-
The Paris Peace Conference
[Day not accurate]
(Source: page 17)
The Big Three met to decide the fate of Germany with mixed goals. Clemenceau wished to cripple whilst Wilson wanted just and lasting peace. Lloyd George publically stated Germany should be punished, but privately believed that Germany would seek revenge if punished too harshly and they were a valuable trading partner. -
Period: to
The League of Nations and Hitler's Foreign Policy to the Outbreak of WWII
-
Wilson Drafts Plan for League of Nations
[Day not accurate]
(Source: page 25)
All the major countries would join the League
All countries would aim for global disarmament
If they had a dispute they would take it to the League, promising the accept the decision made by the League
They would promise to the idea of Collective Security
They would agree to economic sanctions and military force in the face of an aggressor -
Treaty of Versailles Signed
(Source: page 23)
The Treaty of Versailles included the war guilt cause, reparations of £6,600 million, huge loss in German terriotory, almost crippling the Gemrna armed forces entirely and the formation of the League of Nations -
Congress Rejects Proposition of US joining the League
[Month not accurate]
(Source: page 26)
Although Wilson was the driving force behind the idea in Paris, back in America the people wanted nothing to do with Europe. A lot of countries believed the treaty was unfair, the US lost 250000 men in a short time, businessmen in the US were against the trade sanctions and they saw the League as Britain/France retaining their empires. When Wilson put the proposition to Congress it was rejected -
League of Nations Begins
[Day not accurate]
Permanent Council members are Britain, France, Italy and Japan -
Wilson Takes Proposition Back to Congress and Fails Again
[Day not accurate] -
Upper Silesia Incident
[Month not accurate]
Dispute between Poland and Germany over Upper Silesia. League of Nation forces took temporary control of the area whilst a vote was conducted by the people living there to decide which country they want to be in. Both countries accepted the outcome of the vote. -
Aaland Island Incident
Some stuff went down but it was a victory for the League -
Corfu Incident
Mussolini invaded the Greek island Corfu in a clear act of aggression however the League sided with him (the permanent council member) and Greece even had to pay reparations. A failure of the league -
Germany Joins the League
-
The Great Depression Begins
[Month not accurate]
The Depression in the Us led to the lack of loands to recovering Europe which was hugely important for later events. Britian had high unemplyment and was unwilling to get involved in expesive international affairs whilst the economy was suffering. In the germany the poverty led to the election of the extremist party, the Nazis. In Italy Mussolini tried to distract his public from their dire situation by glorifying conquest and building an empire. -
Period: to
MANCHURIAN CRISIS
-
Japan invades Manchuria
Japan claimed that Chinese bandits sabotaged part of the South Manchurian railway (which Japan owned). In fact Japan had blown up thei own railway for an excuse into Manchuria. Japanese forces overran Manchuria and China appealed to the League. Japan claimed they were settling a local dispute and China was in anarchy and they were protecting their property -
Lord Lytton sent to Investigate
[Day not accurate]
Lord Lytton is sent by the League to investigate the incident and report back his findings -
Disarmament Conference
[Month not accurate]
Conference aimed to discuss the idea of global disarmament -
Japanese Set Up Puppet Government
[Day not accurate]
The Japanese set up a puppet government, Mabnchuko, with the last emporer of China, Pu Yi, as its leader -
Japanese Planes Bomb Shanghai
[Day not accurate] -
Lord Lytton Presents His Report
[Day not accurate]
After a whole year since the crisis started Lytton returns to the League to make his report. -
Hitler Made Chancellor of Germany
-
Assembly Votes For the Decision
The League reached the decision that Japan was acting aggressively and Manchuria was to be returned to China. Japan refused and said that they were going to invade more of China. A vote of 42 votes to 1 (Japan) apporved of the decision. However no sanctions were made. -
Japan Leaves the League of Nations
