Conflict And Tension Flashcards
What was the Locarno treaty and when?
How was it failure of the League?
The Locarno Treaties, 1925
Hostile relations between B and G due to 1923
In 1925, German foreign minister, Gustav Stresemann, invited Fr foreign minister to meet and improve relations. Since G wasn’t a member of the LoN the meetings were organised independently
Signed 7 treaties collectively known as the LT
Terms: G accepted the borders set up in the ToV; also signed by Britain, Italy, Belgium and
Czechoslovakia- agreed not to go to war with any of the others and if one of the countries broke the treaty they would support the country and invade
Failure? Treaty marked the failure for LoN- should have been at the forefront of
international peace but had nothing to do with it
What and when was the Kellogg Brian’s pact
In 1928 65 countries met in Paris
Terms: agreed not to use war as a way to solve disputes (signed by G and USA=not member of the LoN)
Failure? Once again individual countries acted independently of the League, making it look like a place where countries air their problems and not a place where practical solutions could be found
What is the order of road to war from 1933-1935
Aftermath and reactions of TOV
- Lloyd George of Britain liked the fact that Britain gained colonies and the German navy was restricted. But he also felt the terms were too harsh.
- Clemenceau had compromised but wanted the treaty to be harsher such as Germany having no army. He was soon voted out of office.
- Wilson was devastated that America would not join the League of Nations, his brainchild and that America would adopt a policy of isolationism.
What were the successes and failures of the league in order in the 1920s
- F 1920: Vilna, Poland invaded Vilna in Lithuania where Poles lived. League and France supported Poland as an ally against Hitler.
- S 1921-5: Upper Silesia. Area divided between Poland and Germany (although both sides unhappy with land received; Germany received rural, Poland fertile land but less).
- S 1921: The Aland Islands. Disputed over by Finland and Sweden, League gave islands to Finland who were forbidden to build forts and gun emplacements. Sweden agreed.
- F 1923: Corfu. Invaded by Mussolini of Italy after claiming advisors killed by Greeks. League ordered Greece to pay compensation and failed to stop Mussolini.
- S 1925: Bulgaria. Invaded by Greece who had soldiers killed. League forced Greece to withdraw and pay compensation.
- F 1929 Wall Street Crash led to economies around Europe collapsing. League powerless to stop people turning to extremist groups like the Nazis.
What was the dolfuss affair 1934?
The Austrian Chancellor, Dollfuss, tried to crack down on the Socialists and Nazis - political factions that he thought were tearing the country apart. Dollfuss banned the Nazi party. In 1934, Hitler ordered the Austrian Nazis to create havoc in Austria. This turned into an attempt to overthrow the government.
Chancellor Dollfuss was murdered but the attempted coup failed because the Austrian military intervened to back up the government. In 1934, Italy had an agreement with Austria that it would protect Austria from outside aggression.
Mussolini, honoured the agreement and moved Italian troops to the Austrian border to deter Hitler from invading.
In 1934, Dollfuss was assassinated by Austrian Nazis. It was at this point that Hitler considered an invasion to help support the Austrian Nazis. His plan was thwarted by Italy. Italy had threatened war with Germany if they had invaded, something which Hitler could not afford. Hitler realised:
- that he needed to improve the strength of the Germany and
- he needed the support of Italy.
What was the Manchurian Crisis?
In 1931, the Japanese Empire controlled the South Manchuria Railway. In the September the Japanese claimed that the Chinese had sabotaged the railway. Using this pretense the Japanese army invaded and over ran Manchuria with Japanese forces. They removed the Chinese defensive forces and renamed the area Manchukuo. In Manchukuo they created a puppet government which would do as Japan commanded.
China appealed directly to the League of Nations , as part of their territory had been invaded by Japan. The League sent officials to Manchuria, but the journey was long, it took a significant amount of time for the officials to arrive. It was therefore, an entire year before the League was able to publish the report in to the situation in Manchuria. The report itself was detailed and declared that Japan was in the wrong.
