1. Causes of WW1 (Including Historiography)
I.
II.
Arms Race
a. Tension grew between Germany, Britain, and France
b. Germany
i. Desperate for diplomatic victory
ii. Influenced by the army, public opinions and the Whrverein
1. Increased army size by 146,000 soldiers (1913)
c. Britain
i. Influence by the Navy League and the National Service League
d. France
i. Tried to compete with Britain and Germany
1. Compensation for small country
a. Changed the conscription period from two to three
years
b. Modernized their artillery and equipment
e. Russia
i. Spent over 800 million roubles on re-armament
ii. Army was prepared to reach two million men (1914)
1. Three times as large as Germany’s army
The Immediate Causes of the War: July Crisis (1914)
a. European states had reached a relative calm (Early 1914)
i. Thought if conflict arose they could peacefully resolve it
b. Sarajevo Assassination
i. Franz Ferdinand heir to the Austrian throne
1. Assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip
a. Gavrilo was recruited by the Black Hand
ii. Black Hand
1. Serbian terrorist group
iii. Black Hand’s leader was a colonel in the Serbian General Staff
iv. Gave Austria an excuse to eliminate Serbia
v. Austria needed backing by Germany
1. In case Russia backed Serbia
2. Germany gave Austria Blank Cheque
c. Austria’s chance to crush Serbia
i. Confirmed alliance with Germany
1. Blank Cheque
ii. Austria would not restrict its plans against Serbia
d. Germany’s Misconceptions
i. Believed war with Serbia would remain localized
ii. Thought Russia would not enter war because it was not financially
ready
iii. A rapid defeat of Serbia would ensure Germany regained prestige
1. Would also weaken Pan Slavism and Russia
III.
iv. Allow Germany to have a position of strength to improve relations
with the Entente Powers
e. Serbia Ultimatum
i. Austro-Hungarian Council decided to send Serbia an Ultimatum
1. If they rejected the Ultimatum they would go to war
ii. Important Part of the Ultimatum
1. Austria would supervise Serbian anti-terrorist measures
a. Austria knew Serbia would deny this
iii. Couldn’t blame war on initial reaction to assassination
1. Took until mid july to draw up Ultimatum
iv. Russia was not pleased with the ultimatum
f. Responses
i. Serbia provided a conciliatory response that satisfied most of
Austria’s demands
1. Only denied supervision of anti-terrorist measures
ii. Germany was happy with Serbia’s response
1. Thought cause for war was over
iii. Austria was not satisfied
1. Declared war on Serbia (July 28, 1914)
g. Mobilization
i. Russia began mobilization on July 30th (Defending Serbia)
ii. Germany began mobilization on Aug 1st (Defending Austria)
1. Followed Schlieffen Plan
a. Sent ultimatum to France
iii. France refused to be neutral
1. Germany declared war on France Aug 3rd
iv. Britain threatened Germany that if they invaded Belgium neutrality
then Britain would get involved
v. Germany still invaded Belgium
vi. Britain declared war on Germany Aug 4
What as the contribution of each of the European Powers during the July Crisis to
the outbreak of war?
a. Germany
i. Expected localized fight in the Balkans
1. Russia would be too intimidated to intervene
ii. Kaiser was satisfied with the Serbian response to the Ultimatum
and expected war to be avoided
iii. Motives for War:
1. Support Austria-Hungary
2. Don’t get crushed by Entente Powers
3. Attacked before Russia modernized and ruined Schlieffen
Plan
4. Favorable time for war (Thought by Generals)
5. War = distraction from domestic issues
6. Improve the popularity or the Kaiser
iv. Responsible for:
1. Giving A-H power with Blank Cheque
2. Declaring war on Russia
3. Violating Belgium’s neutrality
4. Invading France
5. Bring Britain into conflict
b. Austria-Hungary
i. Determined to respond to the Sarajevo incident violently
ii. An opportunity to eliminate Serbia
iii. Responsible for:
1. Exaggerating threat of Serbia
2. Delayed response to the assassination
3. Declared war on Serbia
4. Refused to halt military actions
a. Had scheduled negotiations with Russia planned on
July 30th
The Causes of World War I
Timeline of Events
The Balkan Wars
 1890-1915 Balkans remained quiet
o Britain no longer concerned by Russian threat to the Straits
 Protected their interests in the eastern Mediterranean with
bases in Egypt
o Austria and Russia signed an agreement in May 1987 would do as
little as possible to disturb the existing situations in the Balkans and
Near East
o 1905-Russia weakened by defeat in the Far East and trouble at
home hoped to maintain the agreement but its weakness tempted
Austria to take advantage against an aggressive Serbia
 1903- Serbian nationalists assassinated their pro-Austrian
Serbian King
 Replaced by Peter fiercely anti-Austrian and hoped to
attract Russian support
o Aim to free South Slavs
 First Balkan War (1912)- Russia encouraged the Balkan states of Serbia,
Greece, and Montenegro to form an alliance
o Aim- force Turkey from Balkans by taking Macedonia and dividing it
together
 Turkey already weakened by the Italian attack on Tripolitania
 Easily drove Turkey out of the Balkans in 7 weeks
Turkey collapsed
o Problems Created:
 Austria- feared strengthened Serbia which occupied Albania
 Wanted to create Albania n independent state so Serbia
wouldn’t have access to the Adriatic
Russia- didn’t want Constantinople falling to Bulgaria
important for their economy and exports
 Threatened to activate the alliance system- Germany
supported Austria and Russia was supported by France
 December 2, 1912- Germany declared to support
Austria if attacked by a “third Party” Britain said it
wouldn’t remain neutral in a major conflict
o December 8, 1912- Kaiser argued for war
decided to wait until the Kiel Canal was widened
o Sir Edward Grey called for a peace conference in London
 Turkish lands divided between Balkan states
 Albania became an independent state (what A.H. wanted)
 Placed Serbia between Adriatic Sea
 Caused more resentment between Serbia and A.H.
