CLASS
CBSE-i
HISTORY
INTERWAR
PERIOD
STUDENTS’ MANUAL
Shiksha Kendra, 2, Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110 092 India
IX
UNIT-4
CBSE-i
History
INTERWAR
PERIOD
Students’ Manual
CLAS S
IX
UNIT-4
Shiksha Kendra, 2, Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110 092 India
The CBSE-International is grateful for permission to reproduce
and/or translate copyright material used in this publication. The
acknowledgements have been included wherever appropriate and
sources from where the material may be taken are duly mentioned. In
case any thing has been missed out, the Board will be pleased to rectify
the error at the earliest possible opportunity.
All Rights of these documents are reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, printed or transmitted in any form without the
prior permission of the CBSE-i. This material is meant for the use of
schools who are a part of the CBSE-International only.
Preface
Education plays the most important role in acquiring professional and social skills and a positive attitude to face thechallenges of
life. Curriculum is a comprehensive plan of any educational programme. It is also one of the means of bringing about qualitative
improvement in an educational system. The Curriculum initiated by Central Board of Secondary Education-International
(CBSE-i) is a progressive step in making the educational content responsive to global needs. It signifies the emergence of a fresh
thought process in imparting a curriculum which would restore the independence of the learner to pursue the learning process
in harmony with the existing personal, social and cultural ethos.
The CBSE introduced the CBSE-i curriculum as a pilot project in few schools situated outside India in 2010 in classes I and IX and
extended the programme to classes II, VI and X in the session 2011-12. It is going to be introduced in classes III, VII and for Senior
Secondary classes with class XI in the session 2012-13.
The Senior Secondary stage of education decides the course of life of any student. At this stage it becomes extremely important
for students to develop the right attitude, a willingness to learn and an understanding of the world around them to be able to
take right decisions for their future. The senior secondary curriculum is expected to provide necessary base for the growth of
knowledge and skills and thereby enhance a student's potential to face the challenges of global competitiveness. The CBSE-i
Senior Secondary Curriculum aims at developing desired professional, managerial and communication skills as per the
requirement of the world of work. CBSE-i is for the current session offering curriculum in ten subjects i.e. Physics Chemistry,
Biology, Accountancy, Business-Studies, Economics, Geography, ICT, English, Mathematics I and Mathematics II. Mathematics
at two levels caters to the differing needs of students of pure sciences or commerce.
The Curriculum has been designed to nurture multiple intelligences like linguistic or verbal intelligence, logical mathematical
intelligence, spatial intelligence, sports intelligence, musical intelligence, inter-personal intelligence and intra-personal
intelligence.
The Core skills are the most significant aspects of a learner's holistic growth and learning curve. The objective of this part of the
core of curriculum is to scaffold the learning experiences and to relate tacit knowledge with formal knowledge. This involves
trans-disciplinary linkages that would form the core of the learning process. Perspectives, SEWA (Social Empowerment through
Work and Action), Life Skills and Research would be the constituents of this 'Core'. The CBSE-i Curriculum evolves by building
on learning experiences inside the classroom over a period of time. The Board while addressing the issues of empowerment with
the help of the schools' administering this system strongly recommends that practicing teachers become skilful and lifelong
learners and also transfer their learning experiences to their peers through the interactive platforms provided by the Board.
The success of this curriculum depends upon its effective implementation and it is expected that the teachers will make efforts to
create better facilities, develop linkages with the world of work and foster conducive environment as per recommendations
made in the curriculum document.
I appreciate the effort of Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Training), CBSE and her team involved in the development of this
document. I specially appreciate the efforts of (Late) Dr. Srijata Das for working tirelessly towards meeting deadlines.
The CBSE-i website enables all stakeholders to participate in this initiative through the discussion forums. Any further
suggestions on improving the portal are always welcome.
Vineet Joshi
Chairman, CBSE
Acknowledgements
Advisory
Conceptual Framework
Shri Vineet Joshi, Chairman, CBSE
Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Academics & Training),
CBSE
Shri G. Balasubramanian, Former Director (Acad), CBSE
Ms. Abha Adams, Consultant, Step-by-Step School,
Noida
Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Academics & Training),
CBSE
Ideators
Dr. Anju Srivastava
Ms. Sarita Manuja
Ms. Varsha Seth
Prof. Chand Kiran Saluja
Mr. N. K. Sehgal
Ms. Preeti Hans
Ms. Sunita Tanwar
Dr. Usha Sharma
Dr. Uma Chaudhry
Ms. P Rajeshwary
Ms. S. Radha Mahalakshmi
Ms. Renu Anand
Ms. Anita Sharma
Ms. Suganda Vallli
Ms. Neelima Sharma
Dr. Rajesh Hassija
Mr. Mukesh Kumar
Material Production Groups
English :
Ms. Gayatri Khannaa
Ms. Renu Anand
Ms. P. Rajeshwary
Ms. Sarabjit Kaur
Hindi :
Ms. Sunita Joshi
Ms. Babita Singh
Ms. Veena Sharma
Sh. Akshay Kumar Dixit
Core- SEWA
Ms. Vandna
Ms. Nishtha Bharati
Ms. Seema Bhandari
Ms. Seema Chopra
Ms. Madhuchhanda
Ms. Reema Arora
Ms. Neha Sharma
Chemistry
Ms. Charu Maini
Ms. S. Anjum
Physics:
Ms. Novita Chopra
Ms. Meenambika Menon
Biology :
Ms. Pooja Sareen
Ms. Neeta Rastogi
Core- Prespectives
Ms. Madhuchhanda,
RO(Innovation)
Ms. Varsha Seth,
Consultant
Ms. Neha Sharma
Mathematics :
Dr. K.P. Chinda
Dr. Ram Avtar
Mr. Mahendra Shankar
Mr. J.C. Nijhawan
Ms. Rashmi Kathuria
Ms. Reemu Verma
Ms. Arti
Ms. Himani Ashija
Economics:
Ms. Anubha Malhotra
Ms. Vintee Sharma
Ms. Chaitali Sengupta
Core-Research
Ms. Renu Anand
Ms. Gayatri Khanna
Dr. N. K. Sehgal
Ms. Anita Sharma
Ms. Rashmi Kathuria
Ms. Neha Sharma
Ms. Neeta Rastogi
Ms. Manjushtha Bose
Ms. Varsha Manku
Dr. K. L. Chopra
ICT:
Mr. Yogesh Kumar
Ms. Nancy Sehgal
Ms. Purvi Srivastava
Ms. Babita Mahajan
Ms. Ritu Arora
Ms. Swati Panhani
Ms. Chanchal Chandna
Geography:
Ms. Meena Bharihoke
Ms. Parul Tyagi
Ms. Sudha Tyagi
Ms. Sonia Jarul
Ms. Neena Phogat
Mr. Nisheeth Kumar
History:
Ms. Sajal Chawala
Ms. Jyoti Sharma
Ms. Kamma Khurana
Ms. Shalini Chatarvedi
Mr. Dalia Haldar
Ms. Preeti Gupta
Political Science:
Dr. Sangeetha Mathur
Ms. Ananya Roy
Ms. Sunita Rathee
Ms. Amarjit Kaur
Ms. Nishu Sharma
Ms. Manisha Anthwal
Ms. Mamta Talwar
Chief Co-ordinator : Ms. Kshipra Verma, EO
Coordinators:
(Late) Dr. Srijata Das, EO
Shri R. P. Singh, AEO
Ms. Deepa Shukla
Consultant (Biology)
Ms. S. Radha Mahalakshmi, EO
Ms. Monika Munjal Gandhi
(Co-ordinator)
Ms. Reema Arora
Consultant (Chemistry)
Mr. Navin Maini, RO (Tech)
Sh. R. P. Sharma
Consultant (Science)
Ms. Prabhjot Kaur
Consultant (Social Studies)
Shri Al Hilal Ahmed, AEO
Ms. Neelima Sharma,
Consultant (English)
Mr. Sanjay Sachdeva, DO
Contents
1.
Preface
2.
Acknowledgment
3.
Major Forces and Related Events
4.
What major changes took place after the First World War?
5.
Introduction to Inter-War Period
6.
The Peace Settlements
?
Wilson's Fourteen Points
2-3
?
The Treaty of Versailles
4-5
7.
The League of Nations
8-10
8.
Communism vs. Capitalism
22-25
9.
The Great Depression
26-31
10. Glossary
35-38
11. Worksheets
39-71
12. References
72
UNIT IV: INTERWAR PERIOD
INTRODUCTION
The Inter War Period refers to the period of 20 years that starts from the end of the First
World War to the beginning of Second World War.
World War I left the nations of Europe,
Territorial changes after World War I.
victorious Allies as well as defeated
Central Powers, exhausted. Europe was
totally devastated, and the three great
European
empires-Germany,
Austria-
Hungary and the Ottoman were in ruins.
Soldiers of both sides found themselves
unemployed and facing a bleak future.
Widespread destruction led to internal
political conflict and social instability in
almost every nation in Europe.
The Paris Peace Conference dismantled
large blocks of territory in Eastern
Europe and drew the boundaries for
new, independent states. Due to the
destruction caused by war, the newly created states were not only economically
unstable, but were also new to the democratic ideas. The inter war period also saw the
rise of new ideologies i.e. fascism and communism. The political atmosphere of the
inter-war years was sharply divided between those who thought that extreme left could
solve Europe's problems, and those who desired leadership from the extreme right.
