1914 to 1929

Many events between 1914 and 1930 led to World War II. The Allies won World War I, imposed resentful reparations on the losing countries, redrew the map of Europe and the Middle East that disatisfied many inhabitants, and created independent new nations. German colonies in the Pacific Ocean and Africa became Allied mandates under the newly created League of Nations, but Germany remained a strong industrialized nation. The communists overthrew the Russian czar and created the USSR out of Imperial Russia. The Communist International (Comintern) promoted communism in Europe, China and Japan, which created political power struggles and turmoil between "left" and "right" groups. The severest world-wide depression in history resulted in high unemployment accompanied by popular unrest that would eventually undo democracies and give rise to aggressive dictatorships in Germany and Japan with imperial ambitions that would plunge most of the world into the biggest war in history.

More lethal armaments were developed, especially the airplane, which would change the way WWII would be waged. Artillery became more lethal Tanks, battleships, machine guns, flame throwers, radio, sonar, and submarines were used for the first time in WWI and would become more lethal in WWII. The aircraft carrier, radar, and enciphering and codebreaking machines would be used for the first time.

July 28, 1914.   Vienna, Austria:   Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, following the assasination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand to begin World War I. Soon thereafter many European countries would be at war as two coalitions: The Triple Entente, composed of the United Kingdom, France and Russia, together with the countries of Japan, Italy, Belgium, Serbia, Greece, and Romania (all together, the "Allies"), versus the Central Powers, composed of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey. Ensuing events will lead to the entry of the United States, victory for the Allies, redrawn national boundaries, new countries, and a continuation of this war as World War II.

March 12 (February 27, Julian).   St. Petersbug (later, Petrograd, and then Leningrad), Russia:   Following strikes, demonstrations and mutinies from March 8 to 11 (February 23 to 26 by the old calendar; thus, the "February Revolution"), czarist troops join the demonstrators instead of firing upon them. Czar Nicholas II abdicates his crown on March 15, and the Provisional Government under Prime Minister Prince Lvov is formed. A civil war will follow that will result in the Bolshevik (Communist) dictatorship under Vladimir Lenin, Russia's withdrawal from World War I, and mutual distrust between the communist U.S.S.R. and the western capitalist countries. The major effects of this revolution on WWII are the following: (1) USSR signs the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany to get out of WWI; therefore, it is ostracized by its Allied partners and has no voice in partitioning the world among the victors, (2) Under Lenin's and Stalin's dictatorships, the USSR will become more heavily industrialized, which will enable to withstand the German invasion in WWII, (3) The spread of communist ideology across Europe will result in political chaos and violence, and result in dictatorships in Spain (Franco), Italy (Mussolini), Germany (Hitler), and Japan (Military).

April 6.   Washington DC:   President Woodrow Wilson signs into law the bill that declares war on Germany, thereby entering World War I. The U.S. entry was caused mainly by American deaths from German submarine sinkings of ships. The U.S. entry will break the stalemate in fighting on the western front in favor of the Allies, who will go on to win the war against the Central Powers. The demonstrated power of the US in WWI will cause Japan to make fateful decisions that will bring the two countries into conflict in WWII.

February 23.   Germany:   Arthur Scherbius, patents his first cipher machine for enciphering radio commercial messages, which he calls Enigma. After several improvements, it will be used by the German and Italian militaries to send messages during World War II. Unknown to the Germans, Polish cryptologists will break its coding, which will provide the Allies with invaluable information in World War II.

March 3.   Brest-Litovsk, USSR. (much later, Brest, Belarus):   The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (later, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or USSR) signs the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with the Central Powers and thereby exits World War I. The treaty provides Russia with some relief during its civil war between the "Whites" and "Reds". It gives theoretical independence to Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, and Poland, which were part of Imperial Russia, but they become in fact part of the German Empire until Germany's defeat, after which they become independent in fact. The treaty also gives some former Russian conquests back to Turkey. Russia's exit from the war results in its ostracism by the victorious Allies, but the USSR will want these former possessions made a part of its country following WWII.

