Transcript Peace Settlement-Italy

`Reasons for the Aggressive Nature of
the Foreign Policies and Appeasement
Peace Settlement-Italy
Italy was ignored by the “Big Three” at Versailles although she
had been promised Land by the allies, Italy was left with
nothing.
However the treaty of St.Germain gave her the land promised.
She acquired the South Tyrol, Trentino, Istria and the useful
port of Trieste.
But the British, French, Belgians, Japanese, Australians, and
South Africans all acquired German colonies.
She also didn’t receive any reparations.
Therefore this caused a massive discontent in Italy and stirred
up feelings of patriotic indignation.
Problems with peace settlement for Italy
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Political Weakness
Italy’s involvement in the war was
pointless costing Italy over
600,000 lives.
Lead to a rapid growth to new
political parties.
Mussolini was ordered to leave
Italy- they ignored it.
In the end Greece was forced to
pay Italy compensation in order to
help the country.
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Economic Problems
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Caused disastrous problems with
Italy’s economy.
Peace brought an end to the warrelated manufacturing industry.
Unemployment rose, due to
demobilised soldiers.
Food was in short supply.
Trade unions membership had rose to
3,160,000 from 310,000 in 2 years
Nationalism economic grievances
caused two years of strikes and
industrial chaos from 1918-20 called
Bennio Rosso (two red years)
Although industrialists had profited and
some ambitious peasants had claimed
new land
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Effect of the Peace Settlement on
Germany
The peace settlement of 1919 caused Germany to peruse
aggressive foreign policies
They were forced to make payments that were almost impossible
and it angered Germany.
Germany were asked to pay back £6,600 million in 1919 and if
they would have done this they wouldn't have paid it back until
1989.
Possibly Germany’s only way of making good money to pay for
the war reparations was there coal industries in the Ruhr which
was given under the control of the French for 15 years.
The Peace Settlement-Details
 The treaty of Versailles was signed on the 28th June 1919
 The peace settlement forced Germany into accepting full responsibility for
the war.
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 The German army was limited to 100,000 men
 Most of Germanys colonies were confiscated and handed over to the allies.
The very important trading area of Alsace and Lorraine was handed back to
France. Also France gained the Ruhr.
 They endured serious military sanctions, and were not allowed U-boats or
tanks.
 Any form of a Union between Germany and Austria was banned.
 The Rhineland was demilitarised to provide security for France.
Fascist Ideology
Italy and Germany both followed aggressive foreign policy's to pursue a
Fascist Government. Both country's were aggrieved by the Versailles Treaty
and wanted;
 A larger Empire.
 Dictatorship instead of a Democracy
 Increased Economy
 Larger armies
 Anti-communist
 Lebensraum (living space).
Specific Aims
Italy-Formed March 1919
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Abolish the monarchy
Confiscate church property
Confiscate war profits
Give workers a say in factory
management
Increase taxes on the very
wealthy
Give land to landless peasants
Defend free speech and
freedom of the press
Legally enforce a minimum
wage
Give women votes
Germany-Founded 1919
• Aryan race
• All Germans to be controlled
by one ‘Fuhrer’.
• Only working and middle
classes to live in Germany
(none of which were Jews).
• End Christianity and form a
new religion.
• Destroy the Treaty of
Versailles.
Economic Problems 1929
Germany
Italy
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Dawes plan failed as America
demanded their money back
due to the Depression.
Businesses closed and
unemployment rose.
The Government raised taxes
and cut benefits.
Hunger an homelessness was
widespread
Lack of gas and electricity.
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Italy had huge unemployment ,
industrial unrest and
industrialised north and a
backwards south in the early
20’s.
Industries struggled to compete
with as it had no fossil fuels to
trade with.
Mussolini tried to increase the
economy by building train lines
and motorways, American
investment flowed into Italy.
However this couldn’t stop the
effects of the depression and in
1933 unemployment was over 1
million and grew to 2 million.
