Forum post leaders told the class what they posted. Then we had a discussion over the Treaty of Versailles.
Group 1:
Treaty of Versailles:
what was the Treaty of Versailles:
- Primary purpose was to punish Germany
- Wilson's 14 points, freedom of the seas of all countries, mainly rebuilding the world
- 4 types
- territorial, Alsace- Lorraine (given to France), Eupen and Malmedy (given to Belgium), Northern Schlewig(given to Denmark), Hultschin(given to Czech)
- Military:
- Germany's army was reduced to 100,000 men; the army was not allowed tanks
- Germany was not allowed an airforce
- Germany was allowed only 6 capital naval ships and no submarines
- The west of the Rhineland and 50 kms east of the River Rhine was made into a demilitarized zone (DMZ). No German soldier or weapon was allowed into this zone. The allies were to keep an army of occupation on the west bank of the Rhine for 15 years.
- Financial
- The loss of vital industrial territory wuld be a severe blow to Germany's economy. Coal from the Saar and Upper Silesia in particular was a vital economic loss
- Germany had to pay 33 billion dollars to the Allies (GB/France)
- General
- Germany had to admit full responsibility for stating the war. his was Clause 231- War Guilt Clause
- Germany's navy was reduced to 6 battleships with no submarines
- no airforce was allowed
- Western Germnay was to be demilitarized
- Germany was forbidden to unite with Austria
- Germany had to accept the War Guilt Clause and pay reparations
Group 2:
Notes on Japanese (3 here)
4, 5, 9 power acts-
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1921-1936/naval-conference
Five-power treaty
signed by US, Great Britain, Japan, France, and Italy
Cornerstone of the naval disarmament program
made a set ratio of warship tonnage- US and GB: 500,000 tons Japan: 300,000 tons France and Italy: 175,000 tons
US and GB had the most bc they had 2 ocean navies; each had one in the atlantic and one in the pacific
main reason for agreement was to get these 5 countries to stop building capital ships and reduce the size of their navies by scrapping older ships
Four-power treaty
US, France, Britain, Japan
agreed to consult in case of further crisis in East Asia before actually taking action
replaced Anglo-Japanese Treaty of 1902 (between Japan and Britain)
since Britain and Japan already had an agreement, if us and japan were to agree about something, britain would join japan against the us
the 4 power treaty ensured conflict would not result
Nine-power treaty
marked internationalization of US open door policy in China
US, Britain, Japan, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Manchuria
promised that all 9 countries would respect territorial integrity of china; it recognized japanese dominance in manchuria, but allowed all countries an equal opportunity for business in the country
at the conference, japan and china signed a bileral agreement the Shangtung Treaty that returned control of the province and the railroad to china
seven bilateral agreements were made at the conference
Japan controlled Germany after WW1, the purpose of 9 power treaty and shangtung treaty combined was to make sure china wouldn’t have land taken away bc of japanese expansion
Japan agreed to take troops out of Siberia and US
Kellogg-briand pact-
Signed in Paris by Germany, France and US on April 27,1928 and most other nations after
By signing this countries promised not to resolve any conflict or dispute by war
The treaty was approved in the US Senate with an 85-1 vote
The pact didn’t live up to ending all war. It was broke in 1931 when Japan invaded Manchuria
In the end the pact did little to prevent WW2 or the events that followed
League of Nations-
Came to being after WW1- Oct 25 1945 (formally)
Simple organization that ensured that war never broke out again- peace keeping
Based in Geneva, Switzerland - because it was a neutral country that hadn't fought in WW1
Did three things
called countries to call meetings and discuss things rather than fight about them
if countries failed to come to a conclusion a committee was elected to make the decision
if this failed then the league could enforce military action but couldn’t pose threats
United States refused to join even though it was Woodrow Wilson's main push and Germany and Russia weren’t allowed to join right away and this was a weakness to the league because 3 of the most powerful countries weren’t involved
The league had many successes in stopping wars like in Turkey but also had many failures like when countries did invade other countries they didn’t have the means to take large actions on it
The League of Nations was broke apart in 1946
Naval conferences-
In the naval conferences they made several acts to balance each other out
anything else that promoted WW1 as war to end all wars
a failure in making a treaty was because of the united states and great britain didn’t come to terms.
