Conflict and Tension

Question 1

Compare the aims of the peacemakers.

Answer 1

1. Lloyd George publicly promised punishment, but privately wanted moderation. He wanted empire dominance, but didn’t want to economically cripple Germany for trade’s sake, British jobs and the risk of communism.
2. Clemenceau promised punishment. He wanted 10 billion pounds of reparations, Germany to be broken into separate states, the Alsace returned after annexation in 1871 and an independent Rhineland.
3. Wilson had 14 points. LoN, freedom of the seas outside territorial seas to enable trade, reduced empire so self-determination, disarmament, return of Alsace Lorraine and all French territories.

Question 2

What were the circumstances of the armistice? And terms?

Answer 2

1918 failed spring offensive, 1917 USA arrival, Kiel naval base mutiny, Kaiser fled to Holland and abdicated.
Germany had to withdraw all troops from occupied areas instantly, release of only allied PoWs, accepted blame.

Question 3

What was the PPC?

Answer 3

The Paris Peace Conference took place at Versailles without Russia or defeated powers for the first 6 months of 1919.

Question 4

What were the terms of the ToV?

Answer 4

1. Blame. Article 231.
2. Reparations. £6.6 billion.
3. Territory. Alsace Lorraine to France, Upper Silesia, West Prussia to Poland. North Schleswig to Denmark. Danzig independent. Saarland under LoN control, 16% of coalfields, 1/2 of iron, steel. 10% of land, 12.5% of population. Colonies to Britain and France.
4. Military. Rhineland demilitarised. No conscription, airforce, tanks/armoured vehicles. 6 battleships. 100,000 army.
5. Not allowed to join LoN until it was peaceloving.
6. No anschluss.

Question 5

What was the German reaction to the Treaty?

Answer 5

1. Out for revenge, labelled the treaty a ‘Diktat’. Kaiser not Weimar, Hitler labelled the Weimar Government that signed it the ‘November Criminals’.
2. Hated blame because they didn’t solely start the war and it morally blamed the people.
3. The reparations would’ve been payed back in the 80s, couldn’t rebuild economy, hyperinflation and fascism, missed a payment so France entered Ruhr and killed workers and took goods.
4. Mad about German speaking people being ruled by others, lost Alsace that they won in 1870 Franco-Prussian war.
5. Small military hurt national pride, arms industry was critical to economy, afraid because other surrounding enemies didn’t disarm.
6. No LoN was humiliating.
7. No anschluss, considered Austrians Germanic, cited Czechoslovakia.

Question 6

What was the allied reaction to the Treaty?

Answer 6

Britain: happy, re-elected Lloyd George, ‘Make Germany Pay’ achieved.
Lloyd George: too harsh. Negotiator Harold Nicholson ‘very stupid men’.
France: too weak, Clemenceau out, wanted Germany split into separate states.
Clemenceau: happy.
America: isolationism, didn’t join LoN, thought they would pay for everything, join another war
Wilson: too harsh, failed, thought USA was integral to LoN.

Question 7

Compare the austrian, bulgarian, hungarian and turkish treaties.

Answer 7

1919 St Germain: lost land to czechoslovakia, 30000 army, no conscription, 1921 economic collapse
1919 Neuilly: lost land to yugoslavia, 20000 army, no conscription, £100 million in reparations
1920 Trianon: lost land to romania, 30000 army, no conscription, economic collapse so no reparations paid
1920 Sevres: lost land to greece, 50000 army, Ottoman empire split up, must open waterways for other countries
1923 Lausanne: first treaty overturned, removed reparations

Question 8

What were the problems faced by new states?

Answer 8

1. Weak unstable government. 1934 Austrian Civil War due to rise of paramilitary groups.
2. Ethnic tension. Poles in Upper Silesia rebelled against Germany, wanted to join Poland in 1919-21.
3. Border disputes. Hungary and Bulgaria allied with Hitler to regain lost territory.
4. Economic weakness. 1920-21 Hungary went bankrupt.
5. Military weakness. The USSR occupied eastern Poland in 1939 and the Baltic states in the 1940s.

