Paper 1
Conflict and Tension, 1918-1939
Both
Membership gaps and structural weaknesses explain why the League failed.
Key Facts
- Treaty of Versailles (1919): £6.6bn reparations, army limited to 100,000, war guilt.
- League lacked USA, had no army, and required unanimous decisions.
- Manchuria (1931) and Abyssinia (1935) showed League was powerless.
- Munich Agreement (1938) gave Sudetenland to Hitler to avoid war.
- Nazi-Soviet Pact (August 1939) removed threat of two-front war for Germany.
Topics Covered
Treaty of Versailles 1919
What you need to know
- •Germany accepted war guilt (Article 231) and paid £6.6bn reparations.
- •Germany lost 13% of territory including Alsace-Lorraine and Polish Corridor.
- •Army limited to 100,000; no air force, submarines, or tanks.
- •League of Nations created without Germany or USA as members.
- •Germans called it a "Diktat" (dictated peace) and resented harsh terms.
Exam Tips
- Link Treaty terms to long-term resentment in Germany.
- Use specific figures: £6.6bn, 100,000 army limit.
League of Nations Structure and Aims
What you need to know
- •Aimed to prevent war through collective security and disarmament.
- •Assembly: all members vote on decisions (slow and unanimous).
- •Council: major powers made quick decisions.
- •Sanctions: economic boycotts to punish aggressors.
- •Weaknesses: no army, USA absent, decisions required unanimity.
Exam Tips
- Explain why unanimity made the League slow and ineffective.
- Link absence of USA to lack of enforcement power.
League Failures: Manchuria and Abyssinia
What you need to know
- •Manchuria (1931): Japan invaded China, League sent Lytton Report but no action.
- •Japan ignored sanctions and left the League in 1933.
- •Abyssinia (1935): Italy invaded, League imposed weak sanctions (no oil ban).
- •Suez Canal stayed open to Italian troops; Hoare-Laval Pact revealed hypocrisy.
- •Failures showed League was powerless against major powers.
Exam Tips
- Use specific examples: Manchuria or Abyssinia for League failure questions.
- Mention economic sanctions were ineffective without USA.
Hitler's Foreign Policy and Aggression
What you need to know
- •Aims: overturn Versailles, unite German speakers (Lebensraum), rearm.
- •Left League of Nations (1933) and began secret rearmament.
- •Remilitarized Rhineland (1936) - broke Versailles, no opposition.
- •Anschluss with Austria (1938) - union forbidden by Versailles.
- •Sudetenland crisis (1938) - demanded Czech territory with German speakers.
Exam Tips
- Link each act of aggression to lack of response from Britain/France.
- Use chronological order to show escalation.
Appeasement Policy
What you need to know
- •Chamberlain believed Versailles was too harsh and Germany had genuine grievances.
- •Britain unprepared for war: needed time to rearm after Depression.
- •Munich Agreement (1938): gave Sudetenland to Hitler to avoid war.
- •Chamberlain claimed "peace for our time" but Hitler broke promise by taking rest of Czechoslovakia (March 1939).
- •Policy failed: encouraged Hitler and showed weakness.
Exam Tips
- Balance arguments: short-term avoided war but long-term encouraged aggression.
- Mention Munich Agreement as key turning point.
The Road to War 1939
What you need to know
- •Nazi-Soviet Pact (August 1939): shocked world, removed threat of two-front war.
- •Germany invaded Poland (1 September 1939).
- •Britain and France declared war (3 September 1939).
- •Causes: Hitler's ambitions, failure of appeasement, League weakness.
Exam Tips
- Link multiple causes together in 16-mark questions.
- Show how each failure encouraged the next step.
Key Terms
Diktat
Dictated peace - German view that Versailles was imposed unfairly.
Collective security
Countries acting together to deter aggression.
Appeasement
Giving in to demands to avoid conflict.
Lebensraum
Living space - Hitler's aim to expand German territory.
Anschluss
Union between Germany and Austria, forbidden by Versailles.
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Common Exam Questions
Describe two features of the Treaty of Versailles.
Model Answer
Feature 1: Germany paid £6.6bn in reparations. Feature 2: Army was limited to 100,000 men.
What examiners want to see
- ✓Two distinct features.
- ✓Brief supporting detail.
Explain two reasons the League of Nations failed to stop aggression.
Model Answer
Reason 1: It lacked military power and relied on economic sanctions which were ineffective. Reason 2: USA was not a member, weakening enforcement and moral authority.
What examiners want to see
- ✓Two distinct reasons with explanation.
- ✓Link to consequences.
Explain two consequences of the Munich Agreement.
Model Answer
Consequence 1: Gave Hitler Sudetenland, encouraging further demands. Consequence 2: Showed appeasement failed when Hitler took rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939.
What examiners want to see
- ✓Two consequences.
- ✓Link to Hitler's actions.
How far do you agree that the failure of the League of Nations was the main cause of WWII?
Model Answer
League failures emboldened Hitler, but Treaty of Versailles created resentment and appeasement encouraged aggression. Hitler's ambitions were the driving force. Balanced judgment: League weakness was important but Hitler's actions were decisive.
What examiners want to see
- ✓Balanced argument with multiple factors.
- ✓Clear judgment supported by evidence.
- ✓Link factors together.
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