September 19.   UK:   The world's first aircraft carrier designed as a carrier that enabled wheeled airplanes to take off, the HMS Argus, is commissioned. It will be too old to serve in the first part of WWII, but after several British carriers were sunk it will be elevated to front line duty in the Mediterranean Sea and survive the war. The aircraft carrier with its complement of airplanes will dominate fighting on the seas in WWII.

November 11.   Compiégne, France:   An Armistice Treaty between the Allies and Germany is signed, which ends German and WWI fighting. (Armistices were signed by Bulgaria on September 29, by Turkey on October 30, and by Austria-Hungary on November 3.) This armistice allows the victorious Allies to prepare for several peace conferences to settle affairs among the belligerants and their colonies. None of these treaties will be ratified by the US Senate; thus, US influence on European affairs will be minimal before World War II.

June 28.   Paris, France:   At the Paris Peace Conference, the Treaty of Versailles is signed between defeated Germany and the Allies. It and subsequent treaties will settle government boundaries and possessions that will exist at the beginning of WWII. Its main provisions follow: ^Wiki

a. Germany is held responsible for starting the war. (It was actually started by Austria-Hungary; see above.)

b. Germany's military is greatly restricted.

c. Rhineland (in Germany) becomes a demilitarized zone administered jointly by the UK and France for 15 years. (It will be returned to Germany in 1930 as a good-will gesture towards the new German Weimar Republic.)

d. Saarland is controlled by UK and France under a mandate from the newly formed League of Nations for 15 years, after which a plebiscite will decide to which country it belonged.

e. Germany loses all of its colonies to various victors. (Significantly for WWII, the Marshall, Caroline, Northern Mariana (those above equator) and Palau Islands (ALL) in the Pacific Ocean, which were seized by Japan during the war, are given to Japan as mandates.)

f. Poznan Province and West Prussia (the "Polish corridor") are ceded to Poland, which gives it access to the Baltic Sea. (Prussia had annexed this territory in 1772 to 1795 during the partitions of Poland.)

g. The northern part of East Prussia known as Memelland is put under League of Nations control but administered by Allied forces.

h. Alsace-Lorraine region is returned to France. (It was ceded to Germany in 1871 war.)

i. Danzig (Gdansk) becomes an independent city under League of Nations control.

j. Austria is forbidden to join with Germany.

k Concessions in Shandong Peninsula (Shantung) in China, formerly held by Germany, are given to Japan. (Shandong was seized by Japan during the war.) China, which had entered the war in 1917 as an Ally and sent laborers to France as part of the British army, protested earlier in its "May 4th Movement" of student demonstations. This marked the upsurge of Chinese nationalism and anti-imperialism that will lead to the birth of the Chinese Communist Party.

l. Reparations by Germany in the form of money, commodities (mainly coal) and intellectual property are awarded to various Allies. The exact amounts will be determined at conferences in 1921 and beyond.

These provisions are resented by Germans, which will contribute to the rise of Adolph Hitler who will promise to remove them (and much more). Further, in spite of the treaty terms, Germany remains the strongest European nation under an aggressive leader who is not checked by pusillanimous neighbors.

The League of Nations and the International Labor Organization (ILO) are created by the Treaty of Versailles. The US Senate does not ratifiy either organization. Relevant to the events of World War II, the League at various future dates establishes several mandates under Allied country control that allow for later independence, but that won't happen until after the end of World War II:

1. Mesopotamia (Iraq) under UK
2. Palestine under UK
3. Transjordan (Jordan) under UK
4. Syria, including Lebanon, under France
5. Ruanda-Urundi (Rwanda & Burundi) under Belgium
6. Tanganyka under UK
7. British Cameroon under UK
8. French Cameroon under France
9. British Togoland (on left = Togo) under UK
10. French Togoland (on right) under France
11. German New Guineau (brown color) becomes the Territory of New Guinea (combined brown and red colors) under Australia (the Territory of Papua (red color) on the southeastern part of the island of New Guineau was a separate Australian colony (shown here under UK flag)) [Dutch New Guinea on left of map is in orange and here.]
12. Naura Island from German New Guinea under Australia, UK and New Zealand
13. German Samoa becomes Western Samoa under New Zealand
14. Palau, Northern Marianas, Caroline and the Marshall Islands under Japan
15. Southwest Africa under South Africa.

