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Period: to
The Great War
WW1 was supposed to be "the war to end all wars". The fact that the nations lined up in almost the same formation 20 years later suggests that some of the causes of the second war had their roots in the first. -
Paris Peace Conference
At this conference, many decisions were made which were to have unintended consequences, most significant of which is probably the "War Guilt Clause" and the reparation payments imposed upon Germany. By Library and Archives Canada / C-031312 [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons -
Treaty of Versailles
Under the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was shouldered with reparations and blame, and lost land. "William Orpen - The Signing of Peace in the Hall of Mirrors, Versailles" by William Orpen - Imperial War Museum Collections:
Website Webpage. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Orpen_-_The_Signing_of_Peace_in_the_Hall_of_Mirrors,_Versailles.jpg#/media/File:William_Orpen_-_The_Signing_of_Peace_in_the_Hall_of_Mirrors,_Versailles.jpg -
Redrawing the map of Europe
Austria-Hungary was dismantled, territory was redistributed in favour of the victors, and some new nations were created as a result of the Treaty of Versailles. William Robert Shepherd [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons -
Period: to
The Great Depression
Debt from the Great War, combined with a host of other factors sent the world into a global depression lasting ten years. The economic uncertainties and the failure of democratic nations to deal with them convinced people that fascism was a better alternative. -
Hitler comes to power
When Hitler was appointed Chancellor, Germans cheered because they hoped that he would restore Germany to its former glory. Photo: National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md. -
Kristallnacht