Mostly conducted out of the League of Nations one was in london england and the other was in Washington
In 1927 President Calvin Coolidge ask Great Britain, Italy, Japan and France to meet again and discuss the extent of this treaty to other parts of the navy
The Japanese empire prospered during this time of naval peace
Organizations-
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
Supported Kellogg Braind Pact
Worked with women of other nations
Actively tried to outlaw war
Worked for neutrality during wars
Women’s Peace Party
Formed January 1915
Tried to get nations at peace with each other
Worked for neutrality during wars
Mediated between countries
War Resisters’ International
Didn’t support any kind of war
Strived for removal of all war causes
Peace Pledge Union (PPU)
British pacifist organization
Started to prove men supported peace movement too
Started by Dick Shepard
1934-135,000 men sent postcards to never support war
Men, women, any race, any political view
Sign pledge to join
MAKE SURE WE LIST SOURCES:
N.p., n.d. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kellogg%E2%80%93Briand_Pact>.
"The Geneva Naval Conference, 1927 - 1921–1936 - Milestones - Office of the Historian." The Geneva Naval Conference, 1927 - 1921–1936 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014. <https://history.state.gov/milestones/1921-1936/geneva>.
"The Washington Naval Conference, 1921–1922 - 1921–1936 - Milestones - Office of the Historian." The Washington Naval Conference, 1921–1922 - 1921–1936 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2014.
"Century." Century. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2014. <http://www.ppu.org.uk/century/century4.html>.
"Peace Pledge Union." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 03 Sept. 2014. Web. 09 Mar. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Pledge_Union>.
Prior to December 7th 1941
1.Japanese Conquest
A. Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
-unity of East Asian people and countries
-many Asian countries had been under foreign rule (French, British)
claimed it was necessary to liberate these nations
-many sided with Japanese invaders
*influenced by years of propaganda
-most popular “An Asia for Asians”
-Chinese markets
China invasion
Causes
- Great depression
- no resources
- loss of jobs
*China would not export supplies
a. Japan in Manchuria (1931)
- Manchuria was a chinese province
-claimed they were liberating Manchurian people
- attacked by japan for their supplies (mostly oil)
- left the league of nations
b. Japan in Soviet Union (1938)
- Battle of Lake Kasan
- Japan thought Soviet Unions boundries werent right
- Treaty of Peking
- Armistice (or truce) made also known as neutrality act
2. Rape of Nanking
A. Mass Murder, Rape, and Looting
- Chinese capital
- known as Nanking Massacre
- done to Chinese civilians by Imperial Japanese Army
- estimated 200,000-300,000 death toll
B. Conclusion
- lasted 6 weeks starting December 13th 1937
- several key perpetrators were charged with war crimes
3. The U.S. Response Garett
- stopped imports of japan's oil
- routine checks from the pacific fleet
- threatening Japan
A. Result
- leads to attack of Pearl Harbor
- nuclear bomb
First of all Japan was going through harsh times with there own “Great Depression” they were losing jobs and running out of supplies. They also had the need for natural resources. When China would not Export with them they became desperate and Invaded “Manchuria” Which was a chinese province, and they got their supplies, When the League of nations told japan to leave Manchuria they became angry and left the League of Nations.
As Europe was getting involved in war with poland and Germany and Great Britain all the focus was on Europe and the attention was shifted from Japan. From here Japan continued at china and still had the need for oil and coal so they went farther into indochina locations specifically of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
The U.S.’s response to Japan's raid was that we stopped imports of japan's oil and that made them feel threatened and they were also feeling that the routine checks from the pacific fleet were threatening and these fleets were around the pearl Harbor area. Japan's Decision to attack pearl Harbor was made by Hideki Tojo. And with Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's studying of America at harvard he knew america would not give up easy so he told Japan they would have to hit us hard.
