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Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - History Other ww2 ww2 Exam Question #2 (Why the “war to end all wars” failed to achieve everlasting peace) “Never again” § Economic, social, political decisions TIME PERIOD: 1918-Sept 1st, 1939 The German Situation at the End of the War (1918) § Battle of the Bulge - Operation Michael failed - German last effort for victory § Allied blockade/Infusion of American Strength/FR&BR industrialism, Failed U-Boat campaign, Axis powers (Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey) were near collapse. § Peace negotiations out of the question, Entente wants blood America’s Claim - Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points § 1) No Secret treaties, governments need to be open with each other § 2-3) Allow freedom of movement on the seas / Encourage free trade amongst countries § 5) When future claims for colonies are made the people must be taken into account § 6-7) German withdraw for Belgium & Russian territory § 8-9) Alsace-Loraine returned to France/Italy’s frontiers be restored along “nationality” § 10) The people of Austrian Empire be given the right to free elections § 11) Serbia, Montenegro, Romania be given access to the sea § 12) The people of Turkey be given opportunity of Self government § 13) In independent Poland established with access to the sea § 14) An international organization should be created of all states o 1-8) Change the way governments deal with one another § Dealt with WWI was caused by disregard of nations and the people o 9-14) Stress idea of national self-determination & establishment of UN o Woodrow believed WWI was caused by 3 major factors: § Dominant nations suppressing ethnic minorities § Autocratic governments rules by the elite § “…No discrimination…it must be justice that plays no favorites…” – Woodrow Wilson o Italy’s Claim – Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando § Wanted territory promised in 1915 (Weak with little impact, would violate (9-13) o Britain’s Claim – Prime Minister David Llyod George § Key goal was to maintain naval supremacy and control the seas, interfered with colonies (9-13) § Saw a strong Germany as a deterrent to Russia/Needed a rebuilt & Healthy continental Germany o France’s Claim – George Clemenceau § National security & Destruction of French Economy – answer in Rhine & Saar basin § Cripple Germany horribly stripping all military arms to prevent further conflicts § Germany must pay for the entire war (the only good German was a dead German) The Treaty of Versailles (May 7th, 1919) § 5 Separate treaties signed with Central Powers so they would not be in Treaty of Versailles o In protest German sailors sunk their fleet so they would not go to the allies o German’s had no choice, assumed all responsibility for starting the war o It didn’t cripple Germany as France hoped o Wilson’s 14 points was not supported in the US and failed to be fully influential o German’s resented the treaty that placed all the blame on them (humiliated) § Defeated countries were stripped of all ability to defend themselves § The problem with Self-Determination - One person’s borders are different then another’s o People who lived in the area were forced to move because of those who drafted the treaty o Newly created states were eager to take bites out of one another o No way to carve up the economic system to satisfy everyone Specific Articles of the Treaty of Versailles § A.42. – Germany is prohibited to maintain/construct any fortifications 50km to right bank/Rhine § A.43-44 – Any presence in the above areas will be considered an attack upon world peace § A.45 – Compensation for the Destruction of French coal-mines/France now controls Saar Basin § A.50 – Germany must intend to guarantee the rights & well-being for all liberated territory § A.51 – Alsace-Loraine will be restored to French Sovereignty § A.87 – Germany recognized the complete independence of Poland as lost territory will be restored § A.99 – Germany gives up all colonial holdings to the allies § A.102 – Establishment of an independent free city of Danzig § A.119 – Germany renounces all rights and titles to overseas possessions § A.141 – Germany renounces all agreements with France from 1906-1914 § A.156 – Germany renounces in favor of Japan all rights to railway systems connected to Japan § A.159 – German military will be demobilized and reduced § A.160 – German army must not consist of more then 10 divisions, officer strength limited to 4,000 § A.189 – all fortifications along the Rhine/Right bank will be dismantled § A.181 – German naval force is limited to 36 ships, submarines are banned § A.198 – German armed forces must