An Introduction to Twentieth Century History: International Relations in the 1930s and World War 2

The second world war was a direct consequence of the world which emerged in 1919 with the collapse of four Empires, economic dislocation and national disappointments. Germany had been defeated but was likely to seek revision of the Versailles Treaty whoever was in charge. Italy whilst technically on the side of the victors suffered a ‘mutilated peace’ which opened the door to Fascism. Similarly Japan felt its rewards failed to match its ambitions as well as feeling slighted by the other victors. The peace settlements of 1919 were imposed ‘at the point of the bayonet’. Whether that peace would hold would depend on the willingness of the victors to maintain that imposed peace. With USA retreating into isolation, that role fell to Britain and France. Could they, would they have the resolve and hard power to resist the revisionists?