Chapter 3 Review Notes: The League of Nations and International Relations in the 1930s

The Great Depression and the Rise of Dictatorships

  • Political impact: Great Depression led to social unrest and political extremism.
  • Countries such as Italy (Mussolini) and Germany (Hitler) saw the rise of dictatorships.
  • Japan also transitioned to a military dictatorship.

Failure of Collective Security

  • The League of Nations failed to take effective action against international aggression.
  • The US economic strength initially improved international relations (1924-1929) but collapsed after the Wall Street Crash (1929).

Foreign Policies of Britain and France

  • Britain and France adopted appeasement policies during the 1930s.

Timeline of Events

  • Feb 1932: World Disarmament Conference opens.
  • Jan 1933: Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany.
  • Mar 1935: Germany introduces conscription and begins rearmament.
  • Oct 1935: Italy invades Abyssinia.
  • Mar 1936: Germany occupies the Rhineland.
  • Jul 1936: Spanish Civil War begins.
  • Oct 1936: Rome-Berlin Axis formed.
  • Nov 1936: Anti-Comintern Pact (Germany and Japan).
  • Nov 1937: Italy joins Anti-Comintern Pact.
  • Mar 1939: Germany occupies Czechoslovakia.
  • May 1939: Pact of Steel (Italy and Germany).
  • Aug 1939: Nazi-Soviet Pact.
  • Sept 1939: German invasion of Poland/WWII begins.

Economic Impact of the Great Depression

  • American industries heavily dependent on the market.
  • The USA practiced protectionism.
  • Demand for American goods declines.
  • "Black Friday": Shares in businesses became worthless, leading to bank closures.

Extremism and the Threat to Democracy

  • Conditions gave rise to political extremism, such as communism and fascism.
  • Only countries with strong democracies (Britain, France, USA) survived; weaker ones (Germany, Italy, Spain) governments collapsed.

Hitler's Rise to Power

  • Hitler became the leader of the Nazi Party.
  • He criticized the Weimar constitution and the Treaty of Versailles.

Impact of Dictatorships on International Relations

  • By 1933, Italy, USSR, Germany, and Japan were governed by dictatorships.

Nazism in Germany

  • Hitler wanted to restore Germany to a major European power and destroy the Treaty of Versailles.
  • France feared a rearmed Germany.
  • Italy feared Hitler's intention to form a union between Germany and Austria.
  • Russia feared Germany's anti-communist views.

Military Dictatorship in Japan

  • The armed forces took control, and the country became a military dictatorship.
  • Japan withdrew from the League of Nations in 1933.

Fascism in Italy

  • Mussolini fostered good relations with Britain and France initially.
  • Mussolini ordered Italian troops to invade Abyssinia (1935).
  • In 1936, Italy and Germany formed the Rome-Berlin Axis.

Foreign Responses to Civil War in Spain

  • Franco established a military dictatorship.
  • Franco appealed to Hitler and Mussolini for assistance.
  • Germany and Italy supplied Franco with military equipment and troops.

Hitler’s Expansionist Policies

  • Ending Germany’s commitment to the Treaty of Versailles.
  • Recovering lost territories.
  • Developing German military.
  • Uniting German-speaking people.
  • Supporting the concept of Lebensraum.

Rearmament

  • Hitler introduced conscription and increased the German army.

Rhineland

  • Hitler ordered German soldiers to enter the Rhineland in 1936.

Anschluss (1938)

  • Hitler aimed to unite German-speaking people with Austria.

Sudentenland

  • Hitler claimed German-speaking people were being discriminated against in Czechoslovakia.

Czechoslovakia

  • Germany took immediate possession of the Sudentenland following the Munich Agreement in 1938.

Poland

  • Hitler demanded the return of Danzig and Germany access across the Polish Corridor.
  • 1939- German troops crossed the border into Poland.

Failure of the League of Nations

  • Failure of disarmament: The World Disarmament Conference failed.
  • Crises in Manchuria and Abyssinia: League of Nations was unable to respond effectively.

Appeasement

  • Failure to take decisive action against aggressive foreign policy.

Reasons for Appeasement

  • Economic considerations due to the Great Depression.
  • Military considerations based on self-defense.

Nazi-Soviet Pact

  • Germany and USSR signed a treaty of friendship and non-aggression on August 24th, 1939.

Start of WWII

  • German invasion of Poland triggered the war.
  • Problems created by the Paris peace settlement (Treaty of Versailles).
  • Failure of the League of Nations.
  • World economic crises.
  • Fear of communism and extremism.
  • Appeasement policies.