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Versailles Treaty
World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. This Treaty was imposed by the allied nations of France, Britain, and the United States. The treaty contained 15 parts and 440 articles that reassigned German boundaries and assigned reparations or necessary payments for the damages done to each of the countries. Germany had no say in negotiations at the signing of the treaty in Versailles. -
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an international group developed after World War I as a way to solve disputes between countries before they turned into war. Suggested by the United States, the Allied nations took part in this(US did not join) League excluding the Soviet Union, Germany, and Austria. This league had some major wins but in the end, the League struggled to maintain power and resolve conflicts without violence. -
Communist International
Founded in March of 1919, Split the European socialist parties. They were able to set up a Communist party in each country. They were then persuaded to join or assimilate into the Bolshevik party. -
Fascism in Italy
There is political chaos in Italy after WW1. Benito Mussolini is a Fascist Leader who, after WW1, was given a sense of strong nationalism. In 1922, with his army of followers, he legally took control of the government and promised economic and political stability. -
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The Hopeful Years
This era of good feelings for Europe was needed after the chaos and the horrors of WW1. With different agreements and plans made(Dawes Plan, 1924 / Young Plan, 1929) during this time, stability in all aspects were taking over Europe. This was a good time for Germany the most because of the Dawes plan which helped reparation payments, and then they were admitted into the League of Nations in 1926. -
Stalin and his power in Russia
After the death of Vladamir Lenin in 1924, Josef Stalin won the power struggle in Russia, making it the Communist controlled Soviet Union. Stalin brought forced industrialization, police repression and occasional purges. His relations with other countries remained shaky and very fragile. -
The Great Depression
The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world, lasting from 1929 to 1939. The unemployment rate at this time was higher than ever, as well as the stock market prices. As well as prices dropping, Half of the US banks were closed and some 15 million were without jobs, homes, and food. -
Japans Invasion Of Manchuria
In September of 1931, Japan launched an assault on the Chinese city of Manchuria. China took this problem to the League of Nations to hopefully gain help in fighting Japan. Sure enough, soon after China took this problem to the League of Nations, Japan gave notice of its intention to withdraw from the League. -
The Third Reich
After Hitler fails to seize control of the Munich beer hall, he is thrown in jail and writes his book, Mein Kampf, which means, My Struggle. He then was later able to make his voice heard nationwide by using propaganda and newspapers. He and his followers eventually won the race for power and Hitler becomes the new chancellor of Germany in 1933. -
Germany Becomes Independent
In October 1933, nine months after Adolf Hitler was appointed chancellor, the Germans announced their withdrawal from the League of Nations. Germany left in main reason because of the refusal of the Western powers to agree or consider Germany’s demands for military parity. Soon after, Germany began to build its military, all while violating restrictions set by the Treaty of Versailles.