Second Balkan War (1913)
o Bulgaria felt it didn’t get enough land (too many Bulgarians living in
areas given to Serbia and Greece)
 Bulgaria declared war on Serbia Greece, Romania, and
Turkey supported Serbia 1 month and Bulgaria was defeated
o A.H. wanted to get involved asked for German assistance (believed
Russia would support Serbia)
 Germany urged Austrian restraint
o Treaty of Bucharest (August 1913)- Bulgaria lost all the land it gained
in the first war
 Serbia was successful again, doubled in size, and proved itself
militarily
 A.H. determined to crush Serbia (feared their success)


Arms Race and Militarism
 1870-1914 military spending by European powers increased by 300%
o Possible to have large standing armies
 1871- Conscription introduced
o Massive increase in armaments
 1899-1907- conferences at The Hauge attempted to stop arms build up
o No limits agreed upon but some restrictions on war practices made
 European powers made plans in the case of war
o German war plan (by Count Alfred von Schlieffen)- intended to deal
with the Triple Entente and prevented a two-front war
 France crushed first by going through Belgium, Holland, and
Luxembourg as Russia mobilized
 1911- Helmuth von Moltke modified the plan by reducing the amount of
neutral territory that Germany would pass and changing the deployment of
troops
 Other war plants- Frances Plan 17, Russia (attack A-H and Germany), A-H
(Plan R and B)
2. Outcomes of WW1 (Social/Political/Economic)
Social
 Art: Cultural Pessimism
o Negative outlook on society seen in the arts
o Dada-ism – Break down of form because WW1 was so disruptive
o Against normal art- normal art was not an accurate description of the
social structure of nations back then
o Similar to an anti joke
o Surrealism – Grotesque forms that tend to be ugly or disturbing and
reflects the cultural environment at the time
o Realism – focused on the everyday and representations of daily life
o Writers “Lost Generation”
 Hemingway, Gertude Stein, Fitzgerald
 Discontent ethnic minorities
o Germans living under “foreign rule”
 In Poland and Czechoslovakia
 Social Group Changes
o Aristocrats lost power
 Russia removed it completely
o Junkers lost influence in Prussia
o Conflict between proletariats classes and upper class
 Women’s rights
o Female confidence
o Profession available to women
 New employment opportunities do not last
o America and European countries (some) gave women the right to vote
 Standards
o Better health and Welfare standards
 Britain and France
 Improved lives of the poor
o Housing & unemployment acts
 Demographic Impact
o Facts and Numbers
 65 Million men mobilized in WW1
 Largest armies that the world has ever seen to that date
 10 Million killed
 21 Million Wounded
 Millions of orphans and widows
 POOR
 Dependent on Govt
o Outbreak of Spanish Flu
 Killed about 50 million people world wide
Social IMPORTANCE
 Women’s rights don’t last they return to the way they were before the war
 Art was used as propaganda and it encouraged people to express new
opinions
 Discontent ethnic groups like Germany were angry and it lead to revolts
o They hated their government
o Led to rise of Hitler
 Led to WW2 due to social group tensions
o Upper class controlled government
 Major upset in balance of power (Shifts to the left because civilians revolt)
o Doesn’t work Hitler steps in and people believe he can solve problems
 Goes back to the right wing
 U.S becomes prominent in international affairs and gains power over Britain
and France
Political
 Break down of Empires
o Ottoman
o Austria-Hungary
 Reduced amount of power per nation
o New States in Eastern Europe
 Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia etc
o Russia
 Bolshevik Dictatorship
 Encourages revolution abroad of communism
 Was not part of League of Nations or Treaty of Versailles
 Isolated from Europe
 Cordon Sanitaire
 Stopped spread of communism
 Peacemakers Goals/Problems
o Hoped to encourage democracy in the newly formed states(only been
exposed to Autocracy)
o Government ineffective
 Ethnic rivalries & Economic problems
o Powers remain divided by victors and losers
 Conflicted over whether to change the Versailles treaty or not
 Germany, Hungry and Italy wanted to revise it
 Britain and France
o Maintained their empires
o Started to decline in power
o Position undermined by US involvement in the war
 Needed the U.S’s help
o Power shifted away from Europe
 Germany
o Socialist Revolution
o 1919- The Weimar Republic
 Left Wing
 Blamed by the TOV
 Politically unpopular
 Lead to the rise of Hitler
 Voting Rights
o Woman and all economic classes gain the right to vote
o Made governments more populist
 More nationalistic politics
 Anti-Semitic politics
 Evident in Germany
 Weak Eastern European States
o Ethnically divided
o Have weak governments
o In support of Communism
o Makes politics more likely to change and unstable
Political IMPORTANCE
 Success of the Bolsheviks encouraged growth of socialist politics in post war
Europe
 Huge section of Central and Eastern Europe in turmoil
 Many of the ruling classes afraid that revolution would spread across Europe
particularly because of the weak economic state of all countries




Economic
Great Depression
o France loses 1/5 of its GNP
o Economic downturn in America
o Effected world wide trade
Benefits (Short Term)
o Poland gets access to the sea
o America and Japan benefit in trade
o League of Nations
 All nations should help under privileged nations
Problem Solving (Attempts in pic)
o New States Form
o Trade Unions
 Increased Welfare and lives of the poor
o League of Nations
Down Turns
o Rising Prices
o Inflation

o Loss of stable currency
o Destroyed Wealth of middle class
Problems
o Fierce competition and high tariffs
o Many Countries must pay reparations (Germany, Austria, Hungary)
Mr. Meehan’s Additional Notes
 Economic Effects
o Monetary Costs
 Cost for fighting the war
 200 Billion dollars
 Total Damages
 40 Billion dollars (Property damages)
 Lost Production
 65 Billion dollars (Opportunity Costs – Bc factories were
making war products and workers went to war)
 Reparations
 Germany and other powers had to pay back to the allies
 Germany had to pay 33 Billion dollars
 Homelessness
 2.5 Million homeless or displaced people
o Resource Allocation
 Labor
 Military Conscription
o Women working in factories
 Need to produce war materials
 Material
 Planned economies
o Government run economies
o Set Prices
o Restrict competition
o Reduce profit for factories
o Regulate trade
 Allowed materials for war effort to be created
o Trade
 U.S and Japan become key exporters (Wasn’t a total war for them)
 Replace European nations
 They have free economy and less impacted by the war
 Both countries become very wealthy
 Lending and Debt
 United States becomes the chief lender
o U.S makes a lot of interest and invests in industry
 Europe becomes the chief debtor
 European economies are slow to recover
 In debt and displaced by the U.S and Japan
o Hyper Inflation
 Prices go up
 Occurred in Weimar Republic and Austria
 Cannot pay their bills
 Germans print money to pay their bills
 Go off the gold standard
o Don’t have enough gold to pay back all the debt
 3.25 X 106 percent inflation (Aka prices doubled once every 2
days)
 Wipes out wealth of nation
 Wipes out German middle class 
 Society becomes more radical
 Hitler comes to power
GDP – Gross domestic product
The value of what a country produces in one year
The monetary value of U.S last year was 14.7 Trillion
The monetary value of U.S in 1918 was 50 Billion
Compare monetary value of effects compared to GDP
Economic IMPORTANCE
 Great Depression and Dawes Act caused Worldwide Debt
 Economy in a down turn caused new ideas to be heard
 Radicals in economically unstable countries were more widely received
because of desperation
 Allowed for the rise of Hitler
3. Treaty of Versailles (Aims/Outcomes/
Historiography)
Aims of the various peacemakers . . . .
