Between the Wars Flashcards
In 1922, Benito Mussolini’s National Fascist Party seized power by marching on what Italian city?
In October 1922, Benito Mussolini’s National Fascist Party marched on Rome led by Mussolini’s band of enforcers, the Blackshirts.
As the march approached Rome, Prime Minister Luigi Facta had resigned and King Vittorio Emanuele III named Mussolini as the head of government.
Explain the events that helped Adolf Hitler seize power.
Hitler took advantage of the Weimar Republic’s weak government. Germany was in chaos and in an economic depression. The Weimar Republic was blamed for accepting the harsh punishments from the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler promised to provide jobs and rebuild Germany.
Who rose to power in Turkey after the end of World War I?
Mustafa Kemal, who’d risen to fame during the Battle of Gallipoli, seized control of Turkey in the 1920s. After driving the Greeks from Turkey, he deposed the last Ottoman sultan and instituted a secular (non-religious) Turkish republic. Kemal took the name “Ataturk,” which means “Father of the Turks.”
What did the Balfour Declaration promise?
Announced in 1917, thanks in part to Jewish contributions to the British war efforts, the Balfour declaration announced the intention of the British government to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine, which was then approximately 90% Arab.
In 1923, the leader of Germany’s National Socialist Party, _____ _____, attempted to seize power in Munich in an event known as the Beer Hall Putsch.
Adolf Hitler
The National Socialist Party, better known as the Nazi Party, had the support of popular German hero Erich Ludendorff.
The Putsch (German for a sudden attempt to overthrow the government) failed and Hitler was arrested and charged with high treason. During the trial, German newspapers reported Hitler’s testimony, enabling him to reach a wide audience with his ideas. Given a short sentence in comfortable quarters at Landsberg Prison, Hitler used his time to compose his book, Mein Kampf.
Define
Civil Disobedience
The refusal to obey unjust laws. Civil Disobedience is the use of non-violent tactics to create change. Boycotting and protests are popular strategies that fit into this category. Gandhi was famous for advocating for such techniques despite encountering violence from the opposition.
What is fascism?
A form of government in which…
- A single dictator has total control and injects feelings of extreme nationalistic pride into the people.
- Imperialism is practiced as leaders advocate for a strong military.
- Censorship is used to control the news.
- Violence and terror are used to instill a sense of blind loyalty to the leader.
- The state controls the economy and the country embraces a policy of strict discipline.
Who was the dominant figure of the Indian National Congress?
The Indian National Congress’ most dominant figure was Mohandas Gandhi. In the wake of World War I, Gandhi and the Congress demanded more autonomy from the British rulers of India. Gandhi advocated for freedom but preached a policy of nonviolent resistance.
How did the German people react to the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
Germans were outraged at the Treaty of Versailles. They resented the clause that fastened the First World War’s guilt solely on Germany and felt it unduly harsh given that by the War’s end there was not a single Allied soldier in German territory.
Other sources of irritation included German territory that had been given to Poland and the large reparations payments.
In 1935, Germany violated the Treaty of Versailles by taking what action?
In 1935, Germany began to rearm, developing tanks, planes, and submarines. This violated the Treaty of Versaille which indicated that Germany was not allowed to militarize. This was one of many ways in which Hitler violated the Treaty.
As one of his first acts, Hitler withdrew Germany from what international organization?
In 1933, Hitler withdrew Germany from the League of Nations.
In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt announced his Good Neighbor Policy. To whom was the policy directed?
The Good Neighbor Policy was directed toward the nations of Latin America. Throughout the early 20th century, the United States had intervened directly in Latin America affairs.
For instance, the United States had enacted a protectorate over Cuba and had occupied Haiti. Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor Policy was designed to minimize the United States’ direct presence in Latin America.
How did the Great Depression affect the Latin American states?
Most of the Latin American states were dependent upon the United States for their monoculture export economies. For instance, Brazil grew 75% of the world’s coffee in the 1930s and sold most of it to American consumers.
With the U.S. economy shattered, exports were cut nearly in half. In the wake of economic collapse, many of the Latin American governments turned to fascist and totalitarian governments.
Who was Gandhi’s chief political ally?
Gandhi’s chief political ally was Jawaharlal Nehru. During the 1930s, Gandhi became far more of the spiritual leader of Indian liberation, advocating Hindu principles. Nehru focused on the political side of things.
In 1935, Britain granted India its own constitution. In 1937, Gandhi and Nehru began campaigning for the British to leave India permanently. In 1947, after World War II, Britain withdrew from India.
What form of government prevailed in the Latin American states in the 1930s and 1940s?
Most Latin American states during the period were ruled by dictators, most of whom governed from the far right. These dictators, such as Brazil’s Getúlio Vargas and Cuba’s Fulgencio Batista, were supported by the military.