August 11.   Weimar, Germany:   The Weimar Republic is founded when its representatives adopt its new constitution. It replaces the German Empire. The republic evolved from the German Revolution that began in November, 1918, following German's defeat in WW I. Although democratic and liberal, political extremism and economic chaos of the 1920s and 1930s make it ineffective in relieving the economic lives of the German people. Although it never formally will be replaced, the Weimar Republic will become irrelevant after Adolph Hitler is elected chancellor in 1933.

September 10.   Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France:   The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye is signed between the new Republic of Austria and the Allies. Its main provisions follow:

a. The Austria-Hungary Empire is dissolved. Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (later, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) become independent nations.

b. Austria is to pay reparations to the Allies.

c. The southern half of the County of Tyrol (today the provinces of Trentino and South Tyrol), Trieste, Istria and several Dalmatian islands are ceded to Italy and Bukovina is ceded to Romania. In total, it lost land to Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland, Romania, and Italy. Burgenland, previously a part of Hungary, was awarded to Austria.

d. Austria is forbidden to enter an economic or political union with Germany.

e. The Austrian army is limited in size.

November 27.   Neuilly-sur-Seine, France:   By the Treaty of Neuilly, Bulgaria cedes some territory to the Allies (which in turn later cedes it to Greece) and to Yugoslavia. Also, it is forced to reduce its army, and pay reparations. Bulgaria thus has incentives to remove these provision by later joining with a militant Germany.

June 4.   Paris, France:   The Treaty of Trianon, Hungary cedes much of its territory to Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and is forced to pay reparations to its neighbors. Hungary thus has incentives to remove these provisions by later joining with a militant Germany.

August 10.   Sièvres, France:   The Treaty of Sièvres between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies annuls German economic rights and enterprises in the Empire and turns them over to a Tripartite corporation (UK, France and Italy) in a secret Tripartitie Agreement. It is never ratified and is superseded by the Treaty of Lausanne (see below, 1923) forced by the newly formed Republic of Turkey that resulted from the Turkish War of Independence (May 19, 1919 to October 29, 1923).

February 21.   Paris:   France and Poland sign a pact to coordinate political and economic policies and a mlitary alliance. It will be used by France to declare war on Germany when it invades Poland in 1939 to begin World War II.

July 20.   Atlantic Ocean off Chesapeake Bay:   Army airplanes under the command of Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell bomb and sink the WWI German battleship, Ostfriesland to demonstrate the effectiveness of airplanes and ineffectiveness of large ships in future wars. In spite of Navy Department objections, military priorities are changed by Congress to increase airplane development in both the Army and Navy and promote aircraft carrier production over cruisers and battleships. Japan and UK also will give priority to carrier and airplane production. Thus, World War II will be the first war in which carrier-based and land- based airplanes become the most important military weapons.

November 21.   Washington:   The Washington Naval Conference begins. (It ends on February 22, 1922.) The conference results in 3 main treaties: (1) Four-Power Treaty, (2) Five-Power Treaty (Washington Naval Treaty), and (3) Nine-Power Treaty. The treaties promote peace in the 1920s and also increase American isolationism, but they also will enable Japan to increase its naval power relative to US and UK. Subsequent naval treaties will be violated by Japan and Germany, which will anble their navies to become powerful.