There were very few Moderates, and this situation kept the Governments of Britain,
France, and Eastern Europe in constant turmoil, swinging wildly between one extreme
and the other. Extreme viewpoints won over in the form of totalitarian states in Europe
1
during the inter-war years and communism took hold in the Soviet Union, while
fascists controlled Germany, Italy and Spain.
Germany was the worst affected country as it was burdened with war reparations that
it could not pay. The Treaty of Versailles resulted in the military and economic
dismemberment of the Germany. As a result, Germany suffered from mass
unemployment, and rampant inflation. Germans dreamed of a return to the glory of the
German Empire. It was this dream which permitted the ascension of Adolf Hitler and
the Nazi Party to power in Germany, promising them a glorious future and European
domination. Under the Nazis, Germany rearmed and began a program of European
conquest. Thus twenty years after the "War to End all Wars," Europe was once again at
war.
The Peace Settlements
Wilson's Fourteen Points, 1918
President Wilson had a vision of a
settlement that would bring a „just and
secure peace, „and not merely „a new
balance of power.‟
He presented a program of fourteen points
to a joint session of Congress on January 8,
1918(ten months before the peace treaty
was signed). Eight of Wilson‟s Fourteen
Points dealt with specific political and
territorial settlements. The rest of them set
forth
general
principles
aimed
at
preventing future wars. The fourteenth
President Woodrow Wilsons delivering his
fourteen Points to. Congress
point proposed what was to become the
2
League of Nations to guarantee the ‘Political independence and Territorial Integrity
of great and small States alike. „Wilson subsequently used the Fourteen Points as the
basis for negotiation of the Versailles Treaty that ended the First World War. Although
the treaty did not fully realize Wilson‟s unselfish vision, the Fourteen Points still stand
as the most powerful expression of the idealist strain in American diplomacy.
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
There should be no secret alliances between countries
Freedom of the seas in peace and war
The reduction of trade barriers among nations
The general reduction of armaments
The adjustment of colonial claims in the interest of the inhabitants as well as of
the colonial powers
The evacuation of Russian territory and a welcome for its Government to the
society of nations
The restoration of Belgian territories in Germany
The evacuation of all French territory, including Alsace-Lorraine
The readjustment of Italian boundaries along clearly recognizable lines of
nationality
Independence for various national groups in Austria-Hungary
The restoration of the Balkan nations and free access to the sea for Serbia
Protection for minorities in Turkey and the free passage of the ships of all nations
through the Dardanelles
3
Independence for Poland, including access to the sea
A league of nations to protect "mutual guarantees of political independence and
territorial integrity to great and small nations alike."
The Peace Conference and the Treaty of Versailles
In January 1919, representatives of 32 nations gathered
in Paris to draw up the peace settlement. The main
decisions however were made by the Big Four
consisted of President Wilson, Britain‟s Prime Minister
David Lloyd George, France‟s Premier Georges
Clemenceau, and Italy‟s Premier, Vittorio Orlando.
In May 1919, the peace conference approved the treaty and presented it to Germany.
Germany agreed to it only after the Allies threatened to invade. With grave doubts,
German representatives signed the treaty in the Palace of Versailles near Paris on June
28, 1919. The date was the fifth anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Francis
Ferdinand. In addition to the Treaty of Versailles with Germany, the peacemakers
drew up separate treaties with other Central Powers too.
The Main Clauses of the Treaty of Versailles
The treaty can be divided into a number of sections; Territorial, Military, Financial and
General.
Territorial Losses
France Premier, Clemenceau wanted to make sure that France was secure from
German attack and so demanded that France‟s northeastern boundary be made
safe. Germany therefore lost Alsace-Lorraine. The Rhineland was demilitarised
so that French borders were secure.
Three frontier areas: European, Malmédy and Moresnet were given to Belgium.
4
Northern Schleswig went to Denmark, Southern Schleswig stayed in Germany.
Troppau was transferred to Czechoslovakia.
Poland gained West Prussia and Posen. This made up a „corridor‟, giving Poland
access to the Baltic Sea. East Prussia was separated from Germany. Poland also
gained half of Silesia. (N.B. Article 87 said the Poland-Russia border would be
settled later.)
Signed
28 June 1919
Location
Hall of Mirrors, Palace of Versailles, France
Implemented on
10 January 1920
Signatories
Central Powers
Germany
Allied Powers
British Empire
France
Italy
Japan
United States
The League of Nations took control of certain areas:
Industrial area of the Saar (Germany regained it in 1935)
Memel (a port) taken from Germany (annexed by Lithuania, 1923)
5
Danzig made a free city under the control of the League of Nations.
All Germany‟s gains at the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (3rd March 1918) were
surrendered. Germany had made considerable gains when Russia made peace.
Germany lost all of her overseas colonies covering a total of 1,000,000 square
miles. Britain gained Tanganyika in East Africa, part of Togoland and the
Cameroons. The remaining African colonies were shared between Belgium and
South Africa. In the Pacific, German possessions were showed between Britain,
Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
The union (Anschluss) of Austria and Germany was forbidden.
As a result of these losses, Germany‟s total territorial losses amounted to 28,000 square
miles, and six million people.
Military Losses
The German army was reduced to 100,000 men, and recruitment was disallowed.
No tanks, aircraft or heavy artillery were to be manufactured for the German
armed forces.
German navy reduced to: six battleships, six light cruisers, twelve destroyers,
and twelve torpedo boats. Germany had to build ships for the Allies.
Economic Losses
The German steel industry depended on coal from the Saar, and iron ore from AlsaceLorraine. Germany lost both of these areas. Germany also lost coal mines in Upper
Silesia to Poland.
Reparations (Compensation Payment for War Damages)
This was a difficult problem to solve and so a reparations commission was established
to decide how many goods and how much money Germany should pay.
6
The figure £6,600 million was eventually agreed upon.
War Guilt Clause
This refers to Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles, which placed the blame for all
losses occurred by the Allies in the First World War, on Germany.
The treaty also specifically asked that Kaiser be brought on trial. Kaiser Wilhelm II fled
to Holland in 1918, and the Dutch refused to release him.
Large sections of the public in Britain and France claimed that the terms of the Treaty
were not harsh enough. Congress in the United States, however, went the other way,
and refused to ratify the Treaty. Germans of all classes rejected the „war-guilt‟ clause,
and this continued to rankle with them until Hitler became Chancellor. In 1933 he
refused to consider himself bound by the Treaty, and promised Germany total revenge.
Important Personalities who signed the Treaty of Versailles
David Lloyd George, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a
British Liberal politician and statesman. He was Prime Minister of
the United Kingdom at the head of a wartime coalition
Government between the years 1916–22 and was the Leader of the
Liberal Party from 1926–31.
Clemenceau: As Prime Ministerof France from 1917 to 1920,
Clemenceau worked to restore French morale and concentrate
Allied military forces under Ferdinand Foch. He led the French
delegation to the peace talks ending World War I, during which
he insisted on harsh reparation payments and German
disarmament.
Henry Cabot (May 12, 1850 – November 9, 1924) was an American Republican Senator
and historian from Massachusetts. He had the role (but not the title) of Senate Majority
7
leader. He is best known for his positions on foreign policy,
especially his battle with President Woodrow Wilson in 1919
over the Treaty of Versailles. Lodge demanded Congressional
control of declarations of war; Wilson refused and the United
States Senate never ratified the Treaty nor joined the League of
Nations.
Woodrow Wilson: Woodrow Wilson was a former professor
who was elected The US President in 1912. A democrat, he was
re-elected in 1916 after the success of his progressive domestic
policy and because he had kept the US out of the war. However,
he felt obliged to declare war in 1917 because he wanted to
ensure that a lasting peace, built on a new international morality and co-operation,
resulted. He suggested peace terms in 1918 and worked towards a fair settlement at
Versailles. He was forced to compromise, as the US Congress did not approve the peace
treaty or agree to the USA‟s membership of the League.
Formation of League of Nations
On Jan 10 1920 the Treaty of Versailles was officially ratified and the League of
Nations came into existence at Palais Wilson
8
Symbol
League of Nations opening session
The Covenant of the League of Nations begins...
“In order to promote international cooperation and to achieve international peace
and security by the acceptance of obligations not to resort to war, by the prescription
of open, just and honorable relations between nations, by the firm establishment of
the understandings of international law as the actual rule of conduct among
Governments, and by the maintenance of justice and a scrupulous respect for all
treaty obligations in the dealings of organised peoples with one another, Agree to
this Covenant of the League of Nations
The League of Nations first met in November 1920. Forty-two nations were represented
at this first meeting. Notably absent were German, Russia, and the United States.
Germany identified as the aggressor in World War I, was at first barred admission but
admitted later in 1926. Russia, now the Soviet Union, was not invited to join the League
due to the radical policies of the new communist Government. The Soviet Union finally
became a member of the League in 1935. In November 1919, the US Senate voted
against accepting membership of the League.
The League had two basic aims
Firstly, it sought to preserve the peace through collective action. Disputes would
be referred to the League's Council for arbitration and conciliation. If necessary,
9
economic and then military sanctions could be used. In other words, members
undertook to defend other members from aggression.
Secondly, the League aimed to promote international cooperation in economic
and social affairs.
It originally consisted of 42 countries, 26 of which were non-European. At its largest, 57
countries were members of the League. The League was created because a number of
people in France, South Africa, the UK and the US believed that a world organization of
nations could maintain the peace and prevent a repetition of the horrors of the 1914-18
war in Europe.
