APEURO: Unit 8, 20th-Century Global Conflicts - Interwar Crisis, Great Depression, Failed Democracies, Spanish Civil War

Why This Matters

The Interwar Crisis, spanning from the late 1920s to the early 1940s, is a pivotal period in modern history. It encompasses the Great Depression, the collapse of democracies in Europe, and the Spanish Civil War, all of which contributed to the outbreak of World War II. This crisis highlights the failure of the Treaty of Versailles to establish a lasting peace, the weaknesses of liberal democracies, and the rise of totalitarian regimes. Understanding the Interwar Crisis is essential for grasping the AP theme of Politics and Power, as it demonstrates how the interplay between economic, social, and political factors can lead to the downfall of democratic systems and the rise of authoritarian regimes.

Key Events & People

• The Wall Street Crash of 1929: A stock market crash that marked the beginning of the Great Depression, a global economic downturn that lasted over a decade.
• Herbert Hoover: The 31st President of the United States, who struggled to respond effectively to the Great Depression, leading to widespread criticism and a loss of public trust in government.
• Adolf Hitler: The leader of the Nazi Party in Germany, who rose to power in the early 1930s and implemented policies that led to the persecution and genocide of millions of people, including Jews, Romani, and others deemed undesirable.
• Benito Mussolini: The fascist dictator of Italy, who established a totalitarian regime and allied himself with Hitler, contributing to the outbreak of World War II.
• The Great Depression's Global Spread: By the early 1930s, the economic downturn had spread to Europe, Asia, and South America, leading to widespread poverty, unemployment, and social unrest.
• The Rise of Fascism in Europe: Fascist movements, led by figures like Hitler and Mussolini, gained popularity in the 1930s, as people became disillusioned with liberal democracy and sought strong leaders who promised stability and security.
• The Spanish Civil War: A brutal conflict that began in 1936, pitting the fascist Nationalists, led by General Francisco Franco, against the Republican government, which was supported by the Soviet Union and other left-wing groups.
• The Nuremberg Laws: A series of anti-Semitic laws passed in Nazi Germany in 1935, which stripped Jews of their citizenship and prohibited them from marrying non-Jews.
• The Munich Agreement: A treaty signed in 1938, in which Britain, France, and Italy allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia with a majority German population, in exchange for a promise of peace.
• The Appeasement Policy: A strategy adopted by Britain and France in the 1930s, in which they sought to avoid conflict with Nazi Germany by giving in to its demands, rather than standing up to its aggression.

Cause & Effect Chain

• Cause: The Treaty of Versailles imposed harsh penalties on Germany, leading to widespread resentment and a desire for revenge.
• Effect: The rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany, who promised to restore German greatness and challenge the Treaty of Versailles.

• Long-term consequence: The outbreak of World War II, as Nazi Germany, under Hitler's leadership, began to expand its territory and challenge the dominance of Britain and France.

• Cause: The global economic downturn of the Great Depression led to widespread poverty and unemployment.

• Effect: The rise of fascist and nationalist movements, as people became disillusioned with liberal democracy and sought strong leaders who promised stability and security.

• Long-term consequence: The collapse of democratic systems in Europe, as fascist and nationalist regimes took power and suppressed individual rights and freedoms.

• Cause: The appeasement policy adopted by Britain and France in the 1930s emboldened Nazi Germany, allowing it to pursue its aggressive expansionist policies without fear of reprisal.

• Effect: The Munich Agreement, which allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland, and the subsequent invasion of Poland, which led to the outbreak of World War II.
• Long-term consequence: The devastation of Europe and the loss of millions of lives, as well as the rise of the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers.

Essential Vocabulary

• Fascism: A totalitarian ideology that emphasizes national unity, authoritarianism, and the suppression of individual rights and freedoms. Example: The Nazi Party in Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, was a fascist regime that implemented policies of racial purity and genocide.
• Appeasement: A policy of giving in to the demands of an aggressive power, in the hope of avoiding conflict. Example: The Munich Agreement, in which Britain, France, and Italy allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland, was an example of appeasement.
• Totalitarian: A regime that seeks to control all aspects of society, including the economy, culture, and individual behavior. Example: The Nazi regime in Germany, under Hitler's leadership, was a totalitarian regime that suppressed individual rights and freedoms.
• Nationalism: A ideology that emphasizes the importance of national identity and the interests of one's own nation. Example: The fascist movements in Europe, led by figures like Hitler and Mussolini, were nationalist in their ideology and sought to promote the interests of their respective nations.
• Genocide: The deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, ethnic, or national group. Example: The Holocaust, in which the Nazi regime systematically murdered six million Jews and millions of others deemed undesirable, was a genocide.
• Economic Depression: A prolonged period of economic downturn, characterized by high levels of unemployment, poverty, and economic instability. Example: The Great Depression, which lasted from 1929 to the late 1930s, was a global economic depression that had a profound impact on societies around the world.
• Authoritarian: A regime that is characterized by a strong central authority and a lack of individual rights and freedoms. Example: The fascist regimes in Europe, led by figures like Hitler and Mussolini, were authoritarian in their ideology and sought to suppress individual rights and freedoms.
• Nationalist Movement: A movement that seeks to promote the interests of one's own nation and to assert its dominance over other nations. Example: The fascist movements in Europe, led by figures like Hitler and Mussolini, were nationalist in their ideology and sought to promote the interests of their respective nations.
• Racial Purity: A ideology that emphasizes the importance of racial purity and seeks to eliminate those deemed undesirable. Example: The Nazi regime in Germany, under Hitler's leadership, was obsessed with racial purity and implemented policies of genocide against Jews, Romani, and others deemed undesirable.
• Totalitarian Regime: A regime that seeks to control all aspects of society, including the economy, culture, and individual behavior. Example: The Nazi regime in Germany, under Hitler's leadership, was a totalitarian regime that suppressed individual rights and freedoms.

