The Interwar Years (1918-1945)

Nov 1918: World War 1 ArmisticeThe First World War ended on the 11th November - the allies (Britain, France and the USA won)June 1919: Treaty of Versailles signedThe Big Three ( Lloyd George, Clemenceau and Wilson) heavily influenced the decisions and imposed heavy punishment on Germany despite their different opinions Sept 1919: Treaty of St. GermainDealt with Austria. Separated Austria and Hungary, banned Anschluss, limited the size of Austria's army, Took away land (eg Bosnia) and created new countriesJan 1920: League of Nations Set upThe League was created to 'police' the world, based on Woodrow Wilson's 14 points - there were many successes and failures of the League June 1920: Treaty of TrianonDealt with Hungary. Took land away and created new countries, reduced Hungary's armyNov 1919: Treaty of NeuillyDealt with Bulgaria. Lost its territory and lost access to the sea. Forced to disarm. Aug 1920 Treaty of SevresDealt with Turkey. Parts of Turkey became new mandates eg Syria. Turkey lost control of the Black Sea. April 1921: Washington ConferenceInternational conference called by the United States to limit the number of naval ships to work out security agreements in the Pacific area. April 1922: Rapallo TreatyA treaty signed between Germany and Russia -the two sides agreed to drop all wartime claims against each other, to cooperate economically, and to establish diplomatic relations. Aug 1924: The Dawes PlanCharles Dawes (USA) ended hyperinflation and gave Germany longer to pay for reparations and lent them £45 million to get the economy started again. Oct 1925: Lorcano TreatiesSettled the western borders of Germany, Rhineland was demilitarised. France allied with Poland and Czechoslovakia Sep1926: Germany joins the League of NationsStresemann (German) persuaded the French to leave the Ruhr and even got the rest of the world to allow Germany to join the League Aug 1928: Kellogg - Briand PactAgreement that 67 nations signed to condemn war as a way of solving international disputes. Aug1929: Young Planthe allies reduced the total amount of reparations, and gave Germany until 1989 to pay them.Oct 1929: Wall Street CrashThe American stock market crashed causing a worldwide depression.Sept 1931: Manchurian CrisisJapan had suffered from the depression and invaded Manchuria for resources. This was the first big challenge for the League. Feb 1933: Japan leaves the League of NationsJapan refused to accept the report against them so they walk out of the League.Jan 1933: Hitler becomes Chancellor of GermanyNazi popularity grew as the German population wanted a strong government.Oct 1933: Germany leaves the LeagueHitler gave as his excuse the fact that Germany was already disarmed, while other countries were refusing to disarm.March 1935: Hitler starts to rearms Germany openly Hitler stages a huge Military Rally in Nuremberg.April 1935: Stresa ConferenceCoalition of France, Britain, and Italy formed in April 1935 at Stresa, Italy, to reaffirm the Lorcano Treaty and to resist any future attempt by the Germans to change the Treaty of Versailles. Oct 1935: Italy invades AbyssiniaMussolini wanted revenge on his defeat in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and to grow his empire. The League could not stop this.June 1935: Anglo-German Naval Agreement Britain agrees that Germany can build their navy up to 35% of Britain's.March 1936: Rhineland remilitarisedRhineland was demilitiarised by the Treaty of Versailles, but as the league were busy with The Abyssinian Crisis, Hitler took a chance to march his troops into the RhinelandJuly 1936: Spanish Civil WarCivil War between the nationalists and communists, Hitler sent the Luftwaffe to Guernica to help Franco (nationalist) and to show off his planes and powerOct 1936: Rome - Berlin AxisInformal coalition between Italy and Germany Dec 1927: Italy leaves the LeagueItaly left the left the league after the Abyssinian crisis. Mussolini (current Italian ruler) wanted to restore the "glory days of the Roman Empire"March 1938: AnschlussHitler encourages Austrian Nazis to protest, a plebiscite was held and 99.7% of the population wanted Austria to join with Germany.Sept 1938: Munich AgreementSigned by Chamberlain, Dadadier, Mussolini and Hitler, Germany would have Sudetenland but would leave the rest of Czechoslovakia. March 1939: Hitler invades CzechoslovakiaHitler persuades the Czech president to allow German troops in to 'restore order'May 1939: Pact of SteelFormal agreement of the Rome - Berlin Agreement. Germany and Italy promised to support each other if war was declared.Aug 1939: Nazi - Soviet PactGermany and the USSR promise not to go to war with each other, and (secretly) to divide up Poland between them, however Hitler did not intend to stick with this planSep 1 1939: Hitler invades PolandHitler claimed that Poland had attacked Germany and this was an act of retaliation, after some hesitation Britain told the Germans to leave Poland but Hitler ignored this.Sep 3 1939: Britain declares War