The main organs of the League of Nations were the General Assembly, the Council
and the Secretariat. The General Assembly, which met once a year, consisted of
representatives of all the member states and decided on the organization's policy. The
Council included four permanent members (Britain, France, Italy and Japan) and four
(later nine) others elected by the General Assembly every three years. The Council was
responsible for the prevention of war through disarmament, resolving disputes, and
supervising the mandates of the League. The Secretariat was the League's civil service,
preparing the agenda for the Assembly and the Council, serving a clerical purpose, and
preparing documents for publication.
The League of Nations succeeded in providing assistance to bankrupt nations,
supervising its mandates, and resolving conflicts between minor powers. During the
early 1920s, the League made two attempts to outline a mechanism by which
international conflicts could be contained and resolved. Both methods aimed to identify
the aggressor nation and pledge League support to the victim. The Treaty of Mutual
Assistance, the first of these two efforts, was drafted in 1923. It proposed that the
Council should declare the aggressor side within 4 days of the outbreak of a conflict.
The juncture, at which the League‟s members are required to support the victim
Nations, was also to be specified. The treaty failed, due to the consensus that deciding
10
which side of a conflict was the aggressor, was far too difficult in just four days and
without any concrete guidelines.
Failure of the League
As the Second World War unfolded, it became clear that the League had failed in its
chief aim of keeping the peace. The League had no military power of its own. It
depended on its members' contributions; and its members were not willing to use
sanctions, economic or military. Moral authority was insufficient.
Several Big Powers failed to support the League: the United States crucially never
joined; Germany was a member for only seven years from 1926 and the USSR for only
five years from 1934; Japan and Italy both withdrew in the 30s. The League then
depended mainly on Britain and France, who were understandably hesitant to act
forcefully. It was indeed difficult for Governments long accustomed to operating
independently to work through this new organization
Attempts at reconciliation and disarmament (1921-1930)
The former Allies and Germany were reconciled on December 1, 1925 with the signing
of the Locarno Pacts. The Pacts were intended to assuage French fears of resurgent
German aggression. They included guarantees on the French-German and BelgianGerman borders, signed by those three nations and with Britain and Italy acting as
guarantors, promising to provide military assistance to the victim of any violation of
peace along those borders. The Locarno Pacts also included treaties between Germany
and Poland, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, and France, providing for the settlement of
potential territorial disputes. Additionally, French-Polish and French-Czechoslovakian
mutual assistance treaties were signed in case of German aggression.
Article III of the Covenant of the League called for "reduction of armaments to the
lowest point consistent with national safety." However, despite this priority, the first
major arms treaty was negotiated outside of the League, in November 1921. The United
11
States convened the Washington Conference, attended by Britain, France, Italy,
Belgium, the Netherlands, China, Japan, and Portugal. The Conference resulted in a
naval armaments treaty which set a ratio for tonnage of capital ships (over 10,000 tons,
with guns bigger than eight inches) for Great Britain, the US, Japan, France, and Italy.
The ratio agreed upon, in that order, was 5:5:3:1.67:1.67.
In 1925, the League of Nations appointed a commission to prepare a disarmament
conference. The commission met first in 1926 and a number of times subsequently, all
without success. Britain and France refused to cooperate, and without their
participation, disarmament floundered. The League's inability to promote disarmament
led United States Secretary of State Frank Kellogg and French Foreign Minister Aristide
Briand to jointly denounce war in the 1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact, which stated that the
signing parties condemned recourse to war, and denounced it as an aspect of policy.
The pact was eventually ratified, often hesitantly, by 65 nations. Some nations signed
while claiming exceptions for self-defense and such. The Kellogg-Briand Pact had no
enforcement mechanism, but was based rather on the affirmation of the spirit of peace.
The last major League of Nations-sponsored disarmament conference met from
February to July 1932 at Geneva, with 60 nations in attendance, including the United
States. However, this conference, like its predecessors, failed to secure any agreement,
and organized disarmament remained an unaccomplished goal.
The Soviet Union During the Inter-War Years (1924-1935)
The Soviet Union was the first totalitarian state to establish itself after World War I. In
1917, Vladimir Lenin seized power in the Russian Revolution, establishing a singleparty Dictatorship under the Bolsheviks and was succeeded by Stalin.
In 1928 Stalin abandoned Lenin's economic policy and installed a system of central
planning, which dictated everything from where factories should be built to how
farmers should plant their crops. He allocated natural resources for heavy industrial
development, at the expense of consumer products, believing that heavy industry
12
would be the foundation of a profitable state. Simultaneously, Stalin introduced a
policy of collectivization, under which were created Governmentally owned and
operated farms in which peasants pooled their lands. The more well off peasant class,
the kulaks rebelled against collectivization. Stalin would accept no resistance, and
initiated a reign of terror during 1929 and 1930, during which as many as 3 million
people were killed.
During the 1930s, Stalin sought to eliminate all barriers to his complete and total
exercise of power. In 1933, he created the Central Purge Commission, which publicly
investigated and tried members of the Communist Party for treason. In 1933 and 1934,
1,140,000 members were expelled from the party. Between 1933 and 1938, thousands
were arrested and expelled, or shot, including about 25 percent of the army officer
corps. 1108 of the 1966 delegates attending the 1934 Communist Party Congress were
arrested, and of the 139 members of the Central Committee, 98 were shot. Many
longstanding and prominent party members were tried. In all cases, the defendants
were forced to confess publicly, and then were shot.
Eastern Europe during the Inter-War Years (1919-1938)
The nations of Eastern Europe, which were dominated to a large extent by the major
powers before World War I, found themselves in a period of unprecedented selfdetermination between the wars. Notable among this group were the Baltic States-Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All of these states had formerly been dominated
by Germany to the west and Russia to the east. Once freed from this domination,
Finland went on to bind its fate with that of the other Scandinavian countries, and was
able to maintain economic and political stability to a significant extent. Estonia, Latvia,
and Lithuania all struggled with Democracy, and became ruled by Dictatorships. In
September 1934, the three states signed a ten-year pact to cooperate in foreign affairs.
Poland, similarly freed from domination, established a democratic Government in 1922,
but due to social and economic distress, Joseph Pilsudski took power as virtual Dictator
13
in 1926. In 1934, a new, Conservative constitution was drawn up, granting
extraordinary authority to the president. However, uncertainty about this constitution
grew, culminating in May 1935, when Pilsudski died. The elite politicians in Poland
consolidated power, and instituted a 'non-party' system, put in place after the 1935
elections. The Camp of National Unity (OZN) took control in 1937, a mass organization
based on the principles of nationalism, social justice, and organization. All the while,
Poland waged a difficult battle to balance the desires of Germany and the Soviet Union.
Eventually however, the balance collapsed, and Poland was prey to both nations in
World War II.
Hungary experienced a great deal of instability during the inter-war years. Hungary
had been tied to Austria since before World War-I, due to the fact that the Hapsburg
Emperor of Austria had also ruled as the King of Hungary. After the disintegration of
the Hapsburg Empire, Hungary declared itself independent, and the Government came
under the control of the liberal National Council, which was overthrown by communist
forces in 1919, quickly followed by their ousting and the onset of chaos. In January 1920,
a National Constituent Assembly was elected to determine the future of Hungarian
Government. It decided on Monarchy, and Hungary became, in effect, a Dictatorship
run by the landed Aristocracy. In 1932, General GyulaGombos came to power as prime
minister, an office he used as a Dictatorship. He was not a strong enough ruler to
initiate a truly fascist state, but he was quite powerful, and quite conservative, as well as
being openly anti-Semitic. Gombos set the tone for a string of conservative prime
ministers who practiced open anti-Semitism, and eventually cooperated with Germany
in its efforts at European domination. Due to general economic hardship and a large
cession of land mandated by a peace treaty, Hungary floundered economically, and was
unstable politically for most of the inter-war period. The chief beneficiaries of the land
cession were Rumania, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia.
Czechoslovakia proved the only nation in Eastern Europe able to function reasonably
well as a Democracy during the inter-war period. On October 18th, 1918,
14
Czechoslovakia declared its independence from Hungary and established the National
Assembly in Prague. The Government attacked economic problems ferociously,
undertaking reforms and land redistribution. Despite a number of rough patches, the
parties within the Czechoslovakian Government demonstrated marked unity, and
between 1922 and 1929 proceeded in relative stability, ruled by Antonin Svehla, whose
rule was broken up into several long stints. The depression hit Czechoslovakia hard,
exacerbating ethnic tensions, and most notably convincing the nation's 3 million ethnic
Germans, most of who lived near the German border, that they would be best off
following the German Nazi Party. Despite efforts to enlist the support of France and the
Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia was not able to fend off German expansionism, and on
September 18th, 1938, under the Munich Pact, Britain and France officially recognized
German Control of the Czechoslovakian Sudetenland.
Italian Fascism during the Inter-War Years (1919-1938)
In 1915, the French, British, and Russians had promised territory to Italy in exchange for
joining the Allied cause. However, when the war ended, the principle of national self
determination stood in the way of Italian efforts to collect on this promise. The Italian
Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando returned from the Paris Peace Conference at the close
of World War I embarrassed and empty-handed. The Italian people naturally turned
against Orlando's Government.