Japan should have then withdrawn from Manchuria, but instead decided it was going to continue the invasion of China. Japan’s argument was still one of self defence, and argued that it was necessary to protect itself from China. After the League voted to approve the report against Japan, Japan left the League, withdrawing its support.
This removal of Japan was a major blow to the League. What remained attempted to enforce economic sanctions against Japan, but were hampered by the fact that the biggest trading partner was the United States, who were not in the League. Britain also undermined the efforts of the League in punishing Japan as it wanted to keep good relations with the Japanese. Everytime the League came close to decision it would be averted as the members did not want a war to happen.
The Manchurian Crisis proved to international observers such as Italy and Germany that the League was powerless to stop international aggression.
No formal army made the League weak – Br and Fr were not willing to risk war and send troops.
If a country didn’t like a decision, they could ignore it or leave the League
WHEN AN AGGRESSIVE DICTATOR WANTED TO INVADE NEIGHBOURING TERRITORIES, THE L OF N WAS POWELESS TO PREVENT IT = GERMANY AND ITALY NOTES THIS!
What was the saar?
The German speaking Saar industrial area was taken from Germany by the T of V & put under LON. France had special access to coal there. A plebiscite (vote) among Germans was to be held after 15yrs to decide whether it should be returned to Germany principle of self determination.
Plebiscite was held 1935: 90% voted in favour!
Plebiscite = legal action. Hitler had legally overturned part of the Treaty of Versailles so no country could stop this especially as crowds cheered as the Nazi’s entered the Saar. Hitler’s grows in confidence.
Grows in money aswell.
What happened in Anchluss
Why? Shared history, culture and language also where Hitler was born
Schuschnigg signed the German-Austrian Agreement of 1936. This pact recognised the independence of Austria but the price was that Austria’s foreign policy had to be consistent with Germany’s. The agreement also allowed Nazis to hold official posts in Austria. Schuschnigg hoped this would appease Hitler. He was wrong.
1938: now he has Rome-Berlin Axis and has remilitarised Rhineland and grown army, Hitler feels strong and confident enough to try again.
When the Austrian government banned the party and asked Hitler for help to stop the plotting, Hitler held a meeting with the Austrian leader Schuschnigg.
Hitler put pressure on Schuschnigg to give all important jobs in his government to Nazis. He arranged riots and demonstrations to add to the pressure.
Schuschnigg compromised by appointing the Nazi Seyss-Inquart as Minister of the Interior (in charge of police)
France, and Britain both refused to help Austria
March 1938 Schuschnigg announced his intention to hold a plebiscite to allow the Austrian people to decide for themselves. Hitler not prepared to take the risk of losing = moved troops to the Austrian border and demanded that Schuschnigg call off the plebiscite.
Schuschnigg resigned> replaced by leading Nazi Seyss-Inquart, who invited the Germans into Austria to restore order (imprisoned 80,000 of Hitler’s opponents)!
Hitler entered Austria in triumph- union established 14 March 1938
A plebiscite was held> 99.75% agreed with Anschluss! Most Austrians wanted the union as keen to be part of glory of Hitler’s Reich
Results
- Germany added seven million people and an army of 100,000 to its Reich.
- Germany gained useful resources such as steel, iron ore and Austria’s foreign exchange reserves.
- The balance of power in south-eastern Europe shifted in favour of Germany, increasing their influence in the Balkans.
- Czechoslovakia was now surrounded on three fronts by Germany.
What happened in Abbsynia
Italy had tried but failed to conquer abbysinia in 1896. Mussolini now keen to avenge that defeat, get its rich resources, and get glory for Italy.Manchurian Crisis gave Mussolini the impression that the League would not stop aggressionso this gave him confidence to invade Abyssinia.
LON had to be careful again: Italy was a permanent member of the Council. L of N anxious to avoid a clash with Mussolini. Br and Fr thought he was their best ally against the growing threat of Hitler. They were joined together in the Stresa Front which opposed Hitler’s aims to change the Treaty of Versailles. French very keen to keep Italian support.
Dec 1934 clash at Wal-Wal between Italy and Abyssinia. Dispute passes to League for a decision.
