1919

1919 was a turning point in the aftermath of World War I, marked by the negotiation of a new postwar order, the dissolution of empires, and the emergence of new political movements. The Paris Peace Conference began in January 1919 to determine terms for the defeated powers and redraw borders. The resulting treaties, most notably the Treaty of Versailles signed on June 28, 1919, imposed territorial losses and reparations on Germany and realigned parts of Europe. Additional treaties addressed Austria, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire, reshaping Central and Southeast Europe.

International diplomacy also gave rise to the League of Nations, an early attempt to prevent future wars, with the League Covenant attached to the peace settlements in 1919 and the organization taking formal shape in the following year.

Domestically, 1919 saw significant upheaval. In Germany, the Spartacist uprising in January and the Bavarian Soviet Republic in March–April highlighted revolutionary tensions, while the Weimar Republic began to take form, with the National Assembly meeting in Weimar and adopting a new constitution in August. In India, the Amritsar Massacre of April 13 drew international attention to colonial rule. The Winnipeg General Strike in Canada during May–June reflected labor unrest, and in Ireland, the War of Independence intensified. The Third Anglo-Afghan War also occurred in 1919, shaping regional dynamics.

Across the United States and parts of Europe, 1919 was marked by social unrest, including racial violence and widespread labor strikes often referred to as part of the Red Summer, reflecting upheaval as soldiers returned home and economies restructured.