aice international study guide

International Relations, 1871-1918
(A) Why was the Franco-Russian Alliance of 1894 agreed?

-France needed allies against Germany (had been isolated)
-French investors had business interests in Russia (railroads)
-Wilhelm allowed Reinsurance Treaty to expire
-Defensive alliance against the Triple Alliance

International Relations, 1871-1918
(B) How far do you agree that Japan had become a Great Power by 1914?

AGREE
-Defeated China (Sino-Japanese War)
-Defeated Russia (Russo-Japanese War)
-Industrialized rapidly
-Anglo-Japanese Alliance

DISAGREE
-China had been carved up by European powers and was weak
-Russian fleet had to go around Africa. Rebellion in western Russian split army, inability to move troops to east
-Britain only forged alliance to protect their trade

International Relations, 1919-1933
(A) Why did the Locarno Treaties of 1925 offer new hope for lasting peace in Europe?

-France finally agreed to negotiate with Germany
-Germany agreed to respect French borders (and Belgian) and give up claims to Alsace - Lorraine
-Germany allowed to join League of Nations
-France agreed to never again invade the Ruhr

AGREE
-Reparations amount was far too high
-100,000 man military insufficient to protect borders
-Demilitarization of Rhineland left Germany vulnerable
-Treaty of Versailles was forced on them. Not allowed to negotiate terms
DISAGREE
??

International Relations, 1919-1933
(B) How justified were German criticisms of the Treaty of Versailles?

International Relations, 1933-1939
(A) Why did Mussolini adopt a more aggressive foreign policy after 1934?

-Great Depression damaged Mussolini in Italy and he needed a propaganda boost (then invaded Abyssinia)
-Make Italy "great, respected, feared"
-Leaving the LON meant Mussolini needed an ally (Rome-Berlin Axis)

International Relations, 1933-1939
(B) To what extent was Franco's victory in the Spanish Civil War due to the support he received
from Germany and Italy?

AGREE
-Provided needed troops and munitions
-German provided air support (then bombed Guernica)
-Wanted to create a third fascist state in Europe

DISAGREE
-Republicans were not unified (anarchist, communists, socialists all wanted different things)
-Republicans also got foreign aid (International Brigades, Soviet Union)
-Franco commanded an army, Republican forces were armed workers

International Relations, 1871-1918
(A) Why was Russia defeated in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05?

-Anglo-Japanese alliance
-Russian navy fired on English fishing fleet in Baltic sea
-England shut off access to Suez Canal forcing the Russians to travel around the tip of Africa to meet the Japanese fleet
-Rebellion in Russia forced Tzar Nicholas II to split his army
-Proximity (Japan was close to Korea, Straits of Tsushima, Manchuria, Mukden where fighting took place)
-Russia was vast and lacked transportation infrastructure (railroad) to move troops quickly.

International Relations, 1871-1918
(B) How successful was Bismarck's foreign policy from 1871 to 1890?

AGREE
-Defeated French in Franco-Prussian War. Unified German states and seized Alsace-Lorraine
-3 Emperors League
-Reinsurance Treaty
-Both isolated France politically
-Triple Alliance

DISAGREE
-France remained upset over loss of Alsace Lorraine and worried about growing German strength
-3 Emperors League fell apart. Russia and Austria-Hungary unable to get along over Balkan conflict
-Reinsurance Treaty was fragile
-Italy was a poor substitute for Russia

International Relations, 1919-1933
(A) Why was Bolshevik Russia not invited to the Paris Peace Conference?

-Fear of communism
-Comintern showed desire to spread communism
-France lost ally in Russia
-Treaty of Brest Litovsk
-Russia voluntarily left WWI
-Allies had supported the "Whites" in Bolshevik revolution

International Relations, 1919-1933
(B) 'The Locarno Treaties of 1925 achieved nothing.' How far do you agree with this statement?

AGREE
-1932-33 World Disarmament Conference (Germany left LON)
-Germany, under NAZI rule, began destroying the ToV
-Building military
-Reoccupied Rhineland
-Anschluss
-Temporary peace, nothing lasting

DISAGREE
-Brought France and Germany to table together (Germany entered LON)
-Kellogg-Briand Pact the following year - despite not being enforceable it showed US willing to participate
-Young Plan also followed, showing more cooperation between Germany and France
-Great Depression is what allowed Nazis to rise to power and led to policy of appeasement, not the failure of Locarno

International Relations, 1933-1939
(A) Why did Hitler and Stalin sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1939?