Question 9

What were the negatives of the Treaty?

Answer 9

1. Made Germany struggle even more in the depression.
2. Economically crippling Germany hurt Europe’s economy.
3. Self-determination was only present in the other treaties not the ToV.

Question 10

What were the positives of the Treaty?

Answer 10

1. Reparations weren’t fully paid.
2. The economy recovered mid-20s, crashed after the Wall Street Crash.
3. The Dawes Plan helped Germany.
4. German people liked Hitler’s other policies just as much as anti-TOV.
5. Re-armament was allowed due to the Anglo-German Naval Treaty.
6. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was much harsher, Russia lost 1/6 of its population, 70% of its iron and coal resources.

Question 11

What were the aims of the League? When was it formed?

Answer 11

1. Discourage aggression.
2. Protect smaller countries.
3. Economically rebuild Europe.
4. Disarmament.
5. Encourage co-operation in business and trade.
6. Improve living and working conditions.

10th of January 1920.

Question 12

How did the powers available to the League lead to its downfall?

Answer 12

1. Moral condemnation.
2. Economic sanctions = 0 trade.
3. Military force - as a last resort, the League would use the armies of member countries against the aggressor.

Question 13

How did the organisation of the League lead to its downfall?

Answer 13

1. The Assembly met once a year and required a unanimous vote, made decisions on budget, temporary council members and new members.
2. The Council had 4 permanent members (Britain, France, Italy, Japan), so they had vetoes, voted in temporary members, decided on punishments.
3. The Secretariat was too bureaucratic.
4. The Court of International Justice came to legal judgements on disputes, judges came from member countries, gave decisions to the council, couldn’t act or enforce its rulings.

Question 13

How did the membership of the League lead to its downfall?

Answer 13

1. No USA. Sanctions useless.
2. No Germany, embarrassed them, made them less co-operative when they finally joined.
3. No USSR because it was communist, joined in 1934 after Manchuria.
4. Membership grew from 42 to 59 by the late 1930s.

Question 14

What successful things did the League’s organisations achieve?

Answer 14

1. International Labour Organisation introduced concepts of minimum wage and regulated work hours. 1928: 77 countries agreed to a minimum wage, 1919: couldn’t get all countries to adopt the no working under 14 law.
2. Health Organisation became World Health Organisation. Reduced the spread of malaria and yellow fever. Improved conditions in Turkish refugee camps.

Question 15

What successful things did the League’s commissions achieve?

Answer 15

1.The Refugee gave homes to 1.5 million Russians fleeing civil war in 1921. In 1922 600000 Greeks fleeing Turkey were aided. 1933: Germany blocked aid for Jewish refugees.
2. The Slavery freed 200,000 in Sierra Leone, in 1927 Sierra Leone abolished slavery.
3. The Economic and Financial Committee sent financial experts to rebuild Hungary + Austria. Crumbled in Depression.
4. Permanent Central Opium Board blacklisted 4 illegal drug companies and introduced certificates for companies wanting to import opium for medicinal purposes.

Question 16

What were the diplomatic successes of the League in the 1920s?

Answer 16

1. 1921: The Upper Silesia plebiscite 60% for Germany, many voters didn’t live in U.S. so LoN gave 2/3 to Germany but coal mines, industrial areas and German minority areas to Poland. Both accepted.
2. 1921: Finland vs Sweden Aaland Islands. They were given to Finland which they were closer to but Finland couldn’t build any military buildings on them.
3. 1925: Greece vs Bulgaria, Greek soldier killed at border, Greece invade, pay reparations, moral condemnation works.

Question 17

What were the failures of the League in the 1920s?

Answer 17

1. 1920: Vilna. Poland took it unimpeded despite moral condemnation from lithuania.
2. 1923: Corfu. An Italian military person was killed at the Greek border so Mussolini invaded Corfu. Favouritism shown when he manipulated council into getting Greece to pay reparations. Contrasts 1925 Greece vs Bulgaria.

