Move to Global War

History Unit 1

Date of Paris Peace Conference

1919-1920

Countries present at Paris Peace Conference

US, Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Germany, Hungary (participants in WW1)

Paris Peace Conference causes/motives

Peace settlements after the war

Central powers treated separately: 

1919 - Treaty of Versailles (Germany), terms are non-negotiable → stab in the back theory

1919 - Treaty of St. Germain (separated Austria and Hungary)

1920 - Treaty of Trianon (Hungary)

Paris Peace Conference consequences

1. Germany weakened: disarmament, limit of economic revival (reparations)

2. Formation of the LoN (US doesn't join, France dominates)|(no armed force, rely on sanctions and isolation)

3. Poland becomes an independent state, Czechoslovakia expands

March on Rome date

1922

March on Rome causes

Mussolini felt it's time to make a bid for power, organized a march with Fascist army

March on Rome consequences

King Emmanuel didn't want to fight back in fear of civil war → asks M to form a government and M comes to power

Corfu incident date

1923

Corfu incident countries involved

Italy, Albania, Greece

Corfu incident causes

An Italian general was assassinated at Albanian/Greek border

Corfu incident consequences

1. Italy bombs Corfu, even though Greece paid their compensation 

2. LoN attempts to interfere but fails, showing ineffectiveness → motive for M to take more risks as there won't be a consequence

3. Showing M's aggressive foreign policy 

Occupation of Fiume date

1923-4

Occupation of Fiume countries

Italy, Yugoslavia

Occupation of Fiume causes

Fiume was under joined occupation, but technically a "free state" after WW1, Yugoslavia formally gives it up

Occupation of Fiume consequences

1. Shows M's aggressive approach to FP and expansionism 

2. One of his first victories as Italy's leader

Dawes Plan date

1924

Dawes Plan countries

US, Allies, Germany

Dawes Plan causes

Alleviating  economic crisis in Germany → European financial stability

Dawes Plan consequences

1. Restructuring of German WW1 reparations, reduction of payments & giving Germany loans

Locarno Conference date

1925

Locarno Conference countries

Germany, Belgium, France, Britain, Italy

Locarno Conference causes

Post-war agreements to stabilize European borders

Locarno Conference consequences

1. Demilitarization of Rhineland 

2. Omission, guaranteeing Germany's west border but not east → appeasement

3. Cooperative spirit between nations

4. Mussolini disappointed by no guarantee of Austrian border

Japanese invasion of Manchuria date

1931

Japanese invasion of Manchuria countries

Japan, China

Japanese invasion of Manchuria causes

China would be a valuable trade outlet

China is growing in power, so invade now before it's too late

Japan was investing in M since the 1890s after 

Russo-Japanese War, already had control over M banks and railways

Japanese invasion of Manchuria consequences

1. Beginning of Japans aggressive foreign policy

2. Lon couldn't prevent, proof of weakness

Assassination of Chancellor Dolfuss, leader of anti-Nazi gov. in Austria date

1934

Assassination of Chancellor Dolfuss consequences

Mussolini sends troops to Austrian border out of fear of German invasion →Germany gives up

Hitler brings back conscription date

1935

Hitler brings back conscription motive

remilitarization

Hitler brings back conscription consequences

1. First big breach of the treaty of Versailles

2. Formation of Stresa Front 

3. France and USSR sign mutual assistance treaty

Formation of the Stresa Front date

April 1935

Formation of the Stresa Front countries

Italy, France, Britain

Formation of the Stresa Front motives

Condemning Germany for remilitarizing and breaking Versailles 

Guarantee of Austria

Formation of the Stresa Front consequences

1. Failed attempt to unite against Nazi Germany 

2. Fell apart due to Anglo-German Naval Agreement and invasion of Ethiopia

Anglo-German Naval Agreement date

June 1935

Anglo-German Naval Agreement motive

Allowing German rearmament, but to a limit (35% of Britain's navy)

Anglo-German Naval Agreement consequences

1. Shows British self-interest, Mussolini loses trust and sides with Germany

2. Appeasement policy

Italian invasion of Abyssinia date

October 1935

Italian invasion of Abyssinia motives

New market → becoming an autarky

Existing nearby colonies were not rewarding enough

Pleasing nationalists 

Mussolini feels trapped in the Mediterranean

Avenge loss in 1896, Adowa

Show Italy as an imperial power

Italian invasion of Abyssinia consequences

1. Victory 

2. Evidence of ineffectiveness of LoN

3. British and French appeasement policy 

4. Drained economic and military resources 

5. Very little trade was actually done with the colonies

6. Reputation of brutality 

7. Sanctions forced trade shift to Germany 

8. Allowed Hitler to remilitarize with even less intervention

Hoare-Laval Pact date

December 1935

Hoare-Laval Pact motives

Secret agreement to give Italy two thirds of Ethiopia in exchange for a truce - leaked 

