Reflective essay 1---Interwar Era
Introduction
It is hard to imagine that we are now actually only 78 years away from the Second World War
and that even many long-lived seniors lived through the war as children. And the evolution of
international relations between the two world wars is closely linked to the outbreak of the
Second World War, and every major international event that took place in the years between
the two world wars was in turn directly or indirectly linked to the Versailles system. It is
therefore impossible to understand and appreciate the relationship of the international order
between the two world wars without starting with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.
Humanity has always been so resilient that it is worth reflecting on how the League of
Nations preserved peace after the world wars, what state the socio-political and economic
situation took, and all the acts of human desire and effort for peace.
The Treaty of Versailles & International Order
The Treaty of Versailles was like a flag planted by the victors and flown over the ruins of the
war, and the world had to look at this flag for some time after the First World War and move
on. As we stand on the ruins of the war and look around the globe, it is clear that the political
map of the world before and after the First World War did change dramatically. In 1919, the
victorious powers met in Paris to redraw the European order. Note that this was a meeting
convened by the victorious powers at their own will, behind the backs of the defeated powers,
which set the spark for the conflicts that followed. Here Wilson's fourteen-point principle
clashed with France's desire to economically eliminate German power in order to secure
continental hegemony, while France offered conciliatory British support in the interests of
, consolidating its colonial possessions. We can understand that the will of the powers that
prevailed, the victors asserted their economic and political interests and tried to prevent the
rebirth of Germany, and the redistribution of the colonies almost confirmed the dominance of
the European victors in Europe, West Asia, and North Africa.
The Treaty of Versailles did give the world a brief breath of 'peace', changing the political
landscape in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with Britain and France joining forces to
become the more powerful nations. But, at root, it did not change the fundamental pattern of
the world as a whole, as the treaty lacked fairness and nations continued to shout behind that
'flag', hating each other and sowing the seeds of revenge.
The League of Nations & Pace
With the birth of the Versailles Peace Treaty, the League of Nations was proclaimed to
peacefully regulate conflicts between nations, and most of the world's nations joined this
organization. The organization banned the use of war to settle international disputes and
instead provided for the use of international arbitration, achieved through the convening of
special diplomatic conferences. The League of Nations was actually very progressive in its
intent, and the principle of collective security is one of the primary principles observed by
many international organizations today. In fact, the principle of collective security
emphasizes the sovereignty of states, the principle of national self-determination of states,
again highlighting the identity of the nation-state. To a certain extent, it denies the legitimacy
of imperialist colonial rule, allowing the formerly imperialist colonial world to gradually
disintegrate and the nation-state to take on a more visible image on the world stage. The
League of Nations made a limited effort to maintain world peace.
Introduction
It is hard to imagine that we are now actually only 78 years away from the Second World War
and that even many long-lived seniors lived through the war as children. And the evolution of
international relations between the two world wars is closely linked to the outbreak of the
Second World War, and every major international event that took place in the years between
the two world wars was in turn directly or indirectly linked to the Versailles system. It is
therefore impossible to understand and appreciate the relationship of the international order
between the two world wars without starting with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.
Humanity has always been so resilient that it is worth reflecting on how the League of
Nations preserved peace after the world wars, what state the socio-political and economic
situation took, and all the acts of human desire and effort for peace.
The Treaty of Versailles & International Order
The Treaty of Versailles was like a flag planted by the victors and flown over the ruins of the
war, and the world had to look at this flag for some time after the First World War and move
on. As we stand on the ruins of the war and look around the globe, it is clear that the political
map of the world before and after the First World War did change dramatically. In 1919, the
victorious powers met in Paris to redraw the European order. Note that this was a meeting
convened by the victorious powers at their own will, behind the backs of the defeated powers,
which set the spark for the conflicts that followed. Here Wilson's fourteen-point principle
clashed with France's desire to economically eliminate German power in order to secure
continental hegemony, while France offered conciliatory British support in the interests of
, consolidating its colonial possessions. We can understand that the will of the powers that
prevailed, the victors asserted their economic and political interests and tried to prevent the
rebirth of Germany, and the redistribution of the colonies almost confirmed the dominance of
the European victors in Europe, West Asia, and North Africa.
The Treaty of Versailles did give the world a brief breath of 'peace', changing the political
landscape in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with Britain and France joining forces to
become the more powerful nations. But, at root, it did not change the fundamental pattern of
the world as a whole, as the treaty lacked fairness and nations continued to shout behind that
'flag', hating each other and sowing the seeds of revenge.
The League of Nations & Pace
With the birth of the Versailles Peace Treaty, the League of Nations was proclaimed to
peacefully regulate conflicts between nations, and most of the world's nations joined this
organization. The organization banned the use of war to settle international disputes and
instead provided for the use of international arbitration, achieved through the convening of
special diplomatic conferences. The League of Nations was actually very progressive in its
intent, and the principle of collective security is one of the primary principles observed by
many international organizations today. In fact, the principle of collective security
emphasizes the sovereignty of states, the principle of national self-determination of states,
again highlighting the identity of the nation-state. To a certain extent, it denies the legitimacy
of imperialist colonial rule, allowing the formerly imperialist colonial world to gradually
disintegrate and the nation-state to take on a more visible image on the world stage. The
League of Nations made a limited effort to maintain world peace.