Like the other warring nations, Italy had borrowed extensively to finance its war effort.
In 1919, the Italian national debt was six times its pre-war level, and the lira had
depreciated to one-third its pre-war value. To make matters worse, the democratically
elected Chamber of Deputies, Italy's primary governing body, was unpaid, and thus
prone to corruption and bribery. Amid the chaos of the early inter-war years, Benito
Mussolini founded the Fascist Party, the Fascio di Combattimento, in March 1919. The
Fascist Party, composed largely of war veterans, was vehemently anti-communist, and
glorified war.
15
In the elections of May 1921, 35 fascists, including Mussolini, were elected to the
Chamber of Deputies, representing about 250,000 official party members drawn mostly
from the lower middle class. Political tensions between the Fascists and the
Communists mounted in Italy almost to the point of civil war. Fascist 'black shirts' and
communist 'red shirts' were often seen brawling in the streets. By the summer of 1922,
the Fascist army marched from Naples to Rome, declaring their loyalty to the king,
Victor Emmanuel, and to the Roman Catholic Church, and claiming its purpose was to
free Italy from the liberal left. The Communists also possessed their own army, and the
king feared open violence. In an effort to avoid this he named Mussolini premier on
October 30th, 1922. Mussolini used his private army, now turned into a militia, to purge
local Governments of any opposition to Fascism. He consolidated his power under the
motto: "All in the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state." Under this
doctrine he ruled Italy with a tight fist during the war years, instituting economic and
social reforms, some successful, others unsuccessful. He was sympathetic to Adolf
Hitler's desire to regain glory for Germany and Europe, and proved Hitler's most
important ally.
Britain during the Inter-War Years (1919-1938)
Immediately after World War I, workers in many key industries began to strike,
demanding higher wages, better working conditions, and shorter hours now that the
war was ended. Workers in the mining and railway industries were especially adamant,
and troops were called in on a number of occasions. However, the spirit of the labor
movements did not blossom in Britain as it did elsewhere, and the socialist goal of
Nationalization of industry was put on hold. Factories owned by the Government were
sold off, and soon practically no businesses remained in Government hands. During the
early years after the war, Britain stayed out of foreign affairs and hoped that laissezfaire economics would jump-start the post-war economy.
16
However, political stability could not be maintained. In 1922, David Lloyd George
resigned, and the coalition of parties under him fragmented, ushering in a period of
uncertainty. The next years found the British Conservative Party struggling to prevent
power from falling into the hands of the leftist Labour Party, which in fact controlled
the Government for a short time in 1924. After this short spurt, Conservatives again
controlled the Government from 1925 to 1929. In March 1926, the Samuel Commission,
at the behest of the Government, released a report on the coal industry advocating wage
reductions, setting off strikes all over the nation in May. The Triple Alliance, made up
of miners, rail workers, and other transport workers began the strike, and workers in
other industries around the nation struck in sympathy. However, the spirit of
Conservatism remained high and the Government held out. The miners went back to
work in December, forced by necessity, and the Trade Disputes Act of 1927 made
sympathetic striking illegal. Amid this battle, however, the Conservative Government
lost direction and unity, and the Labour Party won the election of 1929. The Labour
Government attempted to exercise a greater deal of control over the domestic economy,
but was often hesitant in its actions.
The onset of the depression in the early 1930s tore the British Parliament apart, as
disagreement over recovery measures divided the nation. Labour advocated extremely
leftist policies and unwise spending, while the Liberal and Conservative Parties were
divided within themselves over just what to do. The election of 1931 was a marked
success for the Conservatives, who emerged with a vast majority in Parliament. Despite
the Party's protectionist efforts, the depression grew steadily worse. Unemployment
benefits were cut in 1931, and adjusted again in 1934. The remainder of the peacetime
years was spent dabbling in different potential solutions to the nation's economic
problems.
In the realm of foreign relations, the only major issue was the resurgence of German
aggression. In 1937, Stanley Baldwin, of the resigned and Neville Chamberlain become
prime minister. Chamberlain pursued the policy of appeasement and signed the
17
Munich Pact. His hopes for avoidance of war dashed, he presided over Britain's
declaration of war on Germany on September 3, 1939.
France during the Inter-War Years (1919-1938)
Though victorious, France lost 1.5 million men in World War I, and had 3.5 million
wounded. After the war, France faced an increased death rate was up and falling birth
rate. The workforce accordingly declined, and France never fully recovered during the
inter-war period. Steel production, cut in half and both agriculture and industry fell
into serious declined after the war. The value of the franc fell by about 50 percent
during 1919. To pay off bondholders, France was forced to borrow at extremely high
short-term rates.
The French Government took little action to rectify the economic situation, relying on
laissez-faire economics instead. The advocates of socialism began to align themselves in
protest of Government inaction during the early years of the inter-war period, but the
threat from the left was quickly quashed by a coalition of the petite bourgeoisie and the
bureaucracy. The fears of the petite bourgeoisie were represented by the Bloc National,
a coalition of rightist forces.
Under Raymond Poincare as Prime Ministerbetween 1922 and 1924, the French
Chamber of Deputies demanded full payment of reparations by Germany. When the
Germans asked for a moratorium on payment, and subsequently defaulted on their
reparations, Poincare sent 40,000 troops to occupy the Ruhr in Germany. This action
cost France considerable funding, and failed to force the Germans to pay, but rather led
to the drafting of the Dawes Plan, under which annual payments of reparations were
decreased. Largely due to this failure, the Bloc National was replaced by the Cartel des
Gauches, a moderate socialistic coalition elected on May 11, 1924. However, the
socialists proved themselves disorganized, disunited, and generally unfit for
Government. Thus in 1926, Poincare was asked to return and granted extreme powers.
18
In 1928, Poincare decreed that the franc was to be devalued, a bold move which paid off
brilliantly in the short- run.
In July 1929, Poincare resigned from political life, and France faced political instability
again. In the elections of 1936, the radical leftist Popular Front emerged victorious, Leon
Blum, became Prime Minister on June 3rd, 1936. Blum proved unable to curtail the
rapidly depreciating economy, and a year after its inception, the Popular Front
Government fell apart.
The rightist Government that ensued restored a degree of economic stability with a
program that included an increase of armaments manufactures. France would need
these armaments soon, since it was not long before France declared war on Germany,
on September 3, 1939.
The Spanish Civil War (1931-1939)
On April 14, 1931 the Spanish Monarchy was declared overthrown and a Provisional
Government took power. In the ensuing years, the Government became increasingly
divided between the socialists of the extreme left and the monarchists of the extreme
right. In the elections of February 1936 the left won a clear majority. Generals Goded,
Mola, and Francisco Franco disagreed with the leftist efforts at army reform, and
viewed with distaste the violence and anarchy which reigned in the streets of Spain.
They decided to overthrow the Government.
Mola organized for military action in Pamplona, while Franco traveled to Morocco to
lead the African installment of the Spanish army against the republic. The military
Nationalists pronounced their intentions on July 17, 1936. The rebels stirred by the
Nationalists were easily defeated in many cities where the loyal Civil Guard was
present. However, in cities unprotected by the Civil Guard, the Nationalists took
control quickly, in many cases aided by supplies from Benito Mussolini and Adolf
Hitler. The Republicans, aided by the Soviet Union, consolidated support for the
19
republic, and by May 1937 were entrenched in defensive positions in a triangle of cities
with the points in Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona.
The Republicans tried to turn their rag-tag militia into an effective fighting force,
beginning in October 1936 with the creation of the Popular Army, which, while better
organized than the militias, was chronically short of arms and ammunition, and was
beset by incompetent junior officers and political factions within the ranks. With only
limited support from France, and none at all from Britain, The Spanish Republicans
turned to the Soviet Union for support. Soviet tanks, superior to the German Mark IIs,
arrived in October, along with advanced aircraft and Soviet military advisors. One
source of support for the Republicans was the presence of the International Brigades.
These groups of leftist volunteers were made up mostly of workers, who volunteered
out of boredom, disillusionment, or a desire for adventure as often as genuine political
idealism. The protagonist of Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls is such an
international brigadier. However, this support was not enough.
On April 25, 1937, the small northern town of Guernica was bombed by the
Nationalists, and civilians were gunned down as they fled the scene. In this brutal
massacre 1500 died and 800 were wounded, but the military targets in the town
remained intact. As the bloody conflict escalated, the Republican Government was the
prey to corruption and faction, and support and organization steadily waned. Under
the barrage of nationalist attack Barcelona fell, during January 1939. Catalonia fell
during February, and Valencia and Madrid collapsed by the end of March. Franco's
ensuing rein was one of oppression and tradition. He imprisoned many upon coming to
power--up to a million according to some estimates. Many fled Spain, becoming
refugees and awaiting the toppling of the Franco Government. They would wait for 36
years, for Franco remained in power until his death in 1975.
Nazi Germany (1919-1938)
In 1920, Hitler seized control in the German Workers Party, changing its name to the
National Socialist German Workers Party, called the Nazi Party for short. On November
20
9, 1923, Hitler and World War I hero General Ludendorf attempted a small revolution
known as the Beer Hall Putsch. Hitler had jumped onto a beer hall table and proclaimed
the current Weimar Government overthrown. He and Ludendorf led their supporters
into the street, and were promptly arrested. Hitler spent two years in prison, where he
wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle), which outlined his future policies, centered on the
theory of Aryan superiority and Jewish inferiority.
