CIE IGCSE History 0470 - The 20th Century: International Relations Since 1919

These flashcards cover key concepts from the CIE IGCSE History 0470 syllabus focusing on international relations from 1919.

Treaty of Versailles

A peace treaty signed by Germany on 28th June 1919 that imposed numerous territorial, military, and economic restrictions.

GARGLE

An acronym summarizing key points of the Treaty of Versailles: Guilt, Arms restrictions, Reparations, German Territory, League of Nations.

Article 231

A clause in the Treaty of Versailles that placed the blame for the war solely on Germany, often referred to as the 'war guilt clause'.

League of Nations

An international organization established after World War I to promote peace but ultimately deemed ineffective.

Self-determination

The principle that populations should be able to choose their own political status, which proved problematic in Eastern Europe after the treaties.

Diktat

A term used by Germans to describe the Treaty of Versailles, implying it was imposed on them without negotiation.

Clemenceau

French Prime Minister at the time of the Treaty of Versailles, who advocated for harsh penalties on Germany.

Wilson’s Fourteen Points

A statement of principles for peace negotiated to end World War I, advocating for self-determination and the establishment of the League of Nations.

Big Three

The leadership of Britain, France, and the USA during the negotiations of the peace treaties post-WWI, consisting of Lloyd George, Clemenceau, and Wilson.

Hyperinflation

An extremely high and typically accelerating inflation, which affected Germany severely in the early 1920s following reparations payments.

Mid-term consequence of treaties

The treaties led to increased discontent in Germany, paving the way for political extremism and the eventual rise of Hitler.

Appeasement

A diplomatic strategy aimed at avoiding conflict by making concessions to an aggressor, notably used by Britain and France toward Hitler.

Nazi-Soviet Pact

An agreement between Germany and the USSR in 1939 that enabled the German invasion of Poland and led to the outbreak of World War II.

Containment

A US foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism during the Cold War.

Solidarity

A trade union in Poland that emerged in the 1980s and played a significant role in opposing Soviet influence.

Brezhnev Doctrine

A policy articulated by Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev which asserted the USSR's right to intervene in socialist countries to maintain communist rule.

Domino Theory

The belief that the spread of communism in one country would lead to the spread in neighboring countries.

Glastnost

A policy introduced by Gorbachev that promoted openness and transparency in government.

Perestroika

A reform policy introduced by Gorbachev aimed at restructuring the Soviet political and economic system.