Question 18

What were the examples of diplomacy outside the League?

Answer 18

1925: The Locarno Treaties, Germany promises to follow ToV borders including Alsace and demilitarised Rhine, Germany joined LoN in 1926.
1928: The Kellogg-Briand Pact, countries promised not to use force to settle disputes, couldn’t be enforced but it was the basis of the prosecution at the Nuremburg Trials.

Question 19

Compare the effects of the Depression on different countries.

Answer 19

1. USA called loans back from Europe, refused to apply sanctions.
2. Japan trade and (silk) industry collapsed, so they wanted to expand their empire and gain fertile land and natural resources.
3. Germany economically crippled, hyperinflation.
4. Britain and France struggled, high unemployment. Britain wanted to keep exporting coal so they didn’t follow sanctions against Japan.
5. Everyone isolationist, helping themselves.
6. Italy wanted to expand empire.

Question 20

What were the causes of the Manchurian Crisis?

Answer 20

Japan wanted more land and resources after their own silk industry was decimated in the Depression, so wanted to invade Manchuria for natural resources.

Question 21

What were the events of the Manchurian Crisis?

Answer 21

September 1931: The Mukden Incident in which the Japanese pretended the Chinese bombed the railway so they would have an excuse to enter.
February 1932: Japan sets up a puppet government and rename it Manchukuo.
September 1932: The Lytton Report took 1 year.
The army bombed Shanghai, the civilian government demanded the army stop but they lacked power.
Invaded Jehol, by 1938 many major cities under their control.
Moral condemnation failed, weaker country suppressed, sanctions failed because Japan’s made trading partner is the US.
The Assembly voted 42-1 that Japan acted unlawfully and should withdraw, this was stopped by Japan’s counter vote.

Question 21

What were the consequences of the Manchurian Crisis?

Answer 21

1933: Japan leaves League.
1937: Japan launch a full scale invasion into China.
Proved Britain and France will avoid war at all costs.

Question 22

What were the causes of the Abyssinian Crisis?

Answer 22

1. Increase empire and national pride. Italy already had small colonies around there.
2. 1896 humiliating defeat revenge.
3. Rich in natural resources, good for grazing animals.
4. 1934 Dispute at Wal Wal oasis.

Question 23

What were the events of the Abyssinian Crisis?

Answer 23

1935: Selassie asks for help. October 1935: Mussolini launches full scale attack with aeroplanes, tanks, poisonous gas. League sanctions arms sales, rubber and metal. They didn't ban coal or oil exports, fearing the loss of 30,000 British coal miner's jobs. League doesn't shut Suez, fearing war. December 1935: Hoare and Laval secretly arrange 2/3 to Mussolini. Hoare Laval sacked, Selassie furious, negotiations delayed, February 1936 oil banned. March 1936: Rhine remilitarised so allies want Mussolini as an ally against Hitler.

Question 24

What were the consequences of the Abyssinian Crisis?

Answer 24

May 1936: All Italian. Irrelevant, won't use force, meet last time 1946. Britain undermined it with self-interest and Hoare-Laval Pact. Small countries not protected.

Question 25

How did disarmament fail in the 1930s (LoN)?

Answer 25

May 1933: Hitler says he won't rearm if in 5 years all other countries disarm. June 1933: League votes, France refuses. Britain proposes all countries bar Germany reduce their militaries 40% bar Germany, rejected by all. October 1933: Hitler asks to rearm in level with other countries, rejected. Walks out and leaves LoN. 1934: All countries rearm. 1935: Freedom to re-Arm rally celebrates the forces, re-introduces conscription and announces a peacetime army of 550,000 men which all openly breaks ToV.

Question 26

What were the successes of the League in the 30s?

Answer 26

1. 1935: The Saar Plebiscite, population (90%+) votes to rejoin Germany, proves League can resolve disputes through democratic means. The ToV scheduled the plebiscite, but the result in Hitler's favour bolstered his cause and undid some of the ToV. 2. Opium Advisory Committee. 26 countries to address illegal drug trafficking.