not include military of naval air forces § A.231 – Germany assumes all fault for the war § A.232-234 – Germany must make complete reparations set by a reparations commission. § A.235 – Germany must give back all possessions taken during the war (art, books ect.) § A.248 – Allied troops will occupy the Rhineland for 15 years to enforce the treaty § A.431 – All Germany occupying forces will be withdrawn immediately o Territorial - Alsace Loraine, Breakup of Germany, Establishment of independent Countries o Military – German reduction of arms to 100,000 army/ 0 air force & heavy naval vessels o War Guilt – Germany would assume all responsibility of the war o Reparations – Germany to pay war reparations for the complete cost of the war o Other - Occupation of the demilitarized zone along (Rhineland), Saar basin taken for 15yrs Viewpoint: Was the Treaty of Versailles a fair and reasonable treaty? § The idealistic 14 points would have produced a fair and just treaty, but the true spirit of the 14points was sacrificed to cripple Germany and deny self-determination. § “It is not possible to lay the entire responsibility upon one nation” - unrealistic o Germany’s expense should have been calculated differently o Germany had no way to possibly pay for the total cost of the war § No final amount was declared, didn’t know how much to pay – unfair to both sides § “…Ensure our acts were out of fairness and wisdom rather then hatred and revenge” o Was true peace the goal of the Treaty? § “The treaty ignored the economic solidarity of Europe, hurting allied economy § Left Europe more unsettled and damaged civilian life trying to determine who went where o English felt guilty of how they humiliated Germany and what they signed The League of Nations – Paris Peace Conference “The hope of mankind” § A world organization designed to prevent future guarantee against war (all would be represented) o Armament reduction to the lowest common denominations with national safety o Aggressors would be death with: 1) Economic sanctions 2) Armed forces o Believed all wars could be avoided if the worlds opinion was against the aggressor § Needed the support of the great powers: US refused to join § American public opinion in European affairs hardened, believed involvement would lead to permanent responsibility but Wilson still prompted the other powers to signing. o USA’s absence would be a serious problem to challenge anything through force § In 1919 no one recognized Lenin’s Communists as a lawful government of Russia o Communist couldn’t be invited – their goal was world revolution § Without the US it left the burden of defense up to Britain and France, neither was willing nor able to take the role of “the worlds policemen” The League needed all of none of the Big 3 powers. o Lead people to believe it “had to work” – also dictated colonial development § Social – rise of common man (middle class) / autocracy breaking down as middle gains strength o Women workers (Suffragette Movement) / Veterans return – bitter from gov. treatment o Ratio of Men to Women (war deaths) / Moral codes changes (sexuality) / Prohibition § Economic – Paying for the war (tax/victory bonds) Rationing – raise prices / US world power § Political – Political disruptions / Birth of Communism / European Unrest (new map * problems) § Revolutions of 1919 - Bolshevik, Greece & Turkey, Jew & Arab, India, China, US isolationism o In debt and a second world power, internal trade collapse, naval power damaged, unemployment (Emergence of Labor Party), Colonial problems. o Needed to rebuild Germany to re-start European economy o Devastated by WWII, 2M dead and a deep hatred of Germany determined to keep them weak so they could not wage war. o French believed that if the allied powers were lenient with Germany they would attack o Caused split between French & British support/France allies with weak countries § 1923 – Problems collecting from Germany, 1929 – construction of Maginot line § French government undergoes 17 systems of government (1920-1929) o Isolationist policy – too much invested in Europe, why should we get involved? o Harding, Collidge, Hoover - period of intolerance (immigration act - Asians) o “The Business of America is our Business…” / Prohibition law passed § Russia people were sick of the Czar (Government corrupt and inefficient) o Duma (Parliament) spread dissatisfaction, many minorities grew increasingly uneasy § WWI – Ill equipped and poorly lead, Russia suffered Catastrophic loses against the Germans § Russia was no longer a military threat – disrupted economy (“the Russian bear has lost its claws”) § St. Petersburg riot – battalion joined revolt, Tsar Nicholas II was abdicated, Brother refused the throne o