AICE International History CH 2.3 & 2.4 Vocabulary

Gold Standard

Gold Standard

A monetary system by which the value of a currency is directly linked to the value of gold. Being on the gold standard is intended to give a nation’s currency international credibility

Locarno Conference

The setting for a series of agreements designed to create greater stability and security in Europe. The outcome of this was that Germany, France, and Belgium promised to respect their joint frontiers.

Kellogg-Briand Pact

Over 60 nations renounced war and agreed to settle disputes by peaceful means. It also appeared to provide protection from any future German aggression

Young Plan

American banker Owen Young negotiated and reduced the final sum of German reparations from 6.6 billion to 2 billion pounds.

Covenant

Binding agreements made between nations

Nobel Peace Prize

Awarded annually to those who have done the most to encourage international peace and harmony

Arbitration

The settling of a dispute between two parties by an impartial third party

Collective Security

the idea that if any member state of the League was threatened, all the other member states would work together to defend it

Economic Sanctions

Refusing to trade with a nation that was acting in defiance of the League’s judgements. It was hoped that such economic pressure would force the aggressor nation to back backdown

General Assembly

Met annually in Geneva, a location selected because Switzerland seemed to symbolize the desire for peace

International Red Cross

Organization founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 186 with the aim of easing the suffering of those adversely affected by war and armed conflict across the world. This organization has been awarded the Nobel Prize on three occasions, in 1917, 1944, and 1964.

Unanimous

A decision that is agreed by everyone in the  League of Nations General Assembly, for example, a single country could prevent a decision being taken by voting against it

The Council

Main function was to settle political disputes between nations. Held Four ordinary sessions each year in the time of an emergency

Permanent Members

Britain, France, Italy, and Japan. USA decided not to join apart of the League of Nations, and Germany became the fifth permanent member.

Non-Permanent Members

Elected every three years by the General Assembly. First non-permanent members were Belgium, Brazil, Greece, and Spain. Amount of members increased to six in 1922, nine in 1926, and 11 in 1933.

The Secretariat

Carried out day-to-day work of the League: preparing agenda, publishing reports and dealing with vital routine matters. Based in Geneva.

Permanent Court of International Justice

Often referred to as the World Court. This achieved some success in the 1920s, but increasingly became less used during the 1930s. Although the World Court ceased to exist in 1946, the United Nations established the International Court of Justice to replace it

Commissions

Dealt with issues such as the mandates, disarmament, refugees, and slavery.

Committees

Dealt with international labor, health, child welfare, drug problems, and women’s rights

Repatriation

returning people, such as prisoners of war, refugees or migrants, to their country of origin

Teschen 1920

One of the wealthiest and most industrialized regions of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire

Aland Islands 1921

Inhabitants wanted this place to become part of Sweden, but Finland was reluctant to lose sovereignty over it. The League of Nations’ decision was that the place should remain with Finland, and the Swedish government was not pleased.

Upper Silesia 1921

A division over whether they wished to be part of Germany or Poland. Led to a series of local riots between 1919 and 1921, and the League of Nations decided that the area should be divided between Germany and Poland.

Yugo-Albania 1921

League was confronted with open warfare between Yugoslavia and Albania. League of Nations sent a commission and found in favor with Albania. Yugoslavia had no choice but to withdraw troops and complained.

Memel 1923

League decided that the area around the port should belong to Lithuania, but the place itself should remain an “International Zone”. There was some criticism since Lithuania had been able to gain land by using force.

Mosul 1924

An area in which oil had recently been discovered, became part of the British mandate of Iraq. Turkey demanded that they should be allowed to regain control of the region, but League of Nations instead favored Iraq.

Greece-Bulgaria 1925

League condemned the invasion of Bulgaria and called for Greece to withdraw and pay compensation to Bulgaria. Greece complied with the League’s decision.

Vilna 1920

First successful challenge to the League of Nations, and Poland denied the request from the League of Nations to remove their forces. League of Nations could not do anything because Britain and France supported Poland’s claim

Treaty of Riga 1921

In 1920, Poland invaded Russian territory. By 1921, the Russians had to sign this document, and Poland gained 80,000 square kilometers of territory. League of Nations took no action against Poland.

Invasion of Ruhr 1923

German failure to pay war reparations led to France and Belgium invading the Ruhr. League was effectively prevented from taking action since France and Belgium were members and votes had to be unanimous.

Corfu 1923

Italy blamed Greece for the death of three Italian officials monitoring the border between Greece and Albania.

Council of Ambassadors

an intergovernmental agency founded in 1920 with the task of implementing the terms of the Paris peace settlement and mediating territorial disputes between European states.

International Labor Organization

Created and financed through the League of Nations. Governments were persuaded to fix maximum working hours, to establish minimum wage levels, to provide sickness and unemployment benefits and to introduce old-age pensions.

International Commission for Refugees

Helped to resettle over half a million former prisoners of war who had been stranded in Russia at the end of the First World War

Health Organization

Investigates the causes and possible preventions of epidemics. Successful in combating a typhus epidemic in Russia, and carried out research on diseases such as leprosy.

Mandates Commission

Supervised the territories that had been taken from Germany and Turkey at the end of the First World War. IT was intended to ensure that these territories were well-governed and adequately prepared for their own independence.

Financial

The League of Nations was able to provide vital financial assistance to many countries facing economic difficulties