Modern World History Finals Review

CHS Honors MWH

14 Points/League of Nations

Woodrow Wilson's peace plan, set out before war ended, helped bring it to and end because it helped Germans look forward to peace and be willing to surrender, was easy on the germans punishment for war. Points included: poeple all over the world are to determine their own fate, (self-determination)no colonial powers grabbing nations, free trade, no secret pacts, freedom of the seas, arms reduction, creation of world orginization/League of Nations.

Treaty of Versailles

the treaty imposed on Germany by the Allied powers in 1920 after the end of World War I which demanded exorbitant reparations from the Germans

Lloyd George

British prime minister, although he was re-elected for his popular campaign of making Germany pay for the war, he ended up fighting the most for German interests in the Versailles Treaty because he feared communism

George Benjamin Clemenceau

He was the leader of France during WWI. He was nicknamed Father Victory or The Tiger because he was a tough leader. He was instrumental in punishing Germany after the war through the Treaty of Versailles where he strongly supported Germany paying for damages done in war. Some believe his harsh punishment of Germany is what led to WWII.

League of Nations

an international organization formed in 1920 to promote cooperation and peace among nations

Reparations

Payment for war damages

War Guilt

in treaty of Versailles; declared germany and austria responsible for WWI; ordered Germany to pay reparation to Allied powers

Western Front vs Eastern Front

WF: trench warfare EF; mobilization

Trench Warfare

A form of warfare in which opposing armies fight each other from trenches dug in the battlefield.

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Emperor of Germany during World War I

Woodrow Wilson

28th president of the United States, known for World War I leadership, created Federal Reserve, Federal Trade Commission, Clayton Antitrust Act, progressive income tax, lower tariffs, women's suffrage (reluctantly), Treaty of Versailles, sought 14 points post-war plan, League of Nations (but failed to win U.S. ratification), won Nobel Peace Prize

What was the difference between Wilson's 14 Points and the Treaty of Versailles?

Both efforts to maintain peace after war but had a very different approach. 14 Points: Aimed for a fair and lasting peace: Wilson's vision emphasized cooperation, open diplomacy, and self-determination for nations, without harsh punitive measures against the Central Powers.

Key principles: Included proposals like freedom of the seas, free trade, arms reduction, and the formation of a League of Nations to prevent future wars.

Treaty of Versailles: Punishment and strict limitations

Why was the Treaty of Versailles so harsh?

Put harsh restrictions on the army and the economy, which led to very high tension.

Was the Treaty of Versailles a treaty of Justice or Revenge?

I feel that the anger of the countries that were affected the most by the war made it a Revenge and punished Germany to almost the most that could

How did the Treaty of Versailles impact Germany?

They had to accept full responsibility for causing the war

They had to give up land

They had to pay compensation to the Allies for the war

They were not allowed to make or export weapons

Germany became isolated and distrusted by other countries

Germans were extremely upset

Russian Revolution

The revolution against the Tsarist government which led to the abdication of Nicholas II and the creation of a provisional government in March 1917.

Czar Nicholas II

Russian Czar during WWI; unpopular with Russian people; overthrown in March 1917; executed by Bolsheviks after November Revolution (1917)

Vladimir Lenin

Russian founder of the Bolsheviks and leader of the Russian Revolution and first head of the USSR (1870-1924). Took the Russians out of war.

Communism

a political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.

The Duma (1917)

The provisional government formed after the dethroning of Czar Nicholas II, however it did not solve problems and more importantly did not take the Russians out of war, was quickly overthrown in the October Revolutions where the Bolsheviks came to power.

Alexander Karensky

The leader of the provisional government who wanted to introduce democracy and capitalism.

Totalitarianism

A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

Collectivisation

The merging of smaller farms to create larger, more productive farms

Joseph Stalin

Russian leader who succeeded Lenin as head of the Communist Party and created a totalitarian state by purging all opposition (1879-1953)

Stalin's Modernization

5 Year Plans for industrial and agricultural production

Rapid Industrial including production of steel, machinery, and power generation

Propaganda, Collectivisation, Command Economy (government controls economy)

Great Purge

A campaign of terror directed at eliminating anyone who threatened Stalin's power

Benito Mussolini

Dictator of Italy that was the first Fascist ruler.

Secret police, suppressed opposition, cult of personality, etc.

March on Rome to gain power over King Emmanuel III

Fascism

A political system headed by a dictator that calls for extreme nationalism and racism and no tolerance of opposition

Nuremberg Laws

established legal basis in Nazi Germany for discrimination against Jews.

Was important because it legalized discrimination.

Removed citizenship and isolated Jews from economics, politics

Couldn't marry pure Germans

Anti-Semitism

hostility to or prejudice against Jews

Nazism

Adolf Hitler used fascism to create this type of government based on totalitarian ideas and was used to unite Germany during the 1930s.

Enabling Act of 1933

It allowed Hitler to pass laws without the approval of the Germany's parliament

Significantly expanded his power

Reichstag Fire

In February, 1933, a fire set by destroyed the Reichstag, the German parliament building, and Hitler blamed the communists for it, which justified the suppression of political opposition, and he consolidated power

Adolf Hitler

Austrian born Dictator of Germany, implement Fascism and caused WWII and Holocaust.

Shogunate

The Japanese system of military government under a shogun (military warlord), who exercised actual power while the emperor was reduced to a figurehead.

Imperial Japan

A quasi-fascist, hyper-nationalist, militaristic absolute monarchy that dominated East Asia during the Second World War; one of the Axis Powers.

Hull Note

Nov 11, 1941 calls for Japan removal from china, Manchuria, indochina and end tripartite

Causes of the Russian Revolution

Defeat in Russo-Japanese War 1905, landless peasants, military defeats/casualties in WWI.