I.
Armistice 11/11/18
a. Signed at Compigne, France at 11:00 am on 11/11/18
b. Between allied and central powers
c. Ended the fighting
i. Negotiated peace
ii. NOT TOTAL WAR
iii. German and other Central powers were collapsing and their
armies could no longer sustain fighting
iv. Expected that a peace conference would follow and then
terms of a lasting settlement would be worked out
II.
Problems Caused by WW1
a. Scope of the Conflict
i. WW1 dramatically changed Europe (SPE effects)
ii. 60 Million people participated globally in the war
iii. 30 Million dead, wounded, or missing
iv. Political shift in Europe
v. V.T conference tried to deal with these problems
b. Breakdown of the “Old Order”
i. Collapse of empires
ii. Russia had a communist revolution
iii. Nations wants self determination
1. Regions / areas / peoples could choose their own
government (Nationalist groups)
c. Issues to deal with @ The Versailles Conference
i. Germany
1. What do you do about the territory that is Germany?
2. Should Germany be forced to pay reparations?
3. Should Germany be demilitarized?
4. Should we try the Germans for war crimes?
a. Hang the Kaiser?
ii. Ethnic Groups & Nationalism
1. All the ethnic groups wanted self determination
iii. Ottoman Empire & Middle East
1. The Ottoman Empire collapsed – What do you do
with the collapsed nation and its territories?
2. What about the demands for a Jewish State?
iv. Secret Treaties
1. What do you do about treaties made during the war?
a. ITALY and their secret treaties . . .
v. Russia
III.
1. What do you do with Russia?
2. They had succumbed to a communist government.
Do you contain them? Do you oppose them?
d. Domestic Limits
i. Each leader had to answer to the public; they couldn’t make
decisions based on their own beliefs
ii. Public opinion toward Germany was not very positive
1. Hang the Kaiser
2. Punish the Germans
3. This was expressed by France, Britain and the U.S
Who were the powers in WW1?
LOSERS: Central Powers
German Empire
Austrian-Hungarian Empire
Ottoman Empire
Bulgaria
IV.
V.
WINNERS: Allied Powers
British Empire
France
Italy
U.S.A
Japan
Tsarist Russia (Left out b/c of Communism)
Goals of the Peace Conference
a. Representations of the allied powers met in Paris 1919 (V.T.C)
b. The Paris Conference Did Not Include the Central Powers
i. The Central Powers Were Not Consulted - Given the
Treaty and Told To Sign
ii. No one had ever tried to gather leaders of the developed
world to settle a international conflict
iii. Goal – To create a lasting and permanent peace
Key Leaders (Russia NOT there)
a. United States
i. Woodrow Wilson
1. Democrat
2. Idealistic foreign policy
3. Wanted to create international system to maintain
peace  League of Nations
b. Britain
i. David Lloyd George
1. British prime minister elected in 1916
2. Member of the Liberal party in England
c. France
i. Georges “The Tiger” Clemenceau
1. The French Premier
2. Viewed as the architect of French victory (given
credit for French winning WWI)
3. Political realist
a. Interested in doing what works for his own
ends
4. Clashed with Wilson
VI.