Manchurian Crises
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After the war with Russia in 1904 the Japanese took over the lease of
Russia's railway through Manchuria.
Japanese felt like they were being treated like a second rate power and
inferior to the Americans.
After an explosion on the railway, the Japanese blamed the Chinese.
Soon after the Japanese took the case to the League.
Lord Lytton was sent to China a whole six months later to investigate.
However the report was available a year after the crises.
The great powers were unwilling to consider sanctions against Japan and
ignored the crises due to there own economic problems.
Other countries learnt that if you make an aggressive move that does not
directly affect Britain or France , you get away with it.
This showed that the Leagues policy of ‘Collective Security’ was pointless
as it was every country for themselves.
Abyssinia
• Italy wanted Abyssinia for economic power.
• Italy invaded Abyssinia and the British and French
decided to take action independently from the League.
This shows the League was not following ‘Collective
Security’ as France and Britain only took interest as they
had economic interests in the area.
• The league members were forbidden to loan to Italy,
however Germany did, as did Russia. This shows the
League should have taken more action and issued
economic sanctions aggressors.
• The Hoare Laval pact was independent of the League
where the British and French offered Tigre province and
Asaab dessert.
Implications of the incidents
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Smaller nations lost faith in the league and felt the need to look for larger
powers to protect them.
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From this point onwards the great powers abandoned the pretence of
solving disputes through the league.
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The league was now clearly a ‘dead duck’
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This will have encouraged Hitler to act aggressively in later crises
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Italy joined Japan in a friendly agreement pact, and drew closer to Germany
and later in 1937 Italy withdrew from the league.
British Policy of Appeasement
In 1933 Winston Churchill warned the parliament that ‘Collective Security’ does not work
and recommended appeasement.
In 1937 Stanley Baldwin resigned as Prime Minister and Neville Chamberlain took over. Chamberlain
pursued a policy of appeasement and rearmament.
Why Britain pursued Appeasement:
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Many conservatives supported Hitler's strong right winged government.
Britain's small army was too weak to go to war.
Saw Hitler as a defence against Russian communism.
Britain could not defend her empire and fight a war in Europe.
The labour party wanted to spend money on housing and social care not re-armament.
Some believe the Versailles Treaty was unfair.
Neville chamberlain misread Hitler and saw him as a man who could be relied on.
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Winston Churchill APPEASMENT
Hitler: opportunist or grand strategist
Opportunist: One who takes advantage of any opportunity to achieve an end, often with no regard
for principles or consequences.
Grand strategist: You have a strategy planned all along that you wish to use.
Since 1961 its been argued whether Hitler came into power with a fixed programme in mind for
achieving foreign aims or whether he had merely followed an old age German tradition and took
advantage of the vulnerability of the country when he came into power.
It can be argued whether he was just was a product of the circumstances in Germany at the time:
German pride was hurt but the humiliations placed on it at the “The Treaty of Versailles”. The cost
of reparations was blamed for the terrible state of the German economy and for hyper inflation.
There was a feeling that under these circumstances it was impossible for the people of German to
leave poverty behind and that the people who considered themselves to be the true rulers of
Europe were not receiving any respect internationally.
Many people believe he just took advantage of the poor state of the country however others say he
had a master plan all along.
Evaluation
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Hitler's Foreign Policies
It can be proven that Hitler did have some plans before ww2: Hitler had plans to
conquer Europe long before World War 2 began and many of his views are also
shown in his book “mein kampf”. Maybe he never planned that he would have an
opportunity to demonstrate his views but he definitely did have a plan of what he
wished Germany to be like before he ever came into power.
To conclude it is unknown whether Hitler was an opportunist of a grand strategist but
we believe that he did have most of strategies planned all along!
Appeasement
Appeasement was overall a weak strategy but a move that was to be expected. Due
to the tragic loses of WW1 ,Britain wanted to avoid conflict at all costs.
Many countries were also scared to stand up to Hitler as his idea was so strong.
Instead of ‘collective security’ European countries were only interested in there selves
as no one could truly trust each other.