Released in 1925, Hitler honed his oratorical skills and worked for the advancement of
the Nazi party. Such advancement was slow in coming through the years 1925 to 1929, a
fairly stable period in Europe. However, as the world became mired in depression and
unemployment rose, so did support for the Nazi Party, which promised employment
and a return to glory for the nation. In 1932 the Nazis won 37.3 percent of the popular
vote and occupied 230 seats in the German Reichstag. There was little stability in the
German Government at this time, and seeking a solution to this instability, President
Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler chancellor on January 30, 1933. Once in office,
Hitler dissolved the Reichstag and persuaded Hindenburg to issue a decree granting
Hitler authority to prohibit public meetings, the wearing of political uniforms, and
publication of dissenting opinions.
On February 27, 1933, the Reichstag building burned down and a retarded Dutch boy
claiming he worked for the communists was arrested for arson. There is evidence to
prove that the Nazis themselves had set the fire, but in any case, Hitler used the
incident to persuade Hindenburg to restrict all individual rights and declare that the
central Government could oust any state Government failing to maintain order. Hitler
systematically took control of all of the state Governments this way. Hitler's private
army, the S.A., roamed the streets terrorizing political opponents. Even so, the Nazis
only won 43.9 percent of the vote in 1933. To gain a two-thirds majority Hitler formed
an alliance with the Nationalist party, and declared the communist party illegal. On
March 23, 1933, the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act, giving Hitler the power to make
decrees with the status of law, and ending elections. When Hindenburg died in 1934,
21
Hitler fused the positions of chancellor and president into one office: 'Der Fuhrer.' He
took control as Dictator. Hitler constructed the Third Reich under his Dictatorship,
using the Gestapo, the secret police, to stifle all dissent. Hitler's vague policy included a
planned economy in which the unemployed were put to work on Government projects,
working hours were shortened to open up jobs, and labor was forbidden to organize.
The Government oversaw all functions of the economy. All education and speech was
controlled. Curricula and textbooks were rewritten to reflect Nazi ideology, and all
movies, newspapers, radio, and art were regulated by the vigilant Ministry of
Propaganda, under Joseph Goebbels. One of the Ministry's main tasks was to mobilize
German anti-Semitism in support of Nazi persecution of German Jews, which would
reach its climax in the Holocaust, begun in earnest in 1941. The persecution of the Jews
was a major step in Hitler's plan to conquer all of Europe for the Aryan race, a plan that
resulted in the outbreak of World War II.
CAPITALISM
An economic system based on private ownership and on the
investment of money in business ventures in order to make a
profit.
Adam Smith - University professor in Scotland, supported
Capitalism, wrote „The Wealth of Nations’
Laissez Faire-believed in letting the owners of industry and businesses work without
Governments‟ interference.
Capitalism promotes the market economy that aims to produce the best goods at the
lowest prices. Businesses compete with each other for the consumer‟s money. Each
business tries to provide goods and services that are better and less expensive than its
competitor
Positive effects : Competition led to progress
22
Negative effects: Unequal distribution of wealth led to social unrest.
COMMUNISM
`From each according to his/her ability, to each is according to
his/her need‟.
“The worker of the world has nothing to lose, but their chains,
workers of the world unite”. – Marx
In many ways, Communism was a reaction to the Industrial
revolution
and
capitalism.
The
Industrial
Revolutions
intensified class struggle (rich vs. poor)- „Haves‟ take
advantage of „Have-nots‟ (proletariat)
Definition: An economic system in which all means of production are owned by the
people. Private property does not exist and all goods and services are shared equally.
Karl Marx – German Journalist, Radical Socialist, Wrote „The Communist Manifesto’
Friedrich Engels- Son of a wealthy German textile entrepreneur, radical socialist, cowrote ‘The Communist Manifesto’ and ‘Das Capital’
Marx and Engels felt that workers are exploited by employers and the labour of
workers profits their employers. So they called for workers of the world to unite and
overthrow the rule of the rich. Wealth was to be redistributed. Classes and private
property would cease to exist.
Comparison between Communism and Capitalism
Communism vs. Capitalism debate is a battle between two
extreme socioeconomic theories. They are theories that represent
two inherently opposite ways of thinking. One is extremely
individualistic (Capitalism), while the other one (Communism)
23
believes in putting the society before self.
The communism vs. capitalism clash
polarized the world during the cold war.
Ownership of Means of Production
The primary point of difference between Capitalism and Communism is regarding the
ownership of the 'means of production' or resources in general.
Communism shuns private/individual ownership of land or any vital resources.
Instead, all the 'means of production' like land and other resources should be owned by
the stateor the whole community of people. All land and resources which enable the
production of goods and services will be owned by one and all. All decisions on
production are to be made by the whole community by Democratic means. There
should be equal wages for all. All the decisions should be for the benefit of all.
On the other hand, Capitalism believes in private ownership of land and means of
production. Every man will have to earn his worth. The major share of the profits
earned from a business will go to the person who owns the means of production, while
the workers who are responsible for running the business will get a small share. Every
man will get his wages according to his merit and according to the thinking of the man
who owns the means of production.
This is the major bone of contention between the two ideologies, on the ownership of
means of production. Both are extreme ideas. While Communism can kill the idea of
individual enterprise, which has led to most of the technological innovations we see
today, capitalism has the seeds of exploitation, where too much wealth and therefore
power, is concentrated in the hands of a few people.
Individual Freedom
Communism and Capitalism are two extreme points of view, which have contrasting
views about individual freedom. Communism asks one to put the society before the
individual, while capitalism puts individual freedom, before society.
24
Both again are two extreme points of view, which have their advantages and
disadvantages. Some of the greatest advances in human history have happened due to
individual creativity and enterprise, which were self serving, though they ultimately
benefited the society. Communism can kill that individual creative streak, by making a
person do what he is told. In short, it has the danger of killing creativity and original
thinking.
Capitalism, on the other hand, feeding selfish desires can create capitalist autocrats who
can have control of life and death over thousands of people, leading to exploitation.
A map showing the current states with self-declared Communist Governments of China, Cuba, Laos,
Vietnam, and North Korea.
Map of the countries that declared themselves or were declared as Socialist States under the MarxistLeninist or Maoist definition between 1979 and 1983
25
MAPS OF THE WORLD SHOWING COMMUNIST STATES
Symbol of communism
The color red is a symbol of communism around the world. A red five-pointed star
sometimes also stands for communism. The hammer and sickle is a well known
symbol of communism and was on the flags of many countries that claimed to be
building communism.
Society
Communism advocates a classless, egalitarian society, where all men and women are
placed on the same footing.
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide
economic depression in the decade after World
War I. The timing of the Great Depression varied
across nations, but in most countries it started in
about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early
1940s. It was the longest, most widespread, and
deepest depression of the 20th century. It started in
the United States in 1930 and spread quickly to the
rest of the world.
Uneven distribution of income
In addition to the farmers, workers in the coal, railroad, and textile industries failed to
share in the prosperity of the 1920‟s. Industrial production increased about 50 percent,
but the wages of industrial workers rose far more slowly. As a result, these workers
could not buy goods as fast as industry produced them. Many people had to buy on
26
credit. After a while, workers reduced their spending to hold down their debts. Then
the amount of money in circulation decreased, and business became even worse.
The stock market crash
From 1925 to 1929, the average price of common stocks on the New York Stock
Exchange more than doubled. Rising stock values encouraged many people to
speculate-that, buy stocks in hope of making large profits following future price
increase.
Stock values dropped rapidly on Oct.24, 1929, now known as Black Thursday. Most
stock prices remain steady on Friday and Saturday. But the next Monday, stock prices
fell again. Then, on Tuesday, October 29th, stockholders panicked and sold a record
16,410,030 shares of stock. Thousands of people lost huge sums of money as stock
values fell far below the prices paid for the stock. Banks and business had also bought
stock, and many lost so much that they had to close. Stock values fell almost steadily for
the next three years.
The Deepening of the Depression
From October 1929 until Franklin D. Roosevelt became President in March 1933 the
economy slumped almost every month. Business failures increased rapidly among the
banks, factories, and stores, and unemployment soared. Millions of people lost their
jobs, savings and homes.
Economic breakdown from 1930 to 1933, prices of industrial stocks fell about 80 percent.
Banks and individuals with investments in the stock market lost large sums. Banks had
also loaned money to many people who could not repay it. The deepening depression
forced large numbers of people to withdraw their savings. Banks had great difficulty
meeting the withdrawals, which came at a time when the banks were unable to collect
money for the loans. Between January 1930 and March 1933, about 9,000 banks failed.
The bank failures wiped out the savings of millions of people. Bank failure made less
27
money availability for loans to industry. The decline in the money available caused a
drop in production and a further rise in unemployment.
Human suffering became a reality for millions of Americans as the depression
continued. Many died of disease resulting from malnutrition. Thousands lost their
home because they could not pay the mortgage. In 1932, at least 25,000 families and
more than 200,000 young people wandered through the country seeking food, clothing,
shelter, and a job. Many youths traveled in freight trains and lived near train yards in
camps called hobo jungles.
The New Deal programs not only helped relieve the depression but also renewed the
confidence of Americans in the Government. But about 15 percent of the Nation‟s
working force still did not have a job in 1940. The Great Depression did not end in the
United States until 1942, after the country had entered World War II. The great increase
in production of war materials provided so many jobs that the U.S. unemployment rate
fell to about 1 percent in 1944.
