AP WORLD UNIT 7: HEIMLER'S HISTORY REVIEW

Which countries saw dramatic shifts in power in the early 20th century?

The authoritarian governments of Russia, China, Mexico, & the Ottoman Empire were all brought down by revolutions.

What happened in the Russian Revolution?

Russia was industrially behind the rest of Europe and was suffering economically because of it. World War I found them vulnerable and fighting the Austrians and Germans alone. This exhausted their resources and the overthrowing of the Tzar. This led the rise of Vladimir Lenin, and an eventual communist revolution.

What happened in the Revolution in China?

Long standing tensions between the Manchurian Qing and the Han Chinese finally came to an end in a revolution to establish a more democratic form of government led by Sun Yat-sen. This led to the formation of the Chinese Republic in 1912.

What happened in the Revolution in Mexico?

President Porfiro Diaz, whose reforms had mostly left a huge gap between the rich and the landless peasants, was taken down in a revolt by Madero. Madero was subsequently assassinated, which led to further socialist reforms.

What happened in the Ottoman Revolution?

Viewed as the "Sick Man of Europe" the Ottoman Empire had suffered a series of military defeats and a sinking economy by the 19th century. They had attempted to fix some of this with the Tanzimat reforms but they didn't go far enough. The Young Turks rose to power advocating a Constitutional Government that was eventually brought into reality in 1923.

What were the MAIN causes of World War I?

Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism

What was the spark that started World War I?

Serbian nationalists killed the Archduke of Austria-Hungary, which led to the alliances kicking in.

What is a total war?

All resources of a given state, including civilians and manufacturing, are put in service of the war effort. World War I was the first total war.

How did changes in technology make this war different from all that had come before it?

WWI was the bloodiest war the world had ever seen. The addition of modern weapons like machine guns, and poison gas, plus the use of trench warfare led to a stalemate and a war of attrition (both sides just trying to wear each other down).

What is propaganda and how was it used in World War I?

. Propaganda is when the government shares information that is highly biased & often misrepresents facts to create a strong emotional response. Propaganda in WWI demonized the enemy and kept people strongly behind the war effort.

What was the outcome of World War I and what was the treaty that ended it?

The Allies won and the Central Powers lost. The Treaty of Versailles ended the war.

What did the Treaty of Versailles do to the losing party?

The War Guilt Clause forced Germany to take full responsibility for the war. They also had to pay reparations (payment for damage). Additionally, they had to surrender valuable lands to the winners, including all of their colonial holdings.

What happened to Germany's economy after World War I?

With their industrial capacity diminished and billions of dollars in reparations to pay, their economy spiraled into hyper-inflation (this means that their money, the German Mark, was severely devalued). This led to a lot of suffering for average Germans.

What kinds of steps were taken by the United States to counteract the Great Depression?

Inspired by economist John Maynard Keynes, American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt started spending borrowed money to put Americans back to work on infrastructure and other public projects. The belief was that this would jump start the economy. This is a great example of how after governments began to take a more active role in economic life during this era.

What was the Great Depression and why did it have a world wide effect?

The Great Depression began in the United States when the stock market crashed in 1929. Because the world economy was deeply intertwined the impact soon became global.

What did government intervention in the Soviet Economy look like?

Before the Great Depression, Lenin witnessed the almost total collapse of the Soviet economy. He implemented the New Economic Policy which allowed some free market capitalism into Russia to revive the economy. Stalin, who became the leader after Lenin's death, started a series of Five Year Plans which increased government spending to industrialize the Soviet Union and collectivize its farms.

What is Fascism? Where did it begin?

Fascism began in Germany and Italy. It is a form of government that is highly authoritarian, extremely nationalistic, and promotes heavy government intervention in economics. In facism the supremacy of the state matters more than any individual right.

What policy of government intervention in the economy was used by fascist states?

Corporatism is the economic policy of fascism that means that every sector of the economy was understood as a separate entity, but ultimately serving the state.

