Power & Authority in the Modern World Flashcards
When was the Paris Peace Conference and what were its goals?
January 1919
To prevent another major world war and determine the consequences of the previous one
Who controlled the Paris Peace Conference? Who was excluded from it?
The Big Four (Britain, France, America, Italy) controlled the conference
Russia was excluded for signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, while the Central Powers were not invited until the terms of the treaty had been finalised
What were the goals of the ‘Big Four’?
France advocated for a harsh peace, including reparations, German loss of territory and disarmament
Britain wished to disband the German navy but were otherwise willing to side with Wilson’s softer approach
Italy desired many territories but received few
US President Woodrow Wilson hoped to use his Fourteen-Point Plan to achieve ‘peace without victory’ and establish a League of Nations to prevent future conflicts
What five treaties were signed at the Paris Peace Conference, and what were their impacts?
The Treaty of Versailles (Germany)
The Treaty of Trianon (Hungary) - loses two-thirds of its territory and inhabitants
The Treaty of Neuilly (Bulgaria) - loses territory but treated relatively leniently
The Treaty of Saint-Germain (Austria) - dissolves the Austro-Hungarian Empire and forbids Austria from unifying with Germany
The Treaty of Sevres (Ottoman Empire) - leads to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the creation of new nation-states in the Middle East
What were the implications of the Treaty of Versailles for Germany?
Germany lost its overseas colonies and was forced to give up European territory
Its military was reduced to only 100,000 men with no aircraft
It was forced to pay over US$33 billion in reparations
Under Article 231, Germany had to accept all responsibility for causing the war
The terms created resentment among the German people, who viewed it as a ‘diktat’
AJP Taylor Quote on the Treaty of Versailles
“The Treaty of Versailles left the ‘German problem’ unsolved; indeed, made it inevitably more acute”
When was the League of Nations established, and what were its aims?
The League of Nations was established under the Treaty of Versailles, and came into force on 28 April 1919
According to the Covenant of the League of Nations, its key objective was to “promote international co-operation and achieve international peace and security by accepting obligations not to resort to war”
What limited the effectiveness of the League?
The absence of the US severely weakened its power & influence
The League had no military force, and had to rely on the goodwill of nations
Which were the four countries left dissatisfied with the results of the Paris Peace Conference?
Germany - viewed it as a diktat and blamed the Weimar Republic, Kapp Putsch, Rathenau killed
Italy - felt cheated of territorial gains
Japan - felt cheated of territorial gains, angered that the League of Nations rejected their ‘racial equality’ proposal
Russia - excluded from the conference entirely
Stephen Lee Quote on the Consequences of the Paris Peace Conference
“Far from experiencing underlying stability before 1914, Europe seethed with unresolved problems and tensions… considerably strengthened in the peace that followed”
What impact did the Great War and subsequent Great Depression have on Europe and the world?
Manufacturing took a downturn following the end of the war, and in 1920 global manufacturing was 7% below pre-war levels (in Germany, it was down 30%)
This foreshadowed ‘The Great Depression’ - a period in which the value of European trade fell by half from $58 billion to $20.6 billion between 1928-35
Mark Mazower Quote on the Questioning the Followed the Financial Crises
“We should certainly not assume that democracy is suited to Europe…. there were dynamic non-democratic alternatives to meet the challenges of modernity”
How did Stalin rise to power and then consolidate his dictatorship?
He used his position as General Secretary of the Communist Party to build support during the power struggle, offering party members a better quality of life as a reward - a system of patronage
Stalin used films, art and the press to create a ‘cult of personality around himself - his 1938 book ‘History of the All-Union Communist Party’ rewrote the revolution
Stalin purged ‘Old Bolsheviks’ so that his version of history could not be challenged - of the 139 members of the 1934 Central Committee, all but 41 were removed by 1940
What was the impact of Stalin’s economic reforms?
From 1929, Stalin implemented collectivisation, where previously privately owned farms were placed under the control of communes or the state
In less than a decade, over 93% of land was under the program
Stalin blamed the failures on the kulaks (a class of wealthy peasant landowners), whom he placed in gulags with other dissidents
Robert Service Quote on Stalin Impact
“He dominated the central public life of the USSR. Political, economic, social and cultural activity was conditioned by his inclinations”
Briefly outline how Mussolini came to power in Italy
Voting reforms in 1912 & 1919 resulted in universal male suffrage and created fears among the conservative sections of the Italian community, as well as resulting in divided parliaments
Italian economy was fragile post-WW1 - 2 million were unemployed in 1919, inflation soared
Mussolini founded the Fascist Party in 1919, advocating nationalism and anti-communist/democratic value
It had 100,000 members by Feb. 1921
In October 1922, Mussolini led the ‘March on Rome’ and was asked to form government by the King
Kershaw Quote on Mussolini’s Rise to Power
“Mussolini’s radicalism was not only compatible with the interests of the conservative ruling class, it actively served them… he did not seize power, he was invited to take it”
What were the key features of Italian fascism with regard to domestic and foreign policy?
Domestic Policy = strong penal code, secret police, opposition lost citizenship
Foreign Policy = build a second Roman Empire and make the Mediterranean Italian Lake
Mussolini Quote on the Nature of Fascism
“For Fascism the state is absolute, individuals and groups relative”
Outline the conditions in Japan that facilitated Tojo’s rise to power
The Great Depression hit Japan very hard, and a growing domestic population placed stress on its limited natural resources and food supply
Japan believed that the structure of the League favoured Western nations, who wanted to control the world’s resources by placing barriers on Japanese trade & immigration
Japan became Imperialist, acquiring territory and exploiting the food supplies of China and Korea - the army, not parliament, became the power behind the throne
Events such as the Manchurian crisis of 1931 saw Japan become isolated from the League of Nations, and they became the first nation to withdraw in 1933
Although Tojo held many government positions, what limited his power?
Japan’s military oligarchy limited Tojo’s authority - Tojo was not an autocrat unlike others
He owed his power to his loyalty and willingness to serve both army and emperor
What is the full name of the Nazi Party?
The National Socialist German Workers’ Party
When Hitler became leader of the Party in 1920, he presented a 25 Point Programme outlining the Nazi vision for Germany’s future - list three key areas
The abolition of the Treaty of Versailles (claiming Germany were stabbed in the back)
The unification of all Germans in a greater Germany
A ban on jews from being members of the German racial community
Why did Hitler believe 1923 was the right time to stage a coup?
By 1923, at the height of hyperinflation, the party membership had risen to 55,000
German government was very unstable - The Spartacist Uprising (1919), Kapp Putsch (1920) and the Ruhr (industrial heartland) had been occupied by France to extract reparations
