World War I

The first wold war took place between the years 1914-1919.

After the German unification, Germany became the most important European power. When Kaiser Wilhem I died, Wilhem II became the new Kaiser. He wanted to follow a more aggressive policy in Europe and he also wanted to create a German Colonial empire. Bismarck was deposed.

From 1890 to 1914 the interational relations changed in Europe. Europe was divided into two alliances know as Triple Alliance and Triple Entente.

The Triple Alliance was formed by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy and the triple Entente was formed by Britain, France and Russia.

Germany and Britain began an Arms race. The Alliance systems set up to prevent war.

There are many conflicts among the European powers. The scamble for Africa had led to many small conflicts around the world. Colonial conflicts led to the Moroccan crises. Germany wanted to stop France creating a protectorate in Morocco but British support France to achieve its objective.

The enormous tension created at the beginning of the 20 century was about to explode. The key event was the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. He was killed by a member of a secret Serbian terrorist, member of the Black Hand.

Austrians with the German Support, declared war on Serbia. Russia prepared the support to Serbia and ordered the general movilisation and Germany declared war on Russia and France.

The sides in the war were the Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria, and the Allies: Russia, France, Britain, Italy, Rumania and the USA.

Germany was worried about being sorrounded by France and Russia and created the Schlieffen Plan. This plan cosists in aimed to attack and defeat France through Belgium before the Russians where ready and then turn back to fight the Russian Army. This plan was failed.

Paris did not fall and the Germans attacked the French in the Battle of Marne.

On the other hand at the Eastern front, the Russians having mobilised more quickle than the Germans excepted, and make a mistake invading Austria and East Prussia at the same time

The year 1917 turning point in the war. Disaster occurs when Russia wirhdrew from the war. Defeat by the Germans the leadership caused two revolutions. Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany in 1918 giving Germany control of large amount of Eastern territory in return for pace. In 1917 the USA joined the war. Germany declared the war on the USA. The USA made an important contribution to the Allied victory they suplied Britain and France with food, merchant ships and credit.

In June 1919 the war ended with a series of treaties but the most importat was the Treaty of Versailles for Germany. The main clauses of this treaty were:

- The Austria, German and Ottoman empires disappeared.

- New countries were born

- Germany lost territory in Europe

- Turkey lost its European territories except a small area close to Constantinople.

- German armaments were strctly limited.

- The War Guilt. Germany was top ay reparations for damage done to the Allies.

- The League of Nations was set up to keep world peace. 

Ocaña, J. C.. La primera guerra mundial. N.p., 2003. Web. 13 May 2012. <http://www.historiasiglo20.org/IGM/index.htm>

The Post-War Period

The postwar period is the time that passes after an armed conflict that is usually after a war that is intense enough to cause social and economic crises.

The postwar usually affects all areas of society such as either the political, demographic, economic, social, etc..

Overcoming this stage depends on the economic situation of each country. Although all countries who participated in the war to go through a time of postwar logically take longer to get over this stage the countries that have lost, they have been defeated, that the winners.

"periodo entre guerras." Historias siglo 20. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2012. < http://www.historiasiglo20.org/EG/index.htm >.

Germany after treaty of Versailles

After the Treaty of Versailles, Germany lost many men, the mainland and its colonial possessions. Not only that, they also reduced the number of men, the fleet and banned military recruitment.

The harsh economic conditions of Germany after the war began to worry because the German people saw as their country's money was being lost little by little to no particular purpose. Unemployment was increasing gradually until in 1923 one in four Germans were without work. Germany after being so bad economically asked for a reprieve of debt in order to recover and continue to pay, as one of the points of the treaty of Versailles was that Germany had to pay all damage caused to other countries because of that economic status was not good because it did not have the money to pay to other countries and also to continue to bring his country. When asked for the postponement on other countries (France, Belgium and Italy) answered his request trying to conquer a part of Germany. This made the German nationalists hold out no longer and revealed against their own allies and Weimer republic.

The Weimar Republic was created after the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the end of the war and the demise of the Second Reich. This republic was put to political tensions, economic and social for about 15 years that was what hard. During this republic were presidents Elbert in the years 1918 - 1925 and 1925 and Hinderbung during 1934.

This republic was formed by a regime which gave the President the power to govern in an emergency.

The Weimar Republic was faced with great difficulties that eventually caused its demise.

The first difficulty faced was the fragile political base after it had been created as it was supported by liberal Catholics who saw that the economy was wrong withdrew their support for republican institutions.

