1. State of post war Europe Note the key issues on your map sheet
Much of France destroyed
Over 2/3 men in French army had been killed or injured
France believed Germany to still be a threat
Germany had not been as badly damaged when compared to France
France was left with a population of around 40 million whereas Germany had a population of around 75 million
Fear of spread of Communism
All countries (except USA) that had fought were exhausted
Millions of men had been killed or injured on both sides
Ordinary civilians faced shortages of food and medicine
Illness and disease was common place
The economies and industries of countries that had fought were in a bad state
Total British and French casualties, killed or injured amounted to more than 9 million

2. Build a better and more peaceful world [USA]
Wanted to set up an international body called the League Of Nations (point 14 of the Fourteen Points) [USA]
Strengthen democracy in the defeated nation to avoid leaders causing another war [USA]
Build a better and more peaceful world [USA]
Uphold the debts owed to the USA by Britain and its allies – to ensure they accept ideas [USA]
Germany should be punished but the Treaty of Versailles should not be too harsh (it might cause revenge) [USA]
Nations should co-operate to achieve world peace – the Fourteen Points would help to achieve this [USA]
Self-determination. Countries should rule themselves rather than be rules by others i.e. end empires [USA]
Demanded a treaty that would weaken Germany as much as possible [FRANCE]
Stop Germany from ever being able to attack France again [FRANCE]
Rebuild France and restore it to how it had been before the war [FRANCE]
Wanted Germany to be justly punished but not too harshly [BRITAIN]
Take away Germany’s navy and colonies (empire) because it threatens the British Empire [BRITAIN]
Avoid future revenge and war because of a treaty that is too harsh. Avoid all war. [BRITAIN]
Begin trading between Britain and Germany again – trade with Germany meant jobs for the British
Promised to “make Germany pay” in order to please his countrymen [BRITAIN]
Cut out as cards for sorting into Venn diagram

3. League of Nations Army restrictions Territorial changes War Guilt
T R A W L
Army restrictions
Territorial changes
War Guilt
Reparations

4. Germany reaction Allies reaction
So…could the Treaty be justified?

5. The Mandates Commission
The League of Nations
The Council
The Mandates Commission
The Assembly
The Secretariat
The Refugees Committee
The Permanent Court of International Justice
The Slavery Commission
The International Labour Organisation (ILO)
The Health Committee

6. Treaty of Versailles and the other treaties….
Treaty of Versailles, 1919: Germany
Other peace treaties…
Sep 1919 – Treaty of St. Germain (Austria)
- Separated Austria from Hungary; forbidden to join
-  Created new state of Czechoslovakia
-Transylvania given to Romania
-Four areas of western border land give to Italy
-  Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina given to Serbia created Yugoslavia
-  Army reduced to 30,000 men
-  Pay reparations (not paid due to bank collapse, 1922)
-North east land  newly formed Poland
Nov 1919 – Treaty of Neuilly (Bulgaria)
- Had to pay £100 million reparations
- Army reduced to 20,000 men
- Lost land to Greece and Yugoslavia
June 1920 – Treaty of Trianon (Hungary)
- Break up of Austro-Hungarian Empire (many Hungarians now under foreign rule)
-Army reduced to 35,000 men
- Land lost to Yugoslavia, Romania and Czechoslovakia
- - Reparations (never paid due to economy collapse)
1920 – Treaty of Sevres (Turkey)
Smyrna & Eastern Thrace given to Greece
Turks overthrew the Sultan’s government in outrage
Sea opened up to all nations
The Ottoman Empire was split up
Arabia was made independent
Turkey’s countries in the Middle East were given to Britain and France as LofN mandates: Iraq, Palestine & Transjordan to France; Syria to Britain
Independent Armenian State to be created
1923 – Treaty of Lausanne (Turkey)
Smyrna & Eastern Thrace given back to Turkey
All foreign troops left Turkey
Turkey regained control over sea
Turkey did not have to pay reparations
No limits placed on Turkey’s armed forces a5

