Glossary
American Isolationism
A foreign policy stance adopted by the United States after WWI, characterized by a reluctance to become involved in European political and military affairs.
Example:
The U.S. Senate's refusal to join the League of Nations was a prime example of American Isolationism, significantly weakening the international body.
Anschluss
The annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in March 1938, a move aimed at uniting German-speaking peoples and violating the Treaty of Versailles.
Example:
The Anschluss was largely welcomed by many Austrians and met with little international resistance, further emboldening Hitler's expansionist agenda.
Appeasement
A diplomatic policy of making political or material concessions to an aggressive power in order to avoid conflict.
Example:
The Munich Agreement, where Britain and France allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland, is the most famous example of the policy of Appeasement, which ultimately failed to prevent WWII.
Failure of Collective Security
The inability of international organizations, particularly the League of Nations, to effectively deter aggression and maintain peace through the combined action of member states.
Example:
The Failure of Collective Security was starkly evident in the 1930s, as aggressive powers like Japan, Italy, and Germany repeatedly violated international norms without effective intervention.
Italian Invasion of Ethiopia
Italy's military conquest of the independent African nation of Ethiopia in 1935-1936, demonstrating the League of Nations' inability to deter aggression.
Example:
The Italian Invasion of Ethiopia highlighted the hypocrisy of European powers and the ineffectiveness of the League of Nations, which imposed weak sanctions that failed to stop Mussolini.
League of Nations
An international organization established after WWI with the goal of promoting world peace and preventing future conflicts through collective security.
Example:
The League of Nations proved ineffective in stopping aggressive actions, such as Japan's invasion of Manchuria or Italy's conquest of Ethiopia, due to its lack of enforcement power.
Nationalism
A strong identification with one's own nation and support for its interests, often to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations.
Example:
Extreme Nationalism fueled the expansionist ambitions of both Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, leading them to seek territorial gains and assert dominance.
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
A neutrality pact signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in August 1939, which secretly divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence.
Example:
The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact shocked the world, as it united two ideological enemies and cleared the way for Germany's invasion of Poland, initiating World War II.
Post-WWI Disillusionment
A widespread feeling of disappointment, cynicism, and weariness that emerged after the immense human and material costs of World War I.
Example:
The profound sense of Post-WWI Disillusionment led many young people to question traditional values and seek radical political alternatives.
Remilitarization of the Rhineland
Germany's reoccupation of the demilitarized zone along its border with France in 1936, a direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles.
Example:
Hitler's bold move to initiate the Remilitarization of the Rhineland was a calculated risk that tested the resolve of Britain and France, who offered no military response.
Rise of Extremism
The growth and increasing influence of radical political ideologies, such as communism and fascism, often fueled by economic hardship and social unrest during the interwar period.
Example:
The economic devastation of the Great Depression contributed significantly to the Rise of Extremism across Europe, as desperate populations turned to radical solutions.
Sudetenland
A region of Czechoslovakia with a significant German-speaking population, annexed by Germany in 1938 as a result of the Munich Agreement.
Example:
The cession of the Sudetenland to Germany was a desperate attempt by Britain and France to satisfy Hitler's territorial demands and avert war.