International Relations - Interwar Flashcards

Question

The Wall Street Crash

Answer 1

People thought they were living in the age of invention, where there were no limits, and there was a 'new level of prosperity, never going to go back'. However, in 1929 unemployment rates were rising, automobile sales falling, and delirious optimism ran rampant in Wall Street. 27 August 1929 Dow Jones average reached an all time peak, sparking speculation. The Wall Street economy was disconnected from the actual economy (speculative bubble fueled speculation). The stock market dipped, rose, then lurched downwards. In September, Roger Babson warned Wall Street about the crash in on October 23 1929, stock prices plummeted, and people began selling in a panic. In less than 2 hours nearly 10 billion invested in stocks was wiped out. On the Friday, banks withdrew stabilising funds, on Tuesday there was a second tidal wave of selling, with 16 million shares traded, and 14 billion dollars worth lost, totalling 30 billion dollars worth lost in the week, which was 10 times more than the annual budget. Small investors had it worst.

Answer 2

In 1935, in an attempt to gain glory for Italy, Mussolini invaded Abyssinia. Prior to this, in 1934, there was a dispute over the Wal-Wal oasis, and Italy became aggressive, leading the Abyssinian Emperor to appeal to the League. Phase 1: The Stresa Pact (agreement to stand against Germany rearmament). League investigation concludes that both parties blameless in the Wal-Wal dispute, suggests Abyssinia gives some land to Italy. During the Stresa Pact meeting, no mention of Abyssinia made, Mussolini takes this as a sign that Britain and France will turn a blind eye to the invasion. Phase 2: The invasion: Mussolini rejects League's proposal, invades Abyssinia but the Suez canal - which provided provisions and weapons to Italy - was left open by Britain and France, due to a secret agreement between the 3 (Hoare-Laval Pact, which proposed a partition of Abyssinia if Mussolini called off the invasion. Met with outrage by British and French citizens, leading to the pact never happening)

Answer 3

Attitude to war - War was a measure of the health and strength of a nation. He quickly prepared Germany for conflict after his rise to power, possibly with the intention of going to war. Political ideas - Communism had to be destroyed. Strongly nationalist. Wanted to reclaim lost territories. Believed in Germany's destiny to become a great empire. Rejection of internationalism, aggressive foreign policy. Autarky - The Nazi nation should be economically self-sufficient. Propaganda - 'One people, one nation, one leader'. Attitude to race - Aryans 'master race', Jews / Slavs 'inferior', Aryans would rule over the 'inferior' races in Lebensraum. Social Darwinism: Evolution = superiority.

Answer 4

1933 - Hitler left the League claiming that his country was not being treated equally, undermining the League's authority. 1933-35 - Hitler began to rearm Germany, which was specifically banned by the ToV. He drafted thousands of unemployed workers into the army to reduce unemployment rates, and he began to stockpile weapons. It was secret at first, but by 1935, after walking out of a disarmament conference in 1934, he didn't bother to hid it any more. He instead held a 'freedom to rearm' rally, again boosting his popularity, with the military as well this time. 1935 - Hitler claimed the Saar region should be part of Germany. The League forced Hitler to agree to a plebiscite, in which nearly 90% of people in the region voted to join Hitler's Germany, boosting his prestige in his country. 1936 - Hitler remilitarised the Rhineland, which was banned by the ToV. When France and Russia made an agreement to protect each other if Germany invaded, Hitler claimed he was surrounded and felt the need to protect his borders. He was condemned by the League, but no further action was taken, due to the Abyssinian Crisis, which everyone was too involved with.

Answer 5

- Self interest of leading members: League depended on Britain and France to provide firm support in times of crisis. However neither government was prepared to abandon its own self interest to support the League in these times. - Absence of USA and other important countries: When major countries such as the USA and USSR were not in the League, it lacked authority and sanctions were not effective. - Economic sanctions did not work: These were supposed to be the League's main weapons, but due to the lack of the USA, members would not willingly impose these, as they might not work without the USA's support. When they were imposed, they were easily broken: the League lacked the muscle to enforce its decisions. - The Treaties it had to uphold were seen as unfair: The League had to uphold the Treaties that formed it, but these were generally seen as unfair or unjust, further undermining the League. - Lack of troops: Military force was the next option after economic sanctions, but the League relied upon the co-operation of its members, as it had no military force of its own. Britain and France were not willing to contribute forces, so at no time did troops ever fight on behalf of the League. - Slow decisions: When a crisis occurred, the League was meant to act quickly and decisively, but in many cases the League met too infrequently and took too long to make decisions. This slowness again undermined the League.

Answer 6

1936 2 rebel groups in Spain (Republicans and Nationalists) went to war with each other, and this spiralled until it became international (USSR supported the republicans, Germany and Italy supported the Nationalists) Britain and France refused to intervene. This refusal to join in encouraged Hitler, as it told his that because they didn't want war, they wouldn't intervene. The Spanish Civil War was like a rehearsal for WWII, as it was a chance for Germany to test its military power.

Answer 7

1936-7 Axis alliance formed between Germany, Italy and Japan: Anti-Comintern pledged they would oppose communism. Britain did not react to this pact (appeasement policy, and disagreement with Italy over Abyssinia), France did not react (government in shambles after uncovering of Hoare-Laval pact, and saw Britain was reluctant) Tension between USSR and Axis powers

Answer 8

The policy of making concessions to the dictatorial powers in order to avoid conflict. Britain was in a weak position. They tried to recruit Mussolini, but he was unreliable and sided with Hitler. Neville Chamberlain more worried about Stalin than Hitler. Agree with Hitler about disarmament, and that they ToV was unfair.

Answer 9

Sudetenland - Nazis in Sudetenland to cause trouble. Czechoslovakia got promises from Britain and France that they would protect it if it came to conflict, so the Czech refused to back down from Hitler's threat to invade. Anschluss - Germany and Austria unite, forbidden by the ToV. Hitler threatened to move troops into Austria to restore peace, so the Austrian Chancellor asked Britain and France to intervene; they did nothing. 99.75% of Austrians voted for Anschluss in 1938. Munich Agreement - Mussolini, Hitler, Chamberlain and Daladier meet at Munich, but Czech not allowed in. Agreed to give Hitler what he wanted, as long as it was his last demand.

Answer 10

Hitler was deeply concerned that Stalin would oppose him in his invasion of Poland, and Stalin had seen that Chamberlain and Daladier were happy to point Hitler eastwards towards the USSR. Stalin held discussions with Chamberlain and Daladier in 1939 to arrange an alliance against Hitler, but at the same time Stalin was meeting with the Nazi foreign minister about a different alliance. In the end he decided on an alliance with Nazi Germany, in which both parties agreed not to attack each other, and divide Poland between them. Hitler also allowed Stalin to have the states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Neither leader had true faith in the agreement: Stalin was playing for time to rally his forces for when Hitler turned against him. He had decided that Britain and France were probably too weak to stand up to Germany, and they could not be trusted to, even if they were strong enough. In return, Hitler won the guarantee he needed to invade Poland.

Answer 11

Churchill (orthodox) view, 1948-60s: Appeasement was a mistake, but based on good motives. Academic revisionist view, 1960s-90s: Chamberlain did the best he could under difficult circumstances. Academic counter-revisionist view, 1990s-2000s: Chamberlain did have other options. His policy of Appeasement ws based on his own personality and assumptions.