-Gave each security from interference of the other
-Paved way for invasion of Poland. Soviets would receive eastern parts of Poland
-Gave USSR time to militarize in case of, inevitable, invasion from Germany

International Relations, 1933-1939
(B) 'Hitler did not want war.' How far do you agree with this statement?

AGREE
-Was simply righting the wrongs of the ToV
Britain/France could have stopped him at any time
-Non-Aggression Pact with Poland

DISAGREE
-Invasion of Czechoslovakia had nothing to do with ToV. He wanted to "smash" them
-Britain/France were both tired of war and mired in Great Depression. Hitler used this to grow stronger when war came
-Violated the pact when he invaded
-Hitler knew Britain orderd conscriptions after invasion of Czech. He knew invasion of Poland would lead to war

International Relations, 1871-1918
(A) Why did the USA move away from its traditional policy of non-intervention overseas between
1871 and 1900?

-Economic downturn in 1893 showed need for more overseas markets
-China & Japan
-Spanish - American War
-Explosion of USS Maine led to war
-US protected sugar interests in Cuba
-US gained Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines
Panama Canal
-Acquisition of territory and trade in Pacific Ocean meant need for overseas military bases
-Canal would allow US to move navy ships quickly from Atlantic to pacific to protect bases and trade
-Zimmerman note and German unrestricted submarine warfare
-US entered WWI

International Relations, 1871-1918
(B) To what extent was Austria-Hungary responsible for the outbreak of the First World War?

AGREE
-Gave Serbia ultimatum they knew they couldn't meet
-Had beef with Russia over the Balkans
-Declared war on Serbia knowing Russia would intervene

DISAGREE
-Serbian nationalists assassinated Archduke Ferdinand
-Russia didn't control the Balkans or Dardanelles
-Russia intervened knowing Germany would support AH

International Relations, 1919-1933
(A) Why did relations between France and Germany remain poor during the period from 1919 to
1933?

-Treaty of Versailles (German people never got over humiliation of TOV)
-Demilitarized
-Hyper inflation
-Reparations too high
-German inability to pay reparations ( upset French)
-led to invasion of Ruhr ( upset Germany and rest of world)

International Relations, 1919-1933
(B) How far do you agree that the Paris peace settlement of 1919-20 was a 'bad peace'?

AGREE
-Terms of ToV too harsh on Germany
-No way they could pay the reparations
-Italy denied territory they were promised
-Germany not allowed at conference to negotiate
-US never ratified TOV thus never joining LON

DISAGREE
-Amazing they had any peace at all
-Creation of LON was revolutionary

International Relations, 1933-1939
(A) What were the causes of Spain's political instability in the period from 1933 to 1936?

-Economic (Spain had not industrialized. Millions were landless laborers)
-Competing factions vied for power (left and right wing)
-Left and right wing groups won elections but nothing got better
-Great Depression
-Various regions wanted independence

International Relations, 1933-1939
(B) To what extent had Hitler achieved his foreign policy aims by the end of 1938?

AGREE
-Undid Treaty of Versailles
-Anschluss
-Remilitarized and reoccupied Rhineland
-Anglo-German naval alliance
-Took Sudetenland

DISAGREE
-Appeasement allowed it to happen
-Lebensraum - expanding Germany eastwards (not addressed until invasion of Poland in 1939)

International relations, 1871-1918
(A) Why did European nations engage in a 'scramble for Africa' during the late nineteenth
century?

-Industrial Revolution created need for raw materials and new markets
-New technologies and medical advancements allowed them to push further into dark continent
-Social Darwinism & 3 C's
-Would open trade routes to India and China
-End of slave trade created need for new revenues

International relations, 1871-1918
(B) To what extent had the USA become an imperial power by 1914?

AGREE
-Spanish - American War
-Hawaii
-Panama Canal
-Roosevelt Corollary and Big Stick Policy

DISAGREE
-Territories taken after USS Maine exploded. US didnt start war
-Still lagged behind European powers in terms of overseas territories
-Never entered scramble
-Economic reasons necessitated new territories
-Returned to isolationism before 1914

International relations, 1919-1933
(A) Why did the Dawes Plan of 1924 lead to a reduction in international tensions?

-France showed willingness to negotiate
-US got involved finally
-Germany able to make payments
-France withdrew from Ruhr

International relations, 1919-1933
(B) To what extent did the USA pursue an isolationist foreign policy between 1919 and 1933?