Provisional government appointed, Soviets still directed WWI military campaigns § March-October – Provisional government re-arranged 4 times, all unable to cope with the problems o Increase in radical socialists, followed by the Mensheviks (Trotsky) & Bolsheviks (Lenin). o Provisional government was unable to halt Russia's political, economic, and military chaos § The party split (Bolsheviks + Leftwing Socialist Revolutionaries vs. Majority Mensheviks) o Bolshevik "peace, land, and bread" won support among urban workers & soldiers o Oct 24-25, the Bolsheviks - occupying government buildings, and other strategic points. § Lenin was uneasy with Stalin, Trotsky was killed in Mexico by Stalin § Stalin was a Key player of the Communist machine, lacked morals but did the Dirty work. § Difference between (Trotsky – Idealist / Lenin – Philosopher, Idealist / Stalin – Total Controller) o Stalin played one end against the other – social engineer (people were material/disposable) § Stalin’s 5-Year Economic Recovery Plan § Achieved industrialization and commanded the economy – many died of famine o Stalin expected industrialization to double ever year or else you were executed o Successfully industrializing a agricultural country/Soviet Dominance in Europe § Stalin’s Purges – The rise of Totalitarianism in Russia § “Potential” enemies were forced to confessing imaginary crimes, serving as scapegoats § Post WWI, many were frustrated about war costs (Italy gained very little) soldiers were unemployed § Frequent worker strikes & social unrest – fearing a communist government, supported Fascism o Placed heavy emphasis on nationalism and a strong Italy (Black Shirts – attacked opposition) § Oct 1922, failed to achieve power in elections – took it through arms, Italian troops let him take power o Backed by the military, Musolini gained power to rule by decree, crushing any opposition o Instituted a “Corporate State” which controlled the economy & Foreign policy o “One minute on the battlefield is worth a lifetime of peace” – Mussolini o Causes: Overproduction, under exportation, marginal credit purchases § Oct 1929 - Catastrophic collapse of stock-market on New York Stock Exchange § Banks failed / Nationwide loss of confidence in the economy - reduced spending/demand/production o Unemployment continued as 25-30% of the work force was job less. § Europe relied heavily on US investment to sustain there economy’s o Everyone imposed Tariffs and Quotas on foreign imports – reducing international trade o Worldwide inflation destroyed savings Germany: Barrels of money to pay for a loaf of bread § Without industrial base (Saar Basin) was impossible for Germany to pay $20M war debts o Frustrated with France’s constant demands German printed mass amounts of money o Germany suffered Hyper-Inflation on a enormous scale America’s Response: Roosevelt’s New Deal – “100 days” (March 4th 1933) § Prevented US from deteriorating further – Emergency banking act - closing all banks o Economy Act - slashed government spending by $500M o Abolished Prohibition and reassured people to keep money in banks rather then at home § CCC: Civilian Conservation Corps – Organized work for the unemployed § FERA: Fed. Emergency Relief Admin. – Quickly provide relief to those in need § Social Security Act – The beginning of the American “welfare system” Germany: Rise of Hitler (Hitler looked to Mussolini’s successes in Italy) § 1919 - Weimar Republic established (believed they betrayed them for signing the Treaty of Versailles) o “It was no treaty of peace which was signed, it was a betrayal of peace…” o Hitler served in WWI, bitter from the results of the war he became active in politics o Platform of Anti-Semitism / Anti-communism / Nationalism (Mein Kampf) § Christianity was the complete opposite of Nazism. o Weimar republic couldn’t fix social, economic problems during Great Depression after US withdrew all investment and the collapse of German industry. (Mass unemployment) § Jan 30th 1932 – Hitler appointed Chancellor / Feb 1st 1933 - Reichstag dissolved § 1932 - Free elections – Hitler was appointed Chancellor (Believed they could control him) § Terrorized opposition/Burned Reichstag, blamed communists and jailed opposition § March 23rd 1933 – Enabling act passed – Suspended 7 sections of German constitutional rights o Personal liberty, freedom of any expression, right of assembly, privacy, restrictions o “They loved their nation more then any political ideology and were willing to sacrifice individual freedom to see it win with glory” § July 14th – All other political parties are outlawed in Germany o The brown shirts, Gestapo (Secret Sate Police), SS (Security Service) used to subdue § Oct 14th 1933 – Germany leaves