Chapter 2 - the League of Nations and International relations in the 1920s
Note →
- Abbreviations included such as: Br = Britain, Fr = France, w = with
- Red = evidence and quotations
2.1 Why was there dissatisfaction with the peace settlements of 1919-20
Background
- Tsarist regime (all power lay in the hands of the emperor) in Russia was overthrown by revolution
in 1917 → became communist. The new Russian leader Lenin, desperately trying to establish his
Bolshevik govt. led to Russia withdrawing from the war. Russia didn’t take part in post-war
negotiations.
- 1918: Russia signs the treaty of Brest - Litovsk with Germany. Russia lost Ukraine, Latvia,
Lithuania, Finland - areas that contained their best farmland, raw mats, heavy industry. Lost 13% of
land, 25% of its population, 25% of its industry and 90% of its coal mines. This helped Germany as
they no longer had to fight a 2 front war.
- Late 1918, German troops were starved of food and vital equipment. German military commanders
decided to launch 1 last major naval battle ag. Br. Convinced that it was a suicide mission for an
already hopeless case, german sailers mutinied (Kiel Mutiny), sparking a wider revolution within
germany → abdication of the Kaiser Wilhelm II → Weimar republic. This new govt. sought peace
terms based on Wilson’s 14 points.
Terms and implications of the peace treaties - Versailles, Trianon, Neuilly, Saint Germain, Sèvres
1919: Why was fast action crucial for the treaty of Versailles?
1. The US, Britain, France and Italy were pressured because they didn’t know how long the allied
unity would last.
2. Out of fear of Bolshevism. Russia was engaged in a civil war against other revolutionary parties keen
on restoring the monarchy. Western powers were fearful of revolution in their own countries.
3. Events were taking place across Europe which the peacemakers didn’t have control over. Satisfying
the competing demands of the victorious nations was a virtually impossible task. Revolutions
occurred throughout the former Austro- Hungarian, Russian and Turkish empires. Europe's
economy was in tatters. There was a need to restore stability. ‘It is not surprising that they made a
bad peace: what is surprising is that they managed to make peace at all.’
George Clemensaeu - - In line with French public and political opinion, Clemenceau wanted to cripple Germany
the tiger economically and militarily so that it could not attack France again.
- ‘it is easier to make war - Avenge the humiliating defeat of the Franco - Prussian war
than peace’
- France had suffered enormous damage to its land, industry and people. France’s population was in
- ‘how come wilson needs
decline in comparison to Germany’s. German land and industry has not been as badly damaged as
14 commandments when
God almighty only needs France’s.
10.’
,David lloyd george - He wanted Germany to be justly punished but not too harshly → prevent possibility of another
- ‘it's like sitting between war
Napoleon and Jesus - Wanted Germany to lose its navy (threatened naval supremacy) and its colonies ( this threatened
Christ’
the British Empire as they could be a potential commercial competitor)
- ‘squeeze Germany like a
- Pressured heavily by the public to punish Germany. He was elected on the promise that he will
lemon’
- ‘all a great pity. We ‘make Germany pay.’
shall have to do the same - Didn’t want germany to be too weak that communism would be their ‘saviour’
thing all over again in 25 - Keen for trade → pre war: Germany had been Britain’s 2nd largest trading partner. In 1913,
years at 3x the cost.’ Britain was the world's leading exporter. Br. had been overtaken by both Ja and the US by 1919.
Germany provided a potentially lucrative market for British exports and Trade → employment +
recovering economy.
Woodrow wilson - the Wilson was often seen as an idealist whose aim was to build a better and more peaceful world from the ruins
idealist of the Great War. In his world, a lenient peace would be established. It would be based on the 14 points and
- ‘14 points are a his slogan ‘peace without victory.’
blueprint for world peace’
- His view was that if Germany was treated too harshly someday it would recover and seek revenge.
- ‘treaty based on just, not
- Greed and selfishness of the rival euro. nations were a major contributing factor to the outbreak of
bitterness.’
