UNIT 5 INTER-WAR CRISIS

UNIT 5 INTER-WAR CRISIS

During the 1920s, Europe and the United States enjoyed a period of economic prosperity. However, this changed after 1929, when a severe economic crisis known as the Great Depression began. In political terms, countries such as G.B., France and the USA continued to be democracies. Other countries like Germany or the Soviet Union became totalitarian regimes.

The League of Nations One of the points proposed in the Paris Conference after WWI was the creation of a League of Nations that would help to stop wars by finding peaceful solutions to conflicts between countries. It would also improve healthcare and working conditions, and encourage international trade. The League was set up in 1920, and 42 countries joined, including Britain, France, China and India. USA chose not to join while Germany or the Soviet Union were not allowed to. This made the League quite weak. The absence of the USA was particulary important because it was the most powerful country in the world.

Questions Which treaty set the peace conditions after the WWI? When was created the League of Nations? Why it was created? Write down other aims of the League of Nations. How many countries joined it? Which countries did not join the League? Why did this make it weak?

From economic prosperity to the Great Depression The economic crisis of 1929 began in the United States. There was an excess of production in relationship with consumption. This caused accumulations of products that companies could not sell. This situation did not correspond with the high value of the companies shares on the stock market. The climate of mistrust made the price of shares go down. It finished with the Wall Street Crash (the collapse of the NY Stock Exchange) and a general crisis of the USA economy. From the USA the crisis extended to the rest of the world causing the Great Depression: - People lost confidence in the banks. They tried to withdraw all of their money and banks went bankrupt - there was a large increase in unemployment and social inequality - there was a rise in popularity of communist and totalitarian systems

Questions What was the Wall Street Crash? What was the Great Depression? Why did the price of shares go down? Why did some banks go bankrupt? Write other consecuences of the Great Depression.

Read the text about the Wall Street Crash. Then copy and complete the sentences beow in your notebook. On 24 october 1929, a day known as Black Thursday, the New York stock market crashed. The value of shares fell dramatically and people panicked, selling all their shares as quickly as possible. Bu the end of the day, more than 13 million shares had been sold. The crash affected both large and small investors in the stock market, and began what is known as the Great Depression. In 1931, more than 2300 banks went ou of business, and millions of people lost their savings. At that time, about 64000 workers were losing their jobs every week. By 1933, about 13 million Americans were unemployed and the gross national product of the USA had dropped to the same level as 1916.

Read the text about the Wall Street Crash. Then copy and complete the sentences beow in your notebook. The New York Stock Market crashed a day known as Approximately million shares were sold on that day About 2300 Americans went out of business in 1931 Every, about 64000 people lost their jobs in the United States There were about people out of work in the United States in 1933

Read the text about the Wall Street Crash. Then copy and complete the sentences beow in your notebook. The New York Stock Market crashed a day known as Black Thusday Approximately thirteen million shares were sold on that day About 2300 Americans banks went out of business in 1931 Every week, about 64000 people lost their jobs in the United States There were about thirteen million people out of work in the United States in 1933

The rise of the totalitarian systems In this period many countries of the centre and south of Europe adopted totalitarian systems. They shared certain features, such as the imposition of an authoritarian system, control of the economy and society, the rejection of equality, ultra-nationalism and militarism. The main totalitarian systems were Italian Fascism and German Nazism. The fascist leader was Benito Mussolini and the Nazi leader was Adolf Hitler.

Listening: Fascism in Italy Which problems did Italy face after WWI? What did Mussolini promise to do? Why did the King invite Mussolini to become Prime Minister? When did Mussolini become dictator? What did he do to try to improve the economy? Was there much political freedom in Italy under Mussolini?

Listening: Fascism in Italy After WWI, Italy faced many problems, including high unemployment and widespread poverty. In 1919 Benito Mussolini formed the Fascist Party. He promised to make Italy great again, like it had been during the Roman Empire. Many unemployment war veterans joined the party. They formed a paramilitary organization called the Blackshirts, which fought street battles against the communists. In 1922 the King was afraid that the violence would lead to a civil war. He therefore invited Mussolini to become prime minister. As prime minister, Mussolini used the Blackshirts to eliminate opposition. In 1925 he declared himself Il Duce (The Leader), and became dictator of Italy. Mussolini wanted to modernize Italy, so he invested in industry and new infrastructure. There was very little political freedom: the Fascist Party was the only legal party, and the secret police repressed all opposition to Mussolini.

Listening: Fascism in Italy Which problems did Italy face after WWI? High unemployment and poverty What did Mussolini promise to do? He promised to make Italy great again Why did the King invite Mussolini to become Prime Minister? He was afraid that the violence would lead to civil war When did Mussolini become dictator? 1925 What did he do to try to improve the economy? He invested in industry and new infrastructure Was there much political freedom in Italy under Mussolini? No there wasn t