AGREE
-Did not join LON
-Did not attend Genoa Conference
-Did not attend Locarno Conference

DISAGREE
-Washington Naval Conference
-Dawes Plan
-Kellogg-Briand Pact
-Young Plan

International relations, 1933-1939
(A) Why did Britain pursue a policy of appeasement towards Nazi Germany during the 1930s?

-Tired of war
-Great Depression
-Felt TOV was unfair

International relations, 1933-1939
(B) 'Hitler never intended to cause a major war.' How far does an analysis of Hitler's foreign
policy between 1933 and 1939 support this view?

AGREE
-Hitler expected, at most, a short war with Poland. Some historians (e.g. Taylor,
Broszat) argue that Hitler's writings about 'Lebensraum' did not amount to an actual
programme which he followed step by step; it is more likely that they were a propaganda
exercise to attract domestic support for the Nazi Party. Hitler was an opportunist, taking
advantage of the mistakes of appeasers and of events, for example:
• the Anglo-German naval agreement 1935 - essentially, Britain was condoning German
rearmament, in breach of the Versailles settlement
• sending German troops into the demilitarised zone of the Rhineland was a calculated
risk; they were under orders to retreat at the first sign of resistance
• Anschluss with Austria (1938) - Britain and France did nothing but protest
• Czechoslovakia had built up her army and defences, and was hopeful that, with support
from Britain and France, she could repel any German attack. The Munich Conference
(1938) showed that Britain and France would do nothing to help Czechoslovakia and
Hitler felt able to destroy it completely. Hitler could not have foreseen that the British and
French were so inconsistent that they were prepared to support Poland (where Hitler's
claim to land was more reasonable) after giving way to him over Czechoslovakia (where
his case was less valid).

DISAGREE
-'Mein Kampf'
-the Hossbach Memorandum, the summary of a meeting in 1937 at which Hitler
explained his expansionist plans to his generals
-treaties, such as the Rome-Berlin Axis and the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan
-the fact that Hitler had a clear vision of a Europe dominated by Germany - this could
only be achieved by war.
Invasion of Poland AFTER he knew Britain ordered conscriptions

International Relations, c.1871-1918
(A) Why was Japan victorious in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05?

-Russia had go around Africa
-Japan closer to Korean and China
-Russia had to put down a rebellion
-Russia too vast to move troops quickly

International Relations, c.1871-1918
(B) 'Rivalry between Austria-Hungary and Russia was the main cause of World War I.' How far do
you agree?

AGREE
-Conflict over the Balkans and the Dardanelles
-Russian Alliance with Serbia
-Destruction of 3 Emperors League
-Triple Alliance pushed Russia to make alliance with Britain and France

DISAGREE
-Rise in Serbian nationalism
-Alliance system
-German naval growth alarmed British
-Schlieffen Plan showed Germany was ready for war

International Relations, c.1919-1933
(A) Why was the World Disarmament Conference (1932-33) unsuccessful?

-Nations refused to disarm
-No way to enforce it
-Only Germany had disarmed
-Germany withdrew from LON

International Relations, c.1919-1933
(B) To what extent was French fear of Germany the main cause of international tension during the
1920s?

AGREE
-France was disappointed by the Treaty of Versailles, believing that it left Germany strong enough to recover quickly and again become a threat to French security.
-French insecurity was increased when the USA rejected the Paris peace settlement,
-France demanded payment of reparations in full and, when Germany defaulted, occupied the Ruhr

DISAGREE
-Tensions high in early 20's but these tensions were reduced by the Dawes Plan of 1924
-The Locarno Treaties of 1925 provided guarantees of the French borders and led to improved Franco-German relations
-France's willingness to accept the Young Plan (1929) is indicative of its willingness to work more closely with Germany.

International Relations, c.1933-1939
(A) Why did Hitler's Germany invade Poland in 1939?

- Treaty of Versailles (Polish Corridor had split East Prussia from the rest of
Germany. Hitler's recent actions in Czechoslovakia, it was clear that his
demands would not stop there)
-Mein Kampf, Hitler had argued that Germany should take land to the east in order to provide living space (lebensraum) for the expanding German population.
-pre-cursor to an invasion of the USSR in order to achieve this aim. Stalin certainly believed this - in signing the Nazi- Soviet Pact he was attempting to buy time for the USSR to prepare for such an invasion.
-Hitler believed that Germany would continue to be appeased by Britain and France.

International Relations, c.1933-1939
(B) How far was Mussolini's foreign policy based on the desire to make Italy 'great, respected and
feared'?

