Week 3 - The Failure of the League of Nations (1920-1945)

Principles:
- Universal Organization (42 founding members, maximum 58)
- Collective security involving international law, collective action (sanctions, use of force), and disarmament
- Based in Geneva (Europe), with documents primarily in French and English
Organs of the League:
- General Assembly: Includes all member states
- Council: Composed of permanent (great powers) and non-permanent (rotating) members
- Secretariat: Located in Geneva, administrative body
- Permanent Court of International Justice: Based in The Hague, adjudicates disputes between states

United States:
- Adopted an isolationist stance, rejected the Treaty of Versailles, engaged in dollar diplomacy, worried about Japanese expansion
United Kingdom:
- Opportunistic, liberal, concerned about communism and the stability of Germany, influenced by Keynesian views (e.g., "The Economic Consequences of the Peace")
France:
- Focused on German threats and alliances with Eastern powers
Russia, Germany, Italy, Hungary:
- Revisionist states seeking changes in the post-WWI order
Japan:
- Emerged as a new power in the Pacific during the 1920s

Civil War in Russia (1917-1921):
- Established the USSR amidst internal conflict
Rise of Fascism:
- Mussolini's rise to power in Italy (1922)
US/Japan Rivalry:
- Influenced by naval discussions in Washington (1921-1922) on balance of power interactions
Treaty of Rapallo (1922):
- Agreement between Germany and Russia, fostering bilateral relations
Reparations and Economic Turmoil:
- Reparations set at 132 billion Gold Marks in 1921, leading to Germany's occupation of the Ruhr (1923) and the ensuing Dawes (1924) and Young Plans (1928)

Locarno Treaty (1925):
- Settle Western borders of Germany, fostering a period of stability
Inclusion of Germany:
- Germany admitted to the League of Nations in 1926
Briand-Kellogg Pact (1928):
- Agreement that prohibited war as a tool of national policy
European Integration Efforts:
- Promoted by Aristide Briand in 1929
Evacuation of the Rhineland (1930):
- A sign of improved Franco-German relations

Wall Street Crash (October 1929):
- Initiated severe economic decline, bank collapses, and credit crunch
Economic Impacts:
- Deflation characterized by falling consumer spending, investment, prices, and production
Social and Political Consequences:
- Rising unemployment and resurgence of nationalism
End of Reparations:
- Abandonment of reparations and debts during 1931-1932
Emergence of Protectionism:
- Various national responses including the London Conference (1933)
National Solutions:
- Economic strategies included Keynesianism (F. D. Roosevelt's New Deal), autarky (Germany, Japan), colonial empires (France, Britain), and communism (USSR)

Liberalism:
- Predominantly represented by the UK, France, and the US
Fascism and Nationalism:
- Gained traction in Italy (Mussolini, 1922), Germany (Hitler, 1933), Spain (Franco, 1936), and Japan (beginning in 1931)
Communism:
- Global movements led by the Komintern and Stalin's USSR, impacting China (Mao Zedong)

Annexation of Manchuria (1931):
- Start of aggressive expansionist policies
Withdrawal from the League of Nations (1933):
- Marked a decline in international cooperation
War in China (1937):
- Increased hostilities and military presence in Asia
Indochina Conflicts (1940-1941):
- Further aggressive actions during WWII
Neutrality Pact with USSR (1941):
- Temporary diplomatic relationship
Pearl Harbor Attack (7 December 1941):
- Catalyst for U.S. entry into WWII
Midway Battle (1942):
- Significant naval engagement
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings (1945):
- End of war in the Pacific; consequences of the bombings on Japan

German Threat Under Hitler:
- Hitler's power ascendance led to withdrawal from the League of Nations (1933) and a rearmament campaign (1935)
Franco-Soviet Relations:
- The USSR joined the League (1934); signed the Franco-Soviet Treaty (1935)
Stresa Front (1935):
- Alliance against German aggression among France, Britain, and Italy
Isolation of Germany:
- Yet, Anglo-German naval agreement (1935) demonstrated paradoxical interactions
Italian Aggression:
- Italy's invasion of Ethiopia (1935-1936) led to League sanctions and creation of the Rome-Berlin Axis (1936)
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939):
- Proxy conflict reflecting broader ideological battles
German Expansion:
- Initial remilitarization of the Rhineland (1936), annexation of Austria (1938), and dismantling of Czechoslovakia (March 1939)
Nazi-Soviet Pact (1939):
- Non-aggression agreement preceding war

Early Aggression:
- Hitler invaded Poland (1939) and subsequent Western European nations (1940)
Key Battles:
- Battle of Britain (1940) and German attacks on the Balkans and USSR (1941)
Turning Points:
- Notable victories at El Alamein (1942) and Stalingrad (1943)
Italian Defeat (1943):
- Series of military setbacks and eventual Allied landing in Normandy (1944)
Final Invasion:
- Allied forces invaded Germany (1945) leading to the defeat of Nazi Germany

Weaknesses of the League of Nations:
- Fragile peace treaties, lack of inclusiveness, and weak enforcement mechanisms
Successes of the League:
- Played a role in consolidating peace in the 1920s, including the Locarno Treaty and Germany's admission in 1926
Impact of the Great Depression (1929):
- Led to increased protectionism and militarism, and the rise of nationalism and fascism under leaders like Hitler (1933)
Outcome of World War II (1939-1945):
- After the Nazi-Soviet Pact, the Axis powers were ultimately defeated by a coalition of liberal democracies and the Soviet Union.