Interwar Ideologies
Driving Question: Why did extremist ideologies like fascism emerge during the interwar period?
After World War I, the world was in crisis. In this lesson, you’ll explore how economic collapse, fear, and political uncertainty gave rise to extreme ideologies—like fascism, communism, and authoritarianism—and how people across the globe responded to these new visions of power and order.
Learning Objectives:
- Use the historical thinking practice of contextualization to evaluate the circumstances that led to the global depression.
- Use the historical thinking practices of comparison and causation to analyze the rise of authoritarian governments in various regions of the world.
- Use a graphic biography to support, extend, or challenge the overarching narratives of this period.
As you get ready to examine extremist ideologies, step into the shoes of a citizen watching their nation fall to pieces.
Note: You can print out the Event Cards for each pair or small group of students, but you can also have students access these cards through Google Slides, where they can move the cards on the digital funnel. Be sure to read the Lesson Guide for full instructions on this activity.
Explore the global causes and consequences of the Great Depression. Through a contextualization activity and an in-depth article, you'll see how economic interdependence and political decisions led to a worldwide crisis that set the stage for significant historical developments.
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Guiding Questions
The Second World War and the ideologies surrounding it—especially fascism—can create discomfort and even conflict in some contexts today. Think about how to approach these topics with your students and set discussion expectations ahead of time. If you need more support, take a look at the OER Project’s Teaching Sensitive Topics in Social Studies.
This introduction works best if you can help students understand that fascism, communism, and authoritarianism aren’t synonyms. A simple chart comparing who gets power, how they justify it, and what they promise in return can keep the distinctions clear. The Internationalism Between the Wars video is especially useful because it reminds students that the 1920s and 1930s were not only about the rise of extremism. There were serious people across the world attempting to build peace.
After the Great Depression, people were searching for answers—and leaders offered a wide range of them. Use these materials to learn what fascism is, how authoritarian governments gained power, and how some groups tried to resist through international cooperation. Then, you’ll analyze a political party platform to understand how extremist messages appealed to people facing crisis and uncertainty.
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Plaek Phibunsongkhram’s leadership in Thailand shows that fascist and authoritarian ideas spread far beyond Europe. His actions reveal how local leaders adapted extreme ideologies to meet their own goals, helping us understand why these movements gained global appeal during the interwar years.
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Explore how people around the world faced economic challenges during the interwar period. These sources reveal the diverse ways communities experienced and responded to the Great Depression.
Why did so many countries turn to extremist leaders in the interwar years? These articles add valuable global context by examining how fascism, communism, and authoritarianism took root in Italy, the Soviet Union, and Japan. These cases help you compare how different systems responded to crisis—and why so many people supported strong, often repressive, governments.
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