7. How effective was the League in the 1920s?
Judgement:

8. Upper Silesia Aaland Islands
In 1921, the League helped to solve a dispute between Poland and Germany over the territory of Upper Silesia.
League troops took temporary control of the area and the League organised a vote of the people who lived there to decide which state they wanted to be part of.
The industrial areas voted mostly for Germany and rural areas voted mostly for Poland. The League divided the region along these lines, with safe-guards for co-operation over power and water supplies in the border areas. Both Germany and Poland accepted the final result of the vote.
In 1920 both Sweden and Finland claimed the right to the Aaland Islands. The League investigated the issue and the territory was given to Finland.
These islands belonged to Finland but were claimed by Sweden. Most islanders wanted to be ruled by Sweden.
The two countries referred their dispute to the League of Nations which decided that Finland should keep the islands but that the islanders’ Swedish way of life should be protected. Both countries accepted the decision.

9. Invasion of Bulgaria Poland invaded Vilna
In 1925 Greece invaded Bulgaria. The League of Nations ordered the Greeks to withdraw and they did.
Both these nations share a border. In 1925, patrolling border brigades fired on one another over a border dispute and a Greek soldier was killed. The Greek army invaded Bulgaria and the Bulgarians asked the League for help.
Both armies were ordered to stop fighting and Greece was ordered to withdraw from Bulgaria. The League decided that Greece was to blame and fined them £45,000. Both nations accepted the decision.
In 1920 both the new states of Poland and Lithuania claimed the ancient town of Vilna, the capital of Lithuania in the Middle Ages but now mostly inhabited by Poles. A Polish army seized Vilna.
The League asked the Poles to withdraw to allow the inhabitants to vote on their future. The Poles refused.
The Conference of Ambassadors awarded Vilna to Poland.

10. Italy invade Corfu Austria & Hungary
In Austria and Hungary faced bankruptcy. Their economies had not recovered after the war and the burden of paying reparations was making this worse.
The League arranged international loans for the two countries and sent commissioners to supervise how the money was spent.
The League temporarily took over the economic management of the two countries, which allowed economic recovery.
In 1923 Italian leaders of a working party of the Conference of Ambassadors were ambushed and killed in Greece by unknown gunmen. Italy’s leader, Mussolini, demanded an apology from the Greek government and a large fine in compensation. When the Greeks refused, the Italian navy bombarded the Greek island of Corfu and marines occupied it, thus breaking the League Covenant. The Greeks appealed to the League.
The League proposed Greece should pay money into a neutral account while an enquiry took place. Mussolini disagreed, said the League was interfering, and threatened to end Italy’s membership. The League Council passed responsibility to the Conference of Ambassadors, of which Italy was a member.
The Conference ordered Greece to pay 50 million lira to Italy. The Italians left Corfu. Many people criticised the League for failing to condemn aggression.

11. Locarno treaties Kellogg-Briand Pact Not led by League
In 1928, US Secretary of State, Frank Kellogg, the French minister Briand arranged for 61 countries to sign the Kellogg- Briand Pact (an anti-war agreement).
Each country promised not to use war as a way of solving international disputes. It seemed like a triumph of pacifism (avoiding war) and common sense.
However it could be seen as a weakening of the League whose strength lay in the belief of collective security (safety in numbers). No sanctions were agreed upon against countries that ignored the agreement in the future.
In Autumn 1925 a whole series of Treaties were drawn up at Locarno in Switzerland and then signed in London, in December of 1925.
These treaties involved leading European countries, including Germany and the USSR who were not in the League of Nations at that time.
Some of the treaties were agreements to settle disputes peacefully. The main treaty involved France, Belgium and Germany. (Germany was invited to join the League in 1926.) They promised to not invade each other and Germany agreed to keep its troops out of the Rhineland. Germany basically accepted the terms of the Treaty of Versailles regarding territory in the west of Germany.
Not led by League
Not led by League