The second difficulty that presented itself was that ubo to face Republican administrations since Germany was required to pay the vendecores of the first world war.

The third difficulty was the inability to enlist the support of citizens and that these were that were losing money and that the country was getting worse situations that did not support this republic.

The crash of 1929 destroyed the prestige available to republican institutions. Gradually the country was falling further and in 1931 were more than 8 million unemployed who were in Germany.

Finally, on January 30, 1933 Hindenburg appointed Hitler head of government soon after which democracy and thus suppress the republic of Weimar.

ed. "The rise of hitler." The impact of the treaty of Versalles. School history, 4 juny 2004. Web. 13 May 2012 http://www.schoolshistory.org.uk/ASLevel_History/week4_versailles.htm

Democracy in Peril

In this section we will discuss which was the democracy of that time in Italy and Spain since agreement was reached with other countries, most known as Locanno Agreements. We will focus democracy of Italy until 1922 and democracy in Spain under the rule of General Primo de Rivera.

Italy

Mussolini founded the Italian National Fascist Party began his political career in the Socialist Party.

In 1912 Avantil who was the director of the main Italian newspaper opposed to capitalism and militarism.

In 1914 change of opinion calling for Italy to participate voluntarily in the First World War and to the right approaching politics.

The National Union of Giolitti lost control to the occupations of factories in northern Italy and this has a negative impact because the fascist protest it.

In 1920 starts to spread fascism despite not getting a number too high in the polls. When this happens Giolitti resigns.

Until about October 1922 Italy spent several governments were unstable, which made Mussolini and all those fascists become stronger.

The police and justice was sympathetic to the fascist violence is a certain sympathy against the leftist revolution.

The lively performance that made the fascists were presented to society as "defenders of order".

A part of this month, October 1922 Mussolini began preparations to reclaim power in Rome. Their goal was to get the King to let him join the government.

At the end of 1922 Mussolini took control of the Italian government, saying that if they refused their demands openly would happen a coup, that's how Mussolini took power in Italy.

Gorlitz, Walter. El oro y el poder. 1975. Print. < http://www.paralibros.com/passim/p20-suc/pb2022msr.htm >.

Spain

Miguel Primo de Rivera was a Spanish general and political, was chief minister and chairman. Born in Cadiz. When income was very young at the Military Academy. Participated in the War of Cuba, which led to the independence of the Philippines and the War of Morocco. 


Achieved the rank of colonel. In 1919 he was promoted to lieutenant general and was named Captain General of Valencia. Shortly after it was of Madrid. He inherited from his uncle Fernando Primo de Rivera the title of Marquis of Estella after his death in the disaster of Annual in 1921.

His policy was outstanding season as Rivera Primo from that exercised power in Spain, has been divided into two stages:

-The Military Directory: In 1923 Primo Rivera proclaimed the dictatorship. When he was appointed head of the government formed a military directory. Sacrificed democratic power, censoring the press, political persecution or closure of parliament.

- Civil directory: Following the successes achieved in war of Morocco, instead of retiring was established through a Civil Directorate instituted December 3, 1925. Primo de Rivera tried to build a system to replace the defunct parlament  which had occurred during the Restoration. An assembly formed organically, should be responsible for drafting a new constitution. To cover this regimen was created a game from the highest offices, the Patriotic Union Spanish (UPE).

Wanted it to work as a conservative party. He managed to alleviate the public debt and monopolized a key sector.
Faced with growing opposition and lack of support from their own friends, Primo de Rivera introduced him to King Alfonso XIII, his resignation on January 28 in 1930.

Ocaña , Juan Carlos . "La dictadura de Primo de Rivera.."La dictadura de Primo de Rivera. Historiasiglo20.org, 2005. Web. 13 May 2012. < http://www.historiasiglo20.org/HE/12b-1.htm >.

Locarno agreements

The treaties of Locarno, is the name that received the eight agreements aimed at strengthening peace in Europe after the First World War signed by the representatives of Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Kingdom of Italy and Poland in the city Swiss Locarnoel October 16, 1925.

The eight papers included:

- An agreement between France, Britain, Italy, Germany and Belgium.

- An agreement of understanding between Belgium and Germany.

- A memorandum of understanding between France and Germany.

- A memorandum of understanding between Germany and Poland.

- A memorandum of understanding between Germany and Czechoslovakia.

- A proposed alliance between France and Poland.

- Another between France and Czechoslovakia.

- A statement of the signatories of the agreement of mutual guarantees.

"Locarno Pact." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 13, 2012).http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-LocarnoP.html