Chapter 26 – Road to War

1. Chapter 26 – Road to War Section 1 – The Search for Peace

2. Legacies of World War I • 8 million people died, 112,000 Americans • Few Americans believed the War had made the world “safe for democracy” • Feared being drug into another foreign conflict • USA followed partial policy of isolationism during 1920’s and 1930’s • Isolationism shunned USA from organizations set up after WWI. • Ex: League of Nations, World Court

3. The Washington Conference • International conference in Washington D.C. • Charles Evans Hughes – US Secretary of State • Suggested major powers destroy 66 large warships • Called for a 10-year “naval holiday” where no large warships or cruisers were built • Great Britain, USA, and Japan retire warships to limit their individual naval strength • USA and Britain would be equal • Japan 60% of Britain and USA navies • Italy and France would be limited to half of Japan’s navy • Became known as the Five-Power Naval Treaty

4. Treaties • Five-Power Naval Treaty • Four-Power Treaty – Britain, France, Japan, and USA pledge to respect each others territory in the Pacific • Nine-Power Treaty– Britain France, Japan, Italy, USA, Belgium, China, Netherlands, and Portugal • These treaties eased tensions in Asia

5. Unsuccessful Efforts • April 6th, 1927 – 10th Anniversary of USA entry into WWI • France and USA enter an agreement to outlaw war • US – Frank Kellogg , France – Aristide Briand • Eventually 62 countries sign the Kellogg-Briand Pact • Outlaws war as an instrument of national policy • Allows countries to go to war in self-defense • September 1931 – Japan invades Manchuria • Led to War between Japan and China

6. War Debts and Reparations • Start of WWI US banks lent money to Britain and France • By 1920 Allies owed more than $10 Billion to the US • David Lloyd George = British Prime Minister • Argued that their war debts should be canceled • US officials rejected appeals but did cancel part of the debts • Only way Allies could pay was to collect reparations from defeated Germany • 1921 German reparations at $32 Billion • Germany borrowed money from Britain and printed paper money resulting in inflation

7. German Inflation

8. German Reparations • Germans look for someone to blame • Adolf Hitler • World War I Veteran • Survived a poison gas attack • Believed politicians not Germans were responsible for Germany losing the War • Launches plot to overthrow gov’t in 1923 • Sent to prison continues to plan revenge • Dawes plan provided loans and gave Germany more time • 1931 worldwide depression deepened and Hoover placed moratorium on war-debt payments • By 1934 Finland was only country who could make a payment