The interwar years and the rise of dictators

Apréndelo jugando

Responde estas preguntas para ganar energía, luego pesca y explora. Sin cuenta.

Para educadores: diapositivas de la lección, apuntes de repaso listos para usar sobre The interwar years and the rise of dictators (KS3 History, Britain & the World 1901–Present) — úsalos en tu lección, o presenta el tema como una actividad interactiva de clase que tus aprendices juegan como un juego en vivo.

Apuntes de la lección

The Interwar Period: An Overview

The interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 – from the end of World War I to the start of World War II.
It was a time of major social, political, military and economic change across the world.
The Roaring Twenties brought prosperity and social mobility for the middle class, especially in the first world.
New technologies such as automobiles, electric lighting and radio became common.
The good times ended with the Great Depression, a worldwide economic downturn that damaged many of the world's largest economies.
Politically, the era saw the rise of communism and then fascism, particularly in Germany and Italy.

The League of Nations

The League of Nations was set up after World War I to keep world peace.
It aimed to settle disputes between countries peacefully and prevent another war.
The League faced challenges because some powerful countries were not members or did not support it fully.
It had no army of its own and relied on its members to enforce its decisions.
The League struggled to stop aggression by Japan, Italy and Germany in the 1930s.

The Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression

The Wall Street Crash of 1929 triggered a worldwide economic crisis.
The Great Depression was an unprecedented global economic downturn that severely damaged many of the world's largest economies.
During the 1920s, the United States gained dominance in world finance, and Wall Street invested heavily in Germany.
The Dawes Plan was an American plan that helped Germany pay its war reparations by lending it money.
When the Depression hit, countries in Latin America nationalised many foreign companies, most of which belonged to the United States, to strengthen their own economies.
Economic hardship helped extremist political parties gain support in many countries.

The Rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party

Adolf Hitler became the leader of the Nazi Party in Germany.
The Nazis promised to restore Germany's power and to fix the economy.
Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and soon took total power.
The Nazis created a dictatorship, banning other political parties and arresting opponents.
Hitler's territorial ambitions led to the expansion of Germany's domain.
The interwar period ended on 1 September 1939 with the German invasion of Poland, starting World War II.

Life in Nazi Germany

The Nazi regime controlled many aspects of daily life, including the media, education and youth groups.
The Gestapo (secret police) and SS were used to terrorise and silence opponents.
Jewish people and other groups were persecuted and stripped of their rights.
The Nazis used propaganda to spread their ideas and to build support for Hitler.
Many Germans benefited from economic improvements, such as reduced unemployment and public works schemes.

Mussolini in Italy

Benito Mussolini founded the Fascist Party in Italy.
Mussolini became Prime Minister of Italy in 1922 and soon established a dictatorship.
The Fascists used violence and intimidation against their opponents.
Mussolini promised to restore Italy's greatness and to build a new Roman Empire.
Italy had territorial ambitions that led to the expansion of its domain, for example the invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1935.

Stalin in the Soviet Union

Joseph Stalin became the leader of the Soviet Union after the death of Lenin in 1924.
Stalin turned the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state, controlling all aspects of life.
He introduced collectivisation of agriculture and Five-Year Plans to industrialise the country.
Millions of people died during Stalin's rule, for example in the Holodomor famine in Ukraine and in the Great Purge.
The Soviet Union had territorial ambitions and sought to revise the post-World War I settlements.

Appeasement and the Munich Agreement

Appeasement was the policy of giving in to aggressive demands to avoid war.
In 1938, Britain and France signed the Munich Agreement with Germany, allowing Hitler to take the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia.
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain claimed the agreement would bring 'peace for our time'.
The policy failed when Hitler broke the agreement and took the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939.
Britain and France promised to defend Poland if it was attacked.
The Nazi-Soviet Pact of August 1939 between Hitler and Stalin divided Poland between them.

The Road to War in 1939

Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939.
Britain and France declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939.
This marked the beginning of World War II.
The interwar period ended with the German invasion of Poland.
The failures of the League of Nations and appeasement contributed to the outbreak of war.
The military innovations of the interwar period would shape the fighting in World War II.

Diapositivas

Step through every slide for this topic — plus flashcards and revision notes — with a free account.

REGÍSTRATE — GRATIS INICIAR SESIÓN

Preguntas de práctica

Vista previa gratis — 8 de 57 preguntas. Regístrate para verlas todas.

