UNIT 7: Global Conflict c.1900-present

Explain how internal and external factors contributed to change in various states after 1900.

• Internal Factors: Economic changes (e.g., industrialization), social movements (e.g., civil rights), and political unrest (e.g., Russian Revolution) reshaped nations.

• External Factors: Global conflicts (e.g., World War I & II), imperialism, and global trade influenced state boundaries and governance.

Explain the causes and consequences of World War I.

• Causes: Nationalism, militarism, alliances, and imperial rivalries (e.g., Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand).

• Consequences: Massive loss of life, political instability, Treaty of Versailles, formation of the League of Nations, and the collapse of empires (e.g., Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian).

Explain how governments used a variety of methods to conduct war.

• Propaganda: Governments used media to boost morale and control public opinion (e.g., World War I posters).

• Total War: Mobilizing entire populations for war efforts, including the workforce (e.g., women in factories).

• Technology: Development and use of tanks, aircraft, and chemical weapons (e.g., gas attacks in World War I).

Explain how different governments responded to the economic crisis after 1900

• Great Depression: Governments implemented policies like New Deal (U.S.) and Welfare States in Europe to combat economic hardship.

• Fascism/Totalitarianism: In some countries like Germany and Italy, economic crises led to the rise of fascist regimes promising stability and recovery.

Explain the continuities and changes in territorial holdings from 1900 to the present

• Post-World War I: The breakup of empires (e.g., Ottoman Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire) and redrawing of borders (e.g., Middle East).

• Post-World War II: Decolonization and the creation of new nations in Africa and Asia (e.g., India’s independence in 1947).

Explain the causes and consequences of World War II.

• Causes: Expansionist policies (e.g., Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland), unresolved issues from WWI (e.g., Treaty of Versailles), and economic instability (e.g., Great Depression).

• Consequences: Holocaust, millions of deaths, formation of the United Nations, the Cold War, and the division of Germany.

Explain similarities and differences in how governments used a variety of methods to conduct war.

• Similarities: Use of propaganda, total war tactics, and mobilization of women into the workforce.

• Differences: Totalitarian regimes (e.g., Nazi Germany, Soviet Union) utilized extreme propaganda and state control, while democracies (e.g., U.S., Britain) focused on democratic unity and volunteerism.

Explain the various causes and consequences of mass atrocities in the period from 1900 to the present.

• Causes: Ethnic tensions, ideologies (e.g., Nazi racial supremacy), and wartime circumstances (e.g., Holocaust, Rwandan Genocide).

• Consequences: Human rights violations, international intervention, and establishment of legal frameworks (e.g., International Criminal Court).

Explain the relative significance of the causes of global conflict in the period 1900 to the present.

• World Wars: Unresolved tensions from past conflicts (e.g., WWI leading to WWII).

• Cold War: Ideological struggle between capitalism (U.S.) and communism (Soviet Union).

• Regional Conflicts: Decolonization led to conflicts in Africa, Middle East, and Asia (e.g., Korean War, Vietnam War).

Totalitarianism

• A form of government where the state has total control over every aspect of public and private life (

  • censorship, propaganda, and often led by a single leader)

• Nazi Germany under Hitler and the Soviet Union under Stalin.

The New Deal

• A series of programs and reforms created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s to combat the effects of the Great Depression.

The Treaty of Versailles

A peace treaty signed in 1919 that officially ended World War I.

• Key Provisions: Placed heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany, leading to economic hardship and political instability.

• Consequences: This treaty’s harsh terms contributed to the rise of Nazism and the eventual outbreak of World War II.

Fascism

Fascism is a type of government where one person (or a small group) has total control over the country, and the government is very strong, often using violence and fear to maintain power.

• Italy under Benito Mussolini and Germany under Adolf Hitler