Question 27

What were the positives of the League?

Answer 27

1. Membership grew. 2. Power was distributed through multiple countries, collective security idea to help weaker countries, every country had 1 assembly vote.

Question 28

What were the negatives of the League?

Answer 28

1. Membership. 2. Organisation. 3. Powers weak. 4. Relied too much on permanent council members to run it, led to bias and inaction.

Question 29

What were Hitler's 6 aims and the allied reactions?

Answer 29

1. Destroy ToV, particularly blame clause, allies (particulary Neville) saw the treaty as too harsh. 2. Volksdeutsch, unite German speakers in a greater Germany. 3. Lebensraum, expand living space so there was more land to work and farm on. 4. Destroy communism, Karl Marx was Jewish, allies wanted a strong Germany to stall communism. 5. Rearmament, create jobs in munitions and armed forces. 6. Anschluss.

Question 30

What events occur in the 3 distinct periods of the road to war?

Answer 30

Development of Tension 1933-35: 1934: Dolfuss Affair 1933-35: Rearmament, Stresa Front and Anglo-German Naval Treaty 1935: Return of the Saar Escalation of tension 1935-38: 1936: Remilitarisation of the Rhineland 1936: Spanish Civil War 1936-37: Anti-Comintern Pact 1938: Anschluss 1938: Sudetenland Crisis, Munich Conference and invasion of Czechoslovakia Outbreak of war 1939: 1939: Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939: Invasion of Poland

Question 31

What was the Dolfuss Affair?

Answer 31

1. Dolfuss uses the violence and discontent to become dictator and in the new constitution of spring 1934 outlaws all other political parties including the Austrian Nazi Party. The Nazis want to join with Germany because there are 8 million German speakers in Austria and the country wants a glorious empire and to bring down ToV. 2. The Austrian Nazis assassinate Dolfuss, and want to reunite with Germany, Hitler nearly invades but Mussolini marched troops to the border and demanded he stand down. 3. Hitler recognised he needs to re-arm and needs more allies including Mussolini.

Question 32

What was Rearmament, the Stresa Front and the Anglo-German Naval Treaty?

Answer 32

1. Rearmament already covered. 2. April 1935: The Stresa Front involving the British, French and Italians agreed to uphold ToV, Locarno Pact and re-affirm the independence of Austria. It was a reaction to remilitarisation. It failed because it was vague and no-one was prepared to stop Germany with force, and it collapsed due to the Anglo-German naval treaty and the Abyssinian Crisis. 3. The Treaty allowed Germany to expand its navy to be 35% of Britain's, and Germany could build up to 45% of Britain's submarines. They excused it as appeasement and it kept the navy smaller than Britain's. Many were dissatisfied as they didn't want war or to please Germany. Germany could then increase its navy to prepare for war, it showed Britain would compromise on ToV, it weakened the Stresa Front, angered the French, and Mussolini saw it as British weakness.

Question 33

What was the Return of the Saar?

Answer 33

1. Anti-Nazis that had fled there wanted it under LoN control, Goebbles and Hitler launched a propoganda campaign. 2. A plebiscite was held after 15 years (as the ToV stated it must be) and the vast majority 90.8% voted to rejoin Germany. 3. Plans were started to expand into the Sudetenland and Austria, rearmament was boosted due to the large amount of military-related industry in the area, Hitler used it as proof that German speaking people wanted to rejoin Germany.

Question 34

What was the Remilitarisation of the Rhineland?

Answer 34

1. Hitler was testing if ToV would be upheld, the demilitarisation humbled Germany, Germany felt vulnerable to French aggression, France and USSR signed a pact to protect each other if attacked, accepted this in Locarno. 2. The troops waited in hiding for the order, on Saturday 7th March 1936 22,000 German troops march into the Rhine are met with flowers and support. They were under orders to retreat if there was any French opposition. As the troops entered, letters were sent to the ambassadors explaining with the excuse of the Franco-Russian Pact 3. Britain didn't act because: they were economically and militarily weak; feared war; Abyssinia; believed ToV was too harsh. France didn't act because: general election; Franco-Russian Pact; weak forces near Rhine; believed the German force was stronger than it was so didn't want to act without Britain.