1.On what date did the interwar period end?
Easy
- A1 September 1939
- B11 November 1918
- C28 June 1919
- D3 September 1945
2.Which event marked the beginning of the interwar period?
Easy
- AThe Armistice of Compiègne on 11 November 1918
- BThe signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919
- CThe Wall Street Crash of 1929
- DThe Munich Agreement of 1938
3.Which of the following new or restored countries emerged in Europe after World War I? (select all that apply)
Medium
- APoland
- BLithuania
- CLatvia
- DAustria-Hungary
- EOttoman Empire
4.Which plan involved American loans to Germany to help it pay war reparations after World War I?
Easy
- AThe Dawes Plan
- BThe Marshall Plan
- CThe Munich Agreement
- DThe Treaty of Versailles
5.The interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939.
Easy
True or false?
6.Which event is commonly seen as a cause of the Great Depression?
Medium
- AThe Wall Street Crash of 1929
- BThe Munich Agreement of 1938
- CThe formation of the League of Nations in 1920
- DThe Russian Civil War (1918–1921)
7.Who became Chancellor of Germany in 1933?
Medium
- AAdolf Hitler
- BBenito Mussolini
- CJoseph Stalin
- DNeville Chamberlain
8.Which country did Mussolini lead as a fascist dictator?
Medium
- AItaly
- BGermany
- CSpain
- DSoviet Union

