History: inter war years

Woodrow Wilson created them in an attempt to end WW1 peacfully

-no secret treaties

-free access to the sea, in war and peace for POland (now independent)

-self-determination for eastern european countries snd colonised countries

-league of nations

democracy - a state could determine its own future with a governement

this was bad news for Britian and France, who both had over-shore colonies that were controlled by them (British empire and self-interest)

George Clemenceau

David Lloyd George

Woodrow Wilson

the key victors at the end of WW1 who made the decisions of Germany’s fate

they wrote the TOV

28/6/1919

Lloyd George himself wanted to “make Germany pay”, but didn’t want to treat them too harshly as he was worried about another war as a consequence for harsh terms

He wanted to keep them reasonably strong to continue trade between the countries

He didn’t want them to become more powerful and overtake Britian and its empire

He wanted some of GErmany’s colonies to add tot he empire - self-interest

Wanted to maintain and improve the British empire

Reduce Germany’s navy to keep the royal navy strong

Britain as a country wanted Germany to pay for the loss of life it caused

Wary of LON and the idea of self determination

could gain land through LON

reparations to pay back debt to america

most fighting happened in France - wanted to make Germany pay for the loss of life and land that France saw, wanted harsh revenge

wanted Germany to be weak so war was impossible in the future

he wanted France to be the most dominating and powerful country in Europe

Weaken Germany’s army to reduce risk of attack

Force blame on Germany to humiliate them

Buffer zone - a demiliterised zone between the 2 to protect France

Border to be pushed back to Rhineland

didn’t agree with the LON and most of the 14 points - was just self interessted

Wanted Alsens-Lorain

wanted to break up Germany into states to dilute the power

Blamed Germany but didn’t want to be too harsh and cause another war

Wanted peace above all

He had no great desire to crush Germany - no fighting occured in america and as they joined late, the loss of life was less than the other victors

14 piont-plan

eager for the LON

Reparations minimal, was not struggling financialy

disarmament to prevent further war and alow america to continue to be isolationist

gained some o fGErmany’s colonies

Got reparations

Geprge was worried terms were too steep and another war would be the outcome

a very harsh treaty was recieved, meeting the harsh objectives

thought it could be harsher

gained land back, colonies and a buffer zone

he gained the LON

lots of his 14 points (posen for poland)

congress voted against USA joining LON

Scared the treaty was too harsh

Guilt- germnay had to accept all guilt and blame for WW1, humiliating a patriotic country

Armed forces - armed forces of germany massivl reduced - no tanks, submarines or air force; only 6 battle ships and an army of only 100000. Furtherly humiliating

Reparations - Germany was forced to pay an impossible amount of £6.6 billion to the victors

Germany lost land - France gained: Saar coalfields(for 15 years, very economically benifiting for France, not so for Germany), Alsace-Lorraine. Poland gained: Posen (a corridor to the sea, cutting of east Prussia). Germany also lost: German east Africa, German NEw Ginuea

League of Nations - Germany was prevented from joining

Extra points - Anschluss with Austria was forbidden

August 1924

USA lent Germany money to pay for reparations

800 million gold marks

LON did nothing despite Germany’s obvious debt and helplessness

gained Alsance-Lorraine and a demiliterised Rhineland

Happy Germany was no longer a threat due to its armed forces

Saar helped France financialy recover

It could be harsher - the suffering in France was far worse than the terms of the treaty

Germany could still have an army, even if it was too small

reparations wern’t enough

Saar could be perminent, Rhineland could be taken fully

got the LON (as WIlson wanted) but senate wouldn’t ratify joining

Densig was formed and Poland became a seperate state with Posen(14 points)

reparations allowed victors to repay debt to USA

self-determination in eastern europe was passed (14 ponts)

USA wouldn’t ratify TOV as it didn’t contain all 14 points

too harsh, would cause WW2

expanded empire

maintained strong navy compared to germany’s now weak one

didn’t agree with LON and scared of self-determination

overall, reasonably fair, but the public wanted it harsher

loss of land and people to poland could caue future problems

reparations too harsh - trade lost, future war

had no choice to sign, even if it was impossibly harsh, due to collapsing economy, loss of the war and hope it would lead to a better future

was it too harsh? What about Brest-Litovsk

too harsh, forced on them like “Diktat”, impossible

they felt they had been “stabbed in the back” by the governement

humiliated when accepting blame, previously proud and patriotic country (clause 231)

armed forces had been huge source of pride; humiliation

lost 16% of coal, 48% steal and 13% of land

6 million citizens displaced

coulnd’t afford reparations - impossible

Germany had also lost 763000 civilians

a new government (Weimar republic) set up, but it was not strong - many revolts broke out: 1918 october - food shortage revolt, 1918 january - communist revolt, 1919 August - weimar governemnt formed, 1920 march - Kapp Putsch naraly defeated, 1923 january - Germany misses reparation payment, France invades Ruhr but government pay people to strike so there are no goods to steal)