12. Not led by League Not led by League Locarno treaties
Kellogg-Briand Pact
Locarno treaties
In 1928, US Secretary of State, Frank Kellogg, the French minister Briand arranged for 61 countries to sign the Kellogg- Briand Pact (an anti-war agreement).
Each country promised not to use war as a way of solving international disputes. It seemed like a triumph of pacifism (avoiding war) and common sense.
However it could be seen as a weakening of the League whose strength lay in the belief of collective security (safety in numbers). No sanctions were agreed upon against countries that ignored the agreement in the future.
In Autumn 1925 a whole series of Treaties were drawn up at Locarno in Switzerland and then signed in London, in December of 1925.
These treaties involved leading European countries, including Germany and the USSR who were not in the League of Nations at that time.
Some of the treaties were agreements to settle disputes peacefully. The main treaty involved France, Belgium and Germany. (Germany was invited to join the League in 1926.) They promised to not invade each other and Germany agreed to keep its troops out of the Rhineland. Germany basically accepted the terms of the Treaty of Versailles regarding territory in the west of Germany.
Not led by League
Not led by League

13. How significant was the French invasion of the Ruhr in 1923?
Causes
Events
Consequences
At the time (short term)…
Long term…

14. Mussolini Franco Hitler Stalin Tojo
Character
Charismatic
Arrogant
Disliked authority
Intelligent
Disobedient
Not particularly intelligent
Brutal/ruthless
Fearless
Professional
Artistic
Introverted
School dropout
Decorated for bravery in WW1
Cruel streak
Paranoid
Great administrator
Skilful field commander
Stern disciplinarian
Hardworking and efficient
Aggressive
Aims
Create a new Italian Empire
Set up BlackShirts
Destroy left wing opposition
Ally with Italy and Germany
Destroy TofV
Make Germany great again
Create master race
Destroy rivals
Spread Communism
Destroy fascists
Expand Japanese territory and authority
Ally with Hitler
Domestic policy
Anti-Jewish
Get rid of democratic gvmt
Reduce unemployment
Recreate success of Ancient Rome
Get rid of left wing groups and communists in Spain
Combine fascist and monarchist political parties
Set up secret police
Anti-Semitism
Persecute all non-Aryans
1935 Nuremburg Laws
End democracy
End unemployment
Rapid industrialisation
Collectivism
Destroy rivals/opposition
Forced labour
Build up Japan’s economy
Foreign policy
Support Franco in Spanish Civil War
Ally with Nazis
Create Italian Empire
Invade countries to show military strength
Declare Spain neutral but help Hitler fight Russia in WW2 with 50,000 volunteer Spanish soldiers
Living space for German speaking people
Unite all German speaking people
Ally with Hitler to avoid an invasion of Russia
Destroy right wing groups
Comintern (spread Communism internationally)
Attack USA
Attack Russia
Attack China
Be aggressive

15. 1914: Outbreak of the First World War; America did not join until 1917
Countries borrowed money from America to fund their armies
1918: Germany and its allies lost the war
The losing countries were forced to pay reparations
America loaned money to other countries to help them rebuild. This led to most countries getting richer in the 1920s and reduced international tension
1929: The Wall Street Crash; the American economy collapsed. American Industries went bankrupt and the people could not afford to buy luxuries
Industries all over the world lost a valuable market for trade and their profits dropped; they had to fire workers; people became more and more desperate
People lost faith in their governments and looked for strong leaders who could help their countries recover
Political parties with extreme ideas (like the Nazis) came to power, promising to make their countries strong again
There were problems in Asia. Since 1900, Japan’s economy and population had been growing rapidly. By the 1920s Japan was a major power. It had a powerful army and navy, a strong industry exporting goods to the USA and China and a growing empire. The Depression hit Japan badly – it threatened to bankrupt Japan
Countries were too busy dealing with their own problems to support the League of Nations
Answers