Italy's(Mussolini's) conquests of the 1930's
The 1929 treaty included a legal provision whereby the Italian government would protect the honor and dignity of the Pope by prosecuting offenders. In 1927, Mussolini was re-baptized by a Roman Catholic priest. After 1929, Mussolini, with his anti-Communist doctrines, convinced many Catholics to actively support him.
Greece, tried to take over but most of the soldiers died called the Battle of Greece- first successful campaign against the Axis powers in WWII
They pulled out of those countries because there was poor military leadership and lack of fuel
Was extremely dominated by the Germans and eventually became a German Satellite where Mussolini controlled everyone
Ethiopians were fought against Italy’s modernized army, bomber planes, and poison gas. Ethiopia didn’t stand a chance and were occupied by Italy but it did not last.
In 1939 Italy Invaded Albania and was successful in capturing it.
Yugoslavia
Africa
U.S. Neutrality Act of 1935
Background
intended to prevent the mistakes that were made to get the US into WWI
enforced an embargo on the sale of arms to belligerents
forbade American cargo ships from entering war zones
forbade cargo ships from being armed
It was seen as a response to Hitler’s announcement in March of 1935 that they would no longer follow the terms in the Treaty of Versailles
forbade Americans from sailing on ships from hostile nations
U.S. Neutrality Act of 1936
Background
Meant to close loopholes in the U.S. Neutrality Act of 1935
Basically prohibited the trade of war materials and prohibited loans given to belligerents (hostiles)
The neutrality Acts were put in place“to avoid any action which might involve the U.S. in war."- Franklin D. Roosevelt
Text
“During the period of the war be unlawful for any person within the United States to purchase, sell, or exchange bonds, securities, or other obligations of the government of any belligerent country, or of any political subdivision thereof”-sec.2
US Neutrality Act of 1937
Approved August 31st, 1935
Made anything involving belligerents illegal
Belligerent is somebody who fights in or assists in war
If the President states we are at war with a different state, anything that can be used in war was banned to be shipped to them
Maximum punishment = $10,000 {~$166,000 now} and 5 years in prison {~5 years now}
Manufactures of wartime goods were required to report everything to the Secretary of State
US ships were not allowed to transfer goods to other countries
Everything was fine if it was a friendly state
“The President may, from time to time, promulgate such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law, as may be necessary and proper to carry out any of the provisions of this Act; and he may exercise any power or authority conferred on him by this Act through such officer or officers, or agency or agencies, as he shall direct....” (Section 11)
"Digital History." Digital History. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. <http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=4072>;.
US Neutrality Act of 1939 and Lend-Lease of Military Aid
“If we repeal it, we are helping England and France. If we fail to repeal it, we will be helping Hitler and
his allies. Absolute neutrality is an impossibility.” Senator George W. Norris
Background
Marked a shift in Congress away from isolationism
Was not favored by Congress until the Germans occupied Czechoslovakia in March 1939
Approved November 4, 1939
By 1941 parts of the act were repealed by the House
Last American Neutrality Act
Neutrality Act
Mainly dealt with American transportation
Americans were not allowed in any combat zones designated by President Roosevelt
American Red Cross was exempt from any restrictions
Made it illegal to have investments in certain nations
Restricted the use of United States ports
Fined up to $50,000 (about $830,000 today) and possible time in prison if the restrictions were violated
Established the National Munitions Control Board, which controlled the export of arms and ammunition
Lend-Lease
US remained neutral in law, Roosevelt could “not ask that every American remain neutral in thought as well.”
Neutrality Act of 1939 did not allow the purchase of war materials without real currency
Gave more than 50US destroyers to the British in exchange for 99 year leases on territories in the western hemisphere
This act “leased” war materials to the British, they didn’t have to pay for them
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