The Inter-War Crisis

Seminar Studies in History

by Richard Overy

The Inter-War Crisis is a concise yet analytical overview of the rapidly-changing world between 1918 and 1939, covering the political, economic and social instability that resulted from the First World War and the eventual descent towards the fresh upheaval of the Second World War. Revised throughout and containing a new range of illustrations, this third edition covers topics such as the Russian Revolution, the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the concepts of the ‘end of civilization‘ and the decline of the West, cultural and scientific responses to an age of anxiety and fear, and the ways in which dictatorship came to replace democracy across so much of Europe. Global in focus, it offers thematic discussions, close analysis of a range of case studies and a clear over-arching narrative structure that guides the reader from the close of one war to the beginning of the next. Also including a selection of over thirty primary source documents, maps, a chronology of events, a glossary of key terms, a Who’s Who of important figures and an extensive and updated guide to further reading, this book is an essential introduction for students of the inter-war period.

Genres: History, European History, World History

188 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

About the author

Richard James Overy is a British historian who has published extensively on the history of World War II and the Third Reich.

Educated at Caius College, Cambridge and awarded a research fellowship at Churchill College, Professor Overy taught history at Cambridge from 1972 to 1979, as a fellow of Queens' College and from 1976 as a university assistant lecturer. In 1980 he moved to King's College London, where he became professor of modern history in 1994. He was appointed to a professorship at the University of Exeter in 2004.

His work on World War II has been praised as "highly effective in the ruthless dispelling of myths" (A. J. P. Taylor), "original and important" (New York Review of Books) and "at the cutting edge" (Times Literary Supplement.)[

Reviews

[Jonathan Terrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Overy's work here is a neatly crafted examination of the interwar period. His main argument as a historian is to challenge that the period between 1919 and 1939 was a period of crisis rather than anything else. He sets out to define a period of crisis as being distinguishable from the common misuse of the term as in 'work crisis' or 'family crisis'. He expresses that he believes a period of historical crisis is one in which various factors serve to destabilise commonly accepted and founded principles. For instance a highly established social order across the world being disestablished by the advent of multiple revolutions when the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution occurred. He argues that the interwar period was a period of crisis because not only was the world order destabilised but that citizens across the globe recognised that they were living in a time of crisis.

Overy goes on to point out various factors which contributed the crisis. He indicates the revolutions which occurred in Russia and in other European nations. He indicates the aftermath of World War One and the rise of the façade of power that was The League of Nations. He points out the push towards modernisation and the rise of modernity which promoted a questioning of old ideas and an institution of new technologies. Overy further analyses these new ideas and technologies in challenging how science with its implementation of ideas such as eugenics to modern life created instability and contributed to crisis along with the rise of such concepts as psychoanalysis because of such individuals as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Overy also spends a decent amount of time considering the largest two destabilising factors of the interwar era: the rise of new ideologies and the Great Depression.

The ideologies of Communism and Fascism are examined in detail from the perspective of how they both led to a sense of instability. Communism was of course the enemy of the ruling class and the friend of the poor worker communities while Fascism appealed to governments because of its anti-Communist agenda. However Fascism was also a authoritarian and totalitarian system that ruled through dictatorship and as such was a force to also be feared by the democratic governments. However many of them still viewed the new Fascist governments of Italy and Germany as interested mainly in their own patriotic agendas. Until Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia, 'allied' himself with the Soviets and divided Poland with them he was still viewed as a patriotic man merely wanting to return Germany to her glorious past. However Overy's argument indicates that Hitler was a man who believed that the strong empires would only truly rise through war. He adopted an approach which was very much Cultural Darwinism in action: the sense that the ideal of the survival of the fittest should be applied to politics and human life.