16. Sort your cards into these sections
Motivation
Justification
Reaction
Sort your cards into these sections

17. Motivation
Justification
Reaction

18. AIMS (as outlined in Hitler’s book, ‘Mein Kampf’) Cunning Lucky
Abolish the Treaty of Versailles
Unjust and hated
Humiliating reminder of defeat in First World War
Expand German territory
- Get back land lost in Treaty of Versailles
Unite with Austria
Unite all German speaking people
Create Lebensraum (living space) for Germans in eastern Europe
Defeat Communism
Blamed Communists/Bolsheviks for defeat of Germany in First World War
Believed the Bolsheviks were planning a takeover of Germany
Wanted land in Soviet Union
1933
Germany left the League of Nations
1934
The Dollfuss Affair
1935
The Saar
(1933-)1935
German rearmament and conscription
1936
Remilitarisation of the Rhineland
Spanish Civil War
1936/37
Anti-Comintern Pact
1938
Anschluss

19. League actions failed League actions succeeded1
1920 Poland invaded Vilna 2
1920 Sweden & Finland argue over Aaland Islands 3
1921 Poland & Germany argue over Upper Silesia 4
Austria & Hungary declared bankruptcy 5
1923 Italy invade Corfu 6
1925 Greek invasion of Bulgaria 7
1925 Locarno Treaties 8
1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact 9
1933
Germany left the League of Nations 10
1934
The Dollfuss Affair 11
1935
The Saar 12
(1933-)1935
German rearmament and conscription 13
1936
Remilitarisation of the Rhineland 14
Spanish Civil War 15
1936/37
Anti-Comintern Pact 16
Rome-Berlin Axis 17
1938 Anschluss
League actions failed League actions succeeded

20. Chamberlain’s first meeting with Hitler
Lebensraum
By March 1938, Hitler had broken the Treaty of Versailles on many occasions but nothing had been done to stop him – either by the League of Nations or a major power
Hitler now turned his attention to Czechoslovakia, however Czechoslovakia was a strong nation, with a big army and lots of defences on the border with Germany. To take it, Hitler would first have to take the border region known as the Sudetenland
Czechoslovakia had been set up under the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler wanted it in order to destroy the Treaty of Versailles, because it had many forts, railways and industries and, it was home to around 3 million German-speaking people who claimed to be treated badly by the Czechs because they were a 20% minority. Hitler used this an excuse – he said that he needed to save the German speakers in the Sudetenland from bullying
The Sudetenland was also a good base from which to attack and seize the rest of Czechoslovakia
Tactics
Hitler used similar tactics as those used in Austria – Nazis in the Sudetenland started demonstrations to weaken the government. Hitler made it clear that he intended to fight for the region
As tensions rose, Europe held its breath. People knew what Hitler and his air force were capable of because they had seen a demonstration of his power during the Spanish Civil War. This scared people
Politicians in Britain and France racked their brains to find a way to stop Hitler invading the Sudetenland because they knew that if he did, Britain and France could be obliged to protect Czechoslovakia and declare war. They wanted to avoid this
Chamberlain’s first meeting with Hitler
On 15th September 1938, the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, flew to Hitler’s holiday home to meet with Hitler
Hitler told Chamberlain that the crisis could only be resolved if he was allowed the Sudetenland
Chamberlain was desperate to avoid war and agreed, so long as all actions were peaceful. Chamberlain’s actions were known as Appeasement – the desire to avoid war by giving in to smaller things. Chamberlain then met with the Czechs and forced them to agree to Hitler’s terms
Chamberlain’s second meeting with Hitler
On 22nd September 1938, Chamberlain returned to Germany and met Hitler again
Hitler had changed his demands. He now wanted the Sudetenland to be handed over sooner and insisted that Hungary and Poland should also receive Czech land
This was not what Chamberlain had agreed to. Hitler was demanding more and more and war seemed to loom over Europe