1. Four-Power Treaty (US, UK, France, Japan): Maintain status quo in the Pacific Ocean by not seeking further territorial expansion.

2. Five-Power Treaty (US. UK, France, Japan, Italy): Limit naval armaments in an attempt to prevent a naval arms race.

3. Nine-Power Treaty (US, UK, France, Japan, Italy, China, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal) affirms the territorial integrity of China and nations with vested interests in China will allow all other nations equal rights and equal access to all treaty ports. Later navy conferences in 1930 and 1936 attempt limit shipbuilding, but they are readily circumvented in an atmosphere of mutual distrust and the arms race continues.

December 7.   London:   The Anglo-Irish Treaty is signed, giving Ireland (Irish Free State) its formal independence, although it declared its independence during the war between the two countries. The war began on January 19, 1919. Independent Ireland contains 26 counties, the remaining 6 becoming Northern Ireland under British rule. With substantial animosities between the people of both countries, Ireland will remain neutral during World War II.

February 6.   Washington:   Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Portugal, and the U.S. sign two treaties that guarantee the territorial integrity and administrative independence of China and promise to uphold the Open Door regarding trade with China. Japan will violate this treaty in 1931 by invading and subsequently making Manchuria a puppet state named Manchukuo, and in 1937 by invading and occupying many parts of China.

February 6.   Washington:   At the Washington Naval Conference UK, U.S., Japan, France, and Italy agree to a ten-year capital ship building holiday and establish a capital ship tonnage ratio of 5-5-3-1.67-1.67 for each country respectively. Japan will ignore the treaty and continue to build a strong navy.

March 20.   Mare Island Naval Shipyard, CA:   The first US aircraft carrier USS Langley, CV-1 is commissioned. It was built in 1911 as a coal carrier, but converted into an aircraft carrier when the Washington Naval Conference limited the scrapping of battlecruisers. It was the first ship to use steam-driven electric motor propulsion. It will be sunk on February 27, 1942 near Tjilatjap, Java by her own escorts after being severely damaged by Japanese airplanes. US will build many more carriers that will enable it to invade Japanese Pacific Ocean defenses in World War II. It also will be important in protecting ship convoys against German submarines in the Atlantic Ocean.

October 30.   Rome, Italy:   King Victor Emmanuel III appoints Benito Mussolini Prime Minister of Italy who will soon become Italy's dictator. He wants Italy to become a modern-day Rome with an extensive empire around the Mediterranean Sea. Italy will eventually join Hitler in Germany and Tojo in Japan to form the Axis of World War II.

December 27.   Yokosuka, Japan:   The first aircraft carrier designed as a carrier, Hosho is commissioned. She saw action in the war against China, but was too small and too slow for serious combat in World War II. Japan will build many more modern carriers that will see action in WWII.

January 11.   Memel Territory   Memel is occupied by Lithuanian troops in response to a Lithuanian insurrection. The French garrison withdraws. The territory was put under League of Nations mandate by the Versailles Treaty of 1919. On May 8, 1924, the British, French, Italian, and Japanese governments will sign the Memel Statute that establishes Memel as an autonomous region under Lithuanian sovereignty. It will be ceded to Germany in after its invasion of Poland in 1939.

July 24.   Lausanne, Switzerland:  The Treaty of Lausanne is signed by the newly formed Republic of Turkey and the Allies. By its terms, the Ottoman Empire is dissolved and Turkey is confined to its current borders. Subsequently, the states comprising the modern Middle East will be created by the League of Nations. The Dodecanese Islands, which include Rhodes, are given to Italy. In spite of this unfavorable treaty, Turkey will remain neutral throughout most of World War II although it will be courted by Germany and UK to join with them.

October 29.   Ankara, Turkey:   Turkey succeeds the Ottoman Empire and becomes a republic. It will remain neutral for most of World War II, but will enter the war as an Ally as a ceremonial gesture on February 23, 1945.

