Topic 15

The Inter-war Period: Civilization at Crossroads

World Civilization and Culture
The Inter-war Period (1919 to 1939)
Unjust treaties led to political instability & extremism
Emergence of various totalitarian ideologies
Failure of World War I & peace treaties to resolve the
problems that caused World War I
A Political system in which nearly
every aspect of public and private
life is controlled by the state
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism: main features
Rule by a single political party or group
Ruling party controlled by a single individual -
personality cult
Suspension of freedom and democratic rights

Unlimited power of the state
Violent suppression of all opposition
Three types of totalitarian ideologies
Fascism Nazism Bolshevism
Three totalitarian leaders
Benito Mussolini Adolf Hitler
Josef Stalin
Fascism
Fascism
Ideology representing the extreme right
Reaction of Italian rightists against the rise of socialism
weakness of democratic forces
First introduced in Italy under Benito Mussolini
Popularity of Fascist Party among upper & middle
classes
Controlled Italy for over twenty years
All characteristics of totalitarianism
Creation of a corporate state: an attempt to merge
economic & social interests of different classes &
groups with the interests of the state

Features of Fascism
Nazism
Defeat of Germany in World War I and Humiliation
caused by the Versailles Treaty
Factors behind the rise of Nazism
Failure of democracy
Economic difficulties: the war & the Great Depression
Rise of socialism fear among the German upper & middle
classes
Nazi party under Adolf Hitler took over power in 1933
All characteristics of totalitarianism
Special Features
Features of Nazism
Jews condemned as inferior people hated & killed
Germans were claimed to be the best race
Racial pride: pure Aryans the best race
Genocide of Jews: Holocaust - 5.6 million to 5.9
million Jews (including 1.5 million children) systemically
killed
The Holocaust
Organizers of Holocaust
General Reinhardt Heydrich Himmler
Nazism - a more developed version of Fascism
Both were basically Fascist ideologies
Comparison between Fascism & Nazism
Hammer and sickle
Introduced in Russia through a socialist revolution
known as October Revolution (October, 1917)
Bolshevism: a form of Marxian socialism
Karl Marx
Abolishing exploitation of man by man
Goals of October Revolution
Establishing social justice
Leaders
Josef Stalin
V.I. Lenin
V.I. Lenin Josef Stalin
Basic features
All basic characteristics of totalitarianism, but different from
Fascism and Nazism a leftist ideology
Militarism
Adoption of militarism as state policy by Totalitarian
ideologies war seen as a solution to all problems
Military power given highest priority suppression of
liberty
Chauvinism
Extreme form of nationalism
Promoted by the Nazis: Claim of German racial
superiority
Chauvinism - a dangerous political weapon for dominating
other nations
Causes of World War II
Unresolved conflicts between old & new imperialist
countries
Aggressive policies followed by Germany &
Italy - Rapid increase of military strength
Failure of the Treaty of Versailles
Lack of trust & cooperation among anti-fascist forces
Policy of appeasement
Arthur Neville Chamberlain
Signing Ceremony of Munich Pact
Signing of Munich Pact
Policy of Appeasement
The Second World War
Germany attacked Poland on September 1, 1939
On September 3, Britain & France declared war on Germany
Germany attacked Soviet Union on June 22, 1941
Hitler takes salute Hitler and Mussolini
Edge of a War
German soldiers destroying Polish border
checkpoint on September 1939
Soviet troops move into Poland
Beginning of the War
German Ship Bismarck burnt
Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
War in the Sea
German Junkers_Ju87
German Me 110 fighter plane.
French Renault_FT-17 Tank
British Cannon
War Weapons
Fat Man
Atomic bombs
Little Boy
The aftermath
Atomic Mushroom over Nagasaki
Ruins of Hiroshima
Conclusion
Totalitarianism: causing violence & suffering for people
all over the world
World War II: the most tragic war in human history -
Enormous economic & human losses
Explosion of two atomic bombs
Second World War significantly changed modern
civilization: Beginning of a new phase in civilization