After the end of the First World War, the victorious states began to redistribute the world and create a new system of international relations. The foundations of a new world order were laid by a number of treaties and agreements, the first of which was the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, the last agreements were signed during the Washington Conference of 1921-1922. Therefore, the new order was named - "Versailles-Washington system of international relations."
Versailles system
The Versailles Peace Treaty was signed on June 28, 1919 between representatives of the victorious countries: the USA, Great Britain, Italy, France and Japan, as well as their allies and surrendered Germany. He officially ended the First World War. This treaty became the basis of the European part of the Versailles-Washington system. Also, the Versailles part of the system included the Saint-Germain Peace Treaty, the Neuilly Peace Treaty, the Trianon Peace Treaty, and the Sevres Peace Treaty. Russia at that time was plunged into the chaos of the civil war and did not take part in the creation of the new system, despite the fact that it was invited to sign the Versailles Peace Treaty.
The greatest benefits from the Versailles system were gained by the powers that shaped the political and military-strategic conditions of the agreements being concluded - France, Great Britain, the USA, Japan. The interests of Soviet Russia, the defeated and newly formed states were completely ignored. After the entry into force of the Versailles Peace Treaty, the US Senate, which did not want to assume obligations to the League of Nations, refused to ratify it, having concluded a special treaty with Germany in the summer of 1921. The absolute anti-German orientation, the isolation of Soviet Russia, discrimination against the positions of the defeated states and the US refusal to participate in the work of the Versailles system made it unstable, unbalanced and vulnerable.
Washington system
American diplomats, who failed to achieve great success and increase the influence of the United States in the international arena when concluding the agreements of the Versailles system, seeking to take revenge, initiated the convening of a conference in Washington. The main purpose of the event was to consider issues related to the post-war balance of forces in the Pacific basin. As a result of the meetings held, a number of agreements were concluded.
"Treaty of four states", signed between the United States, France, Great Britain, Japan, stipulating guarantees of the inviolability of island possessions and the conditions for the construction of warships.
"Treaty of five states" between the United States, France, Great Britain, Japan and Italy, which prohibited the construction of warships with a tonnage of more than 35 thousand. t.
The "Nine States Treaty" between the United States, Britain, France, Japan, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Portugal and China, proclaiming the principle of respect for China's sovereignty.
The agreements concluded in Washington supplemented the Versailles system of treaties of 1919-1920. After the conference, the Versailles-Washington system of international relations, which formally consolidated the results of the First World War, was fully formed.
