What Happened in 1920 — Events, Births & Deaths

The second Palmer Raid, ordered by the US Department of Justice, results in 6,000 suspected communists and anarchists being arrested and held without trial.

Over 640 are killed after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake strikes the Mexican states Puebla and Veracruz.

The New York State Assembly refuses to seat five duly elected Socialist assemblymen.

The steel strike of 1919 ends in failure for the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers labor union.

Ukrainian War of Independence: The All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee outlaws the Makhnovshchina by decree, igniting the Bolshevik–Makhnovist conflict.

The Treaty of Versailles takes effect, officially ending World War I for all combatant nations except the United States.

League of Nations Covenant automatically enters into force after the Treaty of Versailles is ratified by Germany.

The Reichstag Bloodbath of January 13, 1920, the bloodiest demonstration in German history.

The League of Nations holds its first council meeting in Paris, France.

Alcohol Prohibition begins in the United States as the Volstead Act goes into effect.

The United States Senate votes against joining the League of Nations.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is founded.

The Netherlands refuses to surrender the exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany to the Allies.

Foundation of the Spanish Legion.

Japanese carmaker Mazda is founded, initially as a cork-producing company.

The Tartu Peace Treaty is signed between Estonia and Russia.

Under the terms of the Svalbard Treaty, international diplomacy recognizes Norwegian sovereignty over Arctic archipelago Svalbard, and designates it as demilitarized.

Józef Haller de Hallenburg performs the symbolic wedding of Poland to the sea, celebrating restitution of Polish access to open sea.

About 75% of the population in Zone I votes to join Denmark in the 1920 Schleswig plebiscites.

The Negro National League is formed.

The League of Women Voters is founded in Chicago.

An earthquake kills between 114 and 130 in Georgia and heavily damages the town of Gori.

Nancy Astor becomes the first woman to speak in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom following her election as a Member of Parliament (MP) three months earlier.

The Nazi Party (NSDAP) is founded by Adolf Hitler in the Hofbräuhaus beer hall in Munich, Germany.

The Czechoslovak National Assembly adopts the Constitution.

The Kapp Putsch begins when the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt is ordered to march on Berlin.

The Kapp Putsch briefly ousts the Weimar Republic government from Berlin.

In the second of the 1920 Schleswig plebiscites, about 80% of the population in Zone II votes to remain part of Weimar Germany.

The United States Senate rejects the Treaty of Versailles for the second time (the first time was on November 19, 1919).

Azeri and Turkish army soldiers with participation of Kurdish gangs attack the Armenian inhabitants of Shushi (Nagorno Karabakh).

Palm Sunday tornado outbreak of 1920 affects the Great Lakes region and Deep South states.

Attempts are made to carry out the failed assassination attempt on General Mannerheim, led by Aleksander Weckman by order of Eino Rahja, during the White Guard parade in Tampere, Finland.

Two security guards are murdered during a robbery in South Braintree, Massachusetts. Anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti would be convicted of and executed for the crime, amid much controversy.

The Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) is founded in Ankara. The assembly denounces the government of Sultan Mehmed VI and announces the preparation of a temporary constitution.

At the San Remo conference, the principal Allied Powers of World War I adopt a resolution to determine the allocation of Class "A" League of Nations mandates for administration of the former Ottoman-ruled lands of the Middle East.

Ice hockey makes its Olympic debut at the Antwerp Games with center Frank Fredrickson scoring seven goals in Canada's 12–1 drubbing of Sweden in the gold medal match.

The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic is founded.

The first game of the Negro National League baseball is played in Indianapolis.

A Bolshevik coup fails in the Democratic Republic of Georgia.

US authorities arrest Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti for alleged robbery and murder.

Polish–Soviet War: Kyiv offensive: Polish troops led by Józef Piłsudski and Edward Rydz-Śmigły and assisted by a symbolic Ukrainian force capture Kyiv only to be driven out by the Red Army counter-offensive a month later.

Treaty of Moscow: Soviet Russia recognizes the independence of the Democratic Republic of Georgia only to invade the country six months later.

Polish–Soviet War: The Polish army under General Edward Rydz-Śmigły celebrates its capture of Kiev with a victory parade on Khreshchatyk.

In Rome, Pope Benedict XV canonizes Joan of Arc.

The Louth flood of 1920, a severe flash flood in the Lincolnshire market town of Louth, results in 23 fatalities in 20 minutes. It has been described as one of the most significant flood disasters in the United Kingdom during the 20th century.

Hungary loses 71% of its territory and 63% of its population when the Treaty of Trianon is signed in Paris.

During the U.S. Republican National Convention in Chicago, U.S. Republican Party leaders gather in a room at the Blackstone Hotel to come to a consensus on their candidate for the U.S. presidential election, leading the Associated Press to coin the political phrase "smoke-filled room".