d. Italy
i. Vittorio Emanuele Orlando
1. Wanted Italia Irrendenta
2. Wanted unredeemed territory from Austrians
3. Italians left conference quickly because they didn’t
get what they wanted
e. Lloyd George, Wilson, and Clemenceau most important
Peace Settlement Aims
a. U.S.A: Wilson & the New Diplomacy (Fourteen Points)
i. Old Diplomacy = war
ii. Goals
1. Provide a stable lasting peace
2. Contain communism
3. **Motivated to prevent future war**
iii. Major policies
1. Self-determination
a. Application to causes of WWI: Colonies and
land in the Balkans (e.g. Serbia)
2. No more secret treaties (Caused WWI)
a. Application to causes of WWI: Heightened
tension
3. Wanted to protect national sovereignty and minority
rights
a. Application to causes of WWI: Slavs in
Serbia (why war started)
b. Open diplomacy
4. LEAGUE OF NATIONS
a. Application to causes of WWI: Resolve any
disputes that were not resolved by the Treaty
of Versailles
iv. Reaction to Wilson
1. Lloyd George and Clemenceau are put off
a. Both skeptical, pragmatic in their outlook
b. British did not like freedom of the seas
because it challenged their power
c. Both did not agree with Wilson’s call for
minority rights
i. Have a lot of colonies that they did
not want to give up
d. Both oppose the end to secret treaties
i. Had already promised land to
different groups
2. Gave in to Wilson’s wishes
a. Afraid that Americans would make a
separate peace with the Germans
v. Orientation/Focus
1. America could afford to be idealistic
a. Wilson was looking toward the future
b. Wilson wasn’t looking for territorial
gains/colonies
c. No short term or immediate problems
vi. Wilson’s Domestic Weakness
1. Democrat
a. Congress controlled by Republicans
b. Any treaty that Wilson negotiates will
probably not pass the Senate
2. Had a stroke and died
a. New diplomacy failed
b. US never ratifies treaty
b. Peace Settlement Aims
i. French Peace Aims (Security)
1. Most interested in security
2. They had been invaded 3 times in 100 years
3. Wanted to prevent the Germans from invading
again
4. Wanted to financially cripple Germany in the form
of reparations
a. Help French economy and cripple Germany
5. Short-term focus
a. Motivated primarily by security and
territorial gains
ii. British Peace Aims
1. Western Europe
a. British wanted to restore the balance of
power
b. British wanted to guarantee British security
c. British just fought a war with the Germans
(had been fighting with French for past 200
years)
i. French grew in power
ii. Bad for Britain
d. Can’t tolerate a strong France or Britain
i. Can’t weaken either one or the other
will get stronger and threaten Britain
ii. Solution is to restore balance of
power
2. Eastern Europe
a. British wanted to create stable states
i. Cut out of Austro-Hungarian Empire
ii. Buffer countries  could stop
communism
iii. British security/stability
1. Decrease chance of conflict
3. Imperial Expansion
a. British wanted to protect/expand their
colonial possessions
b. Opposed to:
i. Self-determination
ii. Freedom of the seas
c. Conflicted directly with Wilson
iii. Italian Aims
1. Motivated by territorial ambition
2. Wanted to reclaim Irrendenta
a. Trentino
b. Tyrol
c. Trieste
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
PEACE IS POSSIBLE
League of Nations would prevent any further Germany uprising
Germans were economically destroyed so they couldn’t fight
USA, France and Britain were strong enough to impose their wish on everyone
People would be scared into following all the rules
After people saw the effect of the fighting they would not want more
1. Reparations
 Britain/ France (Wanted high reparations)
 US
2. French Security
 France wanted to punish Germany
 US wanted everyone to get along
3. Self-determination
 Wilson/US support
 Britain / France opposed
4. Colonies
 Britain Wanted
 US opposed (self determination)
5. Freedom of the Seas (No Blockades)
 Wilson/US
 Britain (slightly France)
6. Secret Treaties
 Wilson opposed secret treaties
 France / Britain supported treaties
Proposed Compromise:






Reparations = 9 Billion
Secret Treaties cannot be made from this point forward but previously made
ones will be respected
Give colonies self determination (except in the case that communism rises)
Opposed to freedom of the seas
France that they should got Alsace Lorraine (Build themselves a wall)
Germany’s army will be demilitarized
In favor of America
In favor of both
In favor of B/F
To what extent was the T of V doomed to fail? (Typical Historiography)
 The treaty and/ or the peacemakers were stupid
 The problems faced were too enormous to resolve
a. Structural problems
 Treaty was good but the Germans were stupid.
a. Not able to satisfied; Anything less than total victory/defeat is
unacceptable
*Germany was separated from East Prussia (Part of Germany) by Poland who needed sea
access (Polish Corridor).*
Yugoslavia was formed from the Balkans.
West fighting over Rhineland, Alsace Lorraine and the Saar
To what extent did the treaty humiliate Germany?
Challenge the question: It was not the treaty but their mindset
I. Issue 1: Frontiers and Colonies
a. Western Europe
i. Disputes (Rhineland)
1. France wanted to expand its territory initially (all on
eastern border)
2. France also wanted Luxembourg, the Saar, the Rhineland
(industrial center of Germany), and even parts of Belgium
3. Wanted to take a big portion of Germany
a. Cripple Germany
b. Increase economic wealth
4. British opposed
a. Would throw off the balance of power in
continental Europe
b. Would increase the power of French, making the
French their chief rival
5. Wilson opposed
a. HECK NO. You can’t take German territory
b. Violates self-determination
ii. Resolutions
1. Rhineland to be demilitarized
a. Germans could not occupy Rhineland with any
military force
b. Made France happy  no German military on
French border
2. Rhineland occupied by Allied troops for 15 years
a. Under the control of the League of Nations
i. Side Note (early 1930s): Became a big issue
for Adolf Hitler
3. FRENCH AGREED ONLY BECAUSE:
a. Promised Anglo-American guarantee
i. Promise by British and Americans
ii. Promise to come to France’s rescue if it was
invaded
iii. Guarantee never actually ratified by the
Americans
iv. British abandon guarantee
v. FRANCE GOT JEEEEEEEEEEEPED
(gypped) YO
b. Eastern Europe
i. Disputes (Poland)
1. French wanted strong Polish state
a. Potential ally in case there are problems with
Germany
b. Buffer for communism
c. Threatened German security  Two-front war
2. British wanted stable Polish state
a. Worried that if Poland was made too large, it would
include too many German populations
b. Would destabilize Poland
c. Could potentially lure them back into a conflict 
DO NOT WANT THAT
3. U.S. wanted to honor the right of self-determination in
Poland
a. BUT also wanted to make sure Poland had access to
the sea  Otherwise could not become powerful
b. Conflict: Need to take land from Germany to give
access to the sea
ii. Resolutions
1. Territory taken from Germany and given to Poland
a. Created Polish corridor, giving Poland access to the
Baltic Sea
b. Consequences:
i. Separated East Prussia and Germany
(divided Germany into 2 pieces)
ii. German-Polish relations were incredibly
difficult because of German resentment
iii. Colonies
1. Disputes
a. Germany was stripped of its colonies at the end of
WW1
b. Various European powers made secret treaties to
divide up these colonies
c. Wilson opposed traditional colonialism and
imperialism
i. Most interested in self-determination
1. Violated by secret treaties
d. Britain and France were opposed to Wilson’s ideas
i. Want to keep their colonies
ii. Felt they deserved the colonies because they
won
e. How to we resolve this?