1921-22

USA held and organised it, major counties (GB, FR, JP) discussed navy sizes

GB and USA could have the same size, and for every 5 tonnes worth of ship they had, JP could have 3

LON not invloved - what does this say about the council’s attitude

1922

reversed Brest-Litovosk (1918)

representetives of Germany and Russia met in Italy to discuss and reverse it

Germany repayed reparations

more cooperative future

no LON - neither country was allowed to join

1918

Russia wanted to leave WW1 due to a rebelion and rapid decreasing strength, so Germany forced upon it the harsh treaty

reparations

32% agricultural land

34% population

54% industry

26% railway

89% coal mines

1925

German and french foreign ministers met and signed to agree to be more work together and be more peacful in the future, signing 7 treaties in total

GB,CS,IT,BL also signed to agree to be more peacful and not go to war

acceptance of GErmany of the TOV

no LON?

Switzerland

1928

65 countries met and agreed warw ouldn’t be used to solve disputes

G,FR,USA first to sign

no LON

1919

sigend by Austria after WW1, enforced by big 3 (similiar to TOV)

Austro-Hungarian empire broken into CZ, P, etc. to follow 14 points

reparations

land lost to Italy

limited armed forces

Anschluss ban

Lloyd George’s advisor

quit job when he heard the terms of the TOV

predicted it would cause and economic crash

too ahrsh and would cause WW1

made Britian wary of the TOV

wanted to punish government and not citizens, as this would cause financial collapse

14 points were only faintly resembeled - would upset Germany

just as bad as Brest-Litovsk

by the standard of the time, it was expected

Germany killed and effected many soldiers from GB,FR abd USA, so it must be punished

many said Germany would have done the same

the treaty had to be brought together quickly, big 3 did the best they could?

Keyen’s critisisms and warns of “economic collapse” should have warned the big 3

not realistic, impossible for germnay to pay off sucha steep amount

many German citizens where forced into countries that disliked them

Germany was left vulnerable

Germany had no say on the terms - “Diktat”?

Germany thought it was based on the 14 points but wasnt’t - false pretenses

Austia-Hungary declared war on Serbia with support of GErmany. Serbia was supported by USSR, BR,FR.

Triple Entente - FR, GB, USSR

Triple alliance - Germnay, AH, IT

Italy switches sides in 1915

Russia leaves in 1918 with economic instability and a revolution

USA joins in 1918 but no fighting on its land

1918 - war ends, due to: harsh turnip winter casuing economic instability and a decrease in moral.

economic instability

limited trade

final attack failed

soldiers began to abandon

14-points offered peacful hope

armistice reached on 11/11/11/1918

many beleived Germany could ahve carried on fighting and won, and said those who signed the armstice “stabbed” them in the back

achieve peace and freedom

encourage disarmament

imrpve working conditions

tackle deadly disease

stop war from repeating

42 counties

4 country coucil with 3-year term (later grew perminent)

met once a year on the 1st monday of september

USA didn’t join

Germany banned

USSR banned due to GB and FR communist suspiscions

listed powers and rules in the “covenant”

met in Genova, Switzerland, as it was seen as a peacful country

based on “collective security” - if they worked together as one, they could make sure peace was kept and the interest of every nation was upheld

permanent court of international justice setted international disputes where 15 judges would deside on none-compulsary consequences

coucil members: GB, FR, JP, IT

secretatians - civil service of LON in charge of admition

special comisions - groups put together to tackle specific issues

met to discuss and solve disputes and help countries in need. Had 3 main powers

moral condemntation: to shame the country into stopping its harmful action

trade sanctions: countries in the league refused to trade witht the criminal, however, this didn’t help as USA and other none LON members could trade

military action:if a country refused to stop, they could impliment force.. However, as the LON didn’t have ana rmy, and FR and GB wouldn’t donate their armies due to economic loss of WW1 and self-interest, this was impossible to use

didn’t want to join initialy due to fear of self-determination adn breaking apart of the empire

Fontainbleau memorandum signed declaring LOn wouldn’t distrupt the epire, so obliged

it viewed the league as a way to discuss ideas and diputes, without actually taking action

self-interest meant they didn’t care about the pther countires enough to comit to action

didn’t want to join due to self-interest

congress wouldn’t ratify the desicion to join due to isolationsit beleifs and loss of life in WW1 wanting them to stay away from europe

trade sanctions therefore didn’t work as USA could trade if LON countries didn’t

didn’t want anything to hold back its “boom”

no USA army to help with military actions

USA didn’t join - was the world’s largest economy meant trade could continue with convicted countries and trade sanctions, one of the most strong powers of the league failed (Abyssinia crisis - USA could still trade coal and oil so LON couldn’t place sanctions on these)

debt to USA - GB and FR coudn’t afford military action even if they wanted to (LON never took military action because of this - couldn’t eben use it in Manchuria crisis when their empire colonies where endangered adn the roots of their resources and economy could be damaged)

