1930s

The 1930s was a decade of global upheaval and change, spanning 1930 through 1939. The period is defined by economic distress following the stock market crash of 1929, with widespread unemployment, falling prices, and social hardship in many countries. The Dust Bowl of the early 1930s devastated parts of the US Plains and prompted large internal migrations. Recovery varied by country and was uneven in pace.

Economically, many nations experimented with policy responses. In the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal implemented public works programs, financial reforms, and social welfare measures, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and, by 1935, a system of social security.

Politically, the decade saw the rise of totalitarian regimes and aggressive expansionism. In Germany, Adolf Hitler consolidated power and pursued rearmament and territorial expansion. Italy under Mussolini expanded militarily in Africa. Japan pursued militarist expansion in East Asia, initiating the invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and escalating the Sino-Japanese War after 1937. The Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) drew international attention and involvement. The Rome-Berlin Axis (1936) symbolized growing alignment among fascist powers, while the Anti-Comintern Pact linked Germany and Japan in opposition to the Soviet Union.

Culturally and scientifically, the decade saw advances in mass media and technology. Radio and cinema rose as major forms of entertainment, with Hollywood's Golden Age in full swing. The period also saw progress in science, including the discovery of nuclear fission in 1938, and developments in propulsion and antibiotics.

The start of World War II in 1939 after Germany invaded Poland ended the decade and reshaped global alignments, setting the stage for profound political and economic realignments in the subsequent era.