21. Czechoslovakia worried Appeasement
After Hitler created Anschluss with Austria, the Czech government believed that they would be the next country to come under Nazi pressure for Lebensraum
Czechoslovakia turned to Britain and France for help. The French were bound by a previous treaty to protect Czech independence and Britain felt that they should support their ally, France
Britain and France agreed that they would support Czechoslovakia if Germany invaded. The British Prime Minister, Chamberlain, was determined to find a peaceful solution and asked Hitler what his intentions towards Czechoslovakia were
Hitler gave his word that Czechoslovakia had nothing to fear from him
Appeasement
Britain and France had believed that they could use Hitler to stand up to what they believed was the worst threat at the time – Communism. Britain also felt that the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh and were therefore convinced that Hitler would become peaceful once he had overturned some of it
Britain and France were not in a financial position to fight a war because of World War One and the Great Depression. Furthermore, the people of Britain and France did not wish to see a repeat of the horrors of World War One
Lastly, the USA had told Britain and France that they would not support them in a war against Hitler. Britain and France were not strong enough on their own
The Munich Agreement, September 1938
A final meeting was held with Hitler in Munich on 29th September The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy decided to give in to Hitler’s demands. They announced that Czechoslovakia would lose the Sudetenland. This became known as the Munich Agreement
Hitler had gambled that the British would not risk war and it paid off. He was given the Sudetenland without a shot having to be fired. On the 1st October, German troops marched into the Sudetenland. At the same time, Hungary and Poland helped themselves to Czech territory where Hungarians and Poles were living
The Czechs had been betrayed and their leader resigned. Europe was relieved to have avoided war. While Chamberlain was signing the Munich Agreement, he was increasing British spending on arms in preparation for war
Hitler invades the rest of Czechoslovakia, March 1939
Nobody trusted Hitler but they were desperate to avoid war. On 15th march 1939, German troops took over the rest of Czechoslovakia
There was no resistance from the Czechs. Britain and France did nothing about the situation. It was now clear that Hitler could not be trusted
Britain and France told Hitler that if he invade Poland next, that they would declare war on Germany. The policy of Appeasement was ended

22. Why did Germany want Poland?
By late 1938, Hitler had taken over both Austria and Czechoslovakia. Poland was Hitler’s next step in his quest for Lebensraum.
In the hated Treaty of Versailles, areas of Germany had been given away to form the new state of Poland. Many Germans lost their property or found themselves living outside Germany. When Hitler came to power he promised to destroy the Treaty of Versailles, reunite German-speaking people and claim Lebensraum in the east. Invading Poland would help him to achieve these aims.
Hitler had grown confident. He had seen Britain and France fail to take action against him as he broke the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and did not think that they would stop him invading Poland even though they had agreed to protect it.
Poland had no natural frontiers and would be easy to attack.

23. What was the Nazi Soviet Pact?
When Poland was created at the end of the First World War it had been made up of former German and Russian territories.
Both countries hated the new state of Poland and the USSR (Russia) immediately started to question whether it should exist.
Stalin, the leader of Russia, was determined to reclaim this land and Hitler was concerned about what Stalin would do if the Germans invaded.
Hitler could not risk Stalin getting involved and so he sent his foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, to make a deal. If the USSR allowed Hitler to invade Poland, the USSR would be given Polish territory.
On 23 August 1939 a non-aggression pact was signed. It was called the Nazi Soviet Pact.