Más preguntas

9.Which leader ruled the Soviet Union during the 1930s?
Medium
- AJoseph Stalin
- BVladimir Lenin
- CLeon Trotsky
- DNikita Khrushchev
10.What was the main aim of the policy of appeasement followed by Britain and France in the 1930s?
Medium
- ATo avoid war by making concessions to aggressive powers
- BTo build a military alliance with the Soviet Union
- CTo encourage the spread of communism
- DTo punish Germany for World War I
11.What was agreed at the Munich Agreement in 1938?
Medium
- AGermany was allowed to annex the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia
- BGermany agreed to join the League of Nations
- CBritain and France declared war on Germany
- DGermany was forced to pay reparations
12.Which international organisation was set up after World War I to maintain peace?
Easy
- AThe League of Nations
- BThe United Nations
- CThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- DThe European Union
13.Put the following events in the correct chronological order.
Medium
- The Armistice of Compiègne
- The Wall Street Crash
- Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany
- The Munich Agreement
- The German invasion of Poland
14.Match each leader with the country they ruled.
Medium
- Adolf Hitler
- Benito Mussolini
- Joseph Stalin
- Germany
- Italy
- Soviet Union
15.Which of the following were consequences of the Dawes Plan of 1924? (select all that apply)
Medium
- AWall Street invested heavily in Germany
- BGermany paid reparations to Britain, France and other former Entente members
- CGermany refused to pay further war reparations
- DThose nations used dollars to pay off their war debts to the United States
- EThe United States lost dominance in world finance
16.Match each interwar development with the country or region where it occurred.
Medium
- October Revolution and Russian Civil War
- Rise of fascism, particularly under Hitler and Mussolini
- Half-century of instability and civil war between the Kuomintang, the Chinese Communist Party and warlords
- Independence gained by Egypt and Iraq
- Russia
- Germany and Italy
- China
- The Near East
17.Put these interwar developments in the correct chronological order, from earliest to latest.
Medium
- Armistice of Compiègne ends the fighting of World War I
- The Dawes Plan is introduced and Wall Street invests heavily in Germany
- The prosperous period known as the Roaring Twenties
- German invasion of Poland starts World War II
18.Which of the following best describes the main military debate about air power during the interwar period?
Medium
- AWhether air forces should be used for strategic bombing or for frontline close air support
- BWhether aircraft should replace cavalry in colonial policing
- CWhether bombers should be used only for transporting supplies to infantry
- DWhether air forces should be controlled by the navy rather than the army
19.The interwar period saw a marked rapid advance in military technology, alongside strategic and tactical innovations.
Easy
True or false?
20.Which of the following statements about the Roaring Twenties are supported by the evidence? (select all that apply)
Medium
- AIt was a time of social and economic mobility for the middle class
- BAutomobiles, electric lighting and radio became common among populations in the first world
- CIt was a period of widespread famine and industrial collapse
- DIt followed the Great Depression
- EIt was linked to petroleum-based energy production and mechanisation
21.Which development best explains why the interwar period saw a shift away from traditional line- and front-based warfare?
Hard
- AThe innovations of World War I and the interwar period, which produced more mobile, mechanised and asymmetric combat
- BThe collapse of the League of Nations after the Munich Agreement
- CThe nationalisation of foreign companies in Latin America
- DThe redistribution of Ottoman territories among the Allies
22.Which of the following best explains why the United States gained dominance in world finance during the early interwar years?
Hard
- AIt lent money to Germany through the Dawes Plan and received war-debt repayments from former Entente nations
- BIt seized German colonies and Ottoman territories after World War I
- CIt joined the League of Nations and controlled its finances
- DIt nationalised foreign companies in Latin America
23.Why did the United States propose the Dawes Plan in 1924?
Medium
- ATo enable Germany to resume reparations payments so that Britain and France could repay their war debts to the United States
- BTo punish Germany by permanently occupying the Ruhr
- CTo create a military alliance against the Soviet Union
- DTo fund German rearmament in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles
24.Which development during the interwar period most directly enabled the prosperity of the Roaring Twenties?
Medium
- AThe mechanisation of production linked to petroleum-based energy
- BThe collapse of the League of Nations
- CThe Munich Agreement
- DThe German invasion of Poland
25.Which of the following best explains why the Great Depression had a worldwide impact?
Medium
- AThe United States dominated world finance, so its economic collapse damaged many of the world's largest economies
- BThe League of Nations ordered all member states to reduce trade
- CThe Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to default on all debts
- DThe Soviet Union nationalised all foreign companies in Europe
26.During the Great Depression, why did several Latin American countries nationalise foreign companies?
Medium
- ATo strengthen their own economies
- BTo prepare for war with the United States
- CTo join the League of Nations
- DTo pay reparations to Germany
27.What was the main naval debate during the interwar period?
Medium
- AWhether battleships would keep their dominance of the seas or be made virtually obsolete by naval aviation
- BWhether submarines should replace all surface fleets
- CWhether navies should be abolished under the League of Nations
- DWhether naval forces should be used only for strategic bombing
28.Which of the following best explains why the interwar period saw a shift away from traditional line- and front-based warfare?
Medium
- ARapid technological advance and lessons from World War I encouraged more mobile, mechanised and asymmetric combat
- BThe League of Nations banned static trench warfare
- CAll European armies abolished their infantry and cavalry
- DThe invention of gunpowder made frontal assaults impossible
29.Which of the following were consequences of the Great Depression? (select all that apply)
Medium
- ASevere damage to many of the world's largest economies
- BLatin American countries nationalising many foreign companies
- CThe immediate end of the interwar period
- DThe start of the Russian Civil War
- EThe rise of the Roaring Twenties
30.Which of the following territorial ambitions contributed to international tension in the 1930s? (select all that apply)
Hard
- AJapanese expansion
- BItalian expansion
- CGerman expansion
- DSoviet ambitions to revise the post-World War I settlements
- EIrish independence
31.The Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression affected only the United States.
Easy
True or false?
32.The Dawes Plan helped Germany pay reparations, which in turn allowed Britain and France to pay their war debts to the United States.
Medium
True or false?
33.Put the following interwar events in the correct chronological order, from earliest to latest.
Medium
- The Dawes Plan is introduced
- The Wall Street Crash occurs
- The Great Depression severely damages world economies
- Germany invades Poland
34.A historian writes: 'The interwar years were not simply a pause between two wars; they were a period of rapid and lasting change in how wars would be fought.' Which development from 1918–1939 best supports this interpretation?
Medium
- AThe shift towards more mobile, mechanised and asymmetric forms of combat
- BThe return of large-scale trench stalemate on the Western Front
- CThe abandonment of air power in favour of horse cavalry
- DThe complete disappearance of infantry from modern armies
35.A historian argues: 'The Dawes Plan of 1924 was less about helping Germany and more about helping the United States get its money back.' Which piece of evidence best supports this interpretation?
Medium
- AWall Street invested heavily in Germany, which paid reparations to Britain and France, who then used the dollars to pay their war debts to the United States
- BGermany refused to pay any further war reparations after 1918
- CThe United States joined the League of Nations to oversee reparations
- DBritain and France cancelled all their war debts to the United States in 1924
36.A historian writes: 'The Great Depression turned Latin America against foreign economic control.' Which action by Latin American countries during the Depression best supports this view?
Medium
- AThey nationalised many foreign companies, most of which belonged to the United States
- BThey increased their reliance on loans from Wall Street banks
- CThey joined the League of Nations to protect foreign investment
- DThey formed a military alliance with Nazi Germany
37.A historian claims: 'The interwar period was a time when the old empires were replaced by new nations.' Which set of new or restored countries from the former Russian Empire best supports this claim?
Medium
- AEstonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland
- BEgypt, Iraq, Nejd and Hejaz
- CBritain, France and Italy
- DGermany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire
38.A historian argues: 'The interwar years saw more debate about how to use new military technology than about whether to develop it.' Which debate from the period best supports this interpretation?
Hard
- AWhether air forces should be used for strategic bombing or for frontline close air support
- BWhether to replace all infantry with horse cavalry
- CWhether to abandon naval aviation entirely
- DWhether to stop using artillery altogether
39.A historian writes: 'The naval debates of the interwar period were about whether one type of ship would survive.' Which question best captures this debate?
Medium
- AWhether battleships would maintain their dominance or be made obsolete by naval aviation
- BWhether submarines should replace all surface ships
- CWhether navies should abandon aircraft carriers
- DWhether naval forces should be used only for troop transport
40.A historian claims: 'The interwar period saw the rise of new political ideologies that challenged the old order.' Which pair of ideologies best supports this claim?
Medium
- ACommunism and fascism
- BLiberalism and conservatism
- CMonarchism and feudalism
- DSocialism and anarchism
41.Which country did Germany invade on 1 September 1939, starting World War II?
Easy
42.In which year did the Wall Street Crash occur?
Medium
43.Complete the sentence about the interwar period.
Easy
The interwar period began with the ____ of Compiègne on 11 November 1918.
44.Complete the sentence about the end of the interwar period.
Easy
The interwar period ended on 1 September 1939 when Germany invaded ____.
45.Which empire was dismantled and its territories redistributed among the Allies, chiefly Britain and France, after World War I?
Medium
46.Complete the sentence about the economic problems of the interwar years.
Easy
During the Great Depression, countries in Latin America nationalised many foreign companies, most of which belonged to ____.
47.Name the empire whose western parts became the independent nations of Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland after World War I.
Medium
48.Which empire's western parts became the independent nations of Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland after World War I?
Medium
49.In which year did the German invasion of Poland, which ended the interwar period, begin?
Easy
50.Complete the sentence about economic recovery in the mid-1920s.
Medium
By the middle of the decade, ____ was widespread, and the second half of the decade became known as the ____.
51.Complete the sentence about the impact of the Great Depression on Latin America.
Medium
During the Great Depression, countries in Latin America ____ many foreign companies, most of which belonged to ____.
52.In which year did the Wall Street Crash, which began the Great Depression, take place?
Easy
53.Explain why the policy of appeasement was followed by Britain and France in the 1930s.
Medium
54.Describe two ways in which the Wall Street Crash affected the world economy.
Medium
55.In which year did the Wall Street Crash occur?
Medium
- A1736
- B2315
- C1929
- D2122
56.In which year did the German invasion of Poland, which ended the interwar period, begin?
Easy
- A1939 year
- B1745 year
- C2133 year
- D2327 year
57.In which year did the Wall Street Crash, which began the Great Depression, take place?
Easy
- A1929
- B2315
- C1736
- D2122

