Interwar Period: Rise of Totalitarian Regimes & Global Crises

Posted on Aug 18, 2025 in History

The Interwar Period: Totalitarianism & Global Crises

The Roaring Twenties & Economic Recovery

  • League of Nations: Established for international cooperation.
  • International Relations: Remained tense despite efforts.
  • Pact of Locarno: Aimed to normalize post-WWI relations.
  • Economic Recovery: Significant growth in many nations.
  • Industrial Development: Rapid expansion of industries.

The Abrupt End to Prosperity: 1929 Crisis

The global economy experienced rapid growth, fueled by financial speculation. People heavily invested in the stock market, leading to an overvalued market. This culminated in the Crisis of 1929, marked by panic, companies losing value and closing, and widespread bankruptcies. This event triggered the Great Depression, causing severe economic and political problems worldwide.

Rise of Totalitarian Regimes

Fascism in Italy

Fascism, as an ideology, was characterized by:

  • Anti-communism: Strong opposition to communist movements.
  • Corporate State: Integration of economic interests under state control.
  • Irrationalism: Emphasis on emotion and will over reason.
  • Imperialism and Militarism: Aggressive foreign policy and military expansion.
  • Opposition to International Institutions: Rejection of bodies like the League of Nations.
  • Radical Nationalism: Extreme devotion to the nation.
  • Racism and Xenophobia: Discrimination against other races and foreigners.
  • State-led Capitalist Economy: Government intervention in a capitalist system.
  • Totalitarianism: Absolute state control over all aspects of life.
Timeline of Italian Fascism
  1. Roots of Italian Fascism: Emerged from nationalism and frustration with the Treaty of Paris.
  2. Benito Mussolini: Founded the National Fascist Party.
  3. Fascist Militias: Known as Blackshirts, they began violent attacks on workers with support from conservative elites.
  4. March on Rome (1922): Blackshirts marched on Rome, leading to Mussolini being invited to form a government.
  5. Dictatorship Established: Mussolini dissolved parliament and established a fascist dictatorship.
  6. Regime Control: The regime took control of politics, economy, media, and social organizations. Strikes were banned.
  7. Economic Crisis: Experienced a decline in production and increased unemployment.
  8. Imperialist Campaign: The government began an imperialist campaign in Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
  9. Propaganda: Fascist propaganda presented Italy as a nation prepared for conflicts.
  10. Axis Alignment: Mussolini aligned with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, participating in the Spanish Civil War.

Stalinism in the Soviet Union

After Lenin’s death, Joseph Stalin emerged as the leader by eliminating rivals like Leon Trotsky, initiating the era of Stalinism. Stalin promoted “socialism in one country” and joined the League of Nations. He used the Comintern to control international communist parties and protect Soviet interests.

Stalin initiated widespread purges, mass arrests, surveillance, the establishment of Gulags (labor camps), and political trials, leading to people being imprisoned, deported, or executed. He introduced centralized Five-Year Plans to rapidly industrialize the USSR, focusing on heavy industry and infrastructure. Despite severe famines and agricultural failures, the USSR experienced rapid industrial growth.

Nazism in Germany

The aftermath of World War I and the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles impoverished Germany. Deflationary policies caused significant social unrest. These difficulties led to the creation of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), or Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler. Nazi ideology took racist and nationalist totalitarian principles to the extreme.

Core Tenets of Nazi Ideology
  • Anti-Semitism: Discrimination against Jews and their culture.
  • Anti-communism: Strong opposition to communist movements.
  • Expansion Eastward: Desire for Lebensraum (living space) into Slavic lands.
  • Racial Purity: Murder of disabled people to preserve perceived racial purity.
  • Revanchism: Desire for revenge against France and rejection of the Treaty of Versailles.
  • Aryan Race Superiority: Belief in the supremacy of the “Aryan race.”
Rise to Power & Persecution

In 1923, Nazis attempted the Munich Putsch, a failed coup, which led to Hitler’s trial and imprisonment. The Great Depression severely impacted Germany due to its dependence on U.S. credit. Widespread poverty, unemployment, and social tension fueled the growth of Nazism. In 1933, despite no party majority, President Hindenburg appointed Hitler as Chancellor.

Anti-Semitism became a foundational ideology of the Nazi regime, expressed most notably in the Nuremberg Laws. Nazis launched extensive propaganda to demonize Jews. These laws prohibited mixed marriages, excluded Jews from government jobs, and revoked their German nationality. Jews were forced to wear a yellow Star of David for identification. Harassment against them, their families, and property escalated. In November 1938, Nazi militants assaulted Jewish neighborhoods during Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass), committing murders and destroying shops and synagogues. This marked a horrific escalation of persecution.