightly with rods.
- Youth followers, known as “Sons of the Wolf".
- Began Fascist doctrine that appealed to the upper and middle classes.
- His “Black Shirts” broke up strikes, intimidated workers, and drove elected socialist from office.
- The Locarno Pact in which a series of treaties state problems will be solved peacefully, and guaranteed existing boundaries between France and Germany.
Soviets
- New Economic Plan kept heavy industry, communications, transportation, and credit systems under government control.
- Secretly began to rebuild and rearm the army.
- The 5year plan resulted in decreased agricultural output and many starve.
- Vladimir Lenin rose to lead the country.
- Became a command economy in which government controlled all economic decisions.
- ALL religion was discouraged and in many cases banned all together.
- The death of Lenin led to a power struggle between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. Stalin will win the fight.
- The “purge” rid the country of party members suspected of being disloyal.
- Agriculture grouped to form collective farms and people worked together to bring in the crops using the scarce farm machinery.
- Had a five year plan to increase industrial, agricultural output and turn them into modern industrial giant.
- Million of citizens were sent to gulags which were brutal labor camps in the barren area known as Siberia.