28.1 Instability After World War I

[Preview] Recall: What was US President Wilson's big idea for preventing future wars like World War I?

• The League of Nations

• One World Government

• An Aryan state dominating Europe

• One ring to rule them all and in the darkness bind them

[p1] "From the beginning, the peace settlement at the end of World War I left nations..."

[p1] What was one problem that made the League of Nations ineffective in maintaining the peace?

• The United States did not join the League.

• The League of Nations rejected the Treaty of Versailles.

• European monarchs wanted to continue the war.

[Image] View this political cartoon. What country is depicted as the missing "keystone," creating a "gap in the bridge"?

• United States

• France

• England

• Italy

• Belgium

[p1] Enforcement of the Treaty of Versailles began in April 1921, when the Allied Reparations Commission determined...

• that Germany owed 132 BILLION marks ($33 billion).

• that new states should form in Eastern Europe.

• that a new peace settlement was needed.

• that border disputes should be handled by the League of Nations.

[p2] When Germany failed to pay the reparations, France occupied the industrial Ruhr valley. The German workers there...

• joined the French army.

• went on strike.

• were sent to concentration camps.

• fought back using their tools as weapons.

[p2] What happened to the German mark between 1914 and 1923?

• It became worthless as inflation skyrocketed.

• It became equal to the Dollar on world markets.

• The German government cancelled all military contracts.

[Graph] View this graph showing the exchange between German Marks & US Dollars in 1922 & 1923. How did the exchange rate change over this two year period?

• The exchange rate increased exponentially, making the Mark worthless.

• The exchange rate increased at a slow pace, making the Dollar worthless.

• The exchange rate decreased exponentially, making the Dollar worthless.

• The exchange rate remained constant, making the two currencies roughly equal in value.

[p2] What did the sixty-five nations signing the Kellogg-Briand Pact pledge?

• to renounce war as an instrument of national policy

• to reduce carbon emissions by 50%

• to cooperate & share information for fighting terrorism

• to close all borders & stop all immigration

[p3] A "depression" is...

• a period of low economic activity & rising unemployment.

• a policy of active government economic intervention.

• a rapid increase in prices.

• Feelings of severe despondency and dejection.