2. Resolutions “Mandates”
a. Used to solve the problem with colonies
b. Solution = BS
c. German colonies were given to the league of
nations as “mandates”
d. The mandates were then assigned to different
European powers that were in the league of nations
i. They would manage them until they were
ready to be set free
1. Given self-determination
ii. They would meet yearly and see if their
colony was ready to be independent
iii. Still had the benefits of a colony
e. Problems
i. No country will say their mandate is ready
to be given self determination
ii. Mandates are colonies with a different name
II. Issue 2: Anglo-American Guarantee
a. The promise that in the case of German aggression towards France the
British and Americans would prevent a fourth German invasion
b. Was vital to allow the French to accept milder terms against the Germans
c. The guarantee was null because the U.S never ratified the Treaty of
Versailles
d. British backed away from the guarantee in the 1930s after America didn’t
support it
III. Issue 3: Reparations
a. Indemnity VS Reparations
i. Reparation is payment for damages caused (person who caused
damaged has to pay for it)
ii. Indemnity is a financial punishment for an action (Exa: Fine for
parking)
b. Disputes
i. Indemnity
1. France and Britain want an indemnity against German to
punish them for starting the war
a. They wanted them to pay for the total cost of the
war
2. All European powers want indemnity except Wilson
3. Price of the total war
4. Argument
a. France had to pay an indemnity for the FrancoPrussian War 1871
b. If Germany was financially crippled they couldn’t
be aggressive toward France
c. British public wants indemnity, but Britain doesn’t
want to crush German economy b/c they trade with
them (Largest trade partner)
i. The public however did want a large
indemnity (not smart enough to predict
consequences)
5. Wilson was opposed
a. Forced them to back away from the indemnity issue
b/c he threatened to leave
b. Britain and France afraid US will make separate
treaty with Germany
ii. Reparations
1. Goal: To cripple the Germans
2. How much should they pay for the damages?
c. Crisis and Fountainebleau
i. Started because of disputes about reparations between US &
(Britain / France)
ii. They are locked in a stalemate
iii. Lloyd George (Britain) changes his mind when he goes to
Fountainebleau
1. Comes put publicly against high reparations b/c he is afraid
of “A Carthaginian Peace”
iv. “A Carthaginian Peace”
1. We can’t be that harsh with Germany
2. It could cause a disaster, wipe out Germany completely
(Too much)
d. Solution
i. Decided to create a committee to determine the dollar amount of
reparations (So they didn’t have to make a decision)
ii. When Germany signs the Treaty of Versailles they are signing
a blank check (Reparations undecided at that point)
1. 1921- Germany was given a figure of 132 billion gold
marks
a. 735 Billion dollars in current money . . . :O
b. Reparations had to be paid in Gold or Goods
c. Had to pay for occupation of Rhineland
i. Pay for troops, pay for food, troops took
resources from the area
IV. Issue 4: War guilt (*Closely tied to reparations; Guilty = pay)
a. Article 231: Assigns war guilt to Germany. Fully responsible for the war.
b. Article 232: Full responsibility to pay the reparations even though they
don’t have the money to afford it
c. War Crimes
i. Treaty of Versailles included clauses to make an international
court to try the German officials for war crimes
ii. A movement to arrest the Kaiser and put him on trial
1. Dies in 1941 in the Neatherlands (happy)
iii. Troops that were tried were tried in Germany by Germans
1. Didn’t get severely punished
V. Issue 5: Military Restrictions
a. All Allied powers agreed to restrict the military powers of Germany
b. Agreed to …
i. Germany army limited to 100,000 volunteers, NO conscription
ii. No Air force, Tanks, or Heavy Artillery
iii. Navy cut in size and half of their ships were given to the British
1. Sink the navy instead of turning it over
iv. BROAD MOVEMENT TO CURB MILITARY SIZE AROUND
WORLD
1. Seen as a main cause of WW1
2. Everyone was afraid of another large scale war
3. No serious restrictions were adopted until the 1920s and
they sucked
I. Collapse of the German Empire
a. Kasier Abdicated (11/9/18)
i. Armies are in revolt
ii. Germany Collapsed (In Chaos)
iii. Kaiser leaves and escapes to the Netherlands
iv. Society in uproar
b. Founding of the Weimar (Ebert & The Social Democratcs)
i. Left wing moderate socialist party takes over
ii. Controversial for their entire existence (No one likes them)
c. Spartakist Revolt
i. Attempted communist revolution in Germany (1919-1920)
ii. The revolt failed and shows the unstable chaotic state of Germany
d. GERMANY IS UNSTABLE FOLLOWING WW1
Left
Right
Communists , Social Democrats, Moderate, Kaiser (Monarchists)
Everyone hates the social democrats!
II. R
e
a
c
ti
o
n to the Armistice
a. Shocking to the people of Germany
i. Propaganda; told they were winning, but suddenly lost
b. “The Stabbed in the back” (Germany was defeated by themselves which
was an untrue myth spread by General Paul von Hidenburg. Used as an
excuse for loss.)
i. They were stabbed in the back by Jews, Homosexuals etc
1. Used by Hitler to get public support
2. Easy target for the blame
3. The army and Kaiser government was not blamed
ii. Germany’s army was the best they didn’t really lose but the result
was not the army’s faults its because of domestic issues
III. Expectations and Realities of Versailles
a. Expectations – Peace with honor or without victors among equals Lasting
permanent peace (Wilson)
b. Reality – The Diktat – The Weimar was forced to sign the treaty with out
a compromise and they had no imput into the treaty (Caused them to be
resentful)
“If you see your enemy in the water up to his neck, you will do well to push him under;
but if he is only in it up to his knees, you will do well to help him to the shore.” –
Machiavelli
 What causes the problems after the Treaty of Versailles?  the moderate terms
caused future conflict
 Terms should have either crushed or rehabilitated Germany
Summation?
