International Relations in the 20th Century: Part 1
Aims
• TO understand the impact of the Treaty of Versailles
• TO access the rise to power of Mussolini and Hitler and their impact
• To consider the origins of World War II
• TO understand the progress of World War II and the role of key battles
• Peace and war in Europe, 1920-45
The Paris Peace Conference
The conference was held after Britain, France and the USA defeated Germany and Austria-Hungary in World War I.
• President Wilson of the USA wanted Germany to be treated fairly; he also suggested a League of Nations to keep peace after the war.
• David Lloyd George, prime minister of Britain, wanted to impose harsh terms on Germany.
• President Clemenceau of France (the ‘Tiger’) wanted revenge for France; he wanted to keep Germany weak.
• Treaty of Versailles
• 1 The Treaty of Versailles was made with Germany
• The Rhineland was demilitarised (no German soldiers could be there).
• Germany lost the Polish Corridor to Poland.
• Union with Austria (Anschluss) was forbidden.
• The German army was reduced to 100,000 soldiers.
• Germany had to accept the War Guilt Clause (admit it caused the war).
• Germany had to pay reparations (compensation) of £6.6 billion to victorious allies.
• 2 Germany had to sign the Treaty, but Germans were very angry with the terms.
The League of Nations
1. The League of Nations was set up to maintain peace between peace between countries.
2. The League had a headquarters in Geneva; it had an Assembly where decisions had to be unanimous and a Council where decisions also had to unanimous.
3. The League sorted some small disputes between countries, but it could not stop bigger countries doing what they wanted to do.
1. Japan invaded Manchuria (China).
2. Italy invaded Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
3. Hitler and Germany often broke the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
Reasons for failure.
4. The League had no army; it only used sanctions or boycotts to force countries to follow its decisions.
5. The Council and Assembly, had to be unanimous.
Democracy and dictatorship: The rise of fascism, 1920-33
Mussolini and Fascist Italy
How did Mussolini rise to power in Italy?
How did Mussolini rise to power in Italy?
1. Mussolini founded the Fascist Party, also known as the Blackshirts, after WWI. He rose to power in Italy because:
• Italy suffered during WWI and Italians were unhappy that they did not get land they were promised.
• The Italian economy also suffered so the unemployment and inflation were high after the war.
• Businesses and industrialists feared the spread of communism in Italy; they wanted a strong leader to stop communists.
• The Fascist Party (Blackshirts) grew stronger as they used violence against socialists.
• The March on Rome: the Fascists planned a march on Rome to demand a place in government; the king, Victor Emmanuel, was tired of all the changes in government so he asked Mussolini to become prime minister of Italy.
What was communism in Russia?
The Communist Party led by Lenin and later Stalin took over power in Russia, in 1917. They set up a dictatorship and took over land and industry. Many people outside of Russia feared that communists would do the same in other European countries.
What was fascism?
Fascists believed in dictatorship, control of the press and radio. They were anti-communist and favoured extreme nationalism.
Mussolini’s dictatorship
2. Mussolini established a dictatorship:
• He passed a law which said the party which got the majority of the votes in the next election would get two-thirds of the seats in parliament; the Fascists became the largest party.
• After the murder of a socialist leader, Matteotti, by the Fascists, the Socialist Party withdrew form parliament. This made Mussolini stronger.
• He banned other political parties, except the Fascist Party.
• He set up the secret police, the OVRA.
• He controlled press and radio.
3. Propaganda was important to Mussolini:
• He called himself Il Duce (the leader) and organised a cult of personality around himself.
• He got the press, radio and cinema to glorify Fascist successes.
• In schools, students were taught to praise Mussolini; boys and girls joined Fascist youth organisations.
4. Fascist changes and achievements:
• Mussolini improved the road system by building autostrada (motorways).
• He drained the Pontine Marches near Rome.
• He promoted the Battle for Grain and the Battle for Births.
• He signed the Lateran Treaty with the Catholic Church, which made peace with the Church after 50 years of disagreement.
• Mussolini’s foreign policy
5. Mussolini wanted to expand the power of Italy around the Mediterranean Sea.
• In 1935 Italy invaded Abyssinia and easily defeated its native tribes.
• He was opposed by the League of Nations, but he was supported by Hitler.
6. Mussolini and Hitler improved their relations.
• They signed the Rome-Berlin Axis, which was a treaty of friendship; also, Mussolini agreed to Hitler’s takeover of Austria.
• Then they signed the Pact of Steel under which they pledged to help each other in war.
7. But Italy was very weak in WWII; Hitler had to send Rommel to North Africa to help the Italian army there.
8. When the Allies invaded Italy, Mussolini was captured and killed by Italians who were opposed to him.
League of Nations Discussion
Life of Mussolini Part 1
Life of Mussolini Part 2
Review Questions
1. When did World War One occur and how long did it last?
2. Name some of the main countries involved.
3. What made War World One so different than all previous wars?
4. List the main terms of the Versailles Treaty
5. Name the main world leaders who drew up the Treaty of Versailles
6. Why was the League of Nations created?
7. Why was the League so weak?
8. Explain what Communism means?
9. What was the first Communist country in the world?
10. Why did people in some European countries support Communism?
11. What did all Dictators have in common?
12. What were the main problems in Italy after WWI?
13. What were the main aims of Mussolini’s Fascist Party?
14. Who were the Blackshirts?
15. Why was the March on Rome so important?
16. In what ways did Mussolini destroy democracy?
17. How did Mussolini use propaganda?
18. Why were the Secret Police so important for Mussolini?
19. Why did Mussolini order the attack on Ethiopia?
20. What was the Rome-Berlin Axis?
21. What happened to Italy during WWII?
22. Why did many Italian people turn against Mussolini in 1945?
Answers
1. It began in 1914 and lasted 4 years.
2. France, Britain and Russia fought against Germany, Turkey and Austria. Italy joined in 1915 and the USA in 1917. Both fought against Germany.