Question 35

What was the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 35

1. Far right fascist General Franco + Hitler + Mussolini vs left-wing government communists + Stalin. 2. July 1936 began. Hitler tested his military + Luftwaffe. Wanted to destroy communism. 750,000 fatalities because of air stikes. 3. Differing political systems = new key source of conflict. Franco as dictator was neutral during the war, but as he was fascist, Hitler and Mussolini saw his win as a win for them.

Question 36

What was the Anti-Comintern Pact?

Answer 36

1. Japan and Germany in 1936 + Italy in 1937 agreed to stop the spread of communism, develops into the axis alliance. Hitler is sure he can get Anschluss.

Question 37

What was Anschluss?

Answer 37

1. Lebensraum + volksdeutsch, 8 million German speakers; overturn ToV; Lord Halifax said Britain wouldn't oppose Anschluss; Mussolini. 2. January 1938, police raid Nazi hq find plans to overthrow Schuschnigg; S meets with H at his mountain retreat and is intimidated into appointing Seyss-Inquart as minister for the interior, Ministers of War and Finance to be replaced; he had 3 days or be invaded; calls plebiscite; Hitler on 11th March 1938 Hitler demands the vote be postponed; Schus replaced by S-I; Hitler invited in, met with flowers and gifts. 10th April, Hitler holds plebiscite but polling stations are surrounded by SA and the box for yes was bigger than for no. 99% voted for A. 3. Eastern Europe, Czechoslovakia, iron + steel industry, 100,000 forces, 180,000 Jews; B + F need I to act + A consent, F chaos; Hitler = hero; B+F good, WC bad; CS help bc precedent, surrounded, F treaty.

Question 38

What was the Sudetenland Crisis, Munich Conference and Invasion of Czechoslovakia?

Answer 38

1. ToV; further invasion; glass and coal industry; 3 million German speakers (20% of population). Nazis riot. 2. Hitler threatens war; September 15th Hitler and Chamberlain meet and agree areas with German majority -- German; Daladier + Benes met and agree; September 22nd Hitler demanded all Sudetenland or war. 3. 29th September 1938: Munich Conference where Britain, France, Germany and Italy meet and give in, Czechoslovakia and USSR not invited. 4. Chamberlain claims he achieved: "Peace in our time" and signed document promising peace with Hitler; March 1939 Hitler invades Czechoslovakia; 31st of March Chamberlain promises to defend Poland.

Question 39

What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

Answer 39

1. 23rd August 1939: Germany and USSR won't go to war with each other + divide Poland between them. 3. Hitler confident no war on two fronts; Stalin didn't trust Britain and France and wanted to build forces and prep for war; Britain and France no USSR support, Chamberlain blamed for it, formalized protection of Poland.

Question 40

What was the Invasion of Poland?

Answer 40

1. 1.9.39 German battleship fires on Danzig and 62 divisions of the army invade Poland. Danzig = 90% German. 2. 3.9.39 Britain and France declare war because Hitler doesn't stand down by 11am.

Question 41

What were the positives of Appeasement?

Answer 41

1. Would commonwealth states war? 2. Tov = too harsh. 3. Anti-communist. 4. Hitler = facade of democracy. 5. Britain's army unprepared, people = anti-war.

Question 42

What were the negatives of Appeasement?

Answer 42

1. Germany too strong, aggressive. 2. Isolated Stalin and led to Nazi-Soviet Pact. 3. Missed opportunities. 4. Trusted Hitler. 5. Cowardly to let him break international agreements with no repercussions.

Question 42

Who was responsible for the War?

Answer 42

Germany: demanded too much, aggressive, lied. Britain and France: appeasement too weak. USSR: Nazi-Soviet Pact, Stalin needed to restrict German action. Poland: signed agreement with Britain and France which protected them so they wouldn't back down, war = INEVITABLE.