Germany lost 13% of its territory
It lost 10% of its industrial capacity (48% of its iron ore)
It was accessed reparations of 132 Billion Gold Marks
8.5 million German citizens were suddenly living under foreign control
4. League of Nations
(Structure/Role/Effectiveness)
LEAGUE OF NATIONS: Unit 3

The collapse of collective security
o Manchuria (1931) & Abyssinia (1935-1936)
 Manchuria was important because of . . .
 Causes of WW2 in the pacific
 Rise of Mao
 Abyssinia was important because of . . .
 Causes of WW2 in Europe
 It is part of Ethiopia (East Africa)
Creation of the L of N
I. Collective Security
a. Covenant of the League: Article 10
b. Is the founding document of the League
i. In the covenant it explains the principle of collective security
ii. Definition: The idea that countries acting together or Collectively
can preserve peace!
iii. The league of nations provided a structure for collective security
iv. Goals of the League Stated in Article 10:
1. If there is aggression then the league must preserve the
victims territory and political independence (Preserve
territorial integrity and political independence of
members)
2. Council will decide how to oppose the aggression from
any country
3. MAINTAIN PEACE
v. League of nations is like international parents telling their
children to behave
II. Covenant of the League of Nations
a. Aims
i. Promote international co-operations
ii. Promote disarmament
iii. Prevent aggression
iv. Peacefully end disputes
v. Manage the colonial mandates
b. Structure of the league of nations
Council Members
 Japan - Withdraws
 Italy – Withdraws
 United States – Never joins
 France- Main power
 Britain- Main power
 Germany – Not important left after short time
 USSR – Not important left after short time
Council Structure
 Met 3-4 times a year
 Council members could veto any decision that was made
 Power!!!
 Five permanent members: Britain, France, Italy (leaves), Japan (leaves)
o Germany joins, then leaves; USSR joins, then leaves
Assembly
 Met once a year
 Had 42 members
 Maxed out a 63 members
 Each country had 1 vote
 Had no power (couldn’t do anything)
 Countries could discuss their problems
 Votes had to be unanimous!
International Court of Justice
 Mediate disputes between nations
Secretariat
 Took notes (Administrative center of League)
International Labor Organization

Dealt with questions about social and economic justice
o Fair wages, dangerous jobs, etc
Special Commissions
 Similar to prom committee!
 Have a problem make a group to solve it
o Dealt with slavery, public health and international disarmament
 KINDA EFFECTIVE :D
c. Dealing with Disputes
i. Options
1. International court
a. Go in front of League and ask them to make a
ruling
2. Mutual arbitration, conflict resolution
a. Arbitration: Neutral third party mediator
3. Call for specific investigation by the council
a. Manchuria!
ii. Steps of Enforcement
1. Moral Persuasion
a. Made them look bad, unmoral
b. GUILT TRIP
c. Not effective if they don’t care
2. Economic Sanctions
a. Used if Moral Persuasion fails . . .
b. Block trade with the country
i. Either all together
ii. Or specific items
3. Military Force
a. If all else fails . . .
b. League members could offer up their soldiers
i. If they wanted to
ii. Felt like it
VERY IMPORTANT WEAKNESSES!!!!
III. Problems with Collective Security (Manchuria & Abyssinia)
a. Absence of major powers
i. United States
1. Wilson is the father of the league
2. Did not join it
a. Violation of national sovereignty = Power of
government
b. Congress has ability to declare war
i. If they joined the league then the U.S
soldiers could be forced to fight in a war
not decided by the Congress (bullied into
fighting a war)
ii. Did not want to lose its power over its
military
3. Why does this matter?
a. Without United States economic sanctions are not
effective because it is the major trading country
and with out then the other countries wont care if
they are blocked
b. Without the U.S the council is totally European
except for Japan (Not really world organization)
c. U.S still practices old style diplomacy after Wilson
is gone. Goes against the new diplomacy that the
league is supporting. Undermines the authority of
the league.
d. Council is lead by Britain and France so
enforcement depends on their ability or
willingness to act.
i. France cant be as aggressive as the U.S
could’ve
ii. Britain doesn’t feel like being aggressive
ii. USSR
1. Excluded from the league
a. Makes League seem like a “capitalist club”
2. Didn’t want communism spreading into the rest of
Europe
3. Wanted to isolate the soviet union
4. Undermines the league
a. A complete capitalist league
b. No thought for other political systems
c. Ironic! Excluded people made their own group
and started WW2!!!
i. League actively excluded Germany and
USSR  Push them closer together 
WWII
iii. Germany
1. War guilt = exclusion
2. No equality between the winners and losers
3. Allowed into the League in 1925
4. Ironic because you would want Germany in the league to
prevent future conflict but they ignored this
a. Germany did not support this new political system
b. Undermined it b/c the Germans worked against it
i. Germans felt they were being treated
poorly and they need to gain power again
and unite under a great leader
ii. Anger
iii. RISE OF HITLER!
b. No clear enforcement ability
i. Lack military or police force
1. Members want to maintain national power (sovereignty)
ii. No one needed to follow the league of nations rules No way to
use force w/o member states’ cooperation
1. Besides a guilt trip . . .
c. Requirement of Unanimity
i. No decisions could be made
ii. If a power in the league was doing something wrong they could
prevent action against them from being taken
iii. Takes away the incentive to start a conflict because a member
was upset about a decision
1. Effects of the Great Depression on Collective Security
a. Collapse of World Economy  Collapse of Cooperation
i. When countries are poor they don’t want to work together
ii. In 1920s - The league worked b/c the powers choose to co-operate
iii. End of 1920 – Powers didn’t want to work together
b. Protectionism, Isolationism, Appeasement
i. Protectionism
1. Following the great depression countries tried to protect
their domestic economies by imposing high tariffs (taxes on
imports)
a. Cheaper to purchase goods inside the country
b. Other countries raise their own tariffs
i. Exports stop/slow
1. Country/World gets poorer
ii. Isolationism
1. No one wants to get involved with international issues
2. Focus on only the domestic issues within your own country
instead of international issues
a. Why should the U.S worry about Europe when they
are having problems internally?
b. “Save yo drama fo yo mama” – Mr Meehan on Jan
10, 2012
iii. Appeasement
1. Giving in to demands of aggressive countries
2. “Think about a bully, a bully will shake you by your ankles
in a cliché fashion, he will try to get money from you, you
give him your money and he lets you go. What message
does that send the bully? He keeps coming back and
shaking you by your ankles!!! The kid needs to stand up
and defend against the bully in a last stand!!!”
