Conflict and Tension Flashcards
TOV Blame Terms
Article 231- War guilt clause, Germany took full responsibility for WW1
LON Created and Germany not allowed to Join
TOV Military Terms
Army limited to 100,000 men without conscription
Rhineland (bordered France) demilitarised
Navy limited to 15,000 men and 6 old battleships
Not allowed tanks, submarines, or air force
TOV Territorial Terms
- Lost 10% of land and 12.5% of population
- Danzig made free to be controlled by LON
- Alsace-Lorraine returned to France
- Poland made independent with free sea access
- Germany split by Polish corridor
- 11 overseas colonies given as mandate to LON and controlled by Britain and France
- West Prussia and Posen to Poland
TOV Economic Terms
Article 232- £6.6 million in reparations to France
Saar put under control of LON for 15 years- important industrial area for Germany
Lloyd George TOV Aims
- punish Germany to please public but not be too harsh (may lead to another war)
- strengthen British trade, reduce German empire/navy
- maintain strong trade with Germany
Woodrow Wilson TOV Aims
Fair peace, 14 points
Wanted nations to disarm, self determination
LON set up, avoid war, democracy around the world
George Clemenceau TOV Aims
Wanted be very harsh on Germany
Motivated by France being most seriously damaged
Wanted to make Germany pay and never be a threat, on same border, weaken defences
British TOV reaction
- Concerned about economic stability following treaty, reparations hurt trade with Germany
- Britain was hesitant to join the LON but did
- Some wanted treaty to be harsher
- pleased with expanding empire, naval superiority
- worried Germany might become disillusioned, cause communist revolution
French TOV reaction
- pleased with Alsace Lorraine and military reductions, felt secure
- some dissatisfied Germany wasn’t weak enough
- some still concerned for national recovery
- Clemaenceau wanted higher reparations, paid forever
USA TOV reaction
- People wanted to remain isolationist, didn’t join LON, thought it would control their military and force them into wars
- Wilson unhappy with treaty- too harsh
- Wilson faced domestic disapproval
- Wasn’t happy with Germany strengthening their empires (believed in self determination)
- created their own peace treaty with Germany on August 1921
Aims of LON
Maintain peace
- disarmament
- arbitration
- collective security
Encourage cooperation
- solve social and economic problems
- improve working and living conditions
LON Assembly
- met once a year - first Monday of September
- each countries delegate had 1 vote, must be unanimous
LON Council
- 4 permanent members
- Britain, France, Japan, Italy
- met at least 4 times a year
- could veto any motion from the assembly
Countries not members of LON
USA- wanted to remain isolationist and stay out of other countries affairs
Germany- was not allowed to join as a blame term of TOV
USSR- communism wasn’t trusted
Work of LON - Upper Silesia
Success
Region with valuable industry of German-Polish border
Referendum held to decide which country to be part of, vote to close to call
1921- LON decided to divide between Germany/Poland, most citizens accepted
Work of LON - Aaland Islands
Success
Half way between Finland & Sweden
Belonged to Finland but wanted to be ruled by Sweden
1921- LON decided islands should remain Finnish, both sides accepted
Work of LON - Bulgaria
Success
Invaded by Greece in 1925 over border dispute
LON ordered Greece to withdraw, it obeyed
Work of LON - Corfu
Failure
- Invaded by Italy in 1932 after Italian diplomat was shot
- LON morally condemned Italy + told to withdraw, they refused and demanded compensation from Greece
- LON sided with Italy, Greece had to pay and apologise, Italy withdrew
- LON looked hypocritical and showed could be pushed around
Work of the LON - Vilna
Failure
Chosen as capital of newly formed Lithuania after WW1
Most of population of Vilna were Polish
Poland seized Vilna and refused to give it up
LON powerless to stop military aggression
Work of the LON - The Ruhr
Failure
Industrial region Invaded by France in 1923 after Germany missed reparations payment
LON didn’t intervene as France was on the council
USA stepped in with Dawes plan to help Germany
Causes of Manchurian crisis
Japan wanted to expand territory after Great Depression
Wanted more resources to rebuild and expand economy
Japan controlled territory and rail in the area, easier
What happened in Manchurian crisis
September 1931- Japan staged Mukden incident with rail explosion, blamed Chinese and invaded
Put puppet leader in Manchuria
LON sent Lord Lytton to investigate, blamed Japan but league did nothing
LON’s action to Manchurian crisis
Morally condemned Japan and asked them to withdraw, they took no notice
Reluctant to economically sanction, Japan important trading partner
Britain and France occupied with domestic, depression, Hitler problems
USSR closest nation to send troops but not in league
Manchuria far from Europe so not priority for many
Significance of Manchurian crisis
Japan also invaded Jehol province, China
Japan left league in 1933, and Germany
Japan and Germany signed alliance in 1936 and further invaded China
LON did nothing, showed Hitler and Mussolini it was powerless
German reaction to TOV
- People felt vulnerable and due to army limits, complained about disarmament double standard
- Feared high payments would cripple them, suffered hyperinflation, loss of industrial areas led to higher tax
- Loss of colonies hurt pride, worried about loss of land on border, many Germans lived outside Germany, had to become new nationality
- didn’t feel Germany completely lost war, still considered troops heroes
- protesting outside the Reichstag in 1919
Paris Peace Conference
- Began January 1919
- People suffered after war
- Food shortages months after
- Pressure from people to make Germany pay
- Conference lasted 6 months
- 32 countries
Woodrow Wilson main points
- LON set up
- Self determination
- No secret treaties
- Colonies has say in their future
- Disarmament
German President Ebert signing TOV
June 28th 1919
Originally refused, generals warned Germany couldn’t face another war
Public horrified
Why did Germany request an armistice
- they were beaten and retreating
- Germany was political chaos
When did Germany request an armistice
October 1918
Wilson main points
(1) No secret treaties
(4) Disarmament
(10) Self-determination
(14) League of Nations
What did Germany want an armistice based on
Wilson’s 14 points
What happened to the navy towards the end of the WW1
- sailors mutinied on November 3rd 1918
- this triggered a series of revolts across the country