interwar years

• What were the Paris Peace Treaties primarily concerned with?


  Peacemaking after World War I and the establishment of the League of Nations
• What were the main motivations of the Big Three during the Paris Peace Treaties?


  • Concern over Germany's military strength
  • Fear of Soviet Russia promoting communism
  • Japan and Italy's expectations for territorial gains
• What was Woodrow Wilson's vision for peace?


  A just peace based on national self-determination
• What did Wilson mean by national self-determination?


  People sharing the same language and culture should choose their own governments
• What was the purpose of the League of Nations according to Wilson?


  To oversee a just peace
• What was a key point of Wilson's Fourteen Points Speech?


  No secret deals
• Why did Britain and France dislike Wilson's idea of freedom of the seas?


  It would prevent Britain from using its naval blockade
• How did Clemenceau view Wilson's Fourteen Points?


  He perceived Wilson as idealistic and overly religious
• What was Clemenceau's main goal regarding Germany?


  To impose a harsh peace with revenge, reparations, and security
• What did Clemenceau want for Alsace-Lorraine?


  To regain it for France
• What was David Lloyd-George's approach to the peace settlement?


  He sought a compromise peace
• How many British soldiers died during WWI?


  Over 750,000
• What did Lloyd-George mean by "squeezed like a lemon until the pips squeak"?


  Germany should pay reasonable reparations
• Why did Lloyd-George not want Germany to be too weak?


  It would leave France too powerful
• What were the main terms of the Treaty of Versailles summarized by GARGLE or TRAWL?


  Territory, Arms, Reparations, War Guilt Clause, League of Nations
• What were the territorial changes imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles?


  • Loss of all colonies
  • North Schleswig plebiscite to Denmark
  • Danzig as a free city
  • Poland reborn with a corridor to the Baltic Sea
  • Anschluss forbidden
  • Saar coalfields under League supervision
  • Rhineland demilitarized
  • Alsace-Lorraine returned to France
• What was Wilson's belief regarding reparations?


  They should be low to prevent future revenge from Germany
• Why did Clemenceau advocate for high reparations?


  France was the only country invaded among the Big Three
• What military restrictions were placed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles?


  No tanks, no military aircraft, no submarines, maximum 100,000 army
• What was Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles?


  Germany takes full responsibility for all loss and damage during the war
• When was the Covenant of the League of Nations established?


  January 1919
• Did the Big Three achieve their goals at the Paris Peace Treaties?


  Wilson:

  • Achieved self-determination for some nations
  • Wanted immediate independence for colonies

  
  

  Lloyd-George:

  • Pleased with mandates for empire expansion
  • Freedom of the seas not included

  
  

  Clemenceau:

  • Ensured Germany accepted blame
  • Pleased with strong Poland and Alsace-Lorraine
• What was the amount of reparations set by the Treaty of Versailles?


  1. 6 billion pounds
• What were mandates and plebiscites?

  • Mandates: Territories controlled by the League of Nations
  • Plebiscites: Popular votes to determine national affiliation
• What was the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on Germany in 1919?


  Germany was in chaos with strikes, riots, and paramilitary groups
• What was the Spartacist Revolt?


  • Communist revolt in January 1919
  • Government asked Freikorps for help
  • Freikorps violently suppressed the revolt
• What was the Kapp Putsch?


  • Right-wing revolution in 1920
  • Led by Wolfgang Kapp and Freikorps
  • Stopped by a general strike in Berlin
• What was the Ruhr Crisis?


  • France invaded Ruhr for reparations
  • Weimar government encouraged strikes
  • Led to hyperinflation and devaluation of the Mark
• What was the Munich Putsch?


  • Hitler's first attempt to seize power in 1923
  • Supported by ex-Freikorps leader Ernst Rohm
  • Resulted in 16 Nazi deaths and Hitler's arrest
• What were the main points of the other Paris Peace Treaties?

  • St. Germain: Separated Austria from Hungary
  • Trianon: Land taken from Hungary
  • Neuilly: Bulgaria lost land and disarmed
  • Sevres: Turkey lost land and mandates established
• How did the Turks react to the Treaty of Sevres?


  They hated it and resisted, leading to changes in the Treaty of Lausanne
• What were the German reactions to the Treaty of Versailles?


  • Felt 'stabbed in the back'
  • Resented loss of land and military restrictions
  • Believed the treaty was a diktat
• What were the arguments against the Treaty of Versailles?


  • Sole blame on Germany was unfair
  • Economic sanctions punished ordinary Germans
  • Reparations would cripple Germany
• What were the arguments in favor of the Treaty of Versailles?


  • Germany did not lose much land
  • Germany's previous harsh treaty with Russia
  • Reparations did not destroy the economy
• What were the aims of the League of Nations?


  • Maintain peace and discourage aggression
  • Uphold the Treaty of Versailles
  • Encourage cooperation and disarmament
• What was collective security in the League of Nations?


  • Members act together to prevent aggression
  • Involves moral condemnation, economic sanctions, and military intervention
• What was the structure of the League of Nations Assembly?


  • All 47 member nations represented
  • Met once each year
  • Democratic but limited in power
• What was believed about the League of Nations?


  It could end evils such as slavery and ensure a peaceful future.
• What were the aims of the League of Nations set out in the Covenant?


  • Maintain peace and discourage aggression
  • Uphold the Treaty of Versailles
  • Encourage co-operation, especially in trade
  • Disarmament
  • Improve living and working conditions
  • Encourage collective security
• What was the purpose of collective security in the League of Nations?


  To prevent aggressive nations from attacking others by acting together.