Following the 1920 Schleswig plebiscites, Northern Schleswig is transferred from Germany to Denmark.

The Troubles in Ulster (1920–1922) begin with a week of sectarian violence in Derry.

In the East Prussian plebiscite the local populace decides to remain with Weimar Germany.

The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty is signed, by which Soviet Russia recognizes the independence of Lithuania.

Aftermath of World War I: The Parliament of Poland establishes Silesian Voivodeship before the Polish-German plebiscite.

The "Belfast Pogrom" begins two years of violence with the expulsion of thousands of Catholic shipyard, factory and linen mill workers from their jobs.

Construction of the Link River Dam begins as part of the Klamath Reclamation Project.

World War I: Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI's representatives sign the Treaty of Sèvres that divides up the Ottoman Empire between the Allies.

The 1920 Cork hunger strike begins which eventually results in the deaths of three Irish Republicans including the Lord Mayor of Cork Terence MacSwiney.

The Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty, which relinquished Russia's authority and pretenses to Latvia, is signed, ending the Latvian War of Independence.

Polish–Soviet War: The Battle of Warsaw begins and will last till August 25. The Red Army is defeated.

The 1920 Summer Olympics, having started four months earlier, officially open in Antwerp, Belgium, with the newly adopted Olympic flag and the Olympic oath being raised and taken at the Opening Ceremony for the first time in Olympic history.

Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians is hit on the head by a fastball thrown by Carl Mays of the New York Yankees. Next day, Chapman will become the second player to die from injuries sustained in a Major League Baseball game.

The congress of the Communist Party of Bukhara opens. The congress would call for armed revolution.

Polish–Soviet War: The Battle of Radzymin concludes; the Soviet Red Army is forced to turn away from Warsaw.

The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing women's suffrage.

The Tambov Rebellion breaks out, in response to the Bolshevik policy of Prodrazvyorstka.

The first commercial radio station, 8MK (now WWJ), begins operations in Detroit.

The National Football League is organized as the American Professional Football Conference in Canton, Ohio.

Polish–Soviet War: Battle of Warsaw, which began on August 13, ends with the Red Army's defeat.

The 19th amendment to United States Constitution, giving women the right to vote, is certified.

Polish–Soviet War: A decisive Polish victory in the Battle of Komarów.

Two newly purchased Savoia flying boats crash in the Swiss Alps en route to Finland where they were to serve with the Finnish Air Force, killing both crews.

The National Football League is organized as the American Professional Football Association in Canton, Ohio.

Irish War of Independence: British police known as "Black and Tans" burn the town of Balbriggan and kill two local men in revenge for an IRA assassination.

The Louisiana hurricane dissipates over Kansas after forcing around 4,500 people to evacuate and causing $1.45 million in damages.

Ukrainian War of Independence: The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic agree to a truce with the Makhnovshchina.

Ukrainian War of Independence: Mikhail Frunze orders the Red Army to immediately cease hostilities with the Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Ukraine.

The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare, a Finnish non-governmental organization, is founded on the initiative of Sophie Mannerheim.

Ukrainian War of Independence: The Starobilsk agreement is signed by representatives of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and the Makhnovshchina.

The Carinthian plebiscite determines that the larger part of the Duchy of Carinthia should remain part of Austria.

After 74 days on hunger strike in Brixton Prison, England, the Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork, Terence MacSwiney dies.

The Communist Party of Australia is founded in Sydney.

The Ocoee massacre commences in Orange County, Florida on the day of the 1920 United States presidential election.

In the United States, KDKA of Pittsburgh starts broadcasting as the first commercial radio station. The first broadcast is the result of the 1920 United States presidential election.

Russian Civil War: The Russian Army retreats to Crimea, after a successful offensive by the Red Army and Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Ukraine.

Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow issues a decree that leads to the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.

Qantas, Australia's national airline, is founded as Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited.

Ukrainian War of Independence: The Red Army launches a surprise attack against the Makhnovshchina.

FIDAC (The Interallied Federation of War Veterans Organisations), the first international organization of war veterans is established in Paris, France.

Irish War of Independence: Kilmichael Ambush: The Irish Republican Army ambush a convoy of British Auxiliaries and kill seventeen.

The Armenian Revolutionary Committee declares Armenia to be a Soviet Socialist Republic, starting 71 years of Soviet rule in Armenia

Following more than a month of Turkish–Armenian War, the Turkish-dictated Treaty of Alexandropol is concluded.

The Haiyuan earthquake of 8.5Mw rocks the Gansu province in China, killing an estimated 200,000.

King Constantine I is restored as King of the Hellenes after the death of his son Alexander of Greece and a plebiscite.

The GOELRO economic development plan is adopted by the 8th Congress of Soviets of the Russian SFSR.

Gabriele D'Annunzio surrendered the Italian Regency of Carnaro in the city of Fiume to Italian Armed Forces.