LoN imposes economic sanctions

Hoare-Laval Pact consequences

1. Failure→ public outrage, Ethiopia rejects, Mussolini decides to continue invasion

2. Break of friendship between Italy and France & Britain 

3. Sanctions →econ. collapse, support for Mussolini increased because of the "injustice"

Hitler brings troops to Rhineland date

March 1936

Hitler brings troops to Rhineland motives

Overturn restrictions of Versailles (one of Hitler's goals) 

Stronger defense at west border (France), security to go eastward

Hitler brings troops to Rhineland consequences

1. British and French appeasement, no action taken

2. Breach of both Versailles and Locarno

Rome-Berlin Axis date

October 1936

Rome-Berlin Axis motives

Sense of shared ideology, similar goals (expansion, anti-communism)

Rome-Berlin Axis consequences

1. Italy begins following Nazi policies and becomes dependant on Germany 

2. Allowing Germany to move forward with the Anschluss (permission in 1938)

Anti-Comintern Pact date

November 1936, Italy november 1937

Anti-Comintern Pact countries

Germany, Japan, Italy*

Anti-Comintern Pact motives

An agreement to fight against Communist international, Lenin's organization that helped comm. parties revolt

Anti-comintern pact consequences

Step in forming the alliance between Germany, Japan, and Italy

Spanish Civil War dates

1936-1939

Spanish Civil war causes (sides)

Nationalists (Fascists) vs left wing republicans (communists)

Spanish Civil War consequences

1. Italian and German intervention to assist Franco — wants naval bases, military experience, prevent left wing parties from coming to power, create an ally

2. Italy is further weakened after fighting 2 rows in a row, overambition

Japanese invasion of northern China, Second Sino-Japanese War date

1937

Japanese invasion of northern China, Second Sino-Japanese War motives

Europe was preoccupied with Spanish civil war

Large part of China under Jap. control by 1935 

China in civil war between the right-wing and communists 

Anti-Comintern Pact → fight against the communists

Japanese invasion of northern China, Second Sino-Japanese War consequences

LoN once again can't interfere because Japan is no longer a member and refuses to attend conferences (weakness), and Britain/France are preoccupied with Hitler

Anschluss date

March 1938

Anschluss motives

Lebensraum 

Stronger economy 

Easier access to CS

Anschluss consequences

Lack of intervention motivated Hitler to demand Sudetenland

Munich Conference date

September 1938

Munich Conference countries

Britain, France, Germany, Italy

Munich Conference motives

Fear of further German action

Germany wants Sudetenland

Munich Conference consequences

1. Allowing Hitler Sudetenland→ shows compliancy, motivates Hitler to take bigger risks 

1. CS threatened that if they don't comply, they will get no assistance from Britain or France (breaking Locarno)

German occupation of Prague date

March 1939

German occupation of Prague motives

Hitler wants economic dominance

German occupation of Prague consequences

1. Hitler convinces Hacha that to protect the Reich, a protectorate must be put onto the rest of CS→German troops enter without CS army struggle→seizing of CS 

2. Break of promise at Munich Conference to only get Sudetenland 

3. Lack of French & British intervention

Italian invasion of Albania date

April 1939

Italian invasion of Albania motives

Strategic base to have more influence on the Balkans 

Expansionism

Distraction from domestic economic issues

Italian invasion of Albania consequences

1. Pointless

2. Another LoN failure

Pact of Steel date

May 1939

Pact of Steel consequences

1. Rome-Berlin Axis formalized 

2. Guarantee of mutual economic, military, and political support in the event of war 

3. Italy supposed to join WW2 completely unprepared

Non-aggression pact date

August 1939

Non-aggression pact countries

Germany, USSR

Non-aggression pact causes

Germany wants to invade Poland, but is concerned that the USSR will defend it

Non-aggression pact consequences

1. USSR agrees to not fight against Germany →allows Hitler to invade Poland without threat

2. Poland is split between the two states

German invasion of Poland date

September 1939

German invasion of Poland causes

Hitler demanded that Danzig be returned to Germany in April, but was rejected (fear of second Munich Conf. situation)

German invasion of poland consequences

Beginning of WW2