The Interwar Period (1910-1939) Essay

The Interwar period (1919-1939) was characterized by the growth of “isms”, e.g. Fascism, Communism, Socialism, Nazism, Anti-Semitism, Pacifism, Consumerism, Feminism, and Capitalism, – all had enormous impacts on the lives of people around the globe. The three “isms” from the list above will be used in this paper, including Fascism, Communism and Capitalism. Were the interwar years a period of hope or despair? This question requires the proper analysis of the relevant issues.

The fundamental differences between the interwar period and the era that preceded it

The fundamental differences between the interwar period and the era that preceded it include differences in military innovation. Many military institutions were based on successful military innovations, including the institutions of Britain, Germany and the U.S. Actually, there were seven areas of innovation during the interwar period, including “armored warfare, amphibious warfare, strategic bombing, tactical bombing, submarine warfare, carrier aviation, and the development of radar” (Murray & Millett 3).

The era that proceeded the interwar period was the era of stagnation in many countries, which eventually led to the great depression (1873-1896). Researchers state that it was a period of generalized financialisation, in which special attention was paid to the “expansion of productive systems” (Amin 100). The effects of increased industrialization and the growth of mass politics led to social conflicts and imbalance of power in many countries.

The major contributions of the events during the interwar period to the outbreak of World War II

The major events that occurred during the interwar period (1919-1939) contributed to the outbreak of World War II. On June 28, 1919, the treaty of Versailles was signed to put the end to World War I, imposing heavy reparations payments on Germany. The Russian Revolution and the Great Depression influenced the outbreak of the WWII because of a wide range of negative consequences of those events. The triumph of Communism in Russia contributed to the growth of political conflict, reducing “the prospects for social compromise and evolutionary democracy” (Overy 97). Actually, it influenced the process of organization of anti-Communism movement, which was aimed at uniting people to defend religion, property and the established order. Besides, On September 3, 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany, giving response to the aggression of Hitler in Eastern Europe and his plans regarding global hegemony. In general, the major events that influenced the outbreak of World War II included the growth of militarism, the birth of Nationalism and Fascism, competition for resources and previous wars, the isolation of the U.S., and other events.

The major economic, social and political events that indicate a spirit of optimism/pessimism

Some economic, social and political events indicate a spirit of optimism, while other events indicate a spirit of pessimism. Britain, Russia, Germany, France, the United States played an important role in the events during the interwar period that led to the outbreak of World War II, but not all of the above mentioned countries related to the events that events indicated a spirit of optimism. For example, Germany was represented as aggressive state because of Hitler’s plans and the growth of fascism and nationalism. Russia demonstrated the spread of Communist ideas, which opposed Capitalism. In general, the economic, social and political events in the U.S. and Britain indicated the spirit of optimism. The U.S. policy of isolation developed during the interwar period had positive effects on the development of the country, supporting economic growth and the growth of “big businesses” (Kaufman 58). However, economic depression of that period had negative impact on Americans. Britain’s political confusion in the interwar period led to new social problems. However, in general, Britain succeeded economically, promoting the growth of business. France faced a wide range of problems caused by the previous wars (WWI). The economy of the country was declined, while the government was not effective in finding solutions to the existing economic problems. In Soviet Union, there were serious political changes, which led to the establishment of the first totalitarian state in the world. Lenin’s philosophy had strong impact on the government and its policies. Under Stalin, the Soviet Union succeeded in technology and industrialization, but agricultural policies were ineffective.

In general, more political, social and economic events during the interwar years indicated the spirit of pessimism rather than optimism. Nevertheless, each of the countries used their own schemes in achieving success. None of the above mentioned countries wanted to be involved in war, excluding Germany, which demonstrated the policies of Fascism and Nazism. The end of World War I contributed to the destruction of the old international system. In other words, Europe and the U.S were reorganized, what led to the birth of and a new world. Practically each of the countries mentioned in this paper had to face serious economic, social and political challenges. The prevalence of economic depression in Europe and the U.S. during the inter-war period indicated a spirit of pessimism.

 

Works Cited

Amin, Samir. Global History: A View from the South. Fahamu/Pambazuka, 2011. Print.

Kaufman, Joyce P. A Concise History of U.S. Foreign Policy. Rowman & Littlefield, 2010. Print.

Murray, Williamson R. & Millett, Allan R. Military Innovation in the Interwar Period. Cambridge University Press,1998. Print.

Overy, R. J. The Inter-war Crisis 1919-1939. Pearson Education, 2007. Print.

 

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

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[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]
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