The Time Between the Wars

The Roaring 20s and the Great Depression

The devastation was immense. Who should be expected to pay for the damages?

www.gwpda.org/photos/greatwar.htm www.gwpda.org/photos/greatwar.htm

Cultural Developments and Influential People of the 1920s and 1930s

The 1920s, also known as the Roaring

Twenties, was a distinctive era because

of many significant events. Changes

were taking place in America society in

terms of economy, politics, and fashion.

Many influential individuals made a

mark on American society during this

decade.

After the war

Post-war prosperity followed the “Great War”. In the 1920s, America was converting from a war time to a peace time economy. New inventions were created and new consumer goods helped secure the American dream for many. Americans became part of the “consumer society” as economic growth swept the nation.

The Great Depression

When the United States stock market crashed on October 29, 1929, the

world’s economy collapsed.

The Early 1930s• nations struggled through depressions• businesses went broke• millions of people were out of work• banks closed• poverty spread throughout the world• The climate was perfect for the rise of dictators

such as Adolf Hitler (Germany) and Benito Mussolini (Italy).

• This period is known as the Great Depression.

Paris in 1930

London in 1930

United States• October 29, 1929 (the day the US stock market fell)

is known as Black Tuesday.• Many investors lost everything• At one point, ¼ of all Americans were unemployed.• Breadlines and soup kitchens were set up to feed the

poor.• Many of the urban poor lived in shanty towns called

Hoovervilles (named after President Herbert Hoover, the president at the time of the beginning of the Great Depression).

Germany• Germany depended heavily on American loans.• The Wall Street Crash (Black Tuesday) placed

more pressure for Germany to repay US loans.• rampant hyperinflation = useless currency• massive unemployment (5 million in 1932, 20%

of total population)• production fell 40%• Germany turned to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party

to solve the German economic crisis.

The deutschmarkGermany’s currency

The deutschmark in 1923 was only good for making kites

…and burning in a stove for heat.

• Germans wanted someone

to blame for their misfortune.• The Nazi party offered

Jews as the scapegoat.• Children were often

organized in youth groups

and taught Nazi dogma.• Germans were told to

boycott Jewish businesses.

• Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass) was a night of destruction aimed at Jewish homes and businesses.

Who will save Germany?

• http://www.5min.com/Video/Adolf-Hitlers-Rise-to-Power-516911251