Peacemaking and the League

Question 1

What did France want at the Paris peace conference?

Answer 1

To severely weaken Germany

-huge reparations, loss of land and disarmament

Question 2

What did Britain want from the Paris peace conference?

Answer 2

Lloyd George wanted the Germans to remain relatively weak, especially in terms of its navy.

However, they didn’t want to be too harsh in case Germany resorted to communism

Question 3

What did the USA want from the Paris peace conference?

Answer 3

U.S senate and public wanted to punish Germany and stay out of future European affairs

Privately, Wilson wanted peace

Question 4

Who was the leader of France at the time of the Paris peace conference?

Answer 4

Georges Clemenceau

Question 5

Who was the leader of Britain at the time of the Paris peace conference?

Answer 5

David Lloyd George

Question 6

Who was the leader of America at the time of the Paris peace conference?

Answer 6

Woodrow Wilson

Question 7

How many men did France lose in WW1?

Answer 7

1.4 million

Question 8

What were Wilson’s 2 main aims?

Answer 8

1) Self determination

2) International co-operation - settling disputes peaceful means between all nations

Question 9

State 3 of Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points

Answer 9

1) A League of Nations should be set up to guarantee the political and territorial independence of all states
2) Free navigation of all seas
3) Self-determination should be allowed for all those living in Austria-Hungary

Question 10

State 5 terms of the TOV

Answer 10

1) Army reduced to 100,000
2) Fortifications destroyed
3) Provinces of Eupen and Malmedy given to Belgium
4) Alliance between Austria and Germany was banned
5) No air force or submarines

Question 11

What percentage of its land did Germany lose as a result of the TOV?
How many km2 was this?

Answer 11

10%

72,500km2

Question 12

What percentage of its population did Germany lose as a result of the TOV?
How many people was this?

Answer 12

12.5%

6-7 million

Question 13

Why could the TOV be classified as a diktat? (2)

Answer 13

1) Germany couldn’t negotiate the terms properly
- not present when treaty was written
- 3 weeks to protest

2) No position to decline due to economic depression
- 30% unemployment (Nov 1923)
- hyperinflation

Question 14

Why would some not classify the TOV as a diktat? (3)

Answer 14

1) Germany had treated other countries just as harshly
- Franco-prussian war
- Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (Russia WW1)

2) Germany had started it by invading Belgium
3) Fought of French/Belgian soil so Germany should compensate for damage

Question 15

How was the League organised? (4)

Answer 15

• Assembly met once a year in Geneva, Switzerland
• All decisions had to be unanimous
• Permanent council made of Britain, France, Italy and Japan (germany from 1926)
• 4 temporary council members were elected for 3 year periods

Question 16

How many member nations were there at the start of the League?

Answer 16

42

Question 17

How many member nations were there in the peak of the League?

Answer 17

58

Question 18

What were the 3 main faults in the membership of the League?

Answer 18

1) USA didn’t join

2) USSR forbidden from joining at first due to communist government
- political/economic strength

3) Germany weren’t allowed to join at first
- more resent

Question 19

What were the 3 sanctions that the league could impose?

Answer 19

1) Moral condemnation
2) Economic
3) Military

Question 20

What were the flaws in economic sanctions? (2)

Answer 20

1) Can still trade with non-members

2) Many members didn’t want to because of international economic depression

Question 21

What was the main flaw in military sanctions?

Answer 21

League had no army so relied on members

-members were reluctant for more conflict

Question 22

What were the flaws in the covenant of the League? (3)

Answer 22

1) Overly ambitious
2) Disarmament was voluntary, not forced
3) Countries reluctant to disarm because many felt protected by large resources of weapons

-no country disarmed completely

Question 23

Describe the events of the Manchurian crisis

Answer 23

Sept 1931:
Japanese claimed that there had been an explosion at Mukden (railway line) and said it was sabotage by the Chinese.

Used this as an excuse to invade and quickly defeated chinese in Manchuria

Manchuria was rich in natural resources and raw minerals and provided a market for Japanese goods

Question 24

What did the League do about the Manhurian crisis?

Answer 24

China appealed to the League and the Lytton commission was set up.

The commission spent a year gathering evidence and it wasn’t until 2 years later (1933) that moral condemnation was issued

Question 25

How did Japan respond to the League's action?

