Chapter 2: Post-WWI Peace Settlements and the League of Nations

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes covering the aftermath of WWI, various peace treaties from 1919-1923, international crises, the Locarno era, and the successes and failures of the League of Nations.

Bolshevik Revolution 1917

A transformation led by Russian leader Lenin, who believed his Bolshevik gov would end Russia's involvement in WWI; the revolution was described as very communist.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

A $1918$ agreement that ended Russian involvement in WWI; Russia lost industrialized areas and raw materials in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Georgia, and Finland.

Paris Peace Conference 1919

A meeting of WWI winners and losers aiming to develop a settlement to prevent another war; the Allied Powers were winners while the Central Powers were losers.

Big 3

The key leaders at the Paris Peace Conference: Britain (wanted balance for Germany to rebuild), France (wanted to destroy Germany), and the USA (wanted fair peace based on the $14$ points).

14 points

A speech given in $1918$ to achieve world peace based on open diplomacy, free trade, and arm reduction.

Treaty of Versailles - 1919

A settlement where Germany had no say; it included German reparations, restricted the army to $100,000$ people, and limited the navy to a maximum of $6$ battleships with no submarines.

War Guilt Clause

An article in the Treaty of Versailles where Germany accepted the blame for WWI.

Rhineland

An area that was demilitarized as part of the Treaty of Versailles settlements.

Anschluss

The union between Germany and Austria, which was strictly forbidden.

Saarland

A region designated as a mandate by LOW for $15$ years, after which a plebiscite would decide its future status.

Treaty of Saint German

A $1919$ treaty that broke up the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Rump Austria

A term for Austria following its break from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, characterizing it as small and weak.

Treaty of Nevilly – 1919

A settlement where Bulgaria lost territory to Greece, and Yugoslavia & Romania reduced their army to a maximum of $20,000$ and paid reparations.

Treaty of Trianon – 1920

A treaty where Hungary lost $rac{2}{3}$ of its territory and approximately $42\%$ of its population.

Treaty of Sevres - 1920

A treaty defining the Greece Turkey border where Turkey lost territory to Greece & Italy because Britain and France wanted to break the Turlash empire.

Chanak Crisis

A $1922$ crisis where Turkish troops threatened British troops occupying a nevtral area in Turkey; Britain was left alone by France and Italy.

Treaty of Lausanne - 1923

A revision of the Treaty of Sevres that defined Turkey, Greece, and Bulgaria borders and recognized Turkey as an independent republic.

Washington Naval conference

A $1921$ conference where the USA invited $9$ nations to discuss disarmament (Britain, Japan, Italy, France) and East Asia (Belgium, China, Portugal, Netherlands).

4 power Treaty - 1921

An agreement between the US, Britain, France, and Japan to negotiate disagreements and respect each others rights in the Far East; Britain ended its $1902$ alliance.

5 Power Treaty - 1922

A treaty between the US, Britain, France, Japan, and Italy that reduced the Japanese navy to $\frac{3}{5}$ the size of the US and British naties.

9 Power Treaty - 1921

A treaty that restated the Open Door Policy, ensuring all members had equal and fair trading rights in China.

Genoa Conference

A $1922$ meeting with $30$ reps involving unpaid German reparations; Germany and Russia withdrew, and the goal to reconstruct the European economy achieved nothing.

Rapallo Pact - 1922

An agreement where Germany and Russia renounced all territorial claims against each other, opened trade, and led to industrial/military collaboration.

Ruhr Crisis

A $1923$ conflict where France and Belguim invaded the industrialized Ruhr because Germany did not pay reparations.

Passive resistance

A tactic where German workers stopped working during the Ruhr Crisis, making it less likely that Germany would pay reparations.

Fiume Crisis

A $1923$ event where Italians took over the port city of Fiume from Yugoslavia, despite it being declared a 'free city' in the Paris P. Settlements.

Corfu Crisis

A $1923$ dispute where $4$ Italians were killed; Mussolini invaded Corfu and refused to leave until Greece paid Italy, showing the LON had no enforcement authority.

Dawes Plan - 1924

A US-made plan where the US gave loans to Germany, Germany paid Britain and France, and Britain and France paid the USA.

Locarno conference

A $1925$ meeting between Germany, France, Belguim, Britain, and Italy with the goal to restore stability and European peace.

Treaty of Mutual Guarantee

A $1925$ pact where Britain and Italy claimed collective security by aiding any country experiencing aggression against the Locarno Treaties.

Locarno Spirit

An era characterizing diplomatic reconciliation, eased tensions, and optimism after $1925$.

Policy of fulfillment

The strategy used by Gustav Streseman to restore Germany's international status by fulfilling the terms of the TOV.

Kellogg-Briand Pact

A $1928$ treaty involving $60+$ nations that outlawed war, hosted by France and the USA.

Young Plan

A $1929$ plan that replaced the Dawes Plan and lowered German reparations from $6.6$ to $2\text{ Billion}$.

Wall Street Crash

The $1929$ stock market collapse that led to the Great Depression and affected western industrialization due to dependence on US loans.

Council of the League of Nations

The structure consisting of permanent members (Britain, France, Italy, Japan) and non-permanent members (Belgium), where all votes had to be unanimous.

International Labor Org. (ILO)

An agency of the League of Nations assembly that promotes social justice and improves working conditions worldwide.

Health Organization (HO)

An agency of the League of Nations that investigated causes and provided vaccines for epidemics.

Teschen (1920)

A success for the LON regarding a dispute between Poland and Czechoslovakia; the land was split and both sides accepted it.

Aaland Isles (1921)

A dispute between Sweden and Finland over $16,000$ islands; the LON decided they belonged to Finland pero citizens could remain with Swedish rights.

Upper Silesia (1921)

A dispute where Germany won a plebiscite pero the area had a mainly Polish pop; the area was split and both accepted the terms.

Memel (1923)

An incident where Lithuania invaded and the LON gave them the area as an 'international zone,' showing countries could get things by force.

Vilna (1920)

A LON failure where Poland annexed the capital of Lithuania and ignored LON orders to remove troops; Britain and France did not stop Poland.

Treaty of Riga (1923)

A conflict where Poland invaded Russia and forced them to sign a treaty gaining $80,000\,km^2$; the LON did nothing because Russia was not a member and Britain/France disliked communism.