western civ running study number 4

Heart of Darkness

book written by Joseph Conrad critiquing European colonial rule and showing the barbaric ways

plot of Heart of Darkness

Marlow tells the story of his journey to find an ivory trader named Kurtz along the Congo River in Belgium, sees lots of horrors and atrocities along the way, realizes that the European rule in this area is not organized or glamourous

Belle Epoque

period from 1871-1914 characterized by optimism, peace, economic prosperity, colonial empires, innovations especially in the arts

was centered in Paris and cities of Western Europe

Franco-Prussian war and WW1

which wars was the Belle Epoque in between?

evidence for optimism during the belle epoque

European progress

highly organized, industrial society

world’s fairs

railroads

Haussmanization of paris

huge public works project to change paris from dark, crowded, unhealthy, to allow for movement

Vienna RingstaBe

dismantled the medieval city walls in the mid-19th century, ring around Vienna from this!

new entertainment for rich people

during the belle epoque, theatres, receptions, horse racing, seaside holidays

new entertainment for less affluent city people

during the belle epoque, cabarets, bistros, and music halls

impressionism

19th century art movement originated in Paris, characterized by relatively thin/small but visible brush strokes, emphasized outdoor light and ordinary subject matters, often in the city

impressionist artists

rejected the official government accepted art, one example is Claude Monet who painted the Impression Sunrise

assassination of Franz-Ferdinand

spark of WW1

Schlieffen plan

germany’s plan to invade France and knock them out first, germany goes through Belgium to get there

the rape of Belgium

victimization of Belgium becoming propaganda for other countries like Britain to join the war

Miracle of the Marne

french army stopping the Germans at the river marne

race to the sea

france and germany’s unsuccessful attempts to get around each other as they moved north to the sea, ended with a stalemate and digging trenches

problem with thinking about war

was naiive, using 19th century war tactics with 20th century weaponry

posters

major tool for information spreading about WW1, used to gain support, urge action, and boost morale, both by the government and several companies

metal helmets

this protective gear led to a lot less people dying in WW1, but many head injuries

long-range artilery

accounted for 70% of war deaths! could fire somewhere miles away

zone rouge

the “red zone”, polluted area of land after the war with the dead and unexploded bombs

hunger

major problem in Germany during WW1 because of blockades

paris peace conference

marked the end of WW1, created the League of Nations and drew new national boundaries

1st russian revolution

towards end of WW1 in Russia, tsarist regime was thrown out (no more monarchs), Alexander Kerensky becomes the temporary republic leader

second Russian Revolution

in Russia, Bolsheviks overthrow the provisional government, become rulers of the first socialist government

Russian Civil war

huge inner conflict in Russia, various groups fighting over the nation, ended with the Soviet Union being communist, Vladimir Lenin emerges as a political head

war memorials

constructed after WW1 to remember the dead, especially the unnamed or lost

women’s suffrage

movement during the interwar period to give women the right to vote!

hyperinflation

major problem in Germany after the war when they tried to pay off their war debt by just printing more money

Dawe’s plan

Dawes, a US figure, came up with a plan to help Germany out after the war by giving them loans

black tuesday

stock market crashed in the US in 1929, leading to problems with helping out Germanytot

totalitarianism

a political concept that defines a mode of government which prohibits opposition, one ruler with lots of control

Benito Mussolini

Italy’s totalitarian/fascist ruler, used assassination as a political tool, became dictator and got rid of Parliament

wanted to return Italy to the great state of the Russian Empire

stab-in-the-back myth

the myth that Germany losing the war was because of the homefront, not who was in the war

Beer Hall Putsch

in Munich, failed revolution led by Hitler, trial led to him becoming famous

Mein Kamp

Hitler wrote this book in prison, an autobiography and Nazi manifesto

Nuremberg Laws

laws blaming jews for the loss of the war and discriminating against them

Hitler Youth

a Nazi youth program for young boys