A Brief Look at the 1920s

In 1920, Hitler formed the Nazi Party. Houdini began to debunk spiritualism (which caused him to confront Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle, an ardent spiritualist). Under the new British Mandate in Palestine, there were murderous Arab riots against the Jews in Nabi Musa. In sports, the Ottawa Senators won the Stanley Cup in hockey.

In 1921 there was a great famine in Russia. Jewish immigration to Palestine grew and Tel Aviv became the first Jewish municipality. It was the year that saw the beginning of the famous Canadian five cent ‘nickel’. In sports, the New York Giants beat the New York Yankees and won the World Series.

In 1922 Albert Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics. Mahatma Gandhi was sentenced to prison by the British. In England, the British Broadcasting Company was formed. Stalin was elected Secretary General of the Communist Party.

In 1923 Banting and Macleod received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their work on insulin. The prototype of the helicopter (the ‘autogyro’) was flown successfully. In Russia, Stalin was elected Secretary General of the Communist Party. Time Magazine was formed.

There were natural disasters in Italy (eruption of Mount Etna) and Japan (The Great Kanto Earthquake).

In 1924 George Gershwin’ Rhapsody in Blue was performed for the first time. Hubble announced the existence of distant galaxies. Greece became a republic. Italy became Fascist. Judy Garland made her show debut.

In 1925 the Chrysler Corporation was formed. The first motel opened in California. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gadsby” was published. The Technion and Hebrew University were inaugurated in Haifa and Jerusalem.

In 1926 Hirohito became Emperor of Japan. Goddard invented the liquid fuel rocket. Winnie the Pooh was published (A.A. Milne). Latkin Square in the Bronx was named after the first Jewish soldier to die in the Great War.

In 1927 Trotzky was ousted and Stalin became head of the Communist Party. Work on the Holland Tunnel in New York was completed; work on Mt. Rushmore began. Charles Lindberghe flew solo across the Atlantic on the “Spirit of St. Louis”. The first movie featuring synchronized dialogue and song (The Jazz Singer) was produced starring Al Jolson. There was an influenza epidemic in Britain.

In 1928 Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, office air conditioning, the yoyo, the iron lung and Mickey Mouse were introduced in the US. Other inventions included a fully automated system for developing photographic film. Alfred Hitchcock directed his first movie. The St. Francis dam bursts in the San Francisco area, killing some 450 people. Tennis was televised for the first time. Louis Armstrong recorded the “West End Blues”.

1929 was the year the Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash. The Vatican received independence from Italy. Foam rubber, color television and sunglasses were developed in the US and phone booths in England.

Thanks to the following:

​www.worldhistoryproject.org

thepeoplehistory.com