Unit 2: The League of Nations and International Relations in the 1920s by Sofia Alseco
By sofiaalseco
-
Treaty of Versailles signed with Germany
Germany and the Allies signed the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 to put an end to World War I. Germany was subject to severe punishments, including demilitarization, compensation, and loss of land, as it was held responsible for initiating the war. In addition to humiliating Germany, it did not address the basic issues that sparked the conflict. The rise of Hitler and the outbreak of World War II were helped by economic hardship and treaty hatred. -
Polish-Lithuanian Dispute
A post-World War I disagreement between Poland and Lithuania was known as the Vilnius dispute. Józef Piłsudski, the head of state of Poland, demanded unity with Lithuania, but the Lithuanians rejected his proposals. To keep the two nations' soldiers apart, the Allies drew a demarcation line. A partial armistice was agreed by the League of Nations to resolve all border problems. -
Washington Naval Conference
The world's leading naval powers joined in Washington in 1921–1922 to talk about disarmament and defuse tensions in East Asia. Following World War I, politicians worked to prevent further disputes, lessen the threat posed by Japan's growing militarism, and stop the global arms race. A congress campaign led by Senator William E. Borah sought to open disarmament talks between Japan and the United Kingdom. -
Plebiscite in Upper Silesia
The dispute over Upper Silesia was settled by vote on March 20, 1921. Victory was the goal by both parties. The press urged German voters to vote to maintain the area under the Reich, while Poles were urged to vote for Poland. Tensions in the neighborhood increased due to heavy propaganda. -
Aaland Islands Dispute
The League of Nations investigated a dispute between Finland and Sweden over the control of the Aaland Islands in 1921. The islands were historically Finnish but the population wanted to be Swedish. The League ruled that the islands should remain Finnish but no military personnel or arms could be located there. Both nations accepted the authority of the League's decision. The dispute is a significant case study of success for the League. -
Genoa Conference
The Genoa Conference covered topics such as strengthening ties between Soviet Russia and the capitalist governments of Europe and the economic recovery of central and eastern Europe. When France and Belgium demanded on repayment of prewar loans and return of foreign-owned property that had been seized, the negotiations broke down. -
Dawes Plan
The Allies and Germany came to an agreement in 1924 known as the Dawes Plan to make possible Germany's reparations payments. $25 billion in loans were provided to rebuild factories, and the amount of reparations was cut to 50 million pounds annually. As a result, the German economy expanded, creating jobs and raising tax receipts. -
Mussolini becomes Prime Minister of Italy
In 1925, Mussolini took office as prime minister and proclaimed himself the country's dictator. In an attempt to influence elections in his party's favor, he claimed unusual emergency powers. Suspicion of being anti-Fascist was made punishable by jail without trial by the Italian parliament. The following year, Socialists were detained by the police and their publication rights were limited by the government. -
Germany joins the League of Nations
For the Locarno Pact, Gustav Stresemann favored Germany's entrance to the League of Nations. After joining in 1926, Germany was granted permanent membership in the Council and great power status. However, the military restrictions put in place at Versailles prevented Germany from taking part in collective action. Germany made use of its standing to bring up issues in the League that were important to Germany. -
Young Plan
In 1929, Germany's World War I reparations were revised under the Young Plan. It removed foreign restrictions on German economic life and lowered the amount owed to 121 million Reichsmarks in 59 agreements. But the 1930s global downturn struck, and the plan to lower reparations to 3 million marks was never approved. When Adolf Hitler took office in 1933, he rejected all significant obligations made under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.