USA suffered the least out of the 3 - untouched physicaly and little economicaly, it would take the other countires on th LON many years to recover enough to comit to action (LON followed the policy of apeasment when dealing with agressive countires as other powers would have damaged economies. Suez canal not shut, no military action on Hitler for remilitierising the Rhineland)

USA idea - lacked engagment from self-interested GB and FR, countires more interestedin recovery than leadership (moral condemnations never worked, all of the council members who had to preach ideas of peace and self-determination had empires and went against the covenant that formed the LON. huge lack of enthusiasm from GB and FR in Abyssinai and MAnchuria, and pwerful countries just ignored moral condemnation)

lack of geographical covergae- without the USA it was more of a league of europe, Japan was the only outside or europe member. highly eurocentric, it meant council members where not interested in far-off affairs that didn’t effect them, and counties outside of europe weren’t helped as much (alln the successes happened in europe, manchuria and abyssinia fails where outsude of europe. More concerened of keeping Mussilini’ as an alli than the fate of Abyssinia. 3/4 of all members were european countries

aim

return prisoners of war home and improve camp conditions

success

1921 - helped free nearly all of the 1/2 a million prisoners of war from WW1

failure

1933-tried to adopt a high commision for refugees who were mainly JEwish fleeing from Germany but Germany rejected this proposal

aim

end slavery

success

organised raids at slave trader camp in Siera Leone, freeing 200000

aim

to improve worldwide working conditions

success

1928

77 countries agreed to set up a minimum wage

1919

tried to stop under 14s from working but members didn’t aprove

aim

to reduce deadly diseases

success

started international campaign to kill mosquitos

sent doctors to Turkey to look after refugees

aim

regulate transport to keep people safe

success

introduced shipping lanes to reduce risk of collision

international highway code required all drivers to follow the same rules

aim

to aid countries in need through advising them financialy

success

financial experts helped Austria rebuild as to not go bankrupt

failures

when the depression hit in 1929, the committee couldn’t cope

aim

to stop creation and distribution of oium (eventualy became permanent and aimed to tackle other drugs)

success

introduced a certification system of companies importing opium for medical purposes

failures

dome of the members were not dedicated to end the trade as they themselves earned lots from it

very few of the treaties in the 1920s involved the LON, showing a lack of commitment and dedication the countries, particularly major council members, had to the league

Vilna 1920

Poland takes Vilna from Lithuania. LON does nothing (self interest of France wanting to keep POland as an ally, Britain not prepared to act alone). Poland wasn’t aked to withdraw, and kept Vilna. Corrupt and self-interested council FAIL

Aaland Islands 1921

Sweden and Finland both claimed the islands, so LON granted the islands to Finand, on the condition they didn’t militerise this. Both countries were happy wiht this outcome, and LON worked effectivly. However, did both countries oblige because they weren’t as powerful and were reasonably peacful - did LON have much power over powerful countries? SUCCESS

Upper Silesia 1921

Upper Silesia was part of the POland-Germnay border, and both citizens lived their. Some felt more German, others Polish. The LON held a vote observed by GB and FR and the area was divided into regions, both countries were happy with the result. Each country earned 1/2 the population, but POland felt a little let down as it only recieved 1/3 of the land and 1/4 of the mined. Hwoever, it did show the LON could work effectivly and peacfully SUCCESS

Ruhr crisis 1923

60000 Belgian and French troops invaded the German Ruhr when they missed a reparation payment, with the aim to seize goods as payment. German government payed workers to strike with money they didn’t have, resulting in printing more money and causing hyper-inflation. the LON did nothing, and allowed FR and BL to continue - FR now seemed to be the biggest threatt o peace, and also very hypocritical as it siply ignored its power on council, showing that the LON meant nothing to it, both countries openly broke the covenent, they didn’t fear the LON, and LON couldn’t effectivly solve disputes; USA had to help instead (Dawes plan 1924). FAIL

Corfu 1923

the people deciding the Greece-Albania borders were murdered. Mussilini in ITaly suspected Greece, so invaded Corfuu, killing 15. LON condemned ITaly , but being a powerful country, it did not fear the LON, so didn’t stop. LON agreed it would force Greece to pay reparations, but this only highlighted the hypocracy in the league and showed the world that strong, powerful countries could bypass the league adn its covenant. LON was underminded - corrupt and ineffective. However, Greece did pay out of fear. FAIL/SUCCESS