In Canada, the national economy depended on the export of grain and raw materials.
Canadian farmers and exporters suffered huge losses after other countries increased
tariffs
on
imported
products.
Many
Canadian
companies
closed,
and
the
unemployment rate rose from about 3 percent of the labor force in 1929 to about 23
percent in 1933.
Richard
B.
Bennett,
who
served
as
Prime
Ministerfrom 1930 to 1935, had little success in his
efforts to relieve the depression in Canada. W.L.
Mackenzie King succeeded Bennett and adopted
programs similar to those of Roosevelt to fight the
depression. See Bennett, Richard Bedford; King,
William Lyon Mackenzie; Canada, History of (The
Great Depression).
28
Effects of the Depression
The Great Depression caused many changes in the United States. It brought new laws
that gave the Government far more power than at any previous time in the nation‟s
history. It also changed the attitudes of countless Americans toward various aspects of
life.
During this depression, mostly all countries were affected economically. International
commerce took the vital step of reducing tax revenues, profits and personal incomes.
Countries which exported raw materials were adversely affected by the depression.
Countries tried to protect their industrial products by raising tariffs on imports. Many
nations stopped constructing, and other nations changed their Government leaders.
Adolf Hitler of German became popular because of the poor financial situation in
Germany. The Japanese on the other hand, invaded China and developed mines, and
industries in Manchuria thinking it could relieve the depression. Germany and Japan
reaction towards the depression brought the rise to power of militariss. The United
States and the Great Britain intervened in the economy resulting in to the creation of
welfare systems. The great depression resulted in millions of business investors losing
large sums of money and several others closing down their business completely.
Closing down of these businesses from investors, millions of people were left bankrupt,
jobless and others without even a shelter to lay down their heads. They ended up
depending on their Governments or charities from well wishers to offer them food,
clothing and shelter
A New Deal was signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt after becoming presidents of the
United States of America in 1933. New Government policies that resulted from the New
Deal increased federal control over banks and the stock market. Laws of the New Deal
also gave the Government more power to provide money for the needy. Ever since the
depression, both Democratic and Republican administrations have broadened the
powers of the Federal Government. For example, the Government now provides
29
hospital and medical insurance for the aged. The Government may also regulate price
and wage increases to try to keep the cost of living from rising. The depression also
changed the basic philosophy of the United States Government in spending money.
Before the depression, the Government tried to spend the same amount of money it
collected. But to support the New Deal, the Government used deficit spending-that is, it
spent more money than it collected. This policy greatly increased the national debt. The
Government has continued to rely on deficit spending during most years since World
War II in 1945.
The great depression ended when nations increased their production of war materials
for World War II. Through this increase, of war materials, jobs became available, and
money started to be in circulation. In Germany, Adolf Hitler developed a massive
employment creation work scheme. The Government controlled consumption by
rationing and also controlling the trade market. Though this Germans' Gross income
rose to 51 per cent just by manufacturing of machinery and armaments.
American effort to save Germany from economic depression
The Dawes Plan & the Young Plan
In the years following the First World War, issues of debt
repayment and reparations troubled relations between
the Allies and the now defeated Germany. The Americansponsored Dawes and Young Plans offered a possible
solution to these challenges.
Charles G. Dawes
At the end of the First World War, the victorious European powers demanded that
Germany should compensate them for the devastation wrought by the four-year
conflict, for which they held Germany and its allies responsible. Unable to agree upon
the amount that Germany should pay at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, the United
30
States, the United Kingdom, France, and the other Allies established a Reparation
Commission to settle the question. In the spring of 1921, the Commission set the final
bill at 132 billion gold marks, approximately $31.5 billion. When Germany defaulted on
a payment in January 1923, France and Belgium occupied the Ruhr in an effort to make
it pay; instead, they met a Government-backed campaign of passive resistance. Inflation
in Germany, which had begun to accelerate in 1922, spiraled into hyperinflation. The
value of the German currency collapsed; the battle over reparations had reached an
impasse.
The Dawes Plan
Under the Dawes Plan, Germany's annual reparation payments were to be reduced,
increasing over time as its economy improved; the full amount to be paid, however,
was left undetermined. Economic policy in Berlin was to be reorganized under foreign
supervision and a new currency, the Reich mark, adopted. France and Belgium were to
be evacuating the Ruhr and foreign banks were supposed to loan the German
Government $200 million, to help encourage economic stabilization.
The Young Plan
In the autumn of 1928, another committee of experts was formed, this one to devise a
final settlement of the German reparations problem. In 1929, the committee, under the
chairmanship of Owen D. Young, proposed a plan that reduced the total amount of
reparations demanded of Germany to 121 billion gold marks, almost $29 billion,
payable over 58 years. Nevertheless, the Dawes and Young Plans were important U.S.
efforts that had lasting consequences. Coming so soon after the American rejection of
the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations, the Dawes and Young Plans were
significant instances of the U.S. reengagement with European affairs.
INTER-WAR PERIOD
Events between the end of World War –I to the start of World War –II Timeline
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June 28, 1919: The treaty of Versailles is signed The Treaty of Versailles ends World
War-I and imposes heavy reparations payments on Germany.
November 1920: The First Meeting of the League of Nations The Assembly of the
League of Nations meets for the first time in Geneva, Switzerland. The US is notably
absent, the Senate having voted against joining the League in November 1919.
November 1921: The Washington Conference is Held The United States convenes the
Washington Conference, attended by Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands,
China, Japan, and Portugal. The Conference results in a naval armaments treaty that
sets a ratio for tonnage of capital ships (over 10,000 tons, with guns bigger than eight
inches) for Great Britain, the US, Japan, France, and Italy. The ratio agreed upon, in that
order, is 5:5:3:1.67:1.67.
October 30, 1922: Benito Mussolini is Made Italian Premier King Victor Emmanuel
declares Mussolini Premier in an attempt to head off violent conflict between the
Fascists and the Communists.
November 9th, 1923: The Beer Hall Putsch Adolf Hitler and General Ludendorf, a
World War-I hero, lead a small contingent of followers in a harmless, comical attempt at
rebellion, for which Hitler is imprisoned for two years.
January 21st, 1924: Vladimir Lenin Dies Lenin's death leaves some question as to who
will be his successor. Joseph Stalin eventually beats out Leon Trotsky to take control of
the Soviet Government.
May 11th, 1924: The Cartel des Gauches wins the French Election The Cartel displaces
the ruling Bloc National, in a marked victory for the left, but proves unable to govern
effectively.
August 27th, 1924: The German Chamber of Deputies Accepts the Dawes Plan The
Dawes Plan restructures the schedule of German reparations payments so as to reduce
the amount of annual payments, and grants Germany a large loan.
32
December 1st , 1925: The Locarno Pacts are Signed The Locarno Pacts are signed in
efforts to stabilize relations with Germany and its neighbors. The pacts usher in a
period of peace and prosperity.
1926: Joseph Pilsudski Becomes Virtual Dictator in Poland Pilsudski maintains this
position until his death in May 1935
March 1926: The Samuel Commission in England releases its report on Coal Mining
The Samuel Commission, under the Conservative Government, releases a report which
advises wage cuts for miners. The Triple Alliance responds by striking, which is
emulated by many other industries in England to protest the Conservative
Government's policies.
April 14th, 1931: The Spanish Monarchy is overthrown and the Republic is born A
provisional Government is established to take Spain from Monarchy to republicanism.
1932: General Gyula Gombos Comes to Power in Hungary Gumbos becomes prime
minister, an office he uses like a Dictatorship, setting the tone for Hungarian
Government during the remaining inter-war years.
February - July 1932: The final League of Nations Disarmament Conference is Held
The last major League of Nations-sponsored disarmament conference meets from
February to July 1932 at Geneva, with 60 nations in attendance, including the United
States. However, this conference, like its predecessors, fails to secure any agreement,
and organized disarmament remains an unaccomplished goal.
1933 - 1934: 1,140,000 Communist Party members are expelled by Stalin Stalin's
Central Purge Commission, created in 1933, publicly investigates and tries many party
members for treason as Stalin seeks to rid the party of opposition.
January 30th, 1933: Hitler is Appointed Chancellor of Germany In an attempt to reel in
the chaos of the German Government, President Paul von Hindenburg declares Hitler
chancellor, the first major step in Hitler's ascent to Dictatorship.
33
March 23rd, 1933: The German Reichstag Passes the Enabling Act The Enabling Act
gives Hitler the power to issue decrees with the status of law.
June 3rd, 1936: Leon Blum's Popular Front Government Comes to Power in France The
Popular Front, a leftist party, institutes social legislation and allows wide public
participation in the Government, but ultimately fails to curtail the depreciating
economy.
July 17th, 1936: The Spanish Nationalists Begin the Spanish Civil War Generals
Goded, Mola, and Francisco Franco lead troops in rebellion against the republic,
sparking the Spanish Civil War.
April 25th, 1937: Spanish Nationalists Bomb Guernica The small northern town of
Guernica is bombed, and civilians are gunned down as they flee the scene. In this brutal
massacre 1500 die and 800 are wounded, but the military targets in the town remain
intact.
September 18th, 1938: The Munich Pact is signed Britain and France appeases Hitler by
signing the Munich Pact, which grants Hitler control of the Czech Sudetenland.