WWI. Saw himself as a mediator.
- Main aim: strengthen democracy so that its people would not let its leaders cause another war.
However, the US senate, who ended up majority republican, had isolationist ambitions and refused to ratify
the treaty. Theodore Roosevelt pointed out: ‘Our allies and our enemies and Mr. Wilson himself has no
authority to speak for the American people at this time.’
The Treaty of Versailles
GARGLE (german territories, army, reparations, guilt clause, League of Nations)
There were 440 separate clauses (compromise). Lloyd George issued the ‘Fontainebleau Memorandum’
which forced a compromise on all the victors at the conference since it was about to end as a failure in
March. German representatives were not allowed to take part in the negotiations. They had no choice but to
accept the terms. Failure to do so → continuation of the war.
- ‘The Treaty can be summarised in 1 sentence - ‘l'allemagne renonce a son existence.’ Germany is
renouncing its existence.’ - German delegation
- ‘This is not peace, it is an armistice of 20 years’
- ‘The least bad compromise available at that difficult time’
Categories Terms German reaction
231 War guilt Germany had to accept the blame for starting the Clause was particularly hated. Germans felt that at the very least
clause war blame should shared
Germans felt as though they were ‘stabbed in the back’ by their
politicians - November Criminals. They thought the war would
have still been won.
Reparations - 1921 they agreed that Germany should pay 6.6 The German economy was already in tatters. Virtually impossible
, billion pounds for them to pay.
Territory - Lost 13% of its land, 10% of population - major blow to nationalism. Politically and economically
- Former German African colonies became humiliating.
mandates - Saar and Upper Silesia were important industrial areas
controlled by the LON (essentially Br, Fr - It was also frustrating as while the German
controlled them) were losing land, the British and French and South Africans
- Anschluss was forbidden were strengthening their empires by taking control of former
- Upper Silesia, Polish corridor, Lithuania, colonies.
Denmark → Poland - Country was split into 2 by the Polish corridor, like East Prussia.
- The Saarland (a rich industrial area) → run by Ethnic Germans under control of others like Poland and Czech
the LON and then a plebiscite would be held and were persecuted due to Germany’s role in the war.
after 15 years
- Alsace Loraine → France
Military - The army was limited to 100k men - An army of 100 000 was very small for a country of Germany’s
- Navy limited to 15k men size and the army was a symbol of pride
- Conscription was banned - 100k not sufficient to maintain law and order, let alone defend
- Germany was not allowed armoured vehicles, from external attack.
submarines or aircrafts - There was also bitterness and resentment as even though the
- The navy could only build six battleships majority of the world leaders had called to disarm, none of the
- The Rhineland was to become a demilitarised Allies disarmed to the extent that Germany did
zone
However, although the Germans argued the terms were harsh, Germany’s territorial losses were restricted to those gained in the war.
Germany remained potentially the strongest economic power in Europe. Also, the French wanted it to be harsher. Without inflicting
Wilson’s 14 points, the terms of Brest-Litovsk would’ve been used as a basis for Versailles (much harsher).
Treaties of Trianon, Neuilly, Saint Germain, Sevres
- Wilson’s notion of self determination of successor states was successful: Yugoslavia, Poland,
Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary
- Wilson’s view of nationality was based on language and ignored ethnic and religious factors. E.g -
1.6 million Hungarians would now be living under Romania.
- Newly created boundaries made it impossible for some countries, like Austria and Hungary to be
economically viable.
Austria → St. germain Bulgaria → Neuilly Hungary → Trianon Turkey → Sevres
Territorial - Bosnia - Herzegovina → - Lost territory to Greece, - Transylvania → - Armenia + Kurdistan
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia, Romania Romania independent
- Bukovina → Romania - Slovakia → Czech - Syria → french mandate
- Sudetenland + Bohemia - Croatia + Slovenia → - Iran, palestine → Britain
→ Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia - Agean islands → Greece
Reparations See below
Armaments 30k men 20k men 35k men 50k men