Bulgaria 1925

“War of the stray dog” - Greek soldier shot for chasing his dog across the border into Bulgaria after GReeceinvade. LON ordered Greece to withdraw, and in fear of the powerful council, it obliged. THis set precident for the double standards of the LON - more powerful countries could undermine the league unnoticed, as shown in the Crofu crisis 1923 - Greece felt betrayed, but withdrew (slight success) FAIL/SUCCESS

facism

thsi political ideology was a far-right aproach that began becoming popular in the 1920s. Hitler/Mussilini/Franco all fasicst leaders. AFter the GD, citizens turned to an alternative power source when the previous had failed them and left the country bankrupt. authoritatrian and controlling, they completely ignored the LON, underminded it and used fear and agression to control citizens and achienve their goals, including censorship and propaganda

Great Depression 29/9/1929

the wall street crash in America, the most powerful and wealthiest nation in the world that was currently supplying Europe with desperatly needed loans, caused a catastrophy in Europe. (America sneezes, the whole world catches a cold). This lead to huge unemployment and poverty around Europe - at a rate of 22/23%. IT brough up economic problems, homelessness, dispites and debt. Countries became self intressted and desperate. It became hard for the LON to help every country, and the LON was struggling financialy itself

1931-33

1. Muckden incident: a bomb explodes on the south Manchurian railway in China. japan, who owns the railway, claims it was Chinese rebels, and uses this as an excuse to invade China as an unstable country. Japan claims it can’t have been the Japanese workers as they were “sleeping”. Japan wanted to gain Manchuria due to its wealthy land and Japan’slimited landmass with a growing population. Russia claimed it owned Manchuria too

2. th Kuomintang army invade Manchuria, which was very easy to do as troops were already in China as Japan said it was unstable and ruled by dangerous rebels. Despite the government telling the army to stop, it continued to invaded - militarianism

3. to solve the dipute, LON sent Lord Lytton to write an sccount of the happenings so the LON could make a final desicion. It took a year for the LON to react and publish this report. The report established what everyoen already knew - it was wrong for Japan to invade, however, China was unstable, so Manchuria should be semi0independent to stop this chaos

4. after invading Manchuria successfully, Japan left the LON in 1933, ignoring the LON and the Lytton report, and continued to invade more of China. Manchuria was renamed MAnckukuo in 1923 and Pu Yi, a former Chinese empire became the puppet leader, controlled through Japan. In February 1933, Japan invaded Jehol. Using invaded areas as bases, they successfuly invaded the ret of China in 1937, so by 1938, most major Chinese cities were controlled by China.

5. Complete LON fail - Japan didn’t listen to its condemnation adn LON never enforced trade sanctions or military action due to the self interest of the council. GB and FR didn’t want to upset Japan too much as it may cause Japan to invade their empire colonies in Asia, forcing them to loose vital resources for their economy

the economic boom and quick modernisation of Japan meant it wanted to expand its empire to become equal to the other powerful empire countries of the time.

Japan had a small landmass and needed more space for its growing population

the “gun boat diplomacy” of GB, USA, FR and GM caused Japan to open its borders to trade and quickly modernise

powers given by LON and TOV meant Japan felt it could get away with it, which it did. previous LON fails also showed the leauge’s weakness

money had been invested previously by Japan into Manchuria - soldiers were there already - easy

slow and uncommited

self-interest of the council members - they saw it as a far-away foreign affair that didn’t concern them

Japan could veto any decision made against it as it was on the council

Lytton may have only been sent due to Britian and France’s fear of invasion of their colonies in Asia

LON went against its covenenat - after moral condemnation, it should have been trade sanctions but none apeared as coucil didn’t want to upset Japan too much

slow reaction

lack of action

powerful countries could undermine the LON and alsways win

LON was eurocentric

strong countries got away with breaking the law

each country put tis own needs first

moral condemnation had no effect

economic sanctions couldn’t be used against powerful countries due to GD

LON had no power to use military action - false pretenses

absent powers - USSR and USA

seemed to show agression could reward countries

unanimous voting decisions were hard

GD made it hard for LON to act and made other countries desperate: Japan wanted Manchuria for economy, materials and land

league is weak!

1. Italy first tried to attack Abyssinia in 1896, but failed. this was a drastic source of humiliation for Italy, and as Mussilini wanted to recreat the Roman empire, he wanted to re-invade and be victorious to show Italy’s new strength with him as a leader. He wanted to restore pride. Very determined

2. Invaded Abyssinia in 1934, due to the Wal Wal crisis. This was when Italian troops advanced into Abyssinia, and Abyssinian troops intended to destroy the for the Italian soldiers had built. This sparked an invasion, and so the fighting began. It was hard to stop Italy as Mussilini was so determined. This resulted in 150 deaths of soldiers

3. Italy quicly leveled up its battle tequniques, using chemical weapons, hurting not only soldiers but civilians too. Mussilini was showing no Mercy - he had many weapons compared to only 1/4 of AByssinian army being trained, with very few guns, some in barely usable condition