3. Bully = Germany & Japan & USSR
4. IF Germany can win Poland lets try to win Czech too
a. Sets a precedent  encourages aggressive countries
(i.e.- HITLER!)
iv. Radicalization of Governments
1. Drives the governments from the moderate center to the
fringes (Communism or Fascism)
a. Extreme situations lend to extreme solutions
b. Goes toward whichever side proposes a better
solution
c. Less chance for a reasonable solution to a problem
d. Communist (left wing) and Fascists (right wing)
HATE EACH OTHER!
e. Fascism – Right wing counter revolutionary
political movement that is conservative and focused
on “national tradition” (the time in the past/good old
days/ we were happy in the past kinda thing), sense
of national identity, allows individuals to retain
private property but the government can direct the
economy
2. Caused the crises that will occur!
5. Manchurian Crisis
Manchurian
Crisis =
Early cause
of WW2 in
the pacific
2. The Manchurian Crisis (Sept 1931)
a. China in 1930 (Spheres of Influences)
i. Back Ground Info About China
1. China has a complex and unhappy history.
2. For hundreds of years China was dominated by
European powers & the spheres of influence.
3. The European nations were able to each control a part
of China without them being a “colony”.
4. By the 1920s China was in a civil war between the
Nationalists and the Communists.
a. Nationalists
i. Chiang Kai-Shek (leader)
ii. Control the government
iii. Weak
iv. Don’t have central control over China
b. Communists
i. Mao Ze-Dong (leader)
ii. On the fringes attacking the nationalists
b. Effect of the Depression on Japan (Militarism)
i. Dominant power in the region
ii. Modern industrial democratic state
iii. Severely effected by the depression
1. Exports fell 50% in Japan
2. Silk was no longer exported in great quantities
3. Unemployment rose
4. Government became more radical
5. Growth of Japanese Militarism MORE POWER
INFLUENCE
c. Manchuria
i. Japanese had control of the Korean peninsula since 1905
ii. Extensive trading from Korea (Japan) into Manchuria
1. Manchuria was rich in mineral deposits and coal
2. Japan was an island with no natural resources so they
needed to look elsewhere for natural resources
a. Afraid that the Nationalist Leader of China was
going to revert to protectionism and prevent the
Japanese having access Manchuria
b. This would negatively impact their economy
d. Kwantung Army & the Mukden Bombing
i. Japanese army (Kwantung Army) stationed in Manchuria to ensure
that they still have access to Manchuria
ii. Kwantung army invented a crisis so they have an excuse to attack
China and get Manchuria as their own territory
1. Went rogue from the government and did not get the
bombing approved
a. Radicalization in Japan!
iii. Planted a bomb in Mukden at the train station and made it look to
everyone that it was planted by the Chinese nationalists, not Japan
1. Bomb did not hurt anyone
iv. Japanese public gave support to go against China and the
“horrible” nationalists
1. Taking Manchuria can be justified because China was
“attacking” Japan
v. Military was taking power in Japan instead of Govt.
1. The Japanese Prime Minister was assassinated by an army
officer in 1932
2. Dramatic rise in the power of the Japanese military
3. Japan = Radicalized = Aggressive
4. Japan = Most Dominant Political Force in Asia
vi. League of Nations
1. China appeals to the league under article 10 because she is
part of League and deserves territorial integrity against
Japanese aggression
2. Japanese veto the action so no action can be taken
3. League decides to appoint a commission and investigate the
aggression by Japan
4. Lytton Commission (Dec 1931)
a. Formed to investigate the Manchurian crisis and
make recommendations
5. Report: Issued Oct 1932
a. Report says that Japanese invasion was condemned
(frowned upon/moral sanction)
b. Japan leaves the league in protest
6. Nothing happens
vii. China’s Response
1. Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek pull troops out of
Manchuria and make peace
2. 1933 – treaty signed
a. China couldn’t deal with the problems
b. Chinese inner conflict with communism
c. Gave up on conflict with Japan  Communists =
bigger threat
3. Manchuko (Manchuria under Japanese control)
a. Japan sets up a “puppet state”  independent
country, but really controlled by Japan
3. Analysis of the Manchuria Crisis
a. Why did the League fail?
i. Slow and bureaucratic
ii. US and USSR- Two dominant powers in area, but are not active in
League
iii. France and Britain- Two dominant powers in League, but had no
interest in China (Didn’t want to antagonize Japan)
iv. US issues moral sanction – “sticking pins in tigers”
v. *Great Depression cripples international cooperation!
b. Significance of Manchuia
i. 1st major failure of the collective security
ii. Showed than the LoN is incapable of functioning w/o the
cooperation of member states
c. Historiography of the Manchurian Crisis
i. Traditional historiography: The Road to WWII
1. Appeasement of the Japanese only encourages Japanese
aggression Growing militarism
2. 1st step to war in the Pacific
ii. Revisionist historiography: WWII Effect
1. Overwhelmed by WWII; look back and see things that
aren’t there/significant (magnify significance of
Manchuria)
2. Hindsight bias
3. Limited impact…return to normalcy
4. Overstated Japanese militarism
6. Abyssinia Crisis
Abyssinia (1935-1936)
d. Context of the Crisis
1. Rise of Hitler in Germany (1933)
a. Elected Prime Minister of Germany
i. When president died he became president
also  Dictator by 1934
b. Goal: to restore the German Empire, called the third
Reich (Reich = Empire)
c. 1934: Hitler abandons treaty of Versailles and
begins rearmament of Germany
d. Hitler withdrew from the League: 1933
i. Begins rearming the military
ii. Stopped paying reparations
e. Hitler is seen as the greatest threat to European
security in 1934
e. Rise of Mussolini (1924)
i. Fascist Dictator of Italy
1. Extremely right winged political movement
2. Counter-revolutionary
a. Made to oppose communism and socialism
3. Wanted to restore the glory of the Roman Empire and old
traditional ideas
4. *Suspicious of Hitler
a. Initially opposed German expansion b/c Germany
and A-H are near Italy  Threat!
ii. Economic
1. Fascist State – Government directed economy but the
business owners get to keep the products. You can own
private property.
