Year 1 HL and SL History Summer Reading Assignment
Instructions :
Book: Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed The World
By, Margaret MacMillan
First and foremost, you do not have to read the entire book!
This information is an important component of our first Year 2 topic. When we begin our first unit in
August, I will provide more specific information on the treaties signed post-WWI as well as the rise of
nationalism, militarism, and irredentism in the 1930s.
This reading is for our required topic of “Peacemaking, peacekeeping and international relations, 19181936.” This is one of the three main topics that will be covered for your Contemporary World Topics
course. This is a key component for paper 1.
The expectation for your answers is to include the question in the answer in complete sentences. Be
sure to answer the question completely. No single word responses. (Ex. Question: Why was Billy Hughes
against the League of Nations? Answer: ‘cause)
Chapter 1:
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Why was President Wilson highly criticized for going to Europe during his presidency?
What is Progressivism?
Who is House?
Who is Lansing?
Why were Republicans outraged with Wilson’s trip to Paris?
Does this affect the outcome of the Paris Peace Conferences? How?
How is Wilson’s ignoring of Italy an example of his ego?
What was Wilson’s purpose in self-determination? Give example
Give an example of Wilson’s liberal and Christian belief in the future of the world
How was Wilson greeted in Europe? Why?
Chapter 2:
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Why did the relationship between House and Wilson change?
Why was House unwelcoming to Wilson when Wilson first arrived in Paris?
What was David Lloyd George’s opinion of Wilson?
What was the ‘common European agreement’? and what countries participated?
Why did Clemenceau not place the greatest emphasis on the establishment of the League?
Chapter 3:
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Why did France insist that the Peace Conference be held in Paris?
When did Clemenceau begin practicing politics in France?
What was Clemenceau’s comment to Wilson’s 14 Points?
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Why did Clemenceau not like French President Poincare?
Chapter 4:
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When did David Lloyd George become P.M.?
What was D.L. George’s political party?
Why did he dislike landowners and the aristocracy?
Was he for or against the Boer War, Why?
Believed that destroying Germany following WWI would open up power for which country?
What did he specifically want for Britain – power?
Did he believe that a friendship with the U.S. was necessary? Why or why not?
What was the secret agreement between France and Great Britain?
What did he believe the British dominions would do at the Versailles settlements? Why?
What 2 dominions had their own agenda at the settlements? Who was their P.M.?
Why did France and the U.S. enjoy the tension between Great Britain and their dominions?
What did P.M. Louis Botha want?
Why was Billy Hughes against the League of Nations?
What was the position of India?
Chapter 5:
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What countries made up the Supreme Council?
Who made up the Big 4?
Why did they meet in secrecy? Who was frustrated with the secrecy? Why?
What countries had already made claims or established themselves following WWI?
What organization did Hoover lead in America and globally?
Why were the Europeans distrusting of Hoover?
Why were European supplies cut off by summer 1919?
Chapter 6:
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What year did the Bolshevik Revolution begin?
What was the Allies response to the Treaty of Brest-Litvosk ?
Was Russia present at the conferences? Why?
Where did we see Communist uprisings in Europe?
Why did Lloyd George want Russia to attend the Conference?
Who were the Allies aiding in Russia following WWI? Why?
The U.S. claimed they were remaining in Russia to fight off whose aggression?
Churchill feared a union between what countries? Why?
What happened when the Big 4 agreed to meet with the Russian leaders?
Did the British public support the idea of Britain negotiating with Russia? Why or why not?
What was Hoover’s proposal to end the conflict in Russia?
When did the Allied blockade of Russia end?
What type of agreement was signed by Great Britain and Russia, March, 1921?
Chapter 7: League of Nations:
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Why was the League of Nations discussed 1st at the settlement?
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How did the League change the way people and countries looked at war and its outcome?
Self-determination was becoming more acceptable for whom? And not for who?
Read pg. 85 – 3rd paragraph – Explain in your own words.
What did Lloyd George want from the League?
Did France support the League? Did France believe it had limits? Explain.
Who is Jan Smuts and what did he believe in / want?
Did Wilson agree/disagree with Smuts? Explain.
Why did both GB and France see the League as ‘impossible’?
What were the major components of the 1st draft – Feb 13?
What did Japan want? Why did China fear this?
Why did American conservative Congressmen fear the League?
Chapter 8: Mandates:
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Who did Wilson believe should be responsible for Germany?
What did France, Italy, GB, Japan, and China want?
Why didn’t Wilson believe in Mandates for Europeans?
Why did GB believe in the Mandate system in Africa and 3rd world nations?
Why did Europeans want/need their colonies?