January 25.   Paris:   The French government signs a treaty of mutual aid with Czechoslovakia in the event of an unprovoked attack by a third country. However, France will not act when Germany invades Czechoslovakia 1939.

November 5.   China:   Civil war erupts in China to begin warlord rule and political instability. Japan will take advantage of China's political weakness to occupy vast regions of China in 1931 and 1937.

November 18.   Ruhr Region, Germany:   French and Belgian troops evacuate the Ruhr, which restores German control over this strategic industrial region.

January 1.   Paris:   France unites the provinces of Damascus and Aleppo to form the new state of Syria. (France received its mandate of control by the 1919 Versailles Treaty.) Control of Syria will be under Vichy France during World War II.

July-October.   Moscow:   Josef Stalin defeats Leon Trotsky and the Leftist opposition bloc by declaring a policy of Socialism in USSR only. Trotsky insisted that a Communist regime in one country was an anomaly and the Proletarian Revolution would only be safe when the entire world had embraced Socialism. Stalin becomes the dictator of USSR.

July-October.   China:   With the support of the Russians, Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang government fight a successful campaign against the Chinese warlords in northern China that establishes central control over China. This outcome will enable China to withstand the Japanese invasion of 1937.

December 25.   Tokyo, Japan:   Hirohito becomes emperor of Japan upon the death of his father. He will a moderate ruler, but powerless to control the rise of militarism in his country that will lead it into World War II as an Axis partner with Germany and Italy. Japan is a constitutional monarchy, but the Japanese army and navy report to the Emperor rather than to the Diet (Parliament); thus, there is no civilian control of the military, which will enable to determine aggressive foregin policies unhindered by moderate forces.

April 18.   Nanking, China:   Chiang Kai-Sheik and his conservative allies in the Kuomintang split with the radicals in the capitol Hankow and establish a new government in Nanking. Chiang purges the Communists from Hankow to restore political unity. However, the Nationalists and Communists will spend more time defending themselves against each other than against the Japanese invading forces, thus diminishing their effectiveness against the invaders.

No month.   New York City:   A prototype of the Norden bombsight is delivered to the US Navy. Invented by Carl Norden, A Dutch engineer educated in Switzerland, who emigrated to US in 1904. It will be improved continually until it becomes the best bombsight in use by level bombers in WWII and beyond. Although Germany will obtain the highly secret Norden plans through espionage, it will never use it or high level bombing as much as the Allies. The Norden bombsight enabled US level bombers to achieve superior bombing results compared to any other country involved in the war.

July 25 - December 22.   China:   After years of political instability and war lord rule, 12 states sign treaties recognizing the Nationalist Chinese government (Kuomintang) in Nanking. This marks the unification of China under the control of Kuomintang and its president with dictatorial powers, Gen. Chiang Kai-shek..

October 10.   Nanking, China:   Chiang Kai-shek becomes Director of the State Council, the equivalent of President of the Republic of China. Since he has no opposition, he is in effect a dictator and will remain so for the rest of his life. He will continue wars against Chinese communists and Japan in the 1930s and 1940s.

March 24.   Rome:   The Fascist Party receives over 99% of the votes in Italian national elections, establishing the party's political domination over the kingdom with Benito Mussolini as its leader. With this popular support, Italy under Mussolini will attempt to inrease its control of countries around the Mediterranean Sea and join with Germany and Japan to form the Axis.

October 3.   Belgrade, Yugoslavia:   King Alexander I officially renames the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes to Yugoslavia in an effort to eliminate old historical divisions and move towards a single national identity. The government divides traditional provinces into nine new banats with geographical names. Yugoslavia will support Germany during WWII, although a communist-led partisan group under Marshall Josip Tito will wage war against occupying German forces.

October 29.   New York City:   The Wall Street stock market crash begins a world-wide depression that results in political and economic chaos around the world, but most importantly in Germany and Japan where aggressive dictatorships bent on war and conquest will assume power.