World War II

Many a thing to discuss in a time of war.

1.) Dealing with the Great Depression in EUROPE (Not America...sadly)

1. Scandinavia - established Socialist ideals = most successful European country in the Great Depression 
• In 1920s, they passed social reform laws for peasants and workers, and developed a unique kind of socialism
• Scandinavian socialism: Grew out of a strong tradition of cooperative community action 
2. When Great Depression struck 1929 - socialist governments in Scandinavia built on the cooperative social action
1. increased social welfare benefits
2. government spending = required large bureaucracy and HIGH TAXES 
3. in the end = Welfare socialism and democracy thrived
3. "Scandinavian welfare socialism was an appealing "middle way" between SICK capitalism and CRUEL communism or Fascism." (Pg. 947)

2.) Great Britain and France through the Depression: 

• Britain's recovery plan:
• Balanced Budget, economy recovered after 1932
• their reforms reflected the gradual reorientation of British economy
• Britain concentrated on NATIONAL, rather than INTERNATIONAL markets
• France:
• Depression hit France HARD
• decline until 1935 - short recovery never brought production or employment completely back
• economic stagnation reflected and heightened an ongoing political crisis --> there was NO STABility IN THE GOVERNMENT
• lost its unity 
• The Communists, Socialists, and Radicals FEARED THE STRENGTH OF THE FASCISTS
• Formed an alliance called the POPULAR FRONT = encouraged the union movement and launched social reform programs
• tried to deal with social and economic problems of Depression 

3.) SO DID EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAVE A COLLECTIVE RESPONSE TO THE DEPRESSION?

• these countries shared the same ideas - but there was no single leader of the "Pan European party" - Yarn
• The response of these countries to the Depression was significantly different compared the US
• Was their response collective??? Like America?
• NO. they are not the same
• What goes on in Germany WAS WAY DIFFERENT THAN BRITAIN AND FRANCE
• Germany was destroyed by WWI - needed to pay heavy reparations from the Versailles Treaty
• Let's look at America for a second because WHY NOT:
• America had a veryveryvery bad experience with the Depression 
• American reforms were not successful 
• programs/reforms hard to sustain in declining economy 
• International relations: ISOLATION ISOLATION ISOLATION 
• 
• Britain and France: YES ALSO ISOLATION WHO HOOO!
• Munich Conference = "pinnacle of staying uninvolved in WWII" - Yarn 
• So Europe had similar responses with differing details but the OVERALL RESPONSE WAS 
• Bolstering one's economy/ building up nationalism/ STAY OUT OF WAR

4.) What up with the Munich Conference?

• Great Britain and France - had previous agreement with Czech and Poland to PROTECT THEM FROM GERMANY/INVADERS
• the great betrayal --> Great Britain and France chose to protect themselves and gave Hitler the Green Light to invade Czech. 
• In Sept 1938: Germany, Italy, Great Britain, and France signed the Munich agreement:
• stated that Czech must surrender its border regions and defenses (Sudetenland) to Nazi Germany. 
• *Czechs BE LIKE...
• 
• WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?
• Hitler threatened to unleash FULL ON WORLD WAR unless Sudetenland (area of Czech that contained ethnic German majority) was surrendered to Germany 
• SOOO Britain, France, Italy allowed its annexation in exchange FOR A PLEDGE OF PEACE! .... spoiler alert - Hitler doesn't stay peaceful *cough Poland cough* 
• Poland betrayal in 1919: 
• http://www.worldfuturefund.org/wffmaster/Reading/History/polandbetrayal.htm

5.) Four things You Absolutely NEED TO KNOW: (Chronologically)

• 1.) 1936: Hitler rearming Rhineland and the Saar Valley WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE demilitarized --> going against the Treaty of Versailles
• The remilitarization changed the balance of power in Europe from France towards Germany
• made it possible for Germany to pursue a policy of aggression in Eastern Europe that the demilitarized status of the Rhineland had blocked until then.
• 2.) March 1938: Anschluss (union) : term used to describe the annexation of Austria of 1938 - predates Munich conference 
• joining Austria and Germany - Austria basically absorbed into German custody
• 3.) Sept. 1938: Munich Conference
• 4.) Lebensraum: Additional territory deemed necessary to a nation, especially Nazi Germany; FOR ITS continued existence or economic well-being
• Hitler invades POLAND 
• 
• *Ill be peaceful he said. lets sign this peace treaty HE SAID.* 

6.) LAST THING: GERMAN- SOVIET PACT:

• The German Soviet Pact = Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact
• Signed August 19, 1939 
• Agreement provided that Germany would exchange manufactured goods for Soviet raw materials
• Nazi Germany and Soviets also signed A NONAGGRESSION PACT on Aug 23, 1939 in which each promised to not attack the other
• The Pact's Effects:
• It enabled Germany to attack Poland in Sept 1939 without fear of Soviet intervention
• then When Germany invaded Poland --> Britain and France declared war
• Hungary, Romania, Slovakia joined the Axis alliance in 1940 --> During 1941 Hitler initiated his eastern European allies into plans to INVADE SOVIET UNION (Dude stop breaking pacts)

SORRY BUT GERMANY AND THE SOVIETS MAKING A PACT IS ALMOST AS BAD AS WHEN FREDDY KISSED SAM.