Apuntes de repaso

## The Interwar Years and the Rise of Dictators **What was the interwar period?** - Lasted from **11 November 1918** to **1 September 1939** (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) — from the end of **World War I** to the start of **World War II**. - Short but full of social, political, military and economic change worldwide. **From boom to bust** - **Petroleum-based energy** and **mechanisation** led to the **Roaring Twenties** — prosperity and social mobility for the middle class. - New everyday technology: **automobiles, electric lighting, radio**. - Then came the **Great Depression** — an unprecedented worldwide economic downturn that severely damaged many of the world's largest economies. - **Wall Street Crash** (1929) triggered the Depression; the **Dawes Plan** had seen Wall Street invest heavily in Germany. **Political extremes rise** - **Communism** rose first, starting in Russia with the **October Revolution** and **Russian Civil War**. - The era ended with the rise of **fascism**, particularly in **Germany and Italy**. - **Mussolini** took power in **Italy**; **Hitler** and the **Nazi Party** rose in **Germany**; **Stalin** led the **Soviet Union**. - **Life in Nazi Germany**: control, propaganda and persecution shaped everyday life. **Empires break up** - The **Russian, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and German** empires were dismantled. - Ottoman territories and German colonies were redistributed among the Allies, chiefly **Britain and France**. - New or restored states included **Poland, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania**; **Ireland** became independent; **Egypt and Iraq** gained independence; **Nejd** conquered Hejaz, becoming **Saudi Arabia**. - The **Bolsheviks** regained control of Belarus, Ukraine, Central Asia and the Caucasus, forming the **Soviet Union**. **The road to war** - **Appeasement** — giving in to aggressive demands to avoid war. - **Munich Agreement** — a key moment of appeasement. - **1 September 1939**: German **invasion of Poland** starts **World War II**. **Military change** - Rapid technological advance; debates over **armoured, mechanised and motorised forces**, **strategic bombing vs close air support**, and **battleships vs naval aviation**. - Shift away from line- and front-based warfare towards more **mobile, mechanised and asymmetric** combat. **Exam reminders** - Know the dates: **1918–1939**, **1929 Wall Street Crash**, **1 Sept 1939**. - Link **economic crisis → extremist politics → appeasement → war**.