But! Italy ignores Britain and the League. Oct 1935- Italy attacks Abyssinia causing destruction. Emperor Haile Selassie appealed to the League
Leagues response to Abbysinia
This was clearly an unprovoked invasion of the weak by the strong- inexcusable! For sanctions to work, they would need to be introduced at once. Br and Fr didn’t want to lose Mussolini as an ally = It took them two months to decide.
The League agreed on limited sanctions: - banned loans & sale of arms to Italy, & imports from Italy - League banned members from selling arms to Abyssinia as well as Italy- Abyssinia left with nothing to defend itself against Mussolini’s modern army - did not ban iron, coal, steel or oil (all the things needed for an invasion!) (Mussolini later said that if coal and oil had been banned he would have stopped his invasion) Why?
X didn’t ban oil exports as feared USA would still trade anyway as they weren’t in League
X didn’t ban coal exports as feared affect on British mining industry
X France continued to trade iron and steel
X Suez canal (owned by Br & Fr) wasn’t closed to Italy’s ships (Italy’s easiest route to Abyssinia)!
Hoare-Laval Pact: Br & Fr foreign ministers made a plan to end the fighting. It was a secret agreement between Br, Fr & Italy. The pact would give Italy 2/3rd Abyssinia including the best areas. But- plan was leaked > outcry and failure of pact! Hoare & Laval forced to resign. This showed Br & Fr self-interests were put before L of N interests
May 1936 Italians captures capital of Abyssinia. Selassie makes another appeal to the League for help but the war was over. Abyssinia became part of the Italian empire.
What was the road to war in 1933-1935
How was appeasement carried out from 1933-1939?
Rhineland and Anglo-german Naval agreement
Anchluss
sudetenland
How did Germans rearm?
Rearmament Withdrew Germany from the World Disarmament Conference on the grounds that no other power was disarming. Claimed Germany wanted peace & would disarm completely if other powers did so.
- * Hitler withdrew Germany from L of N 1933**
- * Introduced conscription 1935 (claimed army was needed for defence). France**
- * GB supported Germany’s right to rearm by signing a naval agreement with Hitler in 1935, allowing G to build a fleet as long as it was no more than 35% of theirs.**
Why did he get away with it?: Wilson’s 14 points said for all countries to reduce arms, only Germany had. France had in fact increased conscription to 18 months. It was only fair Germany should have an army and navy too. Claimed they needed an army for self defence. Britain didn’t act as it felt key parts of the treaty were unfair. France didn’t act as it could not act on its own – Invasion of Ruhr 1923 proved this. = divide between Britain and France grows. Hitler exploits this. Hitler also makes sure whenever he does something that could cause a reaction, he follows up with an action suggesting peace.
What happened in the Rhineland?
Under the terms of ToV, the Rhineland remained in Germany but troops, weapons or fortifications were not allowed in the area
In 1935, Fr and the USSR signed the Franco-Soviet pact- agreed to support each other if either was attacked by G >> Hitler argued that G was under threat from the western and eastern fronts
So, Hitler ordered his troops to march into the Rhineland- an act clearly in defiance of the T of V and Locarno Pact! Hitler had confidence to do this after no one opposed rearmament and due to success in Saar.
His troops were greeted by civilians who gave them flowers
Hitler had been relying on such a welcome, his army was still small and he instructed his generals that they were to retreat if they faced resistance
- * Hitler noticed the failure of the L of N to act against Mussolini-** he correctly calculated that he too could get away with aggressive action!
- * Hitler followed this up with another promise of peace: 25 year non-aggression pact. Lulling countries into a false sense of security whilst he carries out his plans to overturn the Treaty of Versailles! Locarno Pact: Agreement between France, Belgium and Germany guaranteeing b d**
- * For Hitler the message was clear: Br + Fr both lacked nerve to fight. When time was right he would act again.**
- * Mussolini signed a pact with Hitler, the Rome-Berlin Axis (Hitler & Mussolini supported the Spanish fascist General Franco in the Spanish Civil War- brought Italy & Germany together) >> also allowed Hitler to test his weapons and allow his men to gain experience of war**
Hitler now knew Mussolini wouldn’t stop Anschluss in future!