4. Britian and France were very self interested, influencing the league as they were on the coucil. They didn’t want to cause a conflict with Mussilini as they wanted to keep him as n ally against Hitler’s growing strengths. THey were already unified by the STresa pact of 1935, siging as allies against Hitler

5. due to theis, the lON was very slow to react, but eventualy agreed on trade sanctions with both Abyssinia and Italy. They didn’t want to include coal and oil for 2 reasons - 1 being America could supply it anyway and 2 being they both neede Italy as a powerful trader. Britain desperatly wanted to continue coal trade - they were still heavily affected by the depression, and needed to recover

6. LON refused to shut the SUez canal - a shortcut through Egypt Mussilinin took to deliver troops and weapons to AByssinina, saving a long journey around Africa. They didn’t shut it, again because BR and FR didnt want to annoyu Italy and wanted him as an ally against HItler. Instead of this, the Hoare-LAval plan was suggested in 1935 - GB and FR suggested Mussilini could have 2/3 of the land in AByssinia, the most fertile land. This was a secret treaty, which was previoulsy deemed wrong by the no sectret treaties act of the 1920s. THis highlighted the corruption of the league. Italy egreed but broke it instantly by continuing the invasion

7. Haile-Selassie asked for help from the league in 1935, but they very slowly responded by sanctions. SO, in an effort to stop the attack, Selassie called upon all men to take up arms and bring their wives to carry food and supplies. Howveer, despite this attempt, in June 1936, Italy arrived im Addis Ababa after winning the final battle. Italy now controlled Abyssinia

8. Italy left the league of nations in 1937 and signed the ROme-Berlin axis in 1937 - GB and FR had lost a powerful ally, foreshadowing the start of WW2. Hitler used this crisis as a sitraction and invaded the Rhineland in 1936, foreshadowing the future of nationwide remiliterisation of Germany

Agree:

1. they felt the crissi didn’t concern them, and was a far-away, foreign affiar - eurocentric, self-interested

2. controlled the Suez canal at this point, yet didn’t close it as they were self-interestedin not loosing Italy as an ally. THis could have made it much harder for ITaly to invade

3. as they were on the council, they could have quicly stopepd Mussilini, but didn’t want to annohy im

4. coal sanctions woul dhave severly affected Italy, but Britian was too self-interessted

5. they didn’t want to upset ITaly - self-interest

Disagree

1. 1. Mussilini was determined, even if the SUez canal had been closed, he would have gone round

2. USA would have continued to trade if the trade sanctions were harsher

3. Italy was council LON member so could veto any desicion

4. hoare-LAval plan was an attempt to stop him

5. Sanction were eventually put in place

AGree

1. moral condemnation had not wokred in MAnchuria, so clearly wouldn’t work now, yet the league persisted

2. didn’t comit to sanctions, could have imposed more

3. indecisive, and slow

4. didn’t shur Suez canal, would have delayed attack, Mussilini would have found it ahrd to stand up to Britian and France if they acted together

5. militry action should have been used by br and fr but wasn’t due to self interest

6. Manchuria crisis fail should have showed the lON what to do and what not to do, shoul dhave learnt from mistakes to use force

7. LON used USA’s absence as an excuse not to employ harsher sanctions, lack of commitment

8. council should have played a bigger part in foreign affairs, as it promised it would

9. council members self interested and showed lack of comitment, “real-politik” - usign only sanctions they wanted

10. LON showed deep hipocracy, members didn’t follow self-determination and stayed armed despite the disarmemmnt conference of 1933

11. Hoare-LAval plan was immoral and didn’t include AByssinia’s opinions

12. apeasment misguided - didn’t wprk here, won’t wprk for Hitler

Disagree

1. Mussilini was a powerful, fascist, violent and determined leader

2. did put sanctions in plave

3. GD brought much self interest of all members in the LON, argubly ITaly did the same thing as Britan and France, just protected its empire. Hipocracy if htey condemmed ITaly

4. Hoare-LAval plan - some effort

5. stopping coal trade would unemploy 30000 British miners

6. rearmenment of Rhineland in 1936 would ahve distracted LON. To keep Mussilini as an alli in order to defent the growing powers of Hitler meant apeasment for him

7. Due to WW1 (war to end all wars), didn’t think this would lead to great war

8. USA absent, JApan and Germany had left - absent powers of important members

• fought in world war 2 and agreed with many Germans - the november criminals, stabbed in the back etc.

• his new ideas seemed hopeful for german people, an alternative way after GD

• he became interested in politics in 1920s, and in 1923, was imprisoned for trying to invade mUnich - Muich Putsch

• wrote Mein Kampf in prison, giving clear indicaters for his plans for the future of GErmany (Lebensraum etc.)

