Why didn’t world peace
last?
Testing the Treaty of Versailles and
the League of Nations
Treaty of Versailles
Conference January -June 1919
Settlement drafted by delegates of victorious
nations in WWI: Britain, United States,
France, and Italy
 “We were preparing not Peace only, but
Eternal Peace. There was about us the halo
of some divine mission….For we were bent on
doing great , permanent and noble things.”
Participant of conference at Versailles,
World History: Continuity & Change, p. 612
League of Nations
Primary concern of delegates at Versailles
was “Collective Security”
League of Nation created based on Wilson’s
Fourteen Points’ “general association of
nations”
Main aims:
To promote international cooperation.
To maintain peace by settling disputes and by
reducing armaments.
Goals was to include all independent nations.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.616
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:League_of_Nations_Anachronous_Map.PNG#file
League of Nations continued
Three main agencies based in Geneva,
Switzerland:
Assembly
Council
Secretariat
Members agreed to submit disputes to an
independent body, the Permanent Court of
International Justice (World Court) .
War would be a last resort.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.616
Boundary Changes
Treaty of Versailles compelled Germany to
demilitarize the Rhineland by removing all
troops and set up the indefinite occupation of
territory by Allied troops.
Saar Valley now administered by the League of
Nations and all coal go to France. After 15 years
people in region vote if they would be part of
France or Germany.
The port of Danzig made a free city and carved
territory from Germany to give Poland access to
the Baltic Sea.
Realignment of boundaries in Europe and the
Middle East.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.616
Germany after W.W. I.
Changes in Europe
Europe before W.W. I
Europe after W.W. I
Reparations and War Guilt
Germany forced to agree to agree to
costly and humiliating settlement.
Germany to pay $32 billion to Allied
countries.
“War Guilt Clause” of the Treaty of
Versailles made Germany soley responsible
for “all the loss and damage” sustained by
the Allies.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.617
Mandate System
Germany lost all overseas territories and a
mandate system set up where Allied
Countries pledged to prepare the subjects
for self-government (South-West Africa under
South Africa; Ruanda-Urundi under Belgium;
Tanganyika, Nigeria & Gold Coast under
Great Britain; Togo and Cameroons under
France)
Ottoman Empire lost control of Arab lands in
the Middle East ( Palestine, Iraq &
Transjordan mandate of Great Britain;
Lebanon & Syria mandate of France).
World History: Continuity & Change, p.617-18
Africa Mandates
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Ger_claims_Prof_Delbruck_1917.jpg
Middle East Mandates
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3860950
How would the
Central Powers feel after
being given the terms of the
Treaty of Versailles?
Failure of Collective Security
“During the 1930’s three powers--Japan,
Italy and Germany--grew increasingly
aggressive.”
“Each sought to enhance its influence and
to expand its territory through the use
of military force.”
“Anxious to avoid war, the Western
democracies yielded time and again to
the aggressors.”
World History: Continuity & Change, p.684
Western Appeasement
Western leaders follow a policy of
“appeasement,” or giving in to an
aggression to preserve the peace, in
response to many expansion actions of
Japan, Italy and Germany.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.687
Reasons for Appeasement
 The worldwide depression diverted attention. Many
countries still trying to recover from the costs of
WWI.
 Lack of desire to work with the Soviet Union against
Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany.
 Disarmament policy after WWI left armies behind in
the development of modern weapons.
 Many in the general population didn’t want to get
involved in another war.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.687-8
Japan
Japan had a growing population and limited
resources.
In 1931 Imperialist Japanese army seizes the
Chinese province of Manchuria, where it
already controlled the railways.
China appeals to the League of Nations for
help.
Japan withdraws from the League of Nations.
In 1937 Japan launches war against China
and gains control of nearly 1/4 of Chinese
territory by 1939.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.684
Japanese
Expansion
http://www.britannica.com/eb/art-2054
Italy and the Ethiopia Crisis
Italian leader Benito Mussolini strengthens’
position in Libya in the 1920’s.
Italy targets Ethiopia, the only independent
African kingdom, to gain control of its land,
neighboring Eritrea and Somalia, and take
over the Suez Canal.
On October 3, 1935, Italian forces invade
Ethiopia.
Ethiopia turns to the League of Nations, but
leading nations France and Britain refuse to
force to help.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.684-5
Italy in East Africa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Italianeastafricamap.jpeg
Hitler & Germany
Hitler outlines expansion aims in his book,
Mein Kampf (1925).
Germany would become a world power.
Hitler believes that Germans are biologically
superior race & Jews are enemy of all races.
Germany’s population was growing rapidly and
needed “living space.”
Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany in
January 1933.
Hitler “corrects” the injustice of the Treaty of
Versailles and moved troops into the
Rhineland in 1936.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.686-7
Hitler leads Germany
towards war
Hitler “corrects” the injustice of the Treaty of
Versailles and moved troops into the
Rhineland in 1936.
Hitler begins four year plan or rearmament
and economic development in the middle of
1936 to prepare for expansion.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.686-7
Axis Powers Formed
Mussolini agreed to cooperated with
Germany’s aims in fall of 1936.
In November 1936 Japan and Germany agree
on the Anti-Comintern Pact, which outlines
countries opposition to communism. Italy
joins a year later.
Germany, Italy & Japan form the Axis
Powers.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.686-7
Germany moves in Austria and
Czecholoslovakia
 On March 11, 1938, the head of the Austrian Nazi
party takes over the government and the next day
declares the “Anschluss” or union with Germany.
 Hitler complained about Czech “oppression” of 3
million Germans living in the Sudetenland.
 French and British leaders agree to the annexation of
the Sudetenland at the Munich Conference
(September 1938) when Hitler promises it will be
Germany’s last territorial claim.
 In March of 1939 Hitler takes over most of the
remaining area of Czechoslovakia.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.688
Germany moves into the Polish Corridor
Hitler works with the Soviet Union to
divide Poland (German-Soviet
nonaggression pact, August 1939).
German army invaded Poland on
September 1, 1939.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.689
World War II Begins
Britain and France demand the
immediate withdrawal from Poland.
Hitler ignores their ultimatum.
Britain and France declare war on
Germany on September 3, 1939.
World History: Continuity & Change, p.689