Europe Experienced Political Tensions After WWI

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Europe Experienced Political Tensions After WWI
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France

• Fear of attack by Germans
• Rebuilt army
• Built the Maginot Line- series of steel and
  concrete fortifications that stretched 200 miles
  along German Luxembourg border
• French Economy unstable
• Owed money to U.S. and others
• Middle class and industrial workers suffered

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France

• French Economy unstable
• Owed money to U.S. and others
• Middle class and industrial workers suffered
• Inflation was a problem, higher prices for goods

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Political Unrest

• Right wing called for a military dictatorship to
  bring discipline to France
• Trade Unions called for General Strike
• Government persuaded leader to industry to
• Grant a pay raise to workers
• 40 hour work week and paid vacation
• Nationalized French Bank

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France

• Efforts did not work
• Working class still suffered
• Industry did not cooperate
• Gains eventually taken away

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Great Britain

• Faced economic problems after WWI
• Hugh war debt made taxes high
• Coal mines were beginning to give out
• U.S. and Japan took over Great Britains markets
  during war
• G.B. factories and machinery outdated and broken
  down
• High protective tariffs strangled international
  trade

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Eastern European Countries

• Eastern European Countries began to create their
  own economies
• Industrial growth behind western countries
• Breakup of Russian and Austro Hungarian Empire
• Trade patterns disrupted
• Economic instability in new nations

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Eastern European

• Austria small country created after WWI
• Wanted to be united with Germany
• Struggle between socialist and conservatives
  weakened democracy
• Hungary
• Went through two governments, Communist and
  Military dictatorship
• Some wanted to bring back Hapsburgs
• Rule by nobility for 10 years

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Eastern Europe

• Poland
• Adopted a democratic constitution
• Bitter opposition from both conservatives and
  liberals
• 1926 turned to military dictatorship

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International Affairs

• Locarno Pact- a series of treaties in which
  undersigned pledged that
• their countries would settle all disputes
  peacefully
• Guarantee the existing Franco-German boundaries
• Invite Germany to join the League of Nations

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International Affairs

• mid 1930s Belgium canceled defensive alliance
  with France
• France formed alliance with Russia
• Italy resumed its old opposition with France
• France found new alliances with Yugoslavia,
  Romania, Poland and Czechoslovakia
• Aim to encircle Germany

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