Following Wwi and the Treaty of Versailles, How Did the World Change to Allow Dictators to Rise to Power? How Did Isms Play a Part in the Interwar Period?

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The world after the First World War was in an economic crisis for both the Allies and the Central Powers. The economy in Germany especially was hit hard by the treaty of Versailles. The world after the treaty of Versailles experienced the Great Depression, the rise of fascist dictators who lead the world to the brink of a Second World War. Countries fell vulnerable to militaristic dictators to get them out of their current desperate conditions. The treaty of Versailles in 1919 placed full blame on Germany. Germany was forced to pay reparations for the whole cost of the war. Also included in the treaty were limitations of arms building, the return of Alsace Lorraine and much of the map of Europe was redrawn. Germany felt that they had not lost the war, that it was only a cease fire and the conditions were too harsh on them. At the same time the governments in Russia, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire had collapsed. There are several isms that arise during this time. Nazism, refers to totalitarian fascist ideology and policies. Nazism provided for extreme nationalism that functioned as a means to unite all German-speaking citizens into a single empire. Fascism is an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization. Mussolini used this ism to unite Italy under his control. Militarism refers to the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests. Italy, Germany and Russia used militarism. Finally, nationalism refers to a strong feeling in one’s country. This time period experienced an extreme form of this, that marked by a feeling of superiority over other countries. The economy of the world was deeply affected by the stock market crash of 1929 followed by the Great
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