The world in
What happened in 1920?
43 events across 8 world regions, each with its sources.
Europe
Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920)After World War I, the Allied Powers convened a peace conference at the Palace of Versailles in Paris, lasting several months, to set peace terms for the defeated Central Powers. Dominated by Britain, France, the United States, and Italy, the conference resulted in several treaties that redrew maps of parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, and imposed financial penalties on Germany and others. The defeated nations were not given a voice, which later led to lasting political resentments. The arrangements are considered a major watershed in 20th-century geopolitical history.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Edward N. Jackson (US Army Signal Corps) / Public domain ↗
Polish–Soviet WarFrom February 1919 to March 1921, the Second Polish Republic fought the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Emerging from World War I and the Russian Revolution, both were nascent states confronting each other. The war stemmed from intertwined political and territorial aims, intensified by borders left undefined under the post-Versailles settlement.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Treaty of TrianonAfter the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed and Hungary declared independence, postwar borders had to be redrawn. On 4 June 1920, the Treaty of Trianon was signed at the Grand Trianon in Versailles, as part of the Paris Peace Conference. It ended the state of war between Hungary and most Allied powers and recognized Hungary’s new international borders with significant territorial changes.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Digitalized by User:Cserlajos / Public domain ↗
- Treaty of Sèvres
On August 10, 1920, the Treaty of Sèvres was signed in France between some Allied powers and the Ottoman Empire. As part of the post–World War I settlements following the Armistice of Mudros, it was not ratified but would have required major territorial cessions and large occupation zones, aiming to curb Ottoman power and external expansion.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Svalbard TreatySigned in 1920, the Svalbard Treaty recognized Norway’s sovereignty over the Svalbard archipelago, with certain limitations on how that sovereignty is exercised, and granted signatory states equal rights to conduct commercial activities there.
Outbreak of the Polish–Lithuanian WarIn May 1919, newly independent Poland and Lithuania began fighting over the Vilnius and Suwałki regions. The undeclared war lasted into 1920, overlapping with the Polish–Soviet War. Mediation attempts by the League of Nations and the Conference of Ambassadors proved unsuccessful.
Hungarian–Romanian WarThe Hungarian–Romanian War was a military conflict between the Hungarian Democratic Republic (later Hungarian Soviet Republic) and the Kingdom of Romania. Hostilities began in late 1918 and ended in early August 1919 with the Romanian occupation of Budapest and the fall of the Hungarian Soviet Republic. Subsequently, Romania occupied parts of eastern Hungary until 1920 and ultimately gained Transylvania.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
.jpg?width=176)
Ukrainian–Soviet WarThe Ukrainian–Soviet War broke out in 1917 as an armed conflict between the Ukrainian People's Republic and Soviet Russia. It began after the October Revolution when Lenin sent an expeditionary force into Ukraine. The Ukrainian side was led by Symon Petliura. Considered part of the Ukrainian War of Independence, the conflict ultimately ended in the failure of Ukraine's struggle for national independence.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Treaty of Rapallo signedOn 12 November 1920, the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes signed the Treaty of Rapallo in Rapallo, Italy, to settle their border disputes after World War I. The treaty primarily addressed territorial divisions in the upper Adriatic, Dalmatia, and the Julian March region.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Signing of the Treaty of TartuOn 14 October 1920, Finland and Soviet Russia signed the Treaty of Tartu in Tartu, Estonia, ending hostilities stemming from the Finnish Civil War. The treaty confirmed the border between the two states, with Soviet Russia withdrawing from the Finnish Civil War and Finnish volunteers leaving Russian East Karelia. It was recognized by Moscow later that year and subsequently registered with the League of Nations Treaty Series.
.jpg?width=176)
Signing of the Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty (Treaty of Riga)On 11 August 1920, Latvia and Soviet Russia signed a peace treaty in Riga, ending the Latvian War of Independence. The treaty stipulated that Soviet Russia would forever recognize Latvia's independence.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Anonymous Unknown author / Public domain ↗
- Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty signed
On July 12, 1920, Soviet Russia and Lithuania signed the Moscow Peace Treaty. Soviet Russia recognized Lithuania's independence and eastern borders, in exchange for Lithuania's neutrality in the Polish–Soviet War and permission for Soviet troops to move through its territory. The treaty marked a major step in Lithuania's struggle for international recognition.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic experienced hyperinflation primarily between 1921 and 1923, peaking in 1923. The German government financed World War I through borrowing and later faced reparations, leading to massive printing of money. This caused a sharp devaluation of the Papiermark, domestic political turmoil, and foreign occupation of the Ruhr. Stability was restored through new currencies like the Rentenmark, and the episode deeply shaped Germany's subsequent fiscal conservatism.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Battle of WarsawThe Battle of Warsaw, known as the Miracle on the Vistula, was the decisive engagement of the Polish–Soviet War. In August 1920 it ended with a decisive Polish victory and the Red Army’s disintegration. The war began soon after the First World War and concluded with the Treaty of Riga in 1921.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Foundation of the Douaumont OssuaryThe Douaumont Ossuary was founded in 1920 in Douaumont-Vaux, France, adjacent to the Fleury-devant-Douaumont National Necropolis. Its construction was initiated by Charles Ginisty, Bishop of Verdun, to house the remains of soldiers killed in the Battle of Verdun.
