Inter war years

• AIMS of the League of Nations

  • Encourage co-operation
  • Stop aggression
  • Disarmament
  • Improve social conditions
• Membership of the League of Nations

  • 42 original members - by 1930s 59 members
  • Defeated countries could not join e.g. Germany
  • Russia excluded because Communist
  • USA did not join - isolation from world affairs
• Structure of the League of Nations

  • The Assembly - each country one vote
  • The Council - met several times a year and in emergencies, 5 permanent members each had right to veto any idea
  • The Secretariat - kept records, civil service
  • Permanent court of International Justice - based at The Hague, settle disputes peacefully
• Powers of the League of Nations

  If a country ignored the ruling of the League it could: put moral pressure on countries, refuse to trade - sanctions, send in troops - member countries join together
• Strengths of the League of Nations

  • Many countries supported it in early days - they wanted peace
  • Settled some land disputes in 1920s
  • Helped refugees from the war to resettle
  • Dealt with spread of disease
  • Fought for better working and living conditions for people
• Weaknesses of the League of Nations

  • USA didn't join and Britain and France weren't in a position to really run things due to the impact of WWI
  • No real power - relied on goodwill and persuasion
  • No permanent army
  • Disarmament not realistic
  • Structure a disaster - everyone had to agree before any action taken
  • There was a reluctance to take action when issues such as the Japanese invasion of Manchuria took place
• The Paris Peace Conference

  • 12 month conference where leaders of the winning countries of WWI met to discuss how to deal with the defeated countries
  • Took place in the Palace of Versailles in France
  • No-one from the defeated countries were invited
• Treaties drawn up at the Paris Peace Conference

  • The Treaty of Versailles - dealt with Germany
  • Four other treaties
• The 'Big Three'


  The leaders of France, USA, and Great Britain who made the important decisions on the fate of Germany
• Georges Clemenceau


  • A hard, tough politician with a reputation for being uncompromising. He had seen his country invaded twice by the Germans in 1870 and 1914. He was determined not to allow such devastation ever again.
• Woodrow Wilson


  • An idealist and a reformer. As President, he had campaigned against corruption in politics and business. He wanted the war to end fairly so that future wars could be avoided.
• David Lloyd George


  • A realist. As an experienced politician, he knew there would have to be compromise. Thus he occupied the middle ground between the views of Wilson and those of Clemenceau.
• Aims of the Paris Peace Conference


  • Punish Germany
  • Cripple Germany so that it could not start another war
  • Reward the winning countries
  • Establish a just and lasting peace
• The Treaty of Versailles

  Caused rage for the German people, ended up causing World War II
• The German Kaiser (king) went into exile instead of staying around to support his people against the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
• Terms of the Treaty of Versailles


  • Pay reparations to the Allies for the damages caused by the war
  • War guilt - Germany had to accept the blame for starting the war
  • Loss of territories and colonies - 10% of land lost, all of Germany's overseas colonies and 12.5% of its population
  • Reduced armed forces - army limited to 100,000 men and not allowed vehicles, sub-marines or aircraft
• The Treaty of Versailles was signed

  28th June 1919
• French aims (TOV):

  • To cripple Germany so that it could not attack France again
  • Demanded a treaty that would weaken Germany as much as possible
  • The French President wanted Germany broken up into multiple smaller states (Clemenceau knew the British and the Americans would not agree to this). 
• USA aims (TOV):

  • For Germany to be punished, but not too harshly (in case someday the Germans recovered, and sought revenge) 
• Great Britain aims (TOV):

  Middle ground between France and USA

  • Wanted Germany punished, but not too harshly
  • Germany to lose it’s naval colonies so to not threaten the British empire
  • Also wanted Germany and Britain to start trading again
• League of Nations: Proposed by Wilson’s 14 point plan to achieve world peace, (14th point)
• Why USA didn’t join:

  • Recent American immigrants didn’t approve of the USA fighting against Germany (therefore hated the TOV)
  • Concerned about economic impacts 
  • Preferred to stay out of European affairs - isolationism 
  • Some citizens were Anti-British and Anti-French
• Germany had to pay 6.6 billion pounds in reparations
• German attitude to TOV:

  • Most Germans felt the treaty was too harsh
  • The Treaty became a source of rage for the Germans- they were angered by what the allies were forcing them to do (e.g. starving them)
• Weimar Republic: The new German government that replaced Kaiser Wilhelm II.