March 30th, 1939: The Spanish Civil War Ends Madrid falls to Francisco Franco's
forces, effectively ending the Spanish Civil War. Franco's oppressive Dictatorship
begins.
September 3rd, 1939: Britain and France Declare War on Germany In response to
Hitler's continued aggression in Eastern Europe, Britain and France go to war with
Germany in an attempt to stop Hitler's bid for global hegemony.
34
GLOSSARY
Abdicate - To renounce a throne or high office.
Alliance - An association to further certain common interests of the members.
Alsace-Lorraine - Two provinces between France and Germany, which fall under
France or Germany according to the fortunes of war.
Armistice (military) - Temporary suspension of hostilities by agreement between
warring opponents.
Big Three – The three most powerful and influential allied nations represented at
Versailles – Britain, France and the United States of America
Blockade (military) - The isolation of an enemy's ports by means of warships to prevent
passage of persons or supplies.
Bolshevik (Russian) - A member of the extreme wing of the Russian Social Democratic
Party that seized power in Russian in 1917.
Communism - An ideology which advocates the holding of goods in common,
available to all as needed. Originating in the French Revolution, communism was
defined by Karl Marx and Frederic Engels in the 19th century, specifically in "The
Communist Manifesto" (1848).
Convoy - A group of ships organized for protection in movement.
Czar - The absolute ruler of Russia before the revolution of 1917.Derived from the Latin
word "Caesar."
Diktat – A German phrase which means Dictated Peace
Fascism - A political movement that exalts nation and race above the individual and
that stands for a centralized autocratic Government headed by a Dictatorial leader.
35
Feudal - Related to the system of political organization prevailing in Europe from the
9th to the 15th centuries having as its basis the relation of lord to vassal.
Hapsburg Dynasty - The reigning German family in Austria from 1278 to 1918.
Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945) - A corporal in World War I, Hitler rose to power in the Œ30s
as the head of the Nazi Party in Germany, leading Germany into World War II.
Imperialism - The policy of extending the power and dominion of a nation by direct
territorial acquisition or indirect control of the political or economic life of other areas.
Derived from "empire."
Kaiser - The Emperor of the German people from 1871 to 1918.Derived from the Latin
word "Caesar."
Lenin, Vladimir (1870-1924) - Activist heir of Marx and founder of the USSR.
Machination - A scheming or crafty action.
Mandate - A commission granted by the League of Nations to a member nation for the
establishment of a responsible Government over a conquered territory.
Mobilize (military) - To assemble and make ready for war duty.
Nationalism - A sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others
and placing primary emphasis on its culture and interests as opposed to those of other
nations.
Neutral (diplomatic) - Not aligned with a political or ideological grouping.
Paris - Capital city of France since the Middle Ages; located on the Seine River.
Parliamentary - Of or related to rule by a parliament or assembly as the supreme
legislative body.
Pershing, John (1860-1948) - General in charge of American troops in World War I.
36
Principality - A domain ruled by a prince.
Prussia - Historical region of northern Germany bordering on the Baltic Sea, known for
its severe, militaristic, and feudal character.
Putsch (German) - A secretly plotted and suddenly executed attempt to overthrow a
Government.
Reparation - Compensation payable by a defeated nation for damages sustained by
another nation as a result of hostilities.
Reserve (military) - A military force withheld from action for later decisive use.
Republic – A country which does not have a Monarchy. An elected President is the
head of state
Saber-Rattler - One who ostentatiously displays military power.
Slavic - Related to the Slav peoples of Eastern Europe and Russia.
Socialism - Political theory advocating collective or Governmental ownership of the
means of production and distribution of goods.
Stalemate - A deadlock. From chess, where it leads to a draw.
Submarine (military) - A warship designed for undersea operations.
Theater (military) - The entire land, sea, and air area that is or may become involved in
war operations.
Trotsky, Leon (1879-1940) - Russian communist leader associated with Lenin. After
Lenin's death in 1924, Trotsky stood for world revolution while Stalin opted on a focus
of the revolution on a single nation, the USSR and a full commitment to the
"Dictatorship of the proletariet."
Versailles - A suburb north of Paris containing the traditional palace of the royalty.
37
Wilhelm II (1859-1941) - Emperor (Kaiser) of Germany and King of Prussia. (18881918).
Wilson, Woodrow (1856-1924) - 28th President of the United States. (1913-1921)
Weimar – The name given to the new German Government that was set up after World
War-I
38
WORKSHEETS
Worksheet – 1
Q.1 About how many European lives were lost during World War-I?
(A) 5 million
(B) 10 million
(C) 15 million
(D) 20 million
Q.2 What was the biggest economic problem for the nations of Eastern Europe after
World War-I?
(A) Lack of access to markets
(B) Deflation
(C) Inflation
(D) None of the above
Q.3 When did France send troops into the Ruhr in response to Germany's default on
reparations payments?
(A) 1921
(B) 1923
(C) 1927
(D) 1931
39
Q.4 To which of the following nations did the Allies owe the greatest debt after World
War-I?
(A) Japan
(B) Switzerland
(C) Germany
(D) The United States
Q.5 Which of the following periods was the most economically stable for Europe?
(A) 1920 - 1924
(B) 1925 - 1929
(C) 1930 - 1934
(D) 1935 - 1939
Read the following information carefully and answer the questions that follow:
The First World War officially ended on 11th November 1918. On this day the Germans
surrendered, and signed an ARMISTICE with the Allies (represented by Britain, France
and USA). An armistice is an agreement to stop fighting and wait for a PEACE TREATY
(a legal agreement to end a war) to be drawn up.
When the Germans signed the armistice, they believed that the peace treaty which
would follow would be based on Woodrow Wilson‟s 14 Points. Wilson was the
40
President of the USA, and his 14 Points were designed to treat Germany in a fair and
democratic way. However, the other two Allied leaders, George Clemenceau of France,
and David Lloyd George of Britain, had other ideas. Clemenceau wanted Germany to
be punished severely for its crimes, and make so weak that it could never make war
again. Lloyd George was fearful however that a harsh treaty could lead to another war
in future. The British public disagreed. They felt the same as Clemenceau, that Germany
should be punished harshly for the damage that she had caused during war. In the end
Lloyd George had to bow to public opinion and agreed with many of the demands of
France (although in some cases, such as reparations, in a watered down form). Wilson‟s
14 Points were not put into practice, and Germany was forced to agree to the terms of a
treaty, the Treaty of Versailles, drawn up by the Allies.
Q.6 Identify the personalities in the pictures given above.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Q.7 What was the idea behind Woodrow Wilson‟s Fourteen Points?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Q.8 Why do you think was Wilson‟s 14 point plan not put into practice?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
41
Q.9 „It would have been a good idea to treat Germany leniently while drawing up the
peace treaty‟? Elaborate.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Q.10 List some of the clauses from Wilson‟s fourteen points plan.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
42
Worksheet-2
1.
Which of the following nations was the last to become a member of the League of
Nations?
(A) Germany
(B) The Soviet Union
(C) The United States
(D) Britain
2.
Which of the following performed the executive function in the League of Nations?
(A) The Assembly
(B) The Council
(C) The Secretariat
(D) None of the above
3.
In which year did the first meeting of the League of Nations take place?
(A) 1920
(B) 1922
(C) 1918
(D) 1929
4.
Word search
There are twelve clues from the Treaty of Versailles. Students are supposed to
locate these words in the box given below.
43
NAVY LAND LLOYDGEORGE
CLEMENCEAU ANSCHLUSS
WARGUILT
AIRFORCE
ARMY
WILSON
5.
REPARATIONS VERSAILLES
RHINELAND
PUNISHED
ORLANDO
GERMANY
How did the League of Nations demonstrate changing concepts of international
relations?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
44
Worksheet-3
1.
French Government during the 1920s was which of the following?
(A) Liberal
(B) Conservative
(C) Socialistic
(D) None of the above
2.
Which of the following was a direct result of the decision to invade the Ruhr?
(A) World War Two
(B) The Kellogg-Briand Pact
(C) The Dawes Plan
(D) The Young Plan
3.
Leon Blum's Government in France is best described as which of the following?
(A) Centrist
(B) Rightist
(C) Leftist
(D) Confused about its ideology
4.
Which Nation did the most to prevent foreign support for the Spanish
Republicans?
(A) The United States
(B) The Soviet Union
45
(C) France
(D) Britain
5.
Read the given paragraph carefully and answer the questions that follow:
On 28th June 1919, German Government officials were forced to sign the Treaty of
Versailles. Had they refused then Germany would have faced an invasion. It was
signed in the Palace of Versailles, near Paris. The German Government did not
want to sign the treaty because it was harsh. They hated the fact that they had had
no say in the Treaty negotiations, so they called it the DIKTAT, the ‘dictated peace’.
When the German public got to hear about the treaty they simply could not believe
that their Government had signed it. The public didn‟t understand, or could not
believe, that the new Government had no say during the negotiations. They felt the
Government had let them down badly, so many Germans referred to it as ‘THE
STAB IN THE BACK’. The Government had ended the war and given in to Ally
demands without a fight – surely the German Army could have fought on and
eventually won the war! It was felt that the treaty dishonoured the soldiers and
that the Government had betrayed the people of Germany. In truth, many
Germans never forgave the Government for signing the treaty, and often referred
to Weimar politicians as ‘THE NOVEMBER CRIMINALS’.
Treaty of Versailles
a) Explain why the German Government had to sign the Treaty of Versailles.