Interwar period: The period from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 — from the end of World War I to the beginning of World War II.
Roaring Twenties: A time of prosperity and social and economic mobility for the middle class, driven by petroleum-based energy production and mechanisation.
Great Depression: An unprecedented worldwide economic downturn that severely damaged many of the world's largest economies.
Wall Street Crash: The 1929 crash of the US stock market that triggered the Great Depression; Wall Street had invested heavily in Germany under the Dawes Plan.
Dawes Plan: An American arrangement under which Wall Street invested heavily in Germany so it could pay reparations, which in turn let nations pay off war debts to the United States.
Communism: A political system whose rise in this era began in Russia with the October Revolution and Russian Civil War.
Fascism: An extreme nationalist political movement that rose particularly in Germany and Italy during the interwar period.
Nazi Party: The party led by Adolf Hitler that rose to power in Germany during the interwar years.
Appeasement: The policy of giving in to aggressive demands in order to avoid war, associated with the road to war in 1939.
Munich Agreement: A key agreement of the appeasement policy on the road to war in 1939.
Invasion of Poland: The German invasion on 1 September 1939 that ended the interwar period and started World War II.
Soviet Union: The state formed by the Bolsheviks after regaining control of Belarus, Ukraine, Central Asia and the Caucasus.

Tarjetas

When did the interwar period begin and end?

It lasted from 11 November 1918, the end of World War I, to 1 September 1939, the start of World War II.

What event marked the end of the interwar period?

The German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, which began World War II.

What was the League of Nations?

An international organisation set up after World War I to keep peace between countries and prevent another major war.

What was the Wall Street Crash?

The 1929 collapse of the US stock market, which triggered the worldwide Great Depression.

What was the Great Depression?

An unprecedented worldwide economic downturn that severely damaged many of the world's largest economies.

What were the Roaring Twenties?

A prosperous period of the 1920s of social and economic mobility for the middle class, when cars, electric lighting and radio became common.

Which four empires were dismantled after World War I?

The Russian, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and German empires.

How did the Dawes Plan work?

Wall Street invested heavily in Germany, which used the money to pay reparations to Britain and France, who then paid their war debts to the United States.

Who was Adolf Hitler?

The leader of the Nazi Party who rose to power in Germany and later led the country into World War II.

What was the Nazi Party?

The German political party led by Adolf Hitler, which rose to power during the turmoil of the interwar years.

Who was Benito Mussolini?

The fascist dictator who ruled Italy during the interwar period.

Who was Joseph Stalin?

The leader of the Soviet Union who ruled the country as a dictator during the interwar years.

What is fascism?

An authoritarian, nationalist political movement that rose to power in the interwar period, particularly in Germany and Italy.

What was communism's rise linked to in this period?

The October Revolution and Russian Civil War in Russia at the end of World War I, which led to the formation of the Soviet Union.

What was appeasement?

The policy of giving in to the demands of aggressive dictators, such as Hitler, in the hope of avoiding war.

What was the Munich Agreement?

A 1938 agreement in which Britain and France allowed Hitler to take territory in exchange for a promise of no further expansion.

How did the Munich Agreement relate to the road to war?

It failed to stop Hitler's expansion, and Germany's invasion of Poland in 1939 began World War II.

What happened to the Ottoman territories and German colonies after World War I?

They were redistributed among the Allies, chiefly Britain and France.

Which new independent nations emerged from the western parts of the Russian Empire?

Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

What was the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia formed from?

Nejd conquered Hejaz, eventually becoming the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Why did Latin American countries nationalise foreign companies during the Great Depression?

To strengthen their own economies; most of the companies belonged to the United States.

What territorial ambitions did Japan, Italy and Germany have in the 1930s?

They sought to expand their domains, which contributed to the road to war.

What military debate took place about air power in the interwar period?

Whether air forces should be used for strategic bombing or for frontline close air support.

What naval debate took place in the interwar period?

Whether battleships would keep their dominance of the seas or be made obsolete by naval aviation.

Unlock all 57 questions, flashcards & more

Crea una cuenta gratis para ver todas las preguntas, las diapositivas, las tarjetas y los apuntes de repaso de este tema.

REGÍSTRATE — GRATIS INICIAR SESIÓN

Exámenes anteriores

La práctica con exámenes anteriores de este tema llegará pronto.

Próximamente