AGREE
-Mussolini's stated aim was to restore the credibility of Italy as a major European power following its humiliation at the Paris peace talks.
-Fiume and Corfu (1923) reflect this nationalistic approach
-Strategically placed Corfu to challenge British naval supremacy in the Mediterranean (Mare Nostrum)
-prevented a Nazi takeover of Austria in 1934
-invasion of Abyssinia with the aim of expanding Italy's overseas possessions.
-April 1939, Mussolini invaded Albania.

DISAGREE
-little more than nationalistic propaganda designed to ensure his own power in Italy. Italy's
military weaknesses meant that it was not realistic for Mussolini to achieve those aims.
-Fiume and Corfu incidents were of little real significance beyond their huge popularity in Italy
-Abyssinia was a relatively easy target of little real value beyond the much-needed propaganda boost
-takeover of Albania was meaningless since it had effectively been under Italian control since the mid-1920s
-Having prevented the Nazis taking control over Austria in 1934, he did nothing to stop
Anschluss in 1938.

International Relations, 1871-1918
(A) Why was Japan stronger in 1918 than it had been in 1914?

-Japan was able to supply the Far East with goods which the European powers could no longer provide due to involvement in WWI
-As a result, Japan's heavy industry (especially iron, steel and chemicals) expanded greatly
-Japan was supplying Britain and its Allies with shipping and other goods.
-Japan attacked German-controlled regions of China gaining greater influence over China, without opposition from the Western powers.
-presented China with the Twenty-one demands, designed to give the Japanese greater political and economic control over China.

International Relations, 1871-1918
(B) To what extent had Bismarck achieved his foreign policy aims by 1890?

AGREE
-Although the newly unified Germany was, both economically and militarily, the most
powerful country in continental Europe, Bismarck realised that it remained
insecure. Its geographical location made it vulnerable to attack from the west
(France), the east (Russia) and the south (Austria-Hungary).
-The Dual Alliance of 1879 (with Austria-Hungary) and the Triple Alliance of 1882 (including Italy) meant that Germany was not isolated
-Reinsurance Treaty with Russia in 1887 (this guaranteed Russian neutrality in any war, thereby ensuring that France remained effectively isolated)
-kept Germany out of the race for overseas possessions preventing conflict

DISAGREE
- the secret diplomacy created concern elsewhere in Europe, particularly in France.
-Rivalry between Austria-Hungary and Russia meant that Bismarck effectively had to choose with which to form an alliance when the Dreikaiserbund collapsed.
-mistake to select Austria-Hungary, whose political and military weaknesses meant that it would be able to provide Germany with little assistance in the event of war.
-The Triple Alliance was weak as Italy was poor substitute for Russia

International Relations, 1919-1933
(A) Why did the Dawes Plan of 1924 help to improve relations between France and Germany?

-France finally agreed to negotiate with Germany
-France willing to bend on reparations
-France agreed to withdraw from Ruhr
-Eased tensions throughout Europe
-US got involved

International Relations, 1919-1933
(B) 'Criticism of the Paris peace settlement of 1919 was undeserved.' How far do you agree?

AGREE
-enormously difficult situation which faced the statesmen at Versailles. (everyone wanted different things)
-France's determination to weaken Germany in every possible way conflicted with Britain's desire to enable Germany (a vital trading partner) to recover economically as quickly as possible
-Wilson's aim to create a fair and lasting peace which would not be too harsh on the defeated nations.
- disintegration of the Habsburg, Turkish and Russian Empires.
-The fact that fewer people were living under foreign rule in 1920 than in 1914 is often forgotten.


DISAGREE
-compromises satisfied no-one.
- German resentment at the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles was to have far-reaching consequences. Reparation terms especially harsh
-The defeated nations were not allowed to attend the meetings in Paris, enabling them to argue that it was an imposed (rather than a negotiated) peace.
-Russia, which had fought with the Allies, was also not allowed to attend.
-In redrawing the map of Europe, some 30 million people remained in minority groups under foreign rule, making future border disputes inevitable.

International Relations, 1933-1939
(A) Why, by 1934, was Mussolini widely respected by European politicians?

-key factor at Locarno Conference
Supported respect of French and Belgians borders
Supported British against the Greeks over the mandate of Mosul
-2nd nation, after the British, to recognize the USSR
-signed non-aggression pact with USSR in 1933
-sent troops to Italian border to stop Hitler from invading Austria

International Relations, 1933-1939
(B) 'In September 1939, Hitler had every reason to believe that Britain would do nothing to defend
Poland.' How far do you agree?