The other major historical movement examined is one which is familiar to nearly everyone with any historical or economic knowledge. That is the Great Depression one of the biggest economic failures of the 20th Century and likely the biggest if we exclude the forced reparation payments demanded from Germany. Those payments were a definite driving factor in why Hitler gained power in the way he did. Actually the Great Depression was another driving force which enabled the rise of his Nazi party despite the fact that they never received a majority vote. After all in difficult times people will vote for a radical solution if it will help them rise from the ashes (pardon the Phoenix metaphor). It is understandable I believe if we examine the effect of The Great Depression alone that Overy could argue that the interwar period was a period of crisis.

I highly recommend this as a history text or for anyone wanting to read an informative argument about the interwar period. I find that the one thing lacking is an examination of democracy however as Richard Overy is challenging that the interwar period was one of crisis it makes sense that he would not wish to delve into the positive attributes of democracy. I still believe however that an examination of the failings and positive aspects of democracy during this period would add further strength and fully complete his sound argument. On the whole this is a powerful work of historical argument and now I have to work out whether I agree with Overy's claim that the interwar period was a period of crisis for my history examination on Thursday.

[Saimi Korhonen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The claim to the moral high ground expressed so confidently by Europeans before 1914 looked hollow indeed four years later. The idea of progress as somehow irresistible and preordained was morally bankrupt in the 1920s. ‘What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow Out of this stony rubbish?’ asked the poet T.S. Eliot in The Waste Land, written in 1922. For Eliot, like so many of his generation, there was no answer, ‘only a heap of broken images’."

The Inter-War Crisis 1919–1939 is a wonderful introduction to the chaotic time period between the world wars, known as the interwar period or interwar crisis. Overy explores why the world descended into chaos and crisis after the Great War from multiple perspectives: economic crash, rise of dictatorship, fear of communist revolution, sense of "moral decline", science (for example eugenics) and failures of the League of Nations.

I thought this book was very easy to read and provided a good introduction for multiple causes of unrest and crisis during this period in history. It doesn't go super far into any topic - it's a very short book - but as someone who has not studied this period that much, it gave me a good overview of what happened and why, and also sparked an interest to look into certain themes more later.

My enjoyment over this book was slightly hindered by the fact that I had to take notes for a UNI exam, but even the ever-present feeling of pressure and panic that UNI causes didn't prevent me from liking this book, which is saying something and a testament to the fact that this book is genuinely well done in my opinion.

I would happily recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about this turbulent period in history - you will definitely gain a more profound understanding of what went wrong after the Great War, why the world was hurled into an even worse war and why people felt so acutely that they were living through a time of crisis.

[Giada- Se ne dicon di parole · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In primis Overy sottolinea il dato temporale: la crisi non ha effettivamente inizio nel 1919 - ma prima - e non ha effettivamente fine nel 1939 - ma dopo -. Inoltre, sottolinea che le due Guerre sono una la causa e l’altra la nefasta conseguenza. Già all’inizio del secolo, infatti, gli effetti dell’industrializzazione e della politica di massa avevano ingigantito i conflitti sociali e minato l’equilibrio, come l’arrivo della rivoluzione sociale comunista, temuta da molti e che portò a forme di estremismo politico in cui si finì per preferire la democrazia e la repressione. Non solo. Il crollo della borsa di New York nel 1929 fece esacerbare ulteriormente la situazione, provocando una crisi economica a livello mondiale, che è alla base del clima di tensione che attraversò tutto il decennio successivo."

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even for a textbook this was interesting reading.

[AG · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was very educational, but literally the least engaging book I’ve read in my entire life. Will give to dad (someone with some expertise on this topic) for further review.

[William The Avid Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

a concise history of the inter-war period.

[Chiara Palumbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letto per un esame di storia contemporanea. Illuminante!

[J.M. Hushour · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent overview, though remarkably lacking in shit like the Spanish Civil War and intellectual and social movements of the time (Orwell is only mentioned once?!? C'mon, muthafuckah!)

[JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. This book is a model of concision. Highly recommended as a starting point for understanding the Inter-War period. The book contains a helpful bibliography at the end for further study.