Conflict and tension: the inter-war years, 1918–1939 — AQA GCSE History

This topic covers the turbulent period between the end of the First World War in 1918 and the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. You will explore the peace settlements after WWI, the League of Nations, and the failures of collective security that led to the rise of aggressive dictatorships. The focus is on understanding why peace collapsed despite widespread desire to avoid another war.

The inter-war years are crucial because they show how unresolved tensions from one war can spark another. You'll examine the Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations' successes and failures, and the policy of appeasement. This period also saw the rise of fascism in Italy and Germany, and the expansionist ambitions of Japan, all of which challenged the post-war order.

In the AQA GCSE course, this topic is part of the wider study of modern world history. It connects to earlier topics like the causes of WWI and later topics like WWII and the Cold War. Understanding this period helps you grasp how international relations can break down and why maintaining peace requires constant effort.

• →Treaty of Versailles: The peace treaty that ended WWI, imposing harsh terms on Germany including war guilt, reparations, and territorial losses, which caused resentment.
• →League of Nations: An international organisation created to maintain peace through collective security and disarmament, but weakened by the absence of the USA and lack of enforcement power.
• →Appeasement: The policy of giving in to Hitler's demands (e.g., Sudetenland in 1938) to avoid war, which ultimately encouraged further aggression.
• →Collective security: The idea that an attack on one member of the League would be met by a united response from all members; it failed in the 1930s due to lack of commitment.
• →Militarism and expansionism: The aggressive foreign policies of Japan (invasion of Manchuria 1931), Italy (invasion of Abyssinia 1935), and Germany (remilitarisation of the Rhineland 1936, Anschluss 1938).

• Aims of the peacemakers at the Paris Peace Conference (Wilson, Clemenceau, Lloyd George).
• Terms and impact of the Versailles Settlement (Diktat, territorial changes, military restrictions, war guilt, reparations).
• Formation, structure, and membership of the League of Nations.
• Successes and failures of the League in the 1920s (e.g., Aaland Islands, Upper Silesia, Vilna, Corfu, Bulgaria).
• Impact of the Great Depression on international relations.
• Manchurian and Abyssinian crises and their consequences for the League.
• Hitler's foreign policy aims and early challenges (Dollfuss Affair, Saar, rearmament, Stresa Front, Anglo-German Naval Agreement).
• Escalation of tension (Rhineland, Axis, Anti-Comintern Pact, Anschluss).
• Policy of appeasement: reasons for and against, Sudeten Crisis, Munich Agreement.
• Outbreak of war: collapse of Czechoslovakia, Nazi-Soviet Pact, invasion of Poland.
• Responsibility for the outbreak of war (Hitler, Stalin, Chamberlain).

• 💡Use specific evidence to support arguments about why the League failed.
• 💡When discussing the outbreak of war, ensure you link events chronologically to show the escalation of tension.
• 💡Practice evaluating the 'convincing' nature of interpretations by using your own contextual knowledge.
• 💡Be prepared to write a narrative account of key events, ensuring a clear focus on cause and consequence.
• 💡Use the terminology of the period (e.g., Diktat, Weltpolitik, Appeasement) accurately.
• 💡Use specific examples: When discussing the League of Nations, mention the Manchurian Crisis (1931) and Abyssinian Crisis (1935) as key failures. For appeasement, refer to the Munich Agreement (1938) and the Nazi-Soviet Pact (1939). Specific dates and events earn higher marks.
• 💡Explain causation: Don't just list events; explain why they happened and how they connect. For example, explain how the Great Depression led to the rise of extremist parties in Germany, which then led to Hitler's aggressive foreign policy.
• 💡Evaluate interpretations: In the 12-mark 'how convincing' questions, you need to assess the provenance and content of sources. Consider the author's perspective, purpose, and the historical context. For example, a British politician in 1938 might defend appeasement, but you should critique it using hindsight.

• Confusing the terms of the Treaty of Versailles with other peace treaties.
• Over-simplifying the reasons for the League of Nations' failure without referencing the impact of the Depression.
• Failing to distinguish between the different motives of the 'Big Three' at Versailles.
• Neglecting the role of the USSR and the Nazi-Soviet Pact in the final stages of the outbreak of war.
• Treating appeasement only as a mistake without understanding the contemporary arguments for it.
• Misconception: The League of Nations was a complete failure. Correction: The League had some successes in the 1920s, such as resolving disputes between Sweden and Finland over the Aaland Islands and helping refugees, but it failed in the 1930s due to the Great Depression and lack of major power support.
• Misconception: Appeasement was always wrong. Correction: Many British leaders in the 1930s saw appeasement as a way to buy time for rearmament and avoid a war Britain was not ready for. However, it failed because Hitler's ambitions were not limited to revising Versailles.
• Misconception: The Treaty of Versailles was too harsh. Correction: While it was harsh, many contemporaries thought it was not harsh enough (e.g., France wanted a buffer state). The real problem was that it was neither lenient enough to win German cooperation nor harsh enough to permanently weaken Germany.