International Relations In An Age Of Uncertainty Pg

International Relations in an Age of
Uncertainty
1919-1933
Cambridge International History
Page 41-48
Mrs. Katie Aufenanger
Boca Raton High School

Revolutions & New
Governments


Political effects of WWI were devastating › Tsarist regime (Nicholas II and the

Romanovs) in Russia was overthrown by the Bolshevik Revolution (1917)
› Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced to abdicate
(1918)


Revolution seemed a genuine threat in every European capital.

Woodrow Wilson
(1856-1924)








Became President of USA in
1913
Made decision to bring USA into WWI in 1917
Considered himself to be mediator between rival
European nations after WWI
Created the Fourteen Points to help establish a fair and lasting peace. Suffered a stroke in 1919 but served as President until 1921.

The USA and the Paris Peace Conference


The US Senate refused to ratify the settlement agreed at the Paris Peace
Conference
› What does Ratify mean?



The US wanted to return to Isolationism and keep out of foreign affairs as much as possible.

Russia and Communism



Russia was not invited to participate in the Paris Peace Talks.
The Bolshevik government was determined to spread Communism
› Based on ideas of Karl Marx & Friedrich

Engels
› A classless society where there is common ownership of the means of production
› Opposite of Capitalism (where individuals can become wealthy through ownership of land, factories, etc.)

The Peace Settlements of 1919-1920
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
1. No Secret Treaties or alliances between countries
›

Wilson believed the secret treaties/alliances contributed significantly to WWI

Freedom of the Seas in peace & war

2.

›

No more unrestricted submarine warfare

Removal of Trade Barriers

3.

›

Protectionist policies should be avoided because it causes anger and resentment among nations

4. Reduction of Armaments by all nations
› European arms race of late 1800s was a major

cause of WWI

5. Adjustment of colonial claims, taking natives’ wishes into account
›

Rival imperial claims should be settled by negotiations, not conflict.

6. Russia to be invited to society of nations and all land restored
›

Russia’s involvement in negotiations of settlement was vital for lasting peace.

7. Restoration of Belgian Territory
›

All land taken from Belgium during war should be returned.

8. Liberation of France
› France should be freed from German

occupation and Alsace & Lorraine should also be returned

9. Readjustment of Italian Frontiers along lines of nationality.
›

Wilson believed nationality was based on language. Areas that were predominantly
Italian-speaking should belong to Italy.

10. Independence for peoples of AustriaHungary
› People should have a chance for

independence and self-governance

11. Restoration of Balkan Nations (Romania,
Serbia, Montenegro)
›

Serbia should also be given access to the sea so they can trade effectively.

12. Self-government for non-Turkish peoples and free passage through Dardanelles for all nations. ›

Non-Turkish peoples should be granted independence and their own governments. All nations’ ships can have access to the
Dardanelles.

13. Independence for Poland
› Poland should also be provided with Sea

access

14. The Creation of a League of Nations to ensure future peace
› Wilson envisioned an international

organization where nations could discuss their disagreements and deal with them by negotiation and not war.

Russia and World War I


The Russian Revolution of
1917 left Russia in the hands of Bolshevik leader,
Vladimir I. Lenin
› Lead the Union of Soviet

Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1917-1924




Lenin believed it was essential to end Russia’s involvement in WWI
Signed the Treaty of BrestLitovsk on March 3, 1918.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk





Terms of treaty were extremely harsh on Russia
Russia lost Poland, Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Ukraine, Georgia and
Finland.
These areas contained much of
Russia’s best farmland, raw materials and heavy industry
› Russia lost 25% of its population 25% of its

industry and 90% of its coal mines.

Russian Land Lost

“Three Bones
– a Bountiful
A political cartoon from
Tip”
1918 by American cartoonist, E.A. Bushnell

The End of the War


With Russia out of the war, Germany no longer had to fight on two fronts.
› Germany was able to launch a major offensive on

the Western Front and things looked good for the
Central powers.



The Allies launched a counter-offensive that drove the Germans back.
Germany tried one last naval battle against the British.
› German sailors, convinced this was a suicide

mission, mutinied.
› This sparked a wider revolution within Germany and Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced to abdicate.

Problems for the Paris peacemakers





January 1919 – nearly 30 countries met a
Versailles, near Paris.
Goal: Develop a settlement that would end WWI and prevent something like it from happening again. Revolutions were happening throughout the former Austro-Hungarian, Russian and Turkish empires. › Revolution seemed a genuine threat in France and other

major European nations.


To avoid revolutions, decisions at the peace conference needed to be reached quickly…

The Council of Four

 Made majority of the decisions at the Paris Peace
Conference
1) President Woodrow Wilson (USA)
2) PM David Lloyd George (Britain)
3) PM Georges Clemenceau (France)
4) PM Vittorio Orlando (Italy)*
*Italy actually had little influence, so most decisions were made by the “Big Three”

Disagreements over Germany


Clemenceau’s View:
› Destroy Germany militarily and economically
› Wanted to ensure Germany could never

threaten French borders again.
› Earned nickname “The Tiger”


Lloyd George’s View:
› Wanted less severe punishment for Germany
› Germany was major consumer of British

exports, so Britain wanted Germany on a fast path to recovery.
› British public option was strongly anti-German



Wilson’s Views
› Wanted a lenient peace based on the Fourteen

Points and his slogan “Peace without Victory”.
› Believed harsh punishment for Germany would cause resentment and make future conflict more likely. 

Wilson could no longer claim to fully represent the government of the USA because the
Democrats had lost control of the Senate in the midterm elections.
› US Congress consists of two “houses” – the Senate

and the House of Representatives.
› The Senate is the more powerful of the two – USA can only enter into treaties with approval of the
Senate.

Treaty of Versailles





None of the defeated nations were invited to the Paris Peace Conference
Germans were horrified by the terms of the treaty, but had no choice but to sign it. Signed on June 28, 1919
› Germany lost 70,000 sq. kilometers (27,000

sq. miles) and almost 7 million people

Conditions of the Treaty of Versailles





Alsace & Lorraine were returned to France
Eupen & Malmedy went to Belgium
Northern Schleswig went to Denmark
The Saar Valley would be administered by the League of Nations
› After 15 years, A Plebiscite (a vote where

people get to share their opinion for or against a proposal) would decide whether it would belong to Germany or France


The Rhineland was to be demilitarized.

Conditions of the Treaty (Continued)






Much of West Prussia went to Poland, allowing access to the Sea through the
Polish Corridor.
Port of Memel went to Lithuania
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania became independent states
Germany lost its African colonies, which became Mandates
› Mandates: Territory taken from one defeated

nation and given to another country, which would administer it on behalf of the League of
Nations.

German Lands Lost

Germany Takes the Blame


German armaments were limited to a maximum of 100,000 troops
› No tanks, military aircrafts or submarines
› Maximum of 6 battleships





Anschluss (union) between Germany &
Austria-Hungary was forbidden
War Guilt Clause blamed Germany & its allies for the outbreak of WWI
Reparations: Compensation for war damages › £6.6 Billion – not settled on until 1921
› Equivalent to £525 Billion ($834 Billion) in

2012 Values

What does this cartoon imply about the future of Germany?