The Great War (1914–18) had shaken the world to its core. Once it was over, the big question became ‘How do we prevent a repetition?’ The Versailles Peace Conference attempted to ensure future peace on a basis of punishing Germany by projecting war guilt on it and saddling it with massive reparations, re-drawing borders supposedly in favour of national self-determination, and setting up a League of Nations to enable countries to bring disputes to the international community for arbitration. Very quickly these principles proved inadequate.
In the 1920s, attempts were made to shore up the provisions of the Versailles Settlement. In the 1930s, disruptive powers destroyed or ignored them. The war did not solve ‘the German problem’ (i.e. how to integrate a newly formed power at the heart of Europe). It only changed its nature. Other key issues arose, notably:
Your organisation does not have access to this article.
Sign up today to give your students the edge they need to achieve their best grades with subject expertise
Subscribe