Czar Nicholas II was corrupt and made bad decisions.

Why did people support Lenin and Communism in Russia?

Promised Peace, Land, and Bread to the proletariat

Duma provisional government was not effective and Russia was still in the war even though nobody wanted to

Bolsheviks used propaganda

Promised withdrawal from the war

Communism was seen to solve all the issues present

How is the rise of Hitler and Mussolini a response to the rise of communism?

Fascism was an alternative to communism, and fascists were enemies to communists

Rise of communism led to fear in many, which the Fascists used to fuel their rise

After war, communism rose, and people were discontent that the democratic government couldn't remove them, so the turned towards Fascism

How is the rise of Hitler and Mussolini a response to the Treat of Versailles?

In Germany, harsh punishments from the Treaty of Versailles led to severe discontent in the country, like gas for a fire

Hitler united all the people and rose quickly in power

Italy was promised land for siding with the Allied Powers in WWI, but wasn't fully given

Italy didn't receive equal treatment to other countries

Led to discontent in the country which allowed Mussolini to gain power and seize the government

How does a totalitarian dictator rule?

A totalitarian dictator has complete control over the country. They have control over rights, economy, politics, thoughts, etc. Using propaganda, they encourage people to work for the state. Violence used to suppress opposition and dissent. Ideology put in education. State controlled media.

How were Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, and Adolf Hitler similar?

All were totalitarian dictators with complete control over the government. Used mass propaganda to gain popularity and power, suppressed opposition, and promoted extreme nationalism. All were eager for war. Capitalized off economic instability and public unrest to gain power. All sought for territorial expansion.

How were Mussolini, Stalin, and Hitler different?

Ideologies were not the same, Stalin was a communist. Hitler sought the creation of the master race, and used racial superiority to justify actions. Goals were different; Hitler emphasized nationalistic passion and militarism. Mussolini focused on economic recovery and national prestige. Stalin focused on the spread of Communism.

How did Hitler come to power?

Hitler came to power after the depression of the 1920s - millions of Germans were out of work and were willing to listen to him as he had practiced speaking until he was able to hold people spellbound with his words - he promised to help out those who were out of work - others were fearful of Communism and thought that the Nazis would protect Germany - also many Germans felt their country had been wronged by the Allieds in WWI - they listened to this man's promises of revenge - in 1932 the Nazis became the largest party in the German legislature and the following year Hitler became chancellor of Germany and had the legislature pass a law making him dictator of Germany

How did Stalin come to power?

He used his knowledge as secretary to manipulate trusts and created a cult of personality

Fascism vs Nazism

Fascism emphasized ultra nationalism and totalitarianism, while Nazism emphasized heavy anti-semitism and racial superiority

axis powers

Germany, Italy, Japan

Allied Powers (WW2)

US, Great Britain, Soviet Union

Neville Chamberlain

Great British prime minister who advocated peace and a policy of appeasement

Winston Churchill

A noted British statesman who led Britain throughout most of World War II and along with Roosevelt planned many allied campaigns. He predicted an iron curtain that would separate Communist Europe from the rest of the West.

Harry Truman

Became president when FDR died; gave the order to drop the atomic bomb

Dunkirk

A city in northern France on the North Sea where in World War II (1940) 330,000 Allied troops had to be evacuated from the beaches at Dunkirk in a desperate retreat under enemy fire.

Appeasement

A policy of making concessions to an aggressor in the hopes of avoiding war. Associated with Neville Chamberlain's policy of making concessions to Adolf Hitler.

Sudentenland

a region of Czechoslovakia where many Germans lived; demanded by Hitler in 1938 to have control of this land; when Czechs refused, Hitler threatened war

Rhineland

Region between Germany and France demilitarized by Treaty of Versailles; Hitler occupied and fortified the region

Anschluss

Union of Germany and Austria in 1933

D-Day

June 6, 1944 - Led by Eisenhower, over a million troops (the largest invasion force in history) stormed the beaches at Normandy and began the process of re-taking France. The turning point of World War II.

Stalingrad

Soviet city where the German army was forced to surrender after a battle that lasted for months

Battle of Britain

A series of battles between German and British air forces, fought over Britain in 1940-1941

Vichy France

A Nazi-controlled puppet state in Souther France established by Hitler and headed by Marshal Philippe Petain

European Theater

Fighting that took place on the continent of Europe against Hitler and Mussolini.

Pacific Theater

The war in the Pacific, most islands were involved, Japan tried to take these islands and sent 65 bombing raids all the way to Australia.

Western Front WWII

Western fighting of Germany in WWII, expanding towards the west. France and Britain

Eastern Front WWII

the theater of war between the European Axis powers, and the Soviet Union and its allies, in Central and Eastern Europe, and the Baltic and Balkans regions

Munich Conference

Conference that allowed Germany to annex Sudetenland

Blitzkrieg

"Lighting war", typed of fast-moving warfare used by German forces against Poland in 1939

Pearl Harbor

Base in hawaii that was bombed by japan on December 7, 1941, which eagered America to enter the war.

Potsdam Conference

July 26, 1945 - Allied leaders Truman, Stalin and Churchill met in Germany to set up zones of control and to inform the Japanese that if they refused to surrender at once, they would face total destruction.

Yalta Conference

1945 Meeting with US president FDR, British Prime Minister(PM) Winston Churchill, and and Soviet Leader Stalin during WWII to plan for post-war

The Holocaust

the Nazi program of exterminating Jews under Hitler

4 stages of the Holocaust

Stripping of rights, segregation, concentration, extermination

Kristallnacht

(Night of the Broken Glass) November 9, 1938, when mobs throughout Germany destroyed Jewish property and terrorized Jews.

Final Solution

Hitler's program of systematically killing the entire Jewish people