Delville Wood Cemetery OpenedShortly after the end of World War I, Delville Wood Cemetery was opened. Managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, it is located on the Somme battlefield in France and is the third largest cemetery in the area.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Hydeblake at English Wikipedia / Public domain ↗
Establishment of the Hohrod German War CemeteryA German World War I cemetery was established between the communes of Orbey and Hohrod. The cemetery is located near the site of the Battle of the Linge in the Haut-Rhin department of France.
Establishment of Cuts National CemeteryA French national military cemetery was established in Cuts, Oise, to bury soldiers who died in the First World War. It is located along the RD 934 road towards Gournay.
West Asia
Armenian GenocideBetween 1915 and 1917, the Ottoman Empire's Committee of Union and Progress systematically destroyed the Armenian people, primarily through death marches and forced Islamization, resulting in approximately one million deaths.
Outbreak of the Turkish War of IndependenceIn 1919, the Turkish War of Independence broke out in Anatolia, primarily pitting the Turkish National Movement against the Entente powers and their allies. The war stemmed from the occupation and partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. After about four years of conflict, the Ottoman Empire collapsed, the sultanate and caliphate were abolished, and the Republic of Turkey was established in 1923.
Greco-Turkish WarThe Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922) pitted Greece against the Turkish National Movement amid the partition of the Ottoman Empire and formed part of the Turkish War of Independence. Fought from 15 May 1919 to 14 October 1922, it ended with a Turkish victory that nullified the Treaty of Sèvres. Under the Treaty of Lausanne, Greece abandoned its 1920 territorial gains and retained only the Aegean islands; the compulsory population exchange between the two states was carried out under a separate convention concluded at the Lausanne conference.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
- Signing of the Treaty of Alexandropol
In 1920, the First Republic of Armenia and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey signed the Treaty of Alexandropol, formally ending the Turkish invasion of Armenia that had begun on 12 September 1920. The treaty marked Armenia's defeat in the war, resulting in territorial and sovereignty losses.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Turkish–Armenian WarIn 1920, the Turkish National Movement and the Democratic Republic of Armenia clashed after the Treaty of Sèvres failed to be ratified. Forces under Kâzım Karabekir attacked Armenian troops around Kars, aiming to reclaim territories ceded in earlier treaties. The conflict was part of the Turkish War of Independence and concluded the same year.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: en:User:Aivazovsky / Public domain ↗
Battle of MaysalunOn 24 July 1920, forces of the Arab Kingdom of Syria fought the French Army of the Levant near Maysalun in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains for about four hours. The French victory accelerated the establishment of the French Mandate over Syria.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: unknown army photopgrapher, Syria, died over 70 years ago / Public domain ↗
- Franco-Syrian War
In 1920, conflict broke out between France and the Arab Kingdom of Syria. French forces defeated the Hashemite monarch Faisal's army at the Battle of Maysalun, entering Damascus on 24 July. A pro-French government under 'Alaa al-Din al-Darubi was declared the next day, and the region became the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon, divided into client states.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: unknown army photopgrapher, Syria, died over 70 years ago / Public domain ↗
Franco-Turkish WarThe Franco-Turkish War (December 1918 – October 1921) was a series of armed conflicts between the Turkish Grand National Assembly forces and the French army in Cilicia and elsewhere, during the Turkish War of Independence. French claims in the region stemmed from the Sykes-Picot Agreement, and the crisis of Armenian refugees further fueled tensions. The war ended with Turkish victory and French withdrawal, consolidating the Turkish national movement's control over southern Anatolia.
Armenian–Azerbaijani WarThe Armenian–Azerbaijani War was a conflict fought between 1918 and 1920 in the South Caucasus, involving the newly established states of Armenia and Azerbaijan. It erupted after the fall of the Russian Empire, primarily in regions with mixed Armenian and Azerbaijani populations. The fighting was largely irregular and resulted in heavy civilian casualties. The Ottoman Empire and the United Kingdom intervened on opposing sides, and the war concluded with the establishment of Soviet rule.