2. Communist State – No private property and everything is
owned and controlled by state.
3. Mussolini was very suspicious of Hitler and his intentions.
Initially opposed German expansion.
4. Did not want Germany and Austria expanding because Italy
was near their border.
f. Stresa Front (1935)
i. Meeting occurred in 1935 in Italy
ii. France and Great Britain were threatened by Germany
1. Wanted Italy’s support against Germany
2. Announced the Stresa front
3. Fran. G.B and Italy would oppose German expansion and
rearmament
g. Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
i. An independent country in north east Africa
ii. All other countries were colonies of another more powerful
country
iii. Country was ruled by Haile Selassie
iv. In 1896 Italy tried to invade Abyssinia and they failed. WANTED
REVENGE!!!
h. Revenge (Abyssinian Crisis!)
i. Italian Aggression
1. Prior to 1935 Italy was seen as an important part of the L of
N that co-operated well
2. Italian alliance was key in challenging Hitler
3. After 1935 there was a change in Italian policy
4. Became more aggressive and expansionist, takes steps to
seize Abyssinia
a. Why? Great Depression!
ii. Mussolini’s Aims
1. To link two Italian colonies in north Africa by conquering
land that connects them (Eritrea and Italian Somaliland)
2. Get revenge for the 1896 defeat
3. Satisfy Italian nationalist who wanted more land
4. Recreate the glory of the Roman Empire
5. Why did Mussolini want to invade?
a. Redirect discontent over the great depression
while getting materials and territory
iii. Allied Appeasement
1. Was under the impression that they could invade with no
problems
2. France (Laval) said that Mussolini could have a “Free
Hand” in Abyssinia because France isn’t interested
3. Britain (Eden) said that there is no point in invasion
because they would just give the land to Mussolini. They
would have virtual control of it.
a. The land wasn’t Britain’s to give (It was
independent)
4. Why did they take these perspectives?
a. They needed Italian support against the Germans
iv. Wal-Wal Incident and Invasion
1. Italian troops go into Abyssinia and provoke an attack at
Wal-Wal (December 1934)
a. Leave afterward
2. Italians refer the incident to the League of Nations
3. Continue to build up forces in the region (LMAO(: )
a. The league will delay reaction from Abyssinia
4. Italians invade Abyssinia (October 1935)
a. 100,000 troops, tanks and airplanes to invade
Abyssinia (again)
b. Massacred civilians and used chemical weapons
(Mustard Gas)
c. Brutal conflict
d. The world opinion of Italy falls because they were
inhumane and they used chemical weapons!!!
v. (In)action of the League
1. Haile Selassie appeals to the league four times and asks for
help (Abyssinia was a member of the League of Nations)
2. November 1935 the League imposes an arms embargo on
both the Italians and the Abyssinians to end the conflict.
a. The arms embargo only weakens the Abyssinians
and the Italians remain strong
b. Ineffective!!!
3. Economic sanctions were placed on Italy. Prevents Italy
from purchasing goods needed for war from countries that
participate in the League.
a. Italy can just trade with Germany, Japan, and the
U.S!
vi. Hoare-Laval Pact (1935)
1. Hoare (G.B) and Laval (France) proposed a secret
agreement with Mussolini to give Italy 2/3 of Abyssinia if
Italy stopped the invasion
2. Mussolini agrees
3. When news of the agreement leaked it was incredibly
unpopular (Public Opinion)
a. Caused agreement to fail
4. How does the crisis end?
a. 1936: Italy conquers and annexes Abyssinia
4. Analysis and Effects of the Abyssinian Crisis
a. Total Failure of Collective Security
i. Nail in the coffin of the L of N
ii. A member state of the League was invaded and they were
guaranteed support but they received none and they were taken
over
iii. Italy withdrew from the League (1936)
1. Only Britain and France left
b. Collapse of the Stresa Front
i. The Stresa front (I, G.B and F alliance) breaks down due to stress
from the conflict
ii. The Italians sign the Berlin-Rome Axis treaty in 1936, which was
an agreement of trade and friendship between Italy and Germany
iii. CAUSE OF WW2 IN EUROPE: FASCISTS GERMANY AND
ITALY ALLY !!!!
c. Remilitarization of the Rhineland
i. The treaty of Versailles was ignored by Germany
ii. German troops marched into the Rhineland (1935)
iii. CAUSE OF WW2 IN EUROPE: MILITARIZATION !!!!
iv. Hitler was prepared to turn away he went with minimal troops and
was prepared to stop if he was opposed but he wasn’t and so he
used this as a sign for future aggression being possible WW2
1. Appeasement  Encouraged Hitler
5. HISTORIOGRAPHY!!! - “The crisis was fatal to the League. Nobody took it
seriously again. They got ready for the Second World War”
a. Point A – The crisis was the final nail in the coffin for the League of
Nations and Hitler just sat there and watched said AJP Taylor
b. Point B - The crisis brought about the rise of the Axis powers (Germany
and Italy) to oppose Britain and France who were preoccupied and not
paying attention said AP Adamthwaite
c. Point C – British encouraged aggressive behavior by trying to appease the
Germans. The British abandon their role in the League in 1936 and go
back to splendid isolationism and a policy of appeasement. As the British
abandon Europe then Germany and Italy can expand into it.
i. Vacuum in Europe- Let Germany and Italy expand