• Once out of prison, he campaigned and gained support, once voted in in 1933 through propaganda, he destroyed democracy, silencing opponents. He became “Fuhrer”

1. unite Volkdeutche - 10% of GErman population not in Germany anymore, and he wanted to return them to were he thought they were meant to be

2. make GErmany “great again” - wanted to trade with more countries, rebuild economy after WW1 and TOV and GD, earn more money an dhave moe power

3. TOV - he wanted to completely destroy it,, he wanted to stop reparations, wanted lost land returned (and Rhineland), he wanted Anchluss and BR and FR to grow apart

4. Empire - he wanted to build up a new ampire for Germany, expaning it eatward to create “Lebensraum” (Living room) for GErmany and the growing GErman population

5. destroy communism - he wanted to colonise Russia, stop Bulsheviks and destroy communism everywhere, especialy in Germany

6. he wanted to BR and FR to grow apart - he knew they were powerful countries, so wanted to start by invading east, not wanting a repaeat of WW1. Hew wanted to avoid war with them but distance them from each other to dilute power. He wasinpired by the British empire

• allowed to join in 1926

• at disarmament conference in 1933-34, Hitler left the LON as he saw the hipocracy within in, as GB and FR didn’t disarm

• No longer had to keep to covenent, could invade other countries

• didn’t have to listen to LON

• one step closer to getting rid of TOV

• 1933-34

• LON decided all members should disarm or limit armeis so not to use war to solve disputes

He planed to go East so not to invade powerful countries liek FR and GB and repeat WW1. He began his plan by siging the non-agression pact with POland, in 1934, so Poland let their guard down and didn’t invade GErmany. Poland now trusted him, and it gave him time to plan his invasion

1934

between POland and Germany

false sense of security for POland, gave Hitler tiem to plan

It was a tich industrial area given to France for 15 years after the TOV. After these years were over, a plebiside was held in 1935, and 95% of people wnated to rejoinm Germany. However, this was only achienved by NAtzi intimidation, violence, propaganda and threatinig. IT gave Hitler coal, steal and factories to build weapoms to remilitirise Germany. He was a step closer to destroying the TOV, achienving his foreign policy and building confidence and support from GErmany

F rench and BRitish self interest 0 they showed a lack of commitment and much hipocracy in the leuge. They were more focused on rebuilding and protecting there empire and economies after GD and WW1. ABysssinia - no closure of Suez canal, Hoare-Laval plan - went against 14 points which were soemwhat included in the TOV, nerever any military action, mot trade sanctions in MAnchuria. No effort in Vilna 1920

A bsent POwers - Japan left in 1933, along with Germany in 34, no USA and no USSR until 1934. THis meant the coucil members showed lack of commitment

I nefectuve sanctions - MAnchuria: none AByssinia: limmited. Moral condemnation never worked and a slow and limited response. No military, no army, very limited

L ack of army - military force never worked, could have stopped Italy

U nfair and unpopular TOV - the LON was based on the TOV, no response to Ruhr crisis 1923. Hyper infaltion - did nothing, USA had to help

Re aching decisions very slowly - Abyssiona, slow and limited treaties, no Suez canal, slow response in MAncuria. Only met once a year, very limited

Other reasons - great depression (25% unemployment rates), self-imterest caused by this promoted fascism. Fascism - violent dictators became popular due to lack of hoep after GD

1. Hitler was determined to end the TOV, and regain power. Annoyed by the hypocracy of the league and wanting to expand his empire, he needed to rearm to have the power to do this, would help power against france

2. Rhineland was a key industrail area fro Germany, he neede to remilitirise to protect his area from France and make more weapons, needed weaopns to protect West Germany whilst expanding east for LEbensraum

3. He sent troops to in march 1936, despite not being as powerful as france or britian and having a limited army, he was gambling with lcuk that he wouldn’t be stopeped, so prdered troops to withdraw if France attacked

4. He knew the powers would disagree, so used an excuse saying he was a “hedghog”, only protecting himself ebtween USSR and FRance, 2 powerful countries that intimidated him. THey had recently signed an alliance, so were allied against him

5. GB sympathy grew as they were anoyed at FRance for this allieance, and they thought the TOV was too harsh. Only sending troops into “their own back garden”

6. ANglo-German naval agreement signed, beginging apeasment in 1935

7. France distracted, by both AByssinia crisis and a referendum. French people didn’t want a war

8. in 1936, the ROme-BErlin axis was signed so Italy supported GErmany after it jsd supported them in Abyssinia. Mussilini didn’t apose ANchluss, and Britian and France had no power to stop

9. seigfreid line was buildt to stop French tanks after Rhineland demiliterised. Protected Rhine as Hitler invaded the east

1935

GB and Gaermany agreed Germany could have a navy 1/3 the size of BRitians, brekaing the TOV of only having 6 battleships/no submarines

apeasment

1935

these compulsary conscriptions meant hat by 1939, his army was 950000, 850000 over the agreed TOV amount, furtherly meeting his policy and destroying the TOV