How did the German public react to it?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
46
b) Do you feel that the German public was justified in calling the members of
the Government „criminals‟ who had „stabbed‟ Germany in the back?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
6.
Name the Allied countries known as „The Big Three‟ that fought against Germany
during the First World War?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
7.
What are reparations? Why did the Allies want them from Germany?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
8.
According to the Treaty of Versailles what happened to Germany‟s colonies?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
9.
According to the Treaty of Versailles, how was Germany to be punished?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
47
10.
Describe the League of Nations. What was its purpose?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
11.
Why did the United States Senate reject the Treaty of Versailles and the League of
Nations?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
12.
The Geneva Protocol would have passed except for the opposition of which of the
following nations?
(A) The United States
(B) France
(C) Switzerland
(D) Britain
13.
How many Nations were present at the first meeting of the League of Nations?
(A) 35
(B) 42
(C) 51
(D) 54
48
14.
What did Article III of the Covenant of the League declare was an important goal
of the League of Nations?
(A) The reaffirmation of borders
(B) Disarmament
(C) Deterrence of war
(D) The breakup of communism
15.
What was the focus of the Washington Conference?
(A) Ground force disarmament
(B) Naval disarmament
(C) The redrawing of European borders
(D) The reaction to Soviet efforts to dominate Eastern Europe
16.
Complete the table below:
There were two peace settlements signed in continuation. On the basis of that
compare and differentiate the clauses between Wilson‟s 14 points and the Treaty of
Versailles.
49
Wilson‟s Fourteen Point
Treaty of Versailles
50
Worksheet-4
1.
Which of the following was a consequence of the Locarno Pacts??
(A) Germany rearmed
(B) Germany destroyed
(C) Germany improved relations with its neighbors
(D) Germany was attacked by the surrounding nations
2.
Which of the following nations most greatly hindered attempts at disarmament by
the League of Nations?
(A) Germany
(B) Italy
(C) France
(D) Czechoslovakia
3.
The Italian people were ________ about the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
(A) Happy
(B) Angry
(C) Indifferent
(D) Ignorant
4.
Which of the following Nations functioned as a Democracy during the inter-war
years?
(A) Yugoslavia
(B) Estonia
51
(C) Czechoslovakia
(D) Hungary
5.
Comment and give a suitable title for the pictures shown above.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6.
How much did Germany owe for reparations at the end of the war?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
7.
What did France do when Germany was unable to pay the reparation in the
following year?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
52
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
8.
Map work
Given below is the political map of Europe with the present day boundaries.
Students are required to
Identify and colour the Victorious countries of WW I in yellow and the
defeated ones in blue.
53
Worksheet-5
1.
Which of the following parties was David Lloyd George a member of?
(A) Conservative
(B) Liberal
(C) Labour
(D) Green
2.
The British Government's economic policy in the early years after the war can best
be described as which of the following??
(A) Liberal
(B) Conservative
(C) Socialistic
(D) None of the above
3.
Which of the following British prime ministers was responsible for signing the
Munich Pact?
(A) Winston Churchill
(B) Neville Chamberlain
(C) Stanley Baldwin
(D) Margaret Thatcher
4.
The French workforce ________ during the years after the First World War.
(A) Declined
(B) Increased slightly
54
(C) Doubled
(D) Did not change
5.
What happened to the value of the German Mark?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6.
Mention two things that happened under the Dawes Plan?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
7.
Which two countries began to cooperate under the Treaty of Locarno?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
55
8.
Did the Treaty of Locarno convince the other European nations to reduce their
military forces? Why, why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
9.
Write a short note on the Great Depression.
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
56
Worksheet-6
1.
Complete the following sentences:
1.
Germany had to accept total responsibility for starting the war. This was
called the --------------.
2.
Germany had to pay £6,600 million to the Allies to cover the damage it had
caused during the war. This was a form of compensation known as------------------------------------.
3.
Germany had to hand over 70,000 square kilometers of land to the Allies.
The allies shared this land amongst countries within Europe. West Prussia
and Posen were given to ------------and European and Malmedy were given to
-----------------. This was supposed to make Germany weaker, and make other
European countries stronger. This would help to prevent ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
4.
Germany had to hand over all its colonies to the Allies
Germany‟s colonial Empire amounted to about one million square miles. One
of the largest areas to be taken from Germany was -----------------------------------.
The Union of South Africa administered German South-West Africa. Britain---------------- and ----------------------- divided up the rest of the African land
governed by Germany.
5.
The German armed forces were to be reduced greatly. The army was only
allowed 100,000 men. The Navy was limited to --------------------------------sailors.
6.
The German navy had to be reduced greatly. They were only allowed to
keep -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
7.
The Germans were not allowed an air force or -------------------------. The Navy
was only allowed six ----------------------------------------and the buying of any
further war materials was ---------------------.
8.
The Rhineland area bordered France and was meant to give the French
greater security. The occupation was to last for -----------------------------years
and no German troops were to be allowed into the area.
57
Although Germany was not happy with the Treaty they had little choice but to sign.
This cartoon clearly shows the situation Germany was in.
Q.2 Why did the Germans hate the Treaty of Versailles so much?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Q.3 Quote the major factors responsible for the rise of Hitler and World War-II.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
58
Worksheet-7
1.
Which of the following types of Government functioned in Estonia, Latvia, and
Lithuania?
(A) Oligarchy
(B) Dictatorship
(C) Democracy
(D) Plutocracy
2.
Which nation had Hungary been tied to until after World War-I?
(A) Austria
(B) Germany
(C) Russia
(D) Turkey
3.
Which of the following presented a more persistent problem for the
Czechoslovakian Government than for the Governments of many other nations in
Europe?
(A) The onset of depression
(B) Poor relations with the Soviet Union
(C) A large and powerful minority population
(D) None of the above
4.
Which of the following groups was most represented by the Fascist Party in Italy?
(A) The rural peasantry
59
(B) Aristocrats
(C) War veterans
(D) Skilled laborers
5.
Differentiate between communism and Capitalism on the basis of the points given
below.
Forms of Govt.
Communism
Capitalism
Wealth
Freedom
Property
Distribution of goods
and services
6.
Which of the two economic systems do you believe is better? Support your answer
with reasons?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
60
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
7.
What happened to the U.S. stock market during the Great Depression?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
8.
What happened to the banks of Germany and other European states as U.S.
investors withdrew money? What happened to unemployment?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
61
Worksheet-8
1.
How many years did Hitler spend in prison as a result of the Beer Hall Putsch?
(A) 0
(B) 2
(C) 4
(D) 8
2.
Why did support for the Nazi Party stall during the period from 1925 to 1929?
(A) Hitler was in jail
(B) Germany experienced relative economic stability
(C) The Weimar Republic outlawed the Nazi Party
(D) Hitler had not yet become the leader of the Party
3.
When was Hitler appointed chancellor?
(A) 1929
(B) 1933
(C) 1935
(D) 1937
4.
In what year was Mussolini made premier of Italy?
(A) 1919
(B) 1922
(C) 1927
(D) 1930
62
5.
Using a web chart write factors responsible for the Great Depression
Great
Depression
6.
Why did Italy turn to Fascism in the years following World War I?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
63
Worksheet-9
1.
What were the causes of instability in Eastern Europe during the inter-war years?
Draw a comparison with the causes of instability in Eastern Europe at the end of
the twentieth century?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2.
Why did attempts at disarmament between the wars fail?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3.
What were the characteristics of totalitarianism as practiced between the wars?
How did totalitarianism differ from the authoritarian Governments of past eras?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4.
„The Spanish Civil War was a dress rehearsal for World War II‟. Give arguments
for and against this statement.
64
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5.
Which was more important for Adolf Hitler's rise to power: his policy goals or the
symbolism of the Nazi Party? Explain your answer.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
6.
Why were extremist political parties more successful during the inter-war years
than they had been before World War-I?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
65
Worksheet-10
Analyze the cartoon and answer the questions given:
Cartoon critizing U.S. lack of participation in the League of Nations
1.
Based on what you have observed above, list three things you might conclude
from this cartoon.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2.
With what event is this picture related to?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
66
3.
Why did US not participate in this event?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
67
Worksheet 11
1.
In which of the following elections did the Nazi's finally win more than 50 percent
of the vote?
(A) 1929
(B) 1931
(C) 1933
(D) None of the above
2.
Which of the following was the greatest factor contributing to popular support for
Hitler?
(A) Anti-Semitism
(B) The economy
(C) The French invasion of the Ruhr
(D) Distrust of the Weimar Government
3.
Study the given photograph. Form an overall impression of the photograph and
then answer the following.
68
4.
What information do you gather from the above photograph?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5.
What questions does this photograph arise in your mind?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6.
What could be the reason behind it?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
69
7.
Study the picture, and answer the following questions.
Source: The Peace Treaty Signed after the World War I, 1919
7.
Name the treaty which ended the First World War?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
70
8.
Which international association was recommended by President Wilson?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
9.
What was the main clause of this treaty?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
71
References and Web Links
Encyclopedia
World book- series
Encyclopedia
Short History of The world by H.G.Wells
Great Battles of The World by John Macdonald
NCERT of IX& X
www.google.com
http://www.slideshare.net
http://www.funtrivia.com
www.historyonthenet.com
http://www.schoolhistory.co.ukl
72
CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION
Shiksha Kendra, 2, Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110 092 India