3. It lasted longer than anyone thought possible. Most of the fighting took place in trenches dug by both sides. New and more deadly weapons were used for the first time such as poison gas, tanks, huge shells, planes and machine guns. Over 9 million died in the war.
4. Germany had to accept FULL responsibility for the war and had to pay a huge bill for all the damage caused. Germany was only allowed an army of 100,000 men and was not allowed to have any U-Boats or airforce. Union with Austria was forbidden and the Rhineland was to remain a de-militarised zone.
5. Clemenceau of France, Lloyd George of Britain and President Wilson of the USA.
6. It was set up after WWI and was mainly the idea of President Wilson of the USA. The idea was to get countries to join and to settle disputed by negotiation rather than going to war and creating the misery and carnage of the previous few years.
7. The USA never joined which came as a major surprise. Also, it had no army of it’s own to enforce any decisions made by the Council of the League.
8. This was a political system which wanted to abolish private ownership of property and wanted the State to control all industry and agriculture
9. The USSR after a Revolution led by Lenin in 1917.
10. People were sure that a Communist system would bring better equality for all people. Poor people believed that the State would look after them better.
11. All very nationalistic, believed their race was superior, anti-Communist, wanted total control.
12. Massive unemployment, constant strikes, street riots , anger over the way Italy had been treated in the Versailles treaty.
13. To make Italy a strong, powerful nation.
14. Private army of Mussolini who attacked socialists and communists.
15. Mussolini threatened to take power by force. The Prime Minister wanted the King to declare martial law and defeat the Fascists. However, the King was scared for his own position so he made Mussolini the new Prime Minister in a coalition government.
16. He banned all political parties except the Fascist Party. He was able to rule by decree which means he could rule without Parliament. He also created his own secret police and introduced very strict censorship.
17. He used newspapers and radio to make himself look like a superman.
18. He used them to spy on people to make sure there was no opposition allowed to Fascist rule.
19. Because he wanted a great Italian empire, just like the glory days of the old Roman Empire.
20. This was a military alliance between Hitler and Mussolini which began in the mid 1930’s and became the Pact of Steel in 1939.
21. They joined the war on the side of Germany and fought many battles in north Africa where they were beaten by the Allies.
22. Because the Allies landed in Italy and defeated their army and there was a lot of destruction of property. Mussolini tried to escape to Germany. He was captured by partisans and executed in April 1945.
1. It began in 1914 and lasted 4 years.
2. France, Britain and Russia fought against Germany, Turkey and Austria. Italy joined in 1915 and the USA in 1917. Both fought against Germany.
3. It lasted longer than anyone thought possible. Most of the fighting took place in trenches dug by both sides. New and more deadly weapons were used for the first time such as poison gas, tanks, huge shells, planes and machine guns. Over 9 million died in the war.
4. Germany had to accept FULL responsibility for the war and had to pay a huge bill for all the damage caused. Germany was only allowed an army of 100,000 men and was not allowed to have any U-Boats or airforce. Union with Austria was forbidden and the Rhineland was to remain a de-militarised zone.
5. Clemenceau of France, Lloyd George of Britain and President Wilson of the USA.
6. It was set up after WWI and was mainly the idea of President Wilson of the USA. The idea was to get countries to join and to settle disputed by negotiation rather than going to war and creating the misery and carnage of the previous few years.
7. The USA never joined which came as a major surprise. Also, it had no army of it’s own to enforce any decisions made by the Council of the League.
8. This was a political system which wanted to abolish private ownership of property and wanted the State to control all industry and agriculture
9. The USSR after a Revolution led by Lenin in 1917.
10. People were sure that a Communist system would bring better equality for all people. Poor people believed that the State would look after them better.
11. All very nationalistic, believed their race was superior, anti-Communist, wanted total control.
12. Massive unemployment, constant strikes, street riots , anger over the way Italy had been treated in the Versailles treaty.
13. To make Italy a strong, powerful nation.
14. Private army of Mussolini who attacked socialists and communists.
15. Mussolini threatened to take power by force. The Prime Minister wanted the King to declare martial law and defeat the Fascists. However, the King was scared for his own position so he made Mussolini the new Prime Minister in a coalition government.
16. He banned all political parties except the Fascist Party. He was able to rule by decree which means he could rule without Parliament. He also created his own secret police and introduced very strict censorship.
17. He used newspapers and radio to make himself look like a superman.
18. He used them to spy on people to make sure there was no opposition allowed to Fascist rule.
19. Because he wanted a great Italian empire, just like the glory days of the old Roman Empire.
20. This was a military alliance between Hitler and Mussolini which began in the mid 1930’s and became the Pact of Steel in 1939.
21. They joined the war on the side of Germany and fought many battles in north Africa where they were beaten by the Allies.
22. Because the Allies landed in Italy and defeated their army and there was a lot of destruction of property. Mussolini tried to escape to Germany. He was captured by partisans and executed in April 1945.
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