Interwar period

The era between the First and Second World Wars, conventionally dated from 1918 to 1939. It was shaped by postwar settlements, economic upheaval, ideological conflict, and the rise of authoritarian regimes.

Treaty of Versailles: The 1919 peace treaty that imposed territorial, military, and financial terms on Germany after the First World War. Its terms became a lasting source of grievance in postwar German politics.
Hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic: The rapid collapse of German currency value in 1921–1923, culminating in extreme price rises in 1923. It showed how postwar debts and fiscal pressures could devastate everyday economic life.
Woodrow Wilson: The 28th president of the United States, who led the country during the First World War and proposed a postwar peace program. His Fourteen Points shaped expectations for a more cooperative international order.
Russian Revolution: The revolutions of 1917 that ended imperial rule in Russia and brought the Bolsheviks to power. It transformed the former Russian Empire and influenced revolutionary movements worldwide.
Liberal democracy: A political system combining competitive elections, civil liberties, and constitutional limits on government. It faced growing challenges from authoritarian movements during the period.
League of Nations: An international organization founded in 1920 to maintain peace through collective security and cooperation. Its limits exposed the difficulty of enforcing the postwar order.
Appeasement: A policy of making concessions to an aggressive state in hopes of preventing conflict. British and French concessions to Hitler reflected fear of another war and doubts about resistance.
Vladimir Lenin: A Russian revolutionary who led the Bolsheviks and founded the Soviet state. His revolution created the first durable communist government of the era.
Spanish Civil War: The 1936–1939 conflict between Spain’s Republican government and Nationalist forces led by Francisco Franco. Foreign intervention turned the conflict into a test of competing ideologies before World War II.
Communism: A political and economic ideology advocating a classless society and collective ownership of productive resources. Communist movements offered an alternative to both capitalism and fascism.

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