IN 1935 he held a big march in Berlin to show of his new army

1937

Germany and Italy, Spain and JApan all signed this to agree to destroy communism

Germany hekped Franco bomb Gurneca, and test Hitler’s “luftwafe”in 1937

1937

France was worried about naval agreement, so signed it to show this

Germany saw as France and Britain grew apart

1. after a failed first attempt in 1934, Hitler was determined to overturn the TOV and complete Anchluss. During the 1934 attempt, Dolfuss had tried to crack down on Nazis, so banned them. However, Hitler ordered Austrian Natzis to create havoc in Austria and they attempted to overthrow the government. Dolfuss was murdered but the attempt failed. Italy had an agreement with Austria to protect it from agression , so Mussilini moved troops along the Austria-Italian border to intimidate and deter Hitler away

2. the new new chancellor Schluchnigg tried to prevent German invasion and tried to give Hitler no attempt to invade. The German-Austrian agreement was signed in 1936, reconising the independence of Austria. It allowed Natzis to hold official posts, in attempt to apease Hitler

3. HOwever, this agreement was undermined by the Rome-Berlin axis of 1936, Hitler was now an ally with Italy, so there was nothing stopping his invasion

4. in 1938, Schlushnigg visited visited Hitler in his house in BErchtesgaden, near the Austrian border, were Hitler demanded NAzis could have important governmenttal posts. Scnuchnigg compramised, allowing Seyss-Inquart to be ministry of the interior, holding power over the police. Hitler demanded this within 3 days, else he would invade

5. Hitler then ordered Nazis to make as much chaos as possible; pressuring Schuchnigg; Hitler could now use the excuse Austria was in mortal chaos, so could validify invading, despite the reason he was to blame

6. Desperate to stop this invasion, in March 1938, Schnuchnig demanded a plebiscide. Howevr her receaved no support from GB and FR as they were apeasing Hitler, so he called it off, so not to anno Hitler and cause further harm

7. Seyss-Inquart was asked to call for help from Germany, so German troops marched into Austria unaposed in MArch 1938.

8. A month later, Hitler held a lebiscide to proove his point, and won 99% due to propaganda and intimidation from NAzis forcing people to agree to Anchluss

9. Germnay and Austria were now united, Hitler held a speach on Heldplatz and his foreign policy was being achieved, building confidence

• Austria and Germany had previously been united for 600 years, so had similair languages and cultures

• they fought together in WW1

• Hitler was Austrian

• Anchluss got him closer to achieving his foreign policy, building confidence and support fr him as a leader

• he thought BR and FR wouldn’t appose him and Mussalinin was now his ally

• determined after his fail in 1934

• Austria would help Germany finincialy and prepare for invasion of the east

• many Austrians and GErmnas both like Anchluss, feeling they were meant to be united,

• Hitler had achieved part of his Foreign policy, and gained more support and confidence from his followers

• lots of propaganda in Germany showed chaos in Austria, so they felt austria needed to be “saved”

• GB saw Austria and GErmany as meerly the same country, so saw no opposition to thi. THey wanted to apease GErmany, toprevent war, but Churchill felt that they should have negotiated first

• France’s whole governement had just resigned, so they were struggling with there own isues and distrated

• Czechlosvakia felt great fear, Germany was getting closer. However, Hitler (fakely) reasurred them in 1938

• hitler now had access to new resources and a path to the east

• army of 100000 added to the Erman army

• austrian resoures liek fuel and steal helped rearmement

• hitler could plan his invasion into Czekoslovakia

after the Nazi Soviet pact of August 1939, HItler felt secure and powerful enough to invade POland - he knew Mussilini nor Stalin would oppose him, adn thought, due to appeasment, he could get away with it from GB and FR

On the 1st September 1939, he invaded POland, and on the 3rd September 1939, britian finaly declred war on Germany, begining WW2

• key part of TOV, so to oppsoe it destroyed the TOV

• key part of his foreign policy

• felt more confident, no one had opposed, BR and FR wouldn’t apose his Lebenraum

• popularity increased

• controlled Rhineland so had new powers

• better place to defend himself

• apeasment began, giving him leway

allowing hitler leway - he could have some of the land he waned to please him in the short term. It was used to try and revent war, but merely delayed it; war was inevitable, but it did give time for Britian and France to rearm and prepare

• chamberlin and Daladier supported this deay of war

• Hitler supported it as it allowed him to rearm too, and expand his empire to become more powerful

• czeckslovakia wasn’t involved when the policy began, ti wasn’t involved in the process of allowing Hitler to have the Sudetnland and felt isolated and aienated

• USSR also wasn’t invloved, so felt allienated anf feared Hitler now had enough power to travel east

• Hitler achieved some of his goals - he got what he wanted anf felt powerful; he could convince other countries to let him do anything