League of Nations / Jun 30th 1934 – Night of Long Knives § Oct 19th 1934 – Hitler becomes Fuhrur / Mar 16th 1934 – Mandatory military service enacted § Sep-Oct 1935 – Nuremberg Laws passed against Jews / Crystallnacht – night of broken glass § Mar 7th 1936 – Occupation of Rhineland / Aug 1-11th 1936 – Olympic games held in Berlin Hitler’s Principles and Policies o The union of all Germans into one great Germany by self-determination o The equality of the German nation with all other nations to end the Treaty of Versailles o Land & Territory for feeding our surplus population (Lebensraum) o Only those of pure blood can be members of the German nation (no Jews, Slavs) o Those who are not a citizen must live as a guest under rules governing foreigners o All further immigration to Germany will be prevented o Every citizen must contribute for the common good of Germany Hitler’s Demands - “public before private interests” o Elimination of income acquired without labor o Confiscation of all war profits / nationalization of all banks / profit-sharing o Land reform adapted to German national needs o Ruthless campaign against all whom injure public interests § Social Unrest, fear of Communism, High Nationalism and a desire for stability o 30’s Euro democracy was failing, looked to fascism/authoritarian states for solving problems o Regimes in: Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, Portugal & Spain § Pathological fear of communism, offered a rational for “enabling laws” § Blemished past was wiped out by a onrush of nationalism and racism o Gave the German people a sense of belonging, collective identity, security and self worth § Skillful use of propaganda portrayed the republic had betrayed them o Gobbles - propaganda and public enlightenment minister – controlled everything § Racial inferiority, unlimited ambitions, enormous political uprising o Hitler wanted to win their hearts rather then their minds; propaganda was formulated from basic racial stereotypes § The demoralization of the great depression, Hitler had saved Germany from the Communists o Revival of the economy - “Strength through Joy” o “…His words go like an arrow to their target, he touches each private wound on the raw, liberating the mass conscious, expressing the innermost aspirations, telling it what it wants to hear…” – Otto Strasser Italian Aggression (Oct. 1935) – The League’s inability to prevent the Aggressions o Italy marches into Ethiopia - vent economic frustrations and boost morale o League of Nations denounces Italy’s actions, passes sanctions but wouldn’t risk war o League had failed to prevent aggression – Italy leaves the league of Nations 1937 Anti-Comintern Pact (Nov. 25th, 1936) – Germany & Japan § The Japanese were angered by a Soviet-Chinese non-aggression pact. o Was aimed specifically against the Communist Soviet Union. § German parades showing military strength – an early warning to Belgium § German occupation of Rhineland (Violation of Treaty of Versailles & Locarno Pact) o Allied powers did nothing, left League of Nations & Disarmament conferences 1933 § Rome-Berlin axis established (GER. Hitler, RUS. Stalin, ITA. Mussolini, JAP. Hirohito) o Allies did not oppose German aggressions, showed west was not ready to get involved § Japanese expansion into China clashed with British interests, American economic concerns. o Mukdan Incident (Manchuria) – excuse for Japan to occupy China, League in 1939 o Japanese withdraw for the League of Nations, unable to stop aggressions. Tripartite Pact (Sept 27th, 1940) - Germany, Italy & Japan § Germany, Italy, Japan agreed "to assist each other with all political, economic and military means" German-Russian Non aggression pact (1939) § Dictatorships of the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis stood against Western Democracies o Western democrats were divided between themselves (USA & Soviet Union isolated) § Hitler’s aggressions continued into Austria, Czechoslovakia (Sudetenland) assimilated into Germany o Chamberlain returned declaring “peace in our time” § Western got word of Polish invasion “Plan White” Aug 23rd, pled for a non-aggression pact with Hitler o Britain/France would defend Poland and declare war on Germany as retaliation § WWI had convinced many military force must end (internationalists) promoted “global peace” § The visions of a strong world federation based on law to settle international disputes “Globalism” o The potential was evident but weak, even though interests coincided, conflicts arose § Nationalism remained the strongest force at work in the world Plan White – German Invasion of Poland (Sept 1st, 193 Bibliography: none Word Count: 3123
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