AGREE
-Had been able to undo Treaty of Versailles at will
Built up military
-Remilitarized Rhineland
-Achieved Anschluss with Austria
-Was given Sudetenland
-Munich conference convinced Hitler that Neville Chamberlain was weak
-Britain had done nothing to stop invasion of Czechoslovakia, why would they stop invasion of Poland

DISAGREE
-At munich, Chamberlain made it clear that he was allowing Hitler to right the wrongs of the ToV and Sudetenland was last straw, since it was mostly German people
-Britain ordered conscriptions after invasion of Czech
-after Nazi-Soviet Pact, Britain guaranteed support for Poland

International Relations, 1871-1918
(A) Why did the USA's involvement in world affairs increase in the period from 1871 to 1918?

-economic downturn showed need to expand to more overseas markets (Japan and China offered this option)
-Spanish American War
-Acquired new territories (PR, Guam, Philippines)
-Explosion of Maine
-Panama Canal - needed to protect trade in the pacific
-Zimmerman Note & Unrestricted submarine warfare brought US into WWI

International Relations, 1871-1918
(B) 'Throughout the period from 1871 to 1914, Germany's foreign policy was based on the need
for security.' How far do you agree?

AGREE
-Bismarck realized that, despite being the dominant power, Germany remained
vulnerable. Its geographical location made it vulnerable to attack from the west
(France), east (Russia) and south (Austria-Hungary).
-kept Germany out of the race for overseas possessions, to avoid conflict with potential rivals such as Britain.
-The alliances which Bismarck created (Dreikaiserbund 1873, Dual Alliance 1879, Triple Alliance 1882 and Reinsurance Treaty 1887) were all defensive in nature, designed to ensure the security of Germany.
-Kaiser Wilhelm was convinced that the Triple Entente (France, Russia and Britain) was a conspiracy to encircle Germany and, therefore, increased the size of the German army.
-The development of the Schlieffen Plan from 1904 could be interpreted as a means of guaranteeing German security by avoiding having to fight on two fronts in the event of war breaking out.

DISAGREE
-secret diplomacy involved in creating Bismarck's series of alliances caused concern elsewhere in Europe.
-This fear was greatly increased when Bismarck was removed from office and Kaiser Wilhelm II embarked on a less cautious foreign policy.
-He began seeking overseas possessions, causing rivalry with Britain (especially as a result of his Kruger Telegram).
-His failure to renew the Reinsurance Treaty caused alarm in Russia, which formed an alliance with France (1894), thereby destroying Bismarck's efforts to isolate the French.
-He embarked on a program of massive naval expansion; this led to the naval arms race with Britain, which ended its policy of 'splendid isolation'

International Relations, 1919-1933
(A) Why was the Genoa Conference of 1922 unsuccessful?

-France refused to negotiate
-US refused to attend
-Germany and USSR withdrew
-Things got worse

International Relations, 1919-1933
(B) 'Throughout the period from 1919 to 1933, the USSR remained isolated and distrusted.' How
far do you agree?

AGREE
-The Bolshevik rise to power in 1917 caused alarm across Europe.
-Britain and France lost a vital ally when Russia withdrew from WWI with the Treaty of
Brest-Litovsk.
-Russian support for the Comintern posed a real threat of revolution across the continent.
-Britain, France and the USA all actively supported the Bolsheviks' opponent (WHITES) in the Russian Civil War.

DISAGREE
-Russia's fears of being isolated and vulnerable led to the establishment of friendly relations with Germany. Following a trade treaty in 1921, Germany and Russia signed the Treaty of Rapallo in 1922. The Treaty of Berlin in 1926 renewed this agreement for a further five years.
-Britain saw the economic advantages which could be gained from closer relations with Russia and, in 1921, became one of the first countries to formally recognize the Bolshevik
government.
-France, likewise, restored formal diplomatic relations with Russia in 1924.

International Relations, 1933-1939
(A) Why did Hitler's action towards Czechoslovakia in 1939 lead to a change in British policy
towards Germany?

-examples of appeasement (Rhineland, Anschluss, Sudetenland)
-Hitler had no reason to believe Britain would stop them
-Munich conference, Hitler lied to Chamberlain (said he would stop expanding after Sudetenland)
-after Czech invasion, Britain ordered conscriptions. Chamberlain now believed Hitler wanted world domination.

International Relations, 1933-1939
(B) 'Mussolini's adoption of a more aggressive foreign policy after 1934 resulted from his
admiration for Hitler.' How far do you agree?