-
Hitler Makes Promise in Disarmament Conference
[Day not accurate]
During the conference Hitler pointed out that no-one else had disarmed but Germany. In May he made a promise that Germany would not rearm if in five years all other nations had destroyed their arms. He knew this would never happen and so gave him an excuse to rearm -
Hitler Signs 10 Year Non-Aggression Pact with Poland
[Month not accurate]
This pleased Britain as it showed peaceful intentions, whilst it annoyed France because the French saw Poland as their ally in the East. Its real pupose was to give Hitler time for his rearmament programme -
Hitler's Plans Stopped by Mussolini
[Month not accurate]
Hitler encouraged the Austrian Nazi Party to rebel in attempt to take over Austria. However the movement was stopped by interefernce from Mussolini. -
The Wal-Wal Dispute
At the Wal-Wal oasis, 80km into Abyssinia, there was a dispute betweenn Italian and Ethiopian soldiers. Mussolini took this opportunity and claimed this was Italien land and demanded an apology as he began to prepare his army. Haile Selassie appealed to the League -
Period: to
ABYSSINIAN CRISIS
-
Plebiscite for the Saar
[Day not accurate]
As planned by the league a plebiscite was held to decide whether the Saarland would be returned to Germany or given to France. The vote was an overwhelming majority to the Germans, and so a huge propaganda victory for the Nazis. -
Phase 1, the League plays for time
[Day not accurate]
Mussolini was preparing for the invasion of Abyssinia, however this was secret and the League saw him negotiating peacefully. Initially Britain and France made no effort towards the dispute as Mussolin was their greatest ally, especially against the rising threat of Germany. As the year wore on there was a public outcry against Italy, most people supported military action to defend Abyssina. Hoare made an inspirational speech on collective security but the League did nothing. -
Conscription re-introduced
Hitler justified breaking the treaty by saying he felt it was necessary to protect Germany. This resulted in the Stresa Pact between Britain, France and Italy. -
Stresa Pact Signed
[Day not accurate]
Pact between Britian, France and Italy against the rising threat of Nazi Germany -
Naval Agreement Between Germany and England
[Day not accurate]
Agreement with Britain limited the German navy to 33% of the British navy, not including submarines. Clear case of self interest from Britain, protecting itself rather than upholding global disarmament/Treaty of Versailles. -
Proposition of the League
The League decided that neither side could be held accountable for the incident, the League put forward a plan that would give Mussolini some of Abyssinia. Mussolini rejected, -
Phase 2, Sanctions or Not?
[Day not accurate]
(Source: page 34)
By now Mussolini's army was ready. He launched a full-scale invasion of Abyssinia using tanks, aeroplanes and chemical weapons. Clear case of powerful nation against a small one, purpose of collective security to protect the smaller one. The league made some sanctions such as tin, rubber and metals, but hesitated over important ones such as coal, oil and access to the Suez Canal. -
Hoare and Laval
[Day not accurate]
The British and French foreign ministers Hoare and Laval held a secret meeting to discuss a plan to give 2/3 of Abyssinia to Italy in return for calling off the invasion. However the information leaked to the press and the League was humiliated and all sanctions being discussed were lost all momentum, also Haile Selassie felt betrayed. -
Hitler Marches into the Rhineland
Amidst the crisis Hitler marches his troops into the Rhineland. The French paniced and were desperate to gain the support of Mussolini. Any hope of getting the French to support sanctions had been lost as they were prepared to pay the price of Abyssinia in exchange for Italy's alliance. -
Haile Selassie Exiled
-
Mussolini Annexes Entire Country
-
Germany and Japan Sign the Anti-Comitern Pact
[Month not accurate] -
Spanish Civil War
[Day not accurate]
Communist forces vs. Facist forces, Hitler and Mussolini send forces to aid Facists. Hitler wanted to get involved to gain a right wing ally, to fight Communism, but most importantly to test Germany's new weapons. Images of Guernica showed the power of the weapons, and how now civilians at home could be casulties. Leads to policy of Appeasement. -
