Countries Between World Wars

League of Nations

• No control of major conflicts.• No progress in disarmament.• No effective military force.

France• French cities in ruin, scarred by trenches &

shell holes• Coalition government (many political groups

joined together) – shaky• Maginot Line – fortifications – false sense of

security• French not prepared for WWII

Great Britain

• Raised taxes to pay war debt– Labor unions fought for higher wages– Industry owners resisted

• Result – serious labor unrest strikes

• Colonies demanded more freedom, self-government, or complete independence

Ireland

• Irish nationalists Easter Rebellion of 1916• “Black and Tans” fought against the IRA• IRA = Irish Republican Army (wanted

independence)

• Political split of 1921Southern Ireland = Irish Free StateSelf-governing Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland = remained part of Britain

• Religious splitSouthern Ireland (Rep. of Ire.) = Roman CatholicNorthern Ireland = Protestant

Egypt• Great Britain controlled Egypt since 1882• WWI Britain declared Egypt independent• 1930s Egypt became member of League

of Nations• GB & Egypt agreed to help each other in

war• Egypt agreed GB should hold military

control of Suez Canal for 20 years

Middle East• Oil resources – sudden demand for oil due to

industrialization• Great Britain & France received parts of Middle

East – However, Middle East wanted independence

• All but Palestine achieved independence

Palestine• Conflict between Arabs & Jews

– Palestine original home of Jewish people

– Jews had dispersed to other lands

• Zionism = resettle Jews in Palestine– Chaim Weizmann

• Palestine key for British because vital oil pipeline from Iraq ended in Haifa, Palestine

• Holy Land for Arabs, Jews, & Christians

Turkey• Mustafa Kemal led Turkish nationalists to

overthrow Ottoman emperor• Established Republic of Turkey – 1st

republic in Middle East• Kemal set out to modernize Turkey

– Broke connection between Islamic church & state

– Secular courts, secular public schools• Women given legal & political rights (vote)• Kemal became “Ataturk” or “father of

the Turks”

Iran (formerly Persia)

• 1921 – Army officer Reza Khan seized power • Established military dictatorship

– Reza shah Pahlavi– Program of Westernization (schools, roads,

industrialization, women’s rights)

• British & Soviet troops invaded – Reza Khan deposed, replaced by son Mohammed Reza

• Anti-shah riots CIA helped to restore Shah (Mohammed Reza) to power

• Conflict between U.S. and Iran• 1979 Islamic revolution led by Ayatollah

Khomeini overthrew Shah– 52 American hostages taken in Teheran, Iran

released 444 days later

India• India on Allied side during WWI

– After WWI, India wanted independence from Britain

• Mohandas Gandhi – Indian leader– Live simply, no material rewards– Be tolerant– Serve others– Fight against injustice

• Civil disobedience/passive resistance• Encouraged people to boycott (refuse to buy)

British goods, refuse to pay taxes, or obey laws• 1947 – Hindu India & Muslim Pakistan became

independent nations• 1948 – Gandhi assassinated

Japan• Japan became member of League of Nations• Japan’s weak gov’t civilian leaders had little

control of armed forces, army leaders only loyal to emperor

• Military leaders took control after Great Depression

• Solve economic problems by creating Pacific Empire– Seized Manchuria

• Japanese military “cult” in which emperor was divine– Help to win popular support

for army leaders who ruled in emperor’s name

China• Nationalist People’s Party (Kuomintang)

overthrew last Ch’ing emperor– Established republic

• Dr. Sun Yat-sen became president of China– Real power still w/warlords

• 1925 – General Chiang Kai-shek succeeded Yat-sen– Against warlords

China• Chiang Kai-shek’s gov’t became

less democratic & more corrupt– Some Chinese favored Soviet

communism• Civil war between Nationalists

(Chiang Kai-shek) & Communists (Mao Tse-tung)

• Mao Tse-tung (Zedong) led his Red army on Long March to northwestern China

• When Japan invaded Manchuria, Nationalists & Communists united to fight against Japan

• Mao Tse-tung looked to as real leader of China