AGREE
-Mussolini admired Hitler's audacious foreign policy and, in particular, the way in which he overturned the Treaty of Versailles with impunity.
-Mussolini saw that Hitler's strategies, which openly defied the Treaty of Versailles and challenged the authority of the League of Nations, were effective and went unopposed.
-Hitler was the only leading European leader who did not condemn Italy's invasion of Abyssinia. Mussolini, therefore, increasingly saw Hitler as an ally

DISAGREE
- referring to him as a 'mad little clown'.
-It was circumstances, rather than admiration for Hitler, which led to his adoption of a more aggressive foreign policy after 1934.
-After WWI Italy was weak so Mussolini was forced to adopt a diplomatic approach in order to raise his (and Italy's) profile internationally (e.g. his role at the Locarno Treaty).
-Needed propaganda boost so invaded Abyssinia, not to imitate Hitler
-Mussolini had always aimed to enhance Italy's power and prestige (e.g. Fiume
and Corfu, 1923).
-Fear of Germany led Mussolini to oppose Hitler's attempts to take over Austria in July 1934.

International Relations, 1871-1918
(A) Why, by 1907, had Britain, France and Russia come together in a series of friendly
agreements?

-France feared the increasing power of Germany and was feeling increasingly isolated. As a result, France increasingly sought improved relations with Russia
-As early as 1888, France began supplying Russia with cheap loans with which to enhance its military capabilities.
-Reinsurance Treaty lapsed in 1890, Russia also felt threatened by Germany and the Triple Alliance.
-Franco-Russian Alliance of 1894.
-Britain was becoming increasingly alarmed as a result of negative European reaction to its involvement in the Boer Wars and German naval expansion.
-Britain, ended its 'splendid isolation' policy, initially with the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902.

International Relations, 1871-1918
(B) 'Japan's victory in the war of 1904-5 was the result of Russia's military weaknesses.' How far
do you agree?

AGREE
-Russia's military leaders were arrogant and complacent, convinced of their superiority over Japan.
-Russia had refused to negotiate, and invaded Korea.
-Russian forces were totally unprepared for the Japanese attack on Port Arthur.
-Although the Russian army was huge, it was poorly equipped and badly led.
-The Russian fleet consisted of outdated ships which were no match for the Japanese navy.
-Had to travel around Africa to reach Straits of Tsushima

DISAGREE
-Japan had several advantages over the Russians.
-It could more easily get ships and troops to the region, affording it time to establish control.
Japanese forces were well-led, their commanders trained in modern warfare methods.
-Japan's 1902 alliance with Britain was significant because it severely delayed the arrival of the
Russian Baltic Fleet (due to conflict with the British navy in the North Sea and Britain's
refusal to allow access through the Suez Canal).

International Relations, 1919-1933
(A) Why did the Wall Street Crash lead to a deterioration in international relations?

-Europe still rebuilding economies after WWI
-US could no longer make loans to Germany (Dawes Plan) so Germany stopped making Reparations payments
-US demanded immediate repayments of WWI loans from Britain and France
-dreadful economic conditions lead to rise of extremism (Anarchism, Communism, Fascism)

International Relations, 1933-1939
(A) Why did the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939 astonish and alarm the rest of Europe?

-Hitler's views on lebensraum were common knowledge.
-USSR had every reason to fear the growing power of Nazi Germany.,
-Stalin had tried hard, and in vain, to create friendly alliances with Britain and France
-Hitler had consistently displayed his hatred of communism.
-It quickly became clear that this was an alliance of convenience between two countries which had nothing in common except mutual distrust and hatred.
-primary motive clearly implied an early attack on Poland.

International Relations, 1933-1939
(B) 'The outbreak of civil war in Spain in 1936 was the result of Spain's economic weaknesses.'
How far do you agree?

AGREE
-Spain remained a largely agricultural country, the majority of its farmland divided up into enormous estates owned by a relatively small number of wealthy landowners.
-This created a large, discontented group which posed a threat to civil order.
-Wall Street Crash of 1929.
-The poor turned to left-wing groups (socialists, communists, anarchists etc.) in the hope of alleviating their conditions. In response, the landowners, army, church etc.
-formed right-wing groups to protect their interests.

DISAGREE
-Spain was a divided country, both geographically and because of poor
communications infrastructure. This led to the development of separatist groups.
divided politically, the large number of political parties making it impossible for
constitutional monarchy to provide strong, stable and consistent governments.
-military dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera following a bloodless coup in 1923.
-Spain oscillated between left and right-wing governments with contrasting policies.