- Azerbaijan Technical University
Azerbaijan Technical University is a public engineering university in Baku. It has 9 schools, 54 departments, about 884 faculty members, and approximately 10,000 students.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Georgian–Ossetian Uprisings (1918–1920)
Between 1918 and 1920, a series of uprisings erupted in Ossetian-inhabited areas, first against the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic and later the Menshevik-led Democratic Republic of Georgia. The conflict claimed thousands of lives and left lasting trauma among Georgian and Ossetian communities.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Central & South America
Banana WarsBetween 1898 and 1934, the United States carried out a series of military occupations, police actions, and interventions in Central America and the Caribbean. These operations were primarily conducted by the United States Marine Corps, which compiled the Small Wars Manual (1921) based on its experiences.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: A. R. Harrison, United States Marine Corps / Public domain ↗
Establishment of the Federal University of Rio de JaneiroThe Federal University of Rio de Janeiro was formally established in 1920 in Brazil. Being the largest federal university in the country at the time, its creation aimed to consolidate national higher education resources, promote excellence in teaching and research, and gradually become a leading academic center in Brazil.
Construction of the Haitian National Palace beginsThe construction of the National Palace of Haiti began in 1920 in Port-au-Prince. The building later served as the official residence of the Haitian president until it was severely damaged in the 2010 earthquake.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: MichelleWalz (Michelle Walz Eriksson) / CC BY 2.0 ↗
Foundation of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de JaneiroThe foundation of Christ the Redeemer statue took place in 1920 on Corcovado mountain in Rio de Janeiro. The Art Deco statue of Jesus was designed and built through the collaboration of Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, French sculptor Paul Landowski, and others. It later became an icon of the city and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
East Asia
Founding of Harbin Institute of TechnologyHarbin Institute of Technology (HIT) was founded in 1920 in Harbin, China. As a leading science and engineering university, its founding laid a cornerstone for higher engineering education in Northeast China and beyond. Today, HIT is affiliated with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, a member of the C9 League with a three-campus structure.
- 1920 Haiyuan Earthquake
On December 16, 1920, a powerful earthquake struck with its epicenter in Haiyuan County, now in Ningxia. Estimates of fatalities range from about 258,707 to 273,407, making it one of the deadliest earthquakes in China.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
.jpg?width=176)
Founding of the Shikumen Venue for the CCP's First CongressAround the 1920s, a two-story, side-by-side shikumen building was constructed in a Shanghai lane. In July 1921, the Chinese Communist Party held its first national congress here. The site was later turned into a museum and designated a major historical and cultural site protected at the national level.
North America
- Mexican Revolution
A prolonged armed conflict among factions in Mexico from 1910 to 1920, aiming to end dictatorship, culminating in a constitution and a constitutional republic. It caused around one million deaths and profoundly transformed Mexican culture and government.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
1918–1920 influenza pandemicBetween 1918 and 1920, an exceptionally deadly influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus swept the globe. About one-third of the world population (500 million people) was infected, with death estimates ranging from 20 to 50 million, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in history.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Otis Historical Archives, National Museum of Health and Medicine / Public domain ↗
North Africa
Rif War beginsIn 1921, armed conflict broke out between Spain and Berber tribes of the Rif region in northern Morocco. Led by Abd el-Krim, Rifian forces used guerrilla tactics and captured Western weaponry to repeatedly defeat Spanish troops. France intervened in 1925, escalating the war, which ended with the surrender of the Rifian resistance.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: José Moreno Carbonero / Public domain ↗
Outbreak of the French conquest of MoroccoIn 1907, France began its conquest of the Sultanate of Morocco by occupying Oujda on 29 March. Subsequent military campaigns led to the Treaty of Fes in 1912, establishing the French protectorate, while pacification operations continued until 1934.
Central Asian steppe
- Outbreak of the Basmachi Movement
In 1916, an uprising by Muslim peoples of Central Asia against tsarist conscription and colonial rule broke out in Turkestan, marking the beginning of the Basmachi movement. This decentralized resistance later turned against Soviet rule and became the most protracted anti-colonial armed struggle in the region, gradually subsiding only by 1934.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Nikolayevsk IncidentDuring the Russian Civil War, in February–March 1920, the Red Army under Yakov Tryapitsyn massacred Japanese civilians and soldiers in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur. Approximately 450 Japanese civilians and 350 Japanese soldiers were killed, alongside many Russian residents.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Processed by A. Sdobnikov / Public domain ↗
South Asia
- Establishment of the Bandung Institute of Technology
The Bandung Institute of Technology was established in the early 20th century as the oldest technology-oriented university in Indonesia, located in Bandung, West Java. A public research university, it has produced many prominent leaders in science, engineering, politics, business, academia, and culture, and is considered one of the most prestigious universities in Indonesia.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Around 1920
These are known only to the century, not to the year. They are listed separately so a rough date is never mistaken for an exact one.
- Completion of the Taipei Grand Mosque
- Establishment of Women's Suffrage Worldwide
- Establishment of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
- Construction of Grimeton Longwave Radio Station
- Construction of the Trans-Iranian Railway begins
- Construction of the 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright Begins
- Construction of the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in 'The Centre of Heaven and Earth'
- Establishment of the Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains