WHIS Semester 2 Final Exam Vocab + Questions

Results of Treaty of Versailles

Caused German resentment/anger because of $35 billion in reparations, limits on military and navy, loss of territory.

Power Vacuum in Europe

Weimar Republic

German republic founded after the WWI. Very politically and economically unstable.

Hyperinflation

Severe price increases/hyperinflation in Germany after WWI.

Gustave Stresemann

Became Chancellor of the Weimar Republic in 1924. Saved the economy ('Stresemann Golden Years').

Stab in the back myth

The idea that the Germans were not defeated on the battlefield, but by Jewish civilians and politicians. It undermined the legitimacy of the Weimar Republic and gave rise to the far right. It fed anti-Semitic sentiment amongst the Nazis.

Dawes Plan

A plan to revive the German economy: It delayed reparations, and the United States loaned Germany money which they then used to pay their reparations to England and France, who then paid back their loans from the U.S. This circular flow of money was a success.

Munich (Beer Hall) Putsch

Failed revolt by Hitler in 1923

The Great Depression

A time of utter economic disaster; started in the United States after Black Tuesday (Oct 29 1929)

Melting Pot

A term often used to characterize the United States, with its history of immigration and mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples.

Great Dust Bowl

An environmental disaster that occurred during the 1930s, primarily affecting the Great Plains. It was caused by a combination of drought, poor agricultural practices, and strong winds; leading to massive dust storms that devastated farms and forced thousands to migrate.

Great Migration

Movement of African Americans from the South to the North. The North offered better employment opportunities and less racism.

Women's Suffrage

Women's right to vote (19th Amendment)

The New Deal

A series of reforms enacted by the Franklin Roosevelt administration between with the goal of ending the Great Depression.

Three R's: Relief, Recovery, and Reform.

Tokugawa Shogunate

Japanese ruling dynasty that strove to isolate it from foreign influences. They reaffirmed feudal structure. They banned foreigners (seclusion) and gave Japan a long period of peace and stability.

Meiji Restoration

The modernization and industrialization of Japan in the 1800s. They wanted to industrialize while keeping Eastern Tradition.

Zaibatsus

Huge industrial monopolies that blossom in Japan in the 1890s as part of the process of industrialization

1st Sino-japanese War

War between China and Japan. Japan invades and takes Korea and Manchuria. Their military completely destroys the Chinese Military. Russia, Germany, and France undo the treaty and Russia gains major winnings from the war.

Russo-Japanese War

Russia had occupied Port Arthur since 1895. Japan prepared and attacked in 1904. Russia prepares their fleet, but are defeated in 1905. Japan takes Port Arthur. Russia looses territory and leaves Manchuria.

Manchurian Crisis

Japan wants Manchuria for wealth and expansion. So, they stage an explosion on a railroad to have an excuse to invade in 1931. Japan creates a puppet state, which the League of Nations declares illegitimate. Japan then leaves the League of Nations.

Emperor Showa

Grandson of Meiji Emperor, known as Hirohito outside Japan. Emperor during WWII

Bombing of Pearl harbor

The US cut off oil and steel to Japan, and so Japan needed to find oil reserves. The nearest were in Indonesia, so Japan wanted to destroy the US military presence in the Pacific so they could invade Indonesia.

Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. The attack devastated the American fleet. America declared war on Japan.

Hitler, Mussolini, Franco and Stalin

Authoritarian dictators in the 20th centuries.

Spanish Civil War

(1936-1939) When the Spanish Republic is established, it face instability and anger from both sides of the political spectrum. Tensions explode into civil war in July 1936 after a failed military coup. General Franco succeedes in overthrowing the republican government and taking control.

Lebensraum

Hitler's expansionist theory based on a drive to acquire "living space" for the German people (foreign expansion)

Fascism

A far-right, totalitarian political system based on extreme nationalism, loyalty to a strong leader, militarism, and suppression of opposition.

Key features: State above all else, glorification of violence, sometimes racism

National Socialism

A movement and political party driven by extreme nationalism and racism, led by Adolf Hitler

Communism

A political and economic ideology aiming for a classless society where property is owned collectively, not individually.

Key features: No private property, wealth shared equally, usually a one-party system, no religion

Capitalism

An ideology at odds with communism, capitalism is based on private ownership of capital and a free market economy.

Axis Powers

Germany, Italy, Japan

Allied Powers

Britain, France, USSR, China, and the United States

European/ Pacific Theaters

The theaters were the places in which the most intense fighting in the war happened

Manhattan Project

Top secret government program to build the atomic bomb.

Nuclear bombings of Hiroshima/ Nagasaki

Two bombs dropped on Japan (Hiroshima was August 6th, Nagasaki was August 9th).

Holocaust

A methodical plan orchestrated by Hitler to ensure German supremacy. It called for the elimination of Jews, non-Aryans, mentally and physically disabled people, etc.

Island Hopping

A military strategy used by the US during World War II that involved selectively attacking specific enemy-held islands and bypassing others. This way they captured key islands and strongholds.

Blitzkrieg

Rapid, coordinated attacks using tanks, planes, and infantry overwhelming enemies. This strategy led to early German success.

Operation Barbarossa

Suprise invasion of the USSR by Germany. It had initial success because Stalin was unprepared, but they were stopped near Moscow.

Potsdam Conference

Meeting in July 1945 between US, USSR, and Great Britain. Germany was to be divided into four zones, each occupied by a different country (US, Britain, France, USSR.) This division laid the groundwork for Germany splitting into East and West Germany.

Germany was disarmed, denazified, and large chunks of it were to be given to Poland.

Containment

American policy of resisting further expansion of communism around the world. They wanted to 'contain' communism within the Soviet Union.

Truman Doctrine

President Truman's policy of providing economic and military aid to any country threatened by communism or totalitarian ideology.

Marshall Plan

The Marshall Plan is a result of the Truman Doctrine. Essentially, the Marshall Plan was giving US money (13.3 billion, 10% of US GDB) to nations that promised to not be communist.

Berlin Blockade and Airlift

In 1948 Stalin closed off Western transport lines to West Berlin and threatened to cut off the city and force it to join East Germany. The US and Great Britain responded with a massive airlift of supplies to the city. At its peak, a plane with supplies was landing every 30 seconds. This lasted for 15 months. The Soviet forces eventually lifted the blockade: capitalist victory.

Decolonization

US officials feared colonialism was a cause for WWII and WWI. Thus, Britain and France began to decolonize. However, Communism posed a threat of taking over these vulnerable countries who were independent for the first time in centuries. India was divided by religion into two countries (Hindus to India, Muslims to Pakistan).

Korean war

After Japan left Korea, Korea had free elections. They were divided between communism and republic. The UN was supposed to supervise the elections, but the USSR does not allow the UN into the North. The Republic wins, the US and USSR leave, and civil war breaks out.

Coup d'etats

Forcefully replacing a country's leadership with new leaders. For instance, Hitler's failed Beer Hall Putsch attempt at taking control.

McCarthyism

Senator McCarthy claimed to have a list of over 200 communists in the State Department. He spread fear through the nation, causing a witch hunt.

HUAC

House Un-American Activity Committee was an investigating committee which investigated what it considered un-American propaganda. They launched Richard Nixon's career.

Cuban Missile Crisis

The 1962 confrontation between US and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba. It is the closest the world gets to Nuclear War.

Berlin Wall

A wall separating East and West Berlin built by East Germany in 1961 to keep citizens from escaping to the West. It fell in November 1989

Arms Race

Cold War competition between the U.S. and Soviet Union to build up their respective armed forces and weapons

Space Race

Another Cold War competition between the US and USSR, this one a race for superior spaceflight capabilities. The USSR was winning by sending the first satellite and person to space. The US fears they're falling behind, so they aim to land a man on the moon, which they achieve with Apollo 11.

Vietnam War

A proxy war between the communist North Vietnam (supported by the Chinese) and the non-communist South Vietnam (supported by the United States). Guerilla warfare was used effectively by Vietnam, and the US eventually leaves. Victory for communism.

Civil Rights

The Vietnam War furthered the Civil Rights movement, since people were becoming more and more critical of the war and government. MLK and Malcolm X were both assassinated.

Counter Culture Movement in USA

Emerged as a response to the Cold War and traditional conservative values. Focused on: women's rights, rights for people of color, etc. Led to the hippie movement and to an artistic explosion in literature and films.

War in Afghanistan

In 1978, Afghanistan's communist party seized power in the Saur Revolution. The internal instability worried the USSR, who wanted it to remain communist for the access to Central Asia. In 1979, Soviet forces invaded to support the communist government. The US sent aid to the opposing forces, and it quickly became a proxy war.

Reasons for end of Cold War

Economic decline of the USSR: planning inefficiencies led to stagnation and shortages, oil prices plummet, the arms race and Afghan war were draining resources, they were still technologically behind the west, and the Chernobyl Disaster was costly to cover up.

What was one reason many Germans supported Hitler in the 1930s? Explain why this reason was important.

Hitler blamed all of Germany's problems on the Jewish population, a successful strategy since most Germans wanted somebody to blame for everything that was happening to their country. Germany was in an awful position: hyperinflation, unemployment, the great depression, etc. They were desperately looking for a "savior" to "fix Germany."

How did Japan's modernization during the Meiji period encourage it to expand its military and territory later on?

Japan was forced to open its borders by US Commodore Perry in 1853. Their mentality was, "if we take the initiative, we can dominate. If not, we will be dominated." The Meiji Restoration focused on industrializing while keeping their traditions. This focus on traditions eventually spun into nationalism and the belief in their own superiority. The government aimed to become a Western Power, and to do so they needed resources and more land. This desire for power led to Japan invading various different parts of Asia.

What was one goal of U.S. foreign policy right after World War II? Give an example to support your answer.

The main goal of the United States was Containment: stopping Communist/Soviet ideas from spreading.