Common Student Mistakes

• What students often get wrong: The Treaty of Versailles was a fair and just treaty that imposed harsh penalties on Germany.

• Correction: The Treaty of Versailles was a harsh and punitive treaty that imposed significant reparations on Germany and limited its military capabilities, leading to widespread resentment and a desire for revenge.

• What students often get wrong: The Great Depression was caused by a single event, such as the stock market crash of 1929.

• Correction: The Great Depression was a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that was caused by a combination of factors, including the global economic downturn, the collapse of the international trade system, and the failure of governments to respond effectively to the crisis.

• What students often get wrong: The Spanish Civil War was a minor conflict that had little impact on the wider world.

• Correction: The Spanish Civil War was a brutal and devastating conflict that had a significant impact on the wider world, including the rise of fascist and nationalist movements, the collapse of democratic systems, and the outbreak of World War II.

DBQ / LEQ Connections

• Possible essay prompt: Analyze the causes and consequences of the Great Depression. Be sure to include specific examples from the period, such as the stock market crash of 1929, the failure of the gold standard, and the rise of fascist and nationalist movements.
• Possible evidence: The stock market crash of 1929, the failure of the gold standard, the rise of fascist and nationalist movements, the policies of Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt, the New Deal programs, and the impact of the Great Depression on different groups, such as the working class, farmers, and African Americans.

• Possible thesis statement: The Great Depression was a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that was caused by a combination of factors, including the global economic downturn, the collapse of the international trade system, and the failure of governments to respond effectively to the crisis.

• Possible essay prompt: Compare and contrast the fascist regimes of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Be sure to include specific examples from the period, such as the policies of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, the rise of the Nazi Party and the Fascist Party, and the impact of these regimes on different groups, such as Jews, Romani, and others deemed undesirable.

• Possible evidence: The policies of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, the rise of the Nazi Party and the Fascist Party, the impact of these regimes on different groups, such as Jews, Romani, and others deemed undesirable, the Nuremberg Laws, the Munich Agreement, and the appeasement policy adopted by Britain and France.
• Possible thesis statement: The fascist regimes of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy were similar in their ideology and policies, but differed in their approach to foreign policy and their impact on different groups.

Quick Self?Check

1. What was the main cause of the Great Depression? a) The stock market crash of 1929 b) The failure of the gold standard c) The collapse of the international trade system d) The failure of governments to respond effectively to the crisis

Answer: d) The failure of governments to respond effectively to the crisis. Explanation: The Great Depression was a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that was caused by a combination of factors, including the global economic downturn, the collapse of the international trade system, and the failure of governments to respond effectively to the crisis.

1. Which of the following was a key policy of the Nazi regime in Germany? a) Racial purity b) Economic equality c) Social justice d) National unity

Answer: a) Racial purity. Explanation: The Nazi regime in Germany, under Hitler's leadership, was obsessed with racial purity and implemented policies of genocide against Jews, Romani, and others deemed undesirable.

1. What was the significance of the Munich Agreement? a) It marked the beginning of World War II b) It allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland c) It established a lasting peace between Germany and Czechoslovakia d) It marked the end of the Great Depression

Answer: b) It allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland. Explanation: The Munich Agreement, signed in 1938, allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia with a majority German population, in exchange for a promise of peace.

Last?Minute Cram Sheet

• The Great Depression lasted from 1929 to the late 1930s.
• The Treaty of Versailles imposed harsh penalties on Germany, including significant reparations and limitations on its military capabilities.
• The Nazi regime in Germany, under Hitler's leadership, implemented policies of racial purity and genocide against Jews, Romani, and others deemed undesirable.
• The Spanish Civil War began in 1936 and lasted until 1939.
• The Munich Agreement allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland in exchange for a promise of peace.
• The appeasement policy adopted by Britain and France in the 1930s emboldened Nazi Germany, allowing it to pursue its aggressive expansionist policies without fear of reprisal.
• The Nuremberg Laws stripped Jews of their citizenship and prohibited them from marrying non-Jews.
• The Holocaust was a genocide that resulted in the systematic murder of six million Jews and millions of others deemed undesirable.
• The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919.
• The stock market crash of 1929 marked the beginning of the Great Depression.
• The gold standard was abandoned in 1933.
• The New Deal programs were implemented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s.
• The Great Depression had a profound impact on different groups, including the working class, farmers, and African Americans.