Answer 25

January 1933: Occupies Jehol 24th February 1933: Leaves the League and remains in control of Manchuria

Question 26

Why did Japan get away with the invasion of Manchuria?

Answer 26

They were a permanent council member so had a veto

Question 27

Why did other countries not act against Japan in Manchuria? (5) `

Answer 27

1) Economic sanctions would have been ineffective as USA was Japan's main trading partner 2) Most countries suffering economic depression 3) Britain was not willing to risk its fleet in the far east 4) Nearest country to send in troops was the USSR, but they were not a member 5) Western countries saw Japan as an ally against communism

Question 28

Why did Mussolini want to take Abyssinia?

Answer 28

The Italians did not get the land they thought they deserved in the TOV because they had started in the Triple Alliance (switched sides in 1915) Benito Mussolini set up a fascist dictatorship with the intention of restoring Italy's greatness - Abyssinia was one of the few areas in Africa that was not controlled by European powers - Wanted revenge for humiliating defeat at the Battle of Adowa - It was bordering Italian colonies of Eritrea and Somalia, so was easy to attack - Provided a secure market for Italian exports and was rich in raw materials

Question 29

Describe how Mussolini gained power in Abyssinia

Answer 29

- Dec 1934: clash occurred at wal-wal oasis. | - Mussolini accused the Abyssinians of aggression and ordered troops in Eritrea and Somalila to attack.

Question 30

When did Mussolini order Eritrea and Somalia to attack Abyssinia?

Answer 30

October 1935

Question 31

When did the Abyssinian capital fall?

Answer 31

May 1936

Question 32

When was the battle of Adowa?

Answer 32

1896

Question 33

What did the league do in response to the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 33

Emperor of Abyssinia, Haile Selassie appealed to the League for assistance -Moral condemnation and economic sanctions imposed

Question 34

Why were the economic sanctions imposed on Italy largely ineffective?

Answer 34

-Trade in arms to Italy ended immediately but it took 2 months for other imports to be banned -Britain and France did not want to lose Mussolini's alliance against Hitler (stressa front) and didn't want to risk unemployment Britain continued to supply coal France supplied iron and steel - Hoare-laval Pact - Italy could still trade with non-members (USA) - Didn't close Suez canal

Question 35

What were the consequences of the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 35

-Hitler sent troops to the Rhineland in March 1936 (he knew the league would be too preoccupied) - Ended Stressa Front and instead formed the Rome-Berlin axis - 1937: Japan joined the axis to form anti-comintern pact -Italy left league (2 opposing sides -----> tension

Question 36

When did Italy withdraw from the league?

Answer 36

13th December 1937

Question 37

When was the Rome-Berlin axis signed?

Answer 37

25th October 1936

Question 38

Name 2 other successes of the League

Answer 38

1) Upper Silesia 1921 | 2) Turkey 1923

Question 39

Describe the successes of the League in Upper Silesia

Answer 39

TOV gave people a referendum over whether they wanted to be governed by Germany or Poland 800,000 voted Poland 700,000 voted Germany This led to riots -after a 6 week enquiry, the league split upper Silesia between Germany and Poland

Question 40

Describe the successes of the League in Turkey

Answer 40

A war in Turkey led to 1.4 million refugees and a cholera/typhoid epidemic League sent health professionals and invested over £10 million

Question 41

Name 2 other failures of the League

Answer 41

1) Italy 1919 | 2) Russia and Poland 1920-21

Question 42

Describe the failure of the league in Italy 1919

Answer 42

Italian nationalists were angry with the TOV -Port of fiume had been given to Yugoslavia, yet for 15 months it was governed by Italian nationalist D'annuzio The Italian government resented this so bombarded the port to enforce surrender -League did nothing

Question 43

Describe the failure of the league over the dispute between Poland and Russia

Answer 43

1920: Poland attack and defeat Russia Russians had no choice but to sign the treaty of Riga which handed Poland 80,000km2 of Russian land League did noting because by 1919, Russia was communist -in fact, Britain, France and USA sent troops to Russia after the league was set up

Question 44

How many Italian soldiers attacked Abyssinia?

Answer 44

1.5 million

Question 45

What was the capital of Abyssinia?

Answer 45

Addis Ababa