24. Why didn’t the USSR trust Britain and France?
During the First World War, Russia had been allies with Britain and France. Hitler had made many speeches about how Russians were racially/genetically inferior to Germans, he had murdered and imprisoned Communists in Germany and had promised to destroy Communism. By 1939 Stalin feared that he could no longer trust his old allies for a number of reasons:
Stalin joined the League of Nations in 1934 but saw how weak it was in dealing with the issues in Manchuria, Abyssinia and the Rhineland. He did not think the League could protect Russia from Hitler’s threats.
In 1934 the USSR and France had signed an agreement stating that France would protect Russia from German invasion but when Hitler remilitarised the Rhineland, France did nothing. If the French would not react to aggression on their own doorstep, then the USSR did not believe that they would protect anyone else.
Britain and France had followed a policy of Appeasement towards Germany in the 1930s. One of their justifications for this was that Hitler could be used to fight Communism, so they allowed him to rearm. Britain and France clearly did not trust Stalin.
In 1938 the Allies signed the Munich Agreement with Hitler. Stalin was not invited or consulted. He lost any faith he had left in these nations.
Lord Halifax, the foreign minister, and Chamberlain both hated Communism. They both turned down Stalin when he first invited them to Russia for talks. This was a massive snub. When the situation in Czechoslovakia got worse, the British decided that they did need the USSR on their side after all and in April 1939 British diplomats were sent to the USSR in the hope of agreeing an alliance. The man in charge was Reginald Drax. He travelled by boat, which was slow, and made the Russians think that he did not value the meeting. Drax also did not have much authority and had to clear every decision with London – this made the meetings drag on and very little was decided. Lord Halifax also questioned how powerful the USSR military really was.
The Polish people knew that the Russians hated them and wanted their territory back. The Polish would not allow Russian troops to be stationed in Poland to protect them from a Nazi invasion. This caused more mistrust between the Allies and Russia.
Hitler sent Ribbentrop, his foreign minster, to meet with Stalin. Compared to Britain and France ignoring him in Munich, Hitler seemed to respect and value Stalin . This went down well.

25. Why did Russia sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
Hitler and Stalin secretly agreed to split Poland between them. Stalin could destroy Poland and reclaim land that had been taken from Russia. He would gain territory in Poland and Hitler would do all the fighting for him.
Stalin did not really trust Hitler. He suspected that Hitler would turn against him at some point. Signing this pact meant that he was able to buy time, which allowed Russia to build up its army ready for war.
The USSR could see that Britain and France would not stand up to Hitler; they had left Stalin out key issues such as the Munich Agreement and Britain had insulted Russia further by sending powerless men to negotiate alliances with them.
Stalin felt isolated. Perhaps he thought that it was better to be allies with Hitler than to be invaded by him.
Owning territory in Poland would create a buffer zone, which would be useful if Hitler decided to invade Russia.

26. Why did Germany sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
During the First World War Germany had fought a war on two fronts. The French and British attacked from the west while Russia attacked from the east.
Germany had had to divide its troops to fight in two different directions, which had weakened the army and ultimately led to defeat. Hitler was determined not to make the same mistake.
Hitler knew that war was more and more likely as he achieved his foreign policy e.g. Lebensraum. He also knew that Russia was a vast country with an equally vast army. He needed to take the Russians out of the equation.

27. What was the significance of the pact?
Some historians have said that the Nazi-Soviet Pact made war inevitable. Hitler now knew that he could invade Poland without facing a war on two fronts.
After Hitler had broken the Munich Agreement and invaded Czechoslovakia, Britain and France realised that the policy of Appeasement was not working and vowed to protect Poland if Hitler invaded.
The pact also meant that when war did break out, Britain and France would face Germany without the support of Russia. The Soviet army would fight with the Nazis, which meant that Hitler had the upper hand.
(The pact persuaded Britain that war was imminent.)

28. Importance in causing war
Source
CAUSE
Invasion of Poland
Failure of the League
Nazi Soviet Pact
Why it led to war
Importance in causing war
A British cartoon from September The giant is Mars, the God of War

29. Importance in causing war
Source
CAUSE
Appeasement
The Great Depression
The Treaty of Versailles
Why it led to war
Importance in causing war

30. Arguments FOR Appeasement…
Role in causing WW2?
Arguments AGAINST Appeasement…