How did Adolf Hitler try to fix Germany's economy?

He cancelled payment of reparations and violated the Treaty of Versailles by directing government spending to build up the military. This helps to explain the causes of World War II

What was the expectation of colonized countries who had fought for their colonizer in World War I?

They expected a path to independence: decolonization. This did not happen. This helps to explain the continuities in territorial holdings from 1900 to the present.

What movements began in India to press for independence?

Indians formed the Indian National Congress (INC) to formally present their complaints to the British Parliament. Gandhi became the leader of this movement and led people in civil disobedience against unjust British laws. This is a good example of non-violent, anti-imperial resistance.

What were the causes of World War II?

The causes of World War II include the unsustainable peace settlement after World War I, the global economic crisis engendered by the Great Depression, continued imperialist aspirations, and especially the rise to power of fascist and totalitarian regimes that resulted in the aggressive militarism of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler.

When did World War II officially begin in Europe?

In 1939 when the Nazis invaded Poland because of their desire to expand for "lebensraum" or "living space." Britain and France had said they would defend Poland if this happened, so the war began

When did World War II begin in the Pacific?

In 1937, Japan launched a full scale invasion of China as part of it's imperial efforts.

How was World War II similar to World War I?

Both were total wars.

What were the alliances in World War II?

Axis Powers: Germany, Italy & Japan.Allied Powers: France, Great Britain, Russia, and the United States (the US officially entered in 1941 with the bombing of pearl harbor)

How did World War II end?

- The Allied powers, bolstered by the United States' industrial capacity, turned the tide in Europe against the Nazis.

- In the Pacific the United States used a new weapon, the atomic bomb, instantly destroying Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to the surrender of the Japanese.

- The Paris Peace Treaty officially ended the war, but did not repeat the mistakes of the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I.

What happened during the Armenian Genocide?

In 1914 the Ottoman government accused the Christian Armenian population living within their borders of colluding with the Russians. In total they killed between 600,000 and 1.5 million Armenians in their policy of ethnic cleansing.

What happened during the Holocaust?

Hitler tried to blame the troubles of Germany on its Jewish population due to his anti-Semitism. Inspired by the way the world had largely ignored the Armenian Genocide, he started his own policy of extermination.

How did 'M.A.I.N.' lead to WWI?

Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism created a 'powder keg' that exploded with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.

How did the Great Depression cause political change?

Economic collapse led people to lose faith in democracy, allowing Totalitarian leaders (Hitler, Mussolini) to take power.

Why did the 1917 Russian Revolution happen?

Failure in WWI, food shortages, and the Romanovs' refusal to modernize led the Bolsheviks to seize power.

Compare the Mexican and Russian Revolutions.

Both were Internal Challenges to land-based empires aimed at overthrowing autocrats and redistributing land to peasants.

Compare Fascism vs. Communism.

Both used Totalitarian control, but Fascism allowed private property while Communism abolished it in favor of state ownership.

What is the difference between the League of Nations and the United Nations?

The League lacked an army and the U.S.; the UN included the U.S. and had a Security Council to authorize military force.

How did the role of civilians shift in WWI/WWII?

Introduction of Total War meant civilians became industrial workers and military targets (firebombing/atomic bombs).

What stayed the same for colonies after WWI?

Despite 'self-determination' promises, Western powers maintained control through the Mandate System.

How did government economic policy change after 1929?

Shift from laissez-faire to Keynesian economics (government spending) to jumpstart the economy.

What is the context for 20th-century genocides?

High-stakes Nationalism and the 'Us vs. Them' mentality of Total War led to the targeting of minorities (Armenians, Tutsis, Jews).

What allowed Japan to expand in the 1930s?

The Great Depression distracted Western powers, creating a power vacuum that Japan filled to gain 'Lebensraum' (living space/resources).

How did the Treaty of Versailles lead to WWII?

The War Guilt Clause and heavy reparations humiliated Germany and destroyed their economy, fueling Nazi resentment.