What terms did Lloyd George and Wilson come to in regards to how Mandates would be used?
What was the proposal for Mandates drawn up by House?
What did the African leaders think/say about the Mandate system?
Chapter 9: Yugoslavia:
- Why did the leaders at the conference find the Balkans to be so difficult?
- What ‘country’ already existed prior to coming to the conference in 1919?
- Why did Italy fear a Yugoslavia?
- What were some of the claims made in the Balkans?
- Who was Pasie? And what did he want?
- What did the Treaty of London promise Italy? Serbia?
- Who fought with A-H in WWI? What areas in the Balkans did they invade and destroy?
- What nationality was the new ‘Yugoslavian’ leader?
- What was the Corfu Declaration?
- Yugoslavia received lands from what country to make it 3x larger than the original Serbia?
- Did Yugoslavia have more friends or enemies after its creation? Why?
Chapter 10: Rumania:
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Why did Romania have the ‘upper hand’ in their dealings with the Big 3?
Why is the Banat region controversial?
What 2 other countries also claimed ethnic and historical ties to the regions Romania
requested?
What year did Romania gain independence from Ottoman Empire?
Why did Romania wait until 1916 to enter WWI? What happened to Romania?
What was the result of Romania exiting WWI prematurely?
Why didn’t the Supreme Council know how to draw ‘fair’ boundaries?
How was the Banat eventually divided?
How did Romania fair in the council?
Chapter 11 – Bulgaria
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Why did Bulgaria feel they would not be punished at the Paris Peace Conferences?
What year did they gain independence from the Ottoman Empire?
Why did Bulgaria want to gain Macedonia?
Why was Bulgaria’s surrender, September 1918, significant?
List the major provisions of the Treaty of Neuilly, November 1919
Explain the why there was a ‘relationship’ change between Bulgaria and Yugoslavia after WWI?
Why would Bulgaria side with the Axis Powers in WWII?
Chapter 12 – Midwinter Break
1. Why did the Anglo-American interests tend to be more similar than the French?
2. Why was France angry with the U.S.? How did they believe the U.S. was undercutting the
French?
3. Why was GB skeptical of the French (competition)?
4. Look up Elsa Maxwell
5. How did the ‘break’ affect the Paris Conferences?
6. Why did President Wilson decide to not leave Secretary of State Lansing ’in charge’? And why
did he choose to give ‘power’ to House?
7. Why was Clemenceau shot? What group was behind the shooting?
8. Why was there a labor movement against Lloyd George in England?
9. Why were the Republicans trying to filibuster the League of Nations discussion?
10. How was Wilson’s speech in Boston a political blunder for the success of the League of Nations?
11. What was Henry Cabot Lodge’s opinion of the League of Nations?
Chapter 13 – Punishment and Prevention
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What was a major problem for the Allied forces when Germany accepted the armistice?
Why was the German blockade wavering by Spring 1919?
Why did Germany fear using their own ships to retrieve supplies following the armistice?
Why did France not want Germany to use their gold reserves to pay for its food?
What 4 items did the Big 3 agree upon in punishment, payment, and prevention?
How did Germany demonstrate aggression by imposing the Treaty of Brest Litovsk and the
Treaty of Bucharest?
Chapter 14 – Keeping Germany Down
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Who is Ferdinand Foch? And what was his ‘famous’ quote about the Treaty of Versailles?
What tactics did the French employ in the Rhineland to pacify the peoples living there?
Why did House believe that the League would protect France?
Why does GB not agree with the French proposal of occupying the Rhineland?
Why is the Panama Canal mentioned in this chapter
Chapter 15
1. What questions had to be answered (according to the participants at the Conference) to
determine Germany’s reparation payments?
2. What was the goal of the U.S.? (concerning German reparations)
3. What 2 countries suffered the most damages in WWI?
4. What phrases describe how history would view the reparations forced on Germany?
5. Who is John Maynard Keynes? What was his opinion on German reparations?
6. What type of suspicions developed between the Allied countries?
7. Why did Lloyd George continually go back and forth on the many issues of German reparations?
8. What percentages were decided upon in 1920? And what monetary amount was decided upon
in 1921?
Chapter 16 –Deadlock Over the German Terms
1. Why did France continually demand control over the Saar?
2. What were the provisions in the ‘Fountainbleau Memorandum’?
a. Did the U.S.A. and France agree to the memorandum?