They spent 10% of their GDP on the Marshall Plan, paying other countries to not be communist. They participated in various proxy wars. This fear of communism and harsh stance on foreign policy led to internal problems such as the resurgence of the Red Scare and McCarthyism.

Why do historians consider the Korean War a part of the Cold War, even though it happened in Asia?

The Korean War was a proxy war within the international context of the Cold War. After WWII, Japan was forced to relinquish Korea. The newly independent Korean Peninsula was split into two halves, with the USSR occupying the North and the United States occupying the South. This laid the groundwork for the eventual war, in which the North, supported by the USSR, invaded the South. The United States encouraged its allies to send troops, and many did, such as Great Britain, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, and South Africa. China was significantly involved on the side of North Korea, and it became a conflict between communism and capitalism. The war ended with an agreement to separate into two countries.

What was one reason the Soviet Union came to an end in the early 1990s? Explain how this reason contributed to its collapse.

The key factor was the stagnating economy (drained resources, technologically and economically behind the west), but other issues also plagued the USSR. There were tensions and separatist movements within the different parts of the Soviet Union, for instance Ukraine, Georgia, and the Balkans. The fall of the Berlin Wall symbolized the decline of communist influence in Europe, and further degraded the image of the Soviet Union.

Choose one country in Europe between World War I and World War II. What condition helped a dictator take power there? Explain.

Hitler and the Nazi Party exploited the German people's resentment towards the Treaty of Versailles and the government to become chancellor. He used nationalism and promises of restoring German glory and pride in his propaganda. The country was reeling from the effects of the Great Depression and the Nazis offered a scapegoat to pin the blame on: the Jewish Germans. The Weimar Republic was weak and unstable, making it easy for Hitler to win.

Why did Japan choose to bomb Pearl Harbor in 1941? Explain one key reason.

Japan wanted to cripple the US Pacific Fleet, hoping it would give them an advantage. They saw the US Fleet as an obstacle to their ambitions of expanding into Southeast Asia. Japan needed resources such as oil, and they wanted to find them in Southeast Asia. The Pearl Harbour attack was intended to give Japan a strategic advantage, and they hope to rapidly secure territory in the Pacific while the US was still rebuilding.

What was one way the U.S. tried to stop the spread of communism after World War II? Use a specific example.

The United States was worried that countries in vulnerable economic positions would fall prey to communism. The government did everything they could to keep the Soviet Union from spreading their ideas and instead keep them contained within the USSR, a strategy called 'containment.'

One way they tried to ensure containment happened was by sending support to European nations to prevent USSR threats. They thought that the greatest threat to capitalism wasn't soviet intervention, but poverty, hunger, and despair. The Marshall Plan was the United States loaning money to nations that promised not to be communist (10% of the US GDP).

Why is the Vietnam War considered part of the Cold War? Give one reason and explain.

The Vietnam War is considered a part of the Cold War because it was fought between communist and non-communist forces. Although the war was fought between North and South Vietnam, it was fueled by the Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. The United States and its allies supported South Vietnam, while the USSR and China supported North Vietnam. The US was fighting to prevent the spread of communism, and they were willing to pour billions of dollars and millions of their men into Vietnam.

What was one internal problem that weakened the Soviet Union before it collapsed? Explain how this problem made things worse.

The economy of the USSR was in decline. Central planning inefficiencies led to stagnation and shortages. The USSR struggled to keep up with Western economies, resulting in discontent among the workforce and worse living conditions. The Chernobyl Disaster was very expensive to cover up. Oil prices plummeted, and the costly arms race and Afghan war drained their resources. The USSR was technologically behind the west.

How were the Korean War and the Vietnam War similar? How were they different? Give one example of each.

They both started as civil wars that soon became proxy wars through the intervention of Western countries. Vietnam and Korea were both facing the choice between communism and a republic. One difference is that the Korean War ended with a ceasefire, while the Vietnam War ended with withdrawal. The Korean War faced less controversy within the United States than Vietnam did, and it was not given as much media attention. In fact, it is often called the "Forgotten War."

After World War I, why did some people lose trust in democracy and turn to dictators instead? Use an example.

In Germany, after WWI, people were angry at the government. They were frustrated at being forced into such a humiliating and unfair treaty for loosing a war, a war that from their perspective, they had not even lost. The stab in the back myth grew in popularity as the German Public grew convinced that their own government was conspiring against them.

When Hitler came into the scene, validating all their conspiracy theories, the German Public loved him. He focused on a nostalgic idea of what Germany used to be, and convinced the people he could make Germany like that again. He set up organizations like the Hitler Youth to ensure the younger generations grew up loving him.

How did ideas like fascism or communism help shape global conflicts in the 20th century? Choose one idea and give an example.

Fascism and communism shaped the political landscape of the 20th century. Capitalism and communism were two opposing systems. The wars fought during the 20th century were generally started and continued due to the clash of these ideals. A country would be having internal conflict, the USSR or China would support the communists, and the US would support the other faction. With the escalating arms race, each side wanted to show off their power in these proxies war, leading to death and destruction in the countries they were fighting in.