Signing of the Rome-Berlin Axis
[Day not accurate]
Hitler and Mussolini sign the Rome-Berlin Axis -
Chamberlain Becomes Prime Minister
[Day not accurate]
Chamberlain becomes Prime Minister with the primary policy of Appeasement. -
Italy joins the Anti-Comitern Pact
[Month not accurate] -
Period: to
ANSCHLUSS
-
Anschluss with Austria
[Day not accurate]
(Source: page 47)
After preceding events in 1938 in March German troops marched into Austria, to oversee a vote to decide for or against Anschluss. Surprisingly under the influence of Nazi presence 99.75% voted for Anschluss. -
Atmosphere in Europe Changing
[Summer of 1938]
Countries are preparing for war, British councils, despite Chamberlain's radio broadcasts, begin the build air raid shelters and trenches. -
Period: to
SUDETENLAND CRISIS
-
Chamberlain Meets Hitler - 1
Seeing himself as the peacemaker, Chamberlain flies out to meet Hitler at Berchtesgarden. Hitler demanded only parts of the Sudetenland and a plebiscite to show if Germans wanted to join Germany (Hitler expected this to be rejected). Chamberlain found the demands reasonable and accepted - Appeasement. -
Chamberlain Puts Demands to the Czechs
Along with the French leader, Daladier, Chamberlain put Hitler's demands to the Czechs. These demands were accpeted and Chamberlain flew back to meet Hitler. -
Chamberlain Meets Hitler - 2
When Chamberlain told Hitler that the demands had been accpeted it came as a huge shock to Hitler. In retaliation Hitler increased his demands to all of the Sudetenland with no plebiscite. Chamberlain thought this was completely unreasonable and most people thought war was imminent -
Munich Agreement/ Final Meeting in Munich - 3
Britain, France, Italy and Germany present, Czech and USSR not present. They came to the desicion that the Czechs were to lose all of the Sudetenland wihtout consulting the Czechs or the USSR -
Chamberlain and Hitler Publish Joint Declaration
Chamberlain stated that joint declaration would bring "peace for our time". -
German Army Prepares for the Invasion of Czechoslovakia
-
Hitler Stirs up Trouble
[Day not accurate]
Hitler convinces Bela Juka, the Slovak leader, to demand independence from Czechoslovakia. President Hacha, Czech leader, sends troops into Slovakia. -
Slovakia Declares Independence Under German Pressure
-
Hacha Goes to Berlin
Hacha goes to meet Hitler but is kept waiting until 1:15am while Hitler watches a film. He is bullied and at one point he collapses, at 4:00am he gives in. Germany turns Czech ares into protectorate and Slovakia into a satellite state. -
German Troops March into Prague
-
End of Appeasement
There was no reason for invasion, no German people living there, no demand from public to become part of Germany, wasnt reversing unfair treaty. Chamberlain publically denounced Hitler as Hitler showed he could not be trusted, breaking the Munich Agreement and the promise to Chamberlain. -
Britain Sign an Agreement with Poland to Protect Them
-
Pact of Steel Signed by Hitler and Mussolini
[Day not accurate]
This pact obliged both countries to aid each other militarily; working together on war population and signing peace treaties/declaring war together. -
Nazi-Soviet Pact Signed
[Day not accurate]
The Russian and German foreign ministers, Molotov and Ribbentrop respectively, negotiated secretly up until August 1939. The Pact publically stated protection of each other, however privately they agreed to divide Poland between them -
Germany Inavdes Poland
-
Period: to
WWII
-
Chamberlain Sends Ultimatum Saying to Withdraw
-
No Response from Germany and Britain Declares War
-
Yalta Conference
[Day not accurate]
Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt present to decide fate of Germany and Europe after the war -
Potsdam Conference
War in Europe had been won however the Allies now faced different circumstances. The common enemy was gone, America had a new (more anti-communist) president Truman, Stalin's Red Army occupied most of east Europe and importantly the US had developed an atomic bomb -
US Drop First A-Bomb on Japan
[Day not accurate] -
Period: to
Origins and Crisis of the Cold War
-
Iron Curtain Speech
[Day not accurate]
Churchill describing the relations between the West and East as an iron curtian. -