3. What did Clemenceau say that made Wilson threaten to leave the Conference?
4. Who is Pointcare? And why does he get into a heated argument with Clemenceau?
5. What does the Conference decide to do with the Saar region? With the Rhineland?
6. Is Clemenceau pleased with the final decision of the Rhineland?
7. What future problems will France have in maintaining its power in the Rhineland?
Chapter 17 – Poland Reborn
1. Complete a brief C/C on Pilsudski and Dmowksi – make sure you understand their political
differences and similarities
2. Why was access to the Baltic Sea so important for Poland?
3. Why was England and specifically, David Lloyd George, not entirely supportive of a larger
Poland?
4. Why did the French support a ‘big and very strong’ Poland?
5. Why were the peacemakers fearful of making Russia angry?
6. Look at the map located in the Peacemaking Peacekeeping folder on the google site. View the
map of Poland from the 1700’s and the map of Poland after the Paris Peace Conference. Make
sure you can recognize the Polish Corridor and see the ethnic and land problems that faced the
peacemakers.
7. Why did Lloyd George believe that Poland ‘would not survive’?
8. What was the outcome of the Polish/Bolshevik ‘war’ that ended in September 1920?
Chapter 18- Czechs and the Slovaks
- No questions
Chapter 19 – Austria
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Questions begin on page 253
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Why were the peacemakers ‘easier’ on Austria?
What did the reparation committee finally decide Austria should pay?
What was the official treaty signed by Austria (September 1919)?
Chapter 20 – Hungary
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No questions
Chapter 21 – The Council of Four
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Who were the members of the Council of Four? Why?
Why was Japan excluded?
The Council wanted to send for the German delegates – what issues had not been resolved yet?
Why did Belgium feel it was being treated ‘shabbily’? Were they right to demand a ‘louder
voice’?
Why did France and England not want Belgium to receive a lot of attention?
Chapter 22 – Italy Leaves
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Look up what was specifically designated to Italy under the provisions of the Treaty of London –
did Italy have a right to claim these lands? Which lands in particular were disputed by the
Council?
Why did Wilson object to Italy receiving some of the lands?
What political problems did Orlando face in Italy? Why was it so important that he/Italy receive
the provisions of the Treaty of London?
What reason does McMillan suggest was a leading factor of why Italy joined the Triple Alliance?
Did Italy live up to its promises (to support the Allies) during WWI?
How did Italy attempt to increase its power in their desired territories (ie Dalmatia)?
What were the 2 reasons given on why Wilson refused to acknowledge the Treaty of London?
Why were there tensions between Italy and France (historical)?
To what extent do you agree with Bismarck’s quote ‘Italy’s appetite was invariably bigger than
its teeth’.
Why did Orlando return to Italy – April 1919?
What did Wilson do to try to convince Italian people that he was correct and that Orlando was
wrong? Was it successful?
June 1919, Orlando falls from power – the Italian delegates remain and sign the Treaty of
Versailles – what provisions are granted to Italy?
Who seized Fiume and why? Did the Italian gov’t support the seizure?
By November 1920, what country did Italy sign an agreement with? Why did this cause stress
within the other European powers?
Chapter 23 – Japan and Racial Equality
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What previous events had helped promote Japan since late 1800’s?
a. 1853
b. 1895
c. 1902
d. 1904-05
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How had Japanese power changed since the beginning of WWI? Was this power threatening? If
so, to whom?
Why did Japan side with the Allied Powers in WWI?
What social and political problems arose in Japan because of the new ‘power’ Japan had
internationally?
What is ‘Yellow Peril’?
What provisions did the secret 1917 treaty with Japan contain?
What 2 reasons were given for why Wilson was ‘anti-Japanese’ in 1919?
What conditions did Japan request with the Racial Equality Clause?
Did the Clause pass? What occurred after the vote? What can we assume this leads to?
Chapter 24 – A Dagger Pointed at the Heart of China
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
What year did China declare war on Germany and how did they assist the Allies?
Who ‘aided’ the Allies more in WWI – Japan or China?
Who received ‘more’ from the Treaty of Versailles – Japan or China?
What was the political instability in China in the early 1900’s?
Why was the Shantung/Shandong region important for China? For Japan?
What were the 21 Demands proposed by Japan to China in 1915? Who was the leader of China
at the time?
Why did the Allied countries fail to support China (against Japan’s 21 Demands)?
What was the U.S. position in the growing Japanese power?
Why was Wilson not supportive of China? And more favorable to Japan?
What was the main goal of the Chinese delegation at Paris? Did the Chinese achieve their goal?
What role did Japan’s Racial Equality Proposal play in the negotiations in Paris?
Conclusion: Read Wilson’s Fourteen Points in the Appendix. Rewrite them using one short phrase for
each.
Questions
Please E-Mail Mr. Fedor at [email protected]