World Between the Wars: Assesements

Explain how each of the following contributed to the outbreak or spread of the Great Depression: (a) falling demand, (b) Federal Reserve Board, (c) financial crisis

(a) Falling demand led to overproduction. (b) When the Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates, people bought less and invested less. (c) the financial crisis of 1929 aggravated the downward cycle.

Mussolini said "machines and women are the two main causes of unemployment." (a) what do you think he meant? (b) How did Mussolini's policies reflect his attitude toward Women?/

(a) Mussolini blamed machines for reducing the number of jobs, and accused employed women of taking jobs away from men. (b) He rewarded women who reared many children, but not those who worked.

What political and economic challenges did the leading democracies face in the 1920s and 1930s?

After the war, democracies struggled to rebuild war-ravaged land. In later years, they faced political and social unrest and the spread of an economic crisis.

what problems did Italy face after WW1? How did these problems help Mussolini win power?

Anger at the loss promised territories, unemployment, labor disorder and weak governments; Mussolini exploited these problems in order to unite Italians.

How did Britain and France emerge from WW1 as both vicors and losers?

Britain and France, with American help, defeated Germany. Both, however, faced serious political divisions and economic fragility.

What changes occurred in Japan in the 1920s?

Democracy grew as political parties grew stronger, exerted their power in the Diet, and extended rights. The economy grew.

What changes did western society and culture experience after WW2?

Disillusioned by WW1, the younger generation rebelled against Victorian values. Writers expressed similar loss of faith and artists revolted against traditional styles and created new ways of viewing the world. Advances in science revolutionized scientific thought.

How did Japan change in the 1920s and 1930s?

During the 1920s, Japan's economy grew, its government became more liberal, and it drew back from expansion. IN the 1930s, ultranationalist groups took control of Japan, restricted freedoms, and renewed drives to expand.

Why did dictators gain power in much of Eastern Europe?

Economic problem and ethnic tensions weakened democratic governments and helped dictators to gain power.

How did the ideas of Einstein and freud contribute to a sense of uncertainty?

Einstien argued that measurements of space and time are not absolute, thus raising questions about Newtonian science and reinforcing the image of a universe beyond human understanding. Freud's ideas that he subconscious mind drives much human behavior seemed to challenge faith in one reason.

Describe one of Mussolini's economic or social goals, and explain the actions he took to achieve it.

He wanted economic growth and an end to workplace conflicts. He brought the economy under state control and made strikes illegal.

How did Hitler and the Nazi party establish and maintain a totalitarian government in Germany?

Hitler won power by promising to solves Germany's problems and to restore Germany's greatness. He maintained power by disbanding all other political parties and using a system of terror and repression to control all aspects of German life.

What were some of the restrictions that Hitler placed on German-Jews?

Jewish people were not allowed to marry non-Jews, attend or teach at German schools, pursue certain careers.

Why might a nation turn to military leaders and extreme nationalists during a crisis?

Military leaders and ultranationalists promised national security, military power, and cultural greatness.

List 2 similarities and two differences between fascism and communism:

Similarities: both promoted social change, imposed totalitarian governments, and claimed to rule in the people's interest. Differences: Communists sought world revolution. a classless society, while fascists pursued nationalism and a society with defined classes.

What role did geography play in Japan's desire to expand its empire?

Since Japan is a small island nation, it sought to expand to gain natural resources and an outlet for goods and excess population

How did Stalin transform the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state?

Stalin brought all economic activity under government control, and he used terror tactics to control Soviet life.

List 3 problems faced by the Weimar Republic

The difficulty of forming a strong coalition government, interference from France in the Ruhr, and runaway inflation.

What were the goals and results of Stalin's five-year plans? How did the effects differ between industry and agriculture?

The five- year plans were aimed at building up and improving industry and agriculture. The plans resulted in progress in industry but failed to increase agricultural output. Peasants resisted collectivization.

How did nationalist respond to the Great Depression?

They demanded renewed expansion. A group of army officers concocted an excuse to seize Manchuria without consulting the government.

What steps did major powers take to protect the peace? Why did these moves have limited effects?

They signed several treaties and relied on the League of Nations to halt aggression; the pacts and the League did not have the power to enforce their goals.

How did the Great Depression affect political developments in the United States?

Under the New Deal, the federal government became more directly involved in the lives of Americans than ever before.

How did the command economy under Stalin differ from a capitalist economy?

command: government controls economy capitalist: free market controls most economic decisions.

How did flappers symbolize changes in Western society during the 1920s?

flappers symbolized the rejection of the moral values and rules of the victorian age

what racial and nationalistic ideas did Nazis promote

that Germans were a superior race, and Jewish people were responsible for many of German's problems.

How and why did fascism rise in Italy

the fascists, led by Mussolini, took advantage of Italy's postwar turmoil to seize control of the nation

What methods did Stalin use to create a totalitarian state?

tightened control and used force to punish opposition or protest