Poland, Czechoslovakia, Albania and Yugoslavia now had Communist Governments
[Month not accurate] -
Truman Doctrine
[Day not accurate]
Outlined Truman's key policies of Containment and the Domino Theory. Acceptance that East Europe was now Communist -
Truman Puts Marshall Plan to Congress
[Day not accurate]
Congress refuse the sum of $17 billion as many Americans were concerned by Truman's involvement in Europe. However this changed when news of Soviet purges of opposition groups reached the US as well as the fall of Czechoslovakia. -
British and American Zones merged into the Bizone
[Day not accurate] -
Russian Troops Start Searching Traffic into Berlin
[Day not accurate] -
Russian Representatives Walk Out of Allied Control Comission
[Day not accurate] -
Western zones are Included in OEEC and Marshall Plan
-
Plans Announced to Create West German State
-
New Currency Introduced in Western Zones
-
The New Currency is Introduced into the Western Sectors of Berlin
-
USSR Introduces own Currency into Soviet Zone and East Berlin
-
Blockade Begins
USSR cut off all access into Berlin - road, rail and canal -
Period: to
BERLIN BLOCKADE/ AIRLIFT
-
China Becomes Communist
[Month not accurate] -
Soviets Reopened Land Routes into Berlin
-
USSR Detonates First A-Bomb
[Day not accurate] -
North Korea Invades South Korea
[Day not accurate]
US puts huge pressure on UN to act and the UN comitted to sending military force (most of which was American) -
Period: to
KOREAN WAR
-
Chinese Join North Koreans
[Day not accurate]
200000 Chinese soldiers joined the North KOreans and the Un forces were pushed back beyond the 38th parallel. MacArthur went against UN orders and threatened an attack on China, he was relieved of his duties. THe Chinese found their supply lines stretched and the UN forces managed to push them back to almost the original border. -
US SAC in a State of Constant Readiness
[Month not accurate]
Strategic Air Command locates 6000 targets in Russia to be hit in the event of war -
Peace Talks Begin Between North and South Korea
[Day not accurate] -
US Detonates First H-Bomb
[Day not accurate] -
Eisenhower Replaces Truman
[Day not accurate] -
Stalin Dies
[Day not accurate] -
USSR Detonates own H-Bomb
[Day not accurate] -
US Develops H-Bomb Small Enough to be Dropped from a Bomber
[Day not accurate] -
USSR Drops Test H-Bomb from Bomber
[Day not accurate] -
Khrushchev Becoms Leader of USSR
[Month inaccurate] -
Eisenhower Announces Programme to Make Man-Made Satellite
[Month not accurate] -
Demonstrations in Poland Lead to Soviet Troops on Border
[Summer of 1956] -
Group within the Communist Party Opposes Rakosi
[Day not accurate]
He appealed to Moscow for help but they rejected, after replying sarcastically he was forced to retire. He was replaced by Erno Gero -
New Leader Appointed in Poland
[Day inaccurate]
Nationalist turned Communist. Khrushchev accepted the appointment, this encouraged other nations within the Soviet Sphere -
Huge Student Demonstration
Huge opposition to the regime. Gero was replaced by Imre Nagy -
Soviet Tanks and Troops Roll Back into Hungary
In response to Nagy's request that Hungary leave the Warsaw Pact. Around 3000 Hungarians and 7000-8000 Russians were killed. Nagy and his leaders were executed and Jamos Kadar took his place. -
Soviets Begin Testing Worlds First ICBM
ICBM - Intercontinental Ballistic Missile -
Soviets Send First Ever Man-Made Satellite, Sputnik
[Day not accurate]
Huge shock to America -
Soviets Send First Living Animal into Space, a Dog Laika
[Day not accurate] -
US Launched Explorer 1 Satellite
[Day not accurate] -
NASA Formed
[Day not accurate] -
USA Develop Own ICBM and Polaris Missile
[Month not accurate]
Polaris missiles could be fired form submarines which were almost undetectable -
Fidel Castro Overthrows Batista
[Month not accurate] -
Paris Summit
[Day not accurate]
Four main powers, US, USSR, Britain and France meet to discuss Germany and a possible partial ban on nuclear testing -
U-2 Plane Shot Down
Gary Powers, the pilot, survived as this all the recorded pictures and audio on the spy plane -
USSR Announces the Shooting of the Plane
Eisenhower claims it was being used for recording weather -
Khrushchev Publically shows Tapes Found on the Plane
-
Eisenhower Forced to Admit the Plane was Spying
-
Khrushchev Refuses to Attend the Summit Unless...
