The Treaty of Versailles

Three of the most important countries, USA, Germany and Russia, were not members. Wilson had lost control of Congress to the Republicans. The League was dominated by Britain and France. Also, the League did not have its own army.

However, in the 20s, the League resolved disputes between Yugoslavia and Albania, Greece and Belgium, Upper Silesia between Poland and Germany, and the Aaland islands between Finland and Sweden.

1. Germany was allowed to join the League in 1926.
2. Washington treaty between Britain, France, USA and Japan, meant limited naval expansion for ten years.
3. Locarno Pact, 1925 – Changes of Treaty of Versailles
4. Kellogg Briand Pact 1928 – 45 countries agree never to go to war to settle disputes.

Failures of the League – Russo-Polish war, Vilna (Poland took it from Lithuania). The Ruhr 1923 – invaded by France and Belgium after no reparations. The Soviet Union became a member in 1934.

The Great Depression, following the Wall Street Crash, Italy, Japan and Germany adopted aggressive foreign policies to solve economic problems. Because of this, countries were reluctant to impose economic sanctions, as this would make their trade even worse.

September 1931 – Japan’s invasion of Manchuria (Chinese). Both were League members. The League ordered Japan to withdraw. The government agreed, but their army refused. In December 1931, the Lytton Commission was set up, but by February, Manchuria had already been occupied. In November 1932, the Lytton report ordered Japan to withdraw. Japan then left the League in February 1933.

Another failure was the World Disarmament Conference in 1932-33. Hitler said that either all countries should disarm to the level imposed on Germany, or Germany should be allowed to match levels of other countries. This dispute was not settled, so Hitler took Germany out of the conference and the League.

Another set-back was when Italy invaded Abyssinia, 1935. Non-members continued to trade, and after some minor sanctions, Britain and France drew up the “Hoare-Laval Pact” to give 2/3 of Abyssinia to Italy. This collapsed, and the League finally placed sanctions on oil and petrol. It was too late – May 1936 – Italy took over Abyssinia and renamed it 2Ethiopia”.The League sanctions ended, but Italy left the League in December 1937 anyway.

Germany

The Weimar Republic faced many problems, due to political opposition, and economic problems, connected to the war and reparations. Most Germans hated the government for signing the treaty of Versailles, and saw democracy as a foreign idea imposed on Gemany’s “Kaiser rule” by the allies.

The Communist Party (KDP) organised strikes in Berlin (March 1919) that were suppressed by the army and the Freikorps. Kapp’s Putch of 1920 was defeated by a general workers strike. A communist uprising in the Ruhr was suppressed by the army and Freikorps, who shot thousands of workers.

1. In 1922, Germany could no longer pay reparations.
2. So, in 1923 French and Belgian troops occupied the Ruhr, to take food, coal iron ore and steel as payment. Germany replied with passive resistance.
3. The economy collapsed, leading to hyper-inflation.
4. In September 1923, Gustav Stresemann became Chancellor.
5. Stresemann called off passive resistance and promised to pay reparations.
6. In November 1923, Stresemann introduced the Rentenmark, to end inflation.
7. In 1924, Stresemann negotiated “The Dawes Plan” with the USA. This reduced the size of reparation instalments and provided US loans to revive industry.
8. In 1929 the “Young Plan” bought in more loans, and reparations were reduced and spread over 60 years.

1. In 1920 the Nazi Party was formed, and in 1921, Adolf Hitler became its leader.
2. Two years previously Hitler had been sent by the army to spy on this party, as they though it might be a left wing party.
3. However, it was an extreme national party, and Hitler liked its ideas, and decided to join it.
4. In 1920, it adopted a 25-point programme that contained nationalist and anti-semitic policies.
5. Hitler set up the “Strormtroopers” as the army for the Nazi’s. These were mostly ex-soldiers who attacked left wing political meetings and demonstrations.
6. When the German government called off passive resistance, the Nazi Party was furious and, supported by General Ludendorff, attempted the “Beer Hall Putch” to overthrow the Weimar government.
7. The Putch failed, Hitler was arrested and sent to jail for 5 years. However, it did gain support for the Nazi party.
8. Hitler was released from jail in December 1924.
9. Hitler reorganised the party, more members were recruited, and party branches were found all over Germany.
10. In 1926, Goebbels took over Nazi propaganda.
11. Hitler decided that to win power the Nazi’s would need to have elections.
12. In 1925, Hitler set up the SS, his personal army. 1929, Himmler became its leader.
13. Because of the depression, Germany was doing badly, unemployment was rising. The coalition government collapsed and Hindenburg increasingly ruled by decree.
14. By 1932 the Nazis were the largest single party, and in January 1933, Hitler became Chancellor.
15. In January 1933, von Papen (leader of the nationalists) persuaded Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as Chancellor.
16. Hitler called a new election for March 1933. In February the Reichstag fire took place, the Nazi’s blamed the communists, and the KDP was banned.
17. Hitler got the Reichstag to pass the Enabling Act in March 1933, which gave Hitler the power to rule by decree for four years.
18. Trade unions were banned, opposition parties were banned, and Germany became a dictatorship.
19. Hitler faced opposition from the SA, and its leader Ernst Rohm. The SA wanted to become the new German army. In June 1934, Hitler ordered the Night of the Long Knives, in which the SS murdered Rohm and other SA leaders. When Hindenburg died, Hitler became the Fuhrer – president and chancellor.
20. The terror campaign was carried out by the Gestapo and the SS - controlled by Himmler.
21. Methods of terror included informers and block-leaders, mass arrests to intimidate opponents, and concentration camps.
22. Goebbels, head of propaganda, censored newspapers, placed loudspeakers in workplaces and public areas to ensure everyone heard Nazi ideas. Nuremberg Rallies were filmed for cinema, reflecting Nazi ideas.
23. In 1933 Germany’s rearmament had begun in secret, and in 1935 was carried out openly. In 1936, Goring’s 4 year plan prepared Germany for war.

1. Policies were based on the 3Ks, and women were encouraged by a system of loans to stay at home and have children.
2. The Motherhood Cross system gave medals to women who had large families, allowing them certain privileges.
3. Law forced women out of certain jobs, and employers were encouraged to give all jobs to men.
4. Advances towards equal rights for women under the Weimar Republic were removed.
5. Women ‘unfit’ to be mothers (physically and mentally disabled) were sterilised.
6. The ‘German Women’s Enterprise’ trained women in household and parenting skills.
7. The Nazis discouraged make up and trousers, and gave guidelines on what hair should look like.

1. The Nazis wanted to control young people to ensure their support in the future.
2. Teachers had to swear loyalty to Hitler and join the “Nazis’ Teachers’ League”. Jewish teachers were sacked.
3. A new curriculum was made with emphasis placed on history, race sciences and PE. Textbooks were rewritten to include Nazi ideas.
4. Young people were encouraged to join Hitler Youth Programmes. By 1939 membership was essential.

1. In 1934 Jews were banned from certain public places, and certain jobs.
2. In 1935, the Nuremberg laws removed German citizenship from all Jews, forbade inter-marriage, and limited Jewish people’s rights to work and own property.
3. In November 1938, the “Night of the Broken Glass” saw attacks on Jewish homes shops and synagogues. Many were put in concentration camps, and the Jews were fined one billion marks for damages.