• Stalin and USSR felt betrayed, so in 1939, the Nazi-soviet pact was formed

• WW2

• Hitler became stronger, and gained confindence and support

• gave GB and FR time to rearm and prepare

• humiliated BRitian - no country would trust them again if apeasment didn’t work

• abandoned millions of people in the fascist dictatorship of Nazis

• encouraged Hitler’s egoistic attitude

• gave Britian moral highground - they at least attempted to stop, so perhaps whouldn’t be blames

• would bever have stopped HItler - he was determined

• it was attempt to dealy war, and try to stop it

• Non-agression pact signed between USSR and Germany - a secret policy to divide Poalnd and give them both land

• foreign ministers signed it - they disliked each other that much

• Stalin and Hitler signed this in August 1939

• highly unusual, one of Hitler’s forign policies was to destroy comunins, and he had just signed the ant-commitern pact in 1937 - it was just a way for both of them to gain land

• assured Hitler Stalin wouldn’t invade Germany if he invaded Poland

• gave USSR and GErmany security to build an army

• now Hitler only had to fight 2 powerful countries

• in Moscow on 23/8/1939

• Hitler and stalin had similair policies and both wanted to expand their empires

• Hitler wanted LEbensraum

• allowed Hitler to invade POland

• STalin felt allienated - as if he couldn’t trust his old allies

• Poland was former land of both countries

• complete shock - comunists anf fascists?!

for

• prevented war in the short time, giving time for GB and FR to prepare

• many felt TOV was too harsh, so just allowed Hitler some leniance after the harsh £6.6 billion - he was just protecting himslef

• no one wanted a war after the war to end all wars

• many people actually wanted Anchluss

• Britian didn’t want a war after the 1934 peace ballot (90% in favour)

• after GD, GB and FR couldn’t afford to rearm

• threat from USSR meant Hitler needed much longer to build up an army

bad

• misjudged Hitler -s hould never have trusted him

• poeple missed oppurtunities to stop him (France could have defended Rhineland)

• Hitler grew more confident - he wouldn’t take no

• morally wrong - didn’t consult the countries it affected most (Czekoslovakia, Austria)

• forced a strong and growing country of Czeckoslovakia backwards

• allienated USSR and CS

• GB and FR giving HItler what he wanted, now power over him

• USSR and GB and FR’s relationship became strained because of it, and USSR would be a powerful component

1. Czeckoslovakia was a new country created by the TOV and LON after WW1 in 1920. THe Sudetenland was part of it bordering GErmany, and was taken from GErmnay included in the 13% of land they lost in due to the TOV, meaning it had 3 million german speaking people. As a minority, (20%), they calimed they were being percicuted, so Hitler used this as an excuse to invade and “save” them

2. Hitler wanted to destroy the TOV as part of his foreign policy (VET CEP). He also wanted to unite “Volkdeutsch” - all GErman speaking people and needed “Lebensraum” for his new empire. It also had rich land and industry that would be useful when building weopons, he could use it as a base to invade the rest and further east

3. NAzis in the Sudetenland heald demonstrations and pressurised the government and weaken them. So by 1938, Hitler needed to come and “protect” the German poeple in the Sudetenland. GB and FR didn’t interfere, as was their policy of apeaspent

4. on 15’9’1938, Chamberlin flew to Hitler’s house in BEchtesgaden, were Hitler told him the crisis in Czeckoslovakia would only be resolved if he could have the Sudetendland, as Chamberlin was desperate to avoid war, he agreed as longer Hitler acted peacfully. Chamberlin met with Czeckoslovakian governement, forcing them to agree, so Hitler could have it by his demanded date of 1/10/1938

5. on 29/9/38, Germany, Britain and France met atMunich to discuss Hitler’s demands. Czeckoslovakia was no tivtited, neother was the USSR, leaving them allienated. Hitler demanded that Czeckoslovakian soldiers must leave and the land be handed to him, in return for peace in Europe. FR and GB obliged, on the terms that he kept peace, but Czeckoslovakia was not notified, yet on the 10/10 people found themselves living in Germany.

6. Inspite of HItler getting what he wanted, Chamberline claimed it was a great success and war would never happen - he said “peace in our time”. he secretly met again with Germnay 2 days after the conference, and they signed another agreement to say they would never go to war with won another. Britain saw this as a victory depite the emmense power and land Hitler now had. Hwoevrer, this naivity lost him support when Hitler broke the agreement quickly afterwards

7. on the 10/10 Hitler invaded and this was a monumental event as it was the first time he had invaded land that wasn’t all previouslt in German teritory - it showed apeasment was working in favour of him

8. Czeckoslovakia was a strong country - with support from powers like GB and FR it could have stopped the invasion, eyt their self interest prevented this

9. Hitler broke the agreemenr as by the end of 1939, Hitler had invaed the rest of the country, breaking the agreement at the mucih conference and the anglo-german agreement. Chamberlin had to admit appeasment had failed