The flights over Russia stop
Eisenhower apologises -
Eisenhower Refuses to Apologise
Eisenhower cancels the flights but refuses to apologise. Khrushchev walks out and the Summit is a disaster -
Eisenhower Orders CIA to Find Ways of Ovethrowing Castro
[Day not accurate] -
Castro Allied with Soviets
[Summer of 1960 -
John F Kennedy Becomes President
[Day not accurate] -
Diplomatic Relations with Cuba Broken
[Day not accurate] -
Bay of Pigs
1400 Cuban exiles suppplied by the US attempt to invade Cuba. They land at the Bay of Pigs greeted by 20000 Cuban soldiers armed with tanks and modern weapons. The force lasted days. -
Yuri Gagarin First Man in Space
-
Kennedy Sets up Apollo Manned Space Programme
[Month not accurate] -
Castro Nationalises American Companies on Cuba
[Day not accurate] -
Berllin Wall Erected (Barbed Wire Fence)
At 2:00 am East German soldiers erected a wall stretching along the entire border, sealing all crossing points besides one (Checkpoint Charlie). The fence soon became a concrete wall -
The West Tests the East
[During October]
Regularly Us diplomats and soldiers crossed Checkpoint Charlie into East Berlin to see how they would react -
Soviet Tanks Roll up to Checkpoint Charlie
Allies are refused access and there is a stand off between boths sides tanks. After 18 hours each side begins to back away. -
Castro Declares Himself Communist
[Day not accurate]
Castro asks Khrushchev for military support, Soviets begin to supply them weapons. -
USA Carry out Practice Invasion of a Carribean Island
[Spring of 1962]
Castro sees it as a direct threat -
Soviets Publically State They are Supplying Cuba with Arms
[Day not accurate] -
Crisis Escalates
[July-September 1962]
Cuba now has the best equipped army in latin America
Kennedy alarmed but it seemed the US would tolerate conventional weapons, Kennedy's advisors assured him Khrushchev would not place nuclear weapons on Cuba
Kennedy Sent a warning to Soviets, they replied that they had no intention of putting nuclear devices on Cuba -
Spy Plane Reveals Nuclear Missile Sites
Showed multiple sites on Cuba in a mixed state of readiness. Also twenty Soviet on their way to Cuba ships carrying missiles were confirmed -
Kennedy Informed of Nuclear Bases, Ex Comm Formed
Kennedy formed a special team of advisors called Ex Comm to make a decision on what to do next. Nothing, take it to the UN, blockade, surgical air strike or all out invasion -
Kennedy Announces Blockade
Threat of Soviets breaking it, in Kennedy's sppech he suggests at military action -
Khrushchev Announces that he won't Observe the Blockade
-
Soviet Ships Confront the Blockade, and then Turn Around
-
Personal Letter from Khrushchev
-
(p.m.) Kennedy Delays Decision and Ignores 2nd Letter
The terms of the 1st letter from Khrushchev are accepted -
(a.m.) Much More Threatening Letter from Khrushchev
This letter was the complete opposite to the first making demands to Kennedy. Also another U-2 plane is shot down, this time however the pilot dies and nothign can be salvaged form the plane -
Khrushchev Agrees and the Missiles are Removed from Cuba
