Unit 7: World Wars

Time Period 4

Militarism

A policy of glorifying military power and keeping a standing army always prepared for war

Alliances

agreements between nations to aid and protect one another

Imperialism

A policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries politically, socially, and economically.

Nationalism

A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one's country

M.A.I.N.

Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism as causes for WWI

Triple Alliance

An alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy in the years preceding WWI.

Triple Entente

An alliance between Great Britain, France, and Russia in the years preceding WWI.

Central Powers

Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and other nations allied with them in opposing the Allies during WWI.

Allied Powers (WWI)

Alliance of Great Britain, the Soviet Union, France, and later the U.S. in opposing the Central Powers during WWI.

Total War

A war to which all resources and the whole population are committed; typically includes mass-mobilization, unrestricted weapons use, a blurring of the lines between soldier and civilian, and use of propaganda

Colonial troops

Non-European soldiers who were recruited and fought for the Allied Powers WWI and the Allies in WWII.

Military technology of WWI

-Machine Gun/Trench Warfare

-Artillery

-Poison Gas

-Air Warfare

-Tanks

-Naval Warfare

-Flame Throwers

League of Nations

A world organization established in 1920 to promote international cooperation and peace. It was first proposed in 1918 by President Woodrow Wilson, although the United States never joined the League. Essentially powerless, it was officially dissolved in 1946.

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

Collapse of Ottoman Empire

Occurred in 1918, mainly as a result ainly the empire's defeat during World War I and its occupation and partitioning by the victors. After a war of independence, Turkey emerged as a successor state in 1923.

Russian Revolution

The revolution against the Tsarist government which led to the abdication of the Tsar and the creation of a provisional government in March 1917. Eventually resulted Bolshevik victory during a civil war and the establishment of the communist Soviet Union.

Great Depression

the world wide economic crisis beginning with the stock market crash in 1929 and continuing through the 1930s

New Deal

A series of reforms enacted by the Franklin Roosevelt administration between 1933 and 1942 with the goal of ending the Great Depression.

5 year plan

Stalin's plan to reorganize the industry and agriculture to catch up with the industrialized west with collectivization of farms and unrealistic production quotas in factories

Fascism

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

Absolutism

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

Hitler

German fascist dictator before and during World War II; head of Nazi party and author of Mein Kampf

Mein Kampf

"My Struggle"-a book written by Adolf Hitler during his imprisonment in 1923-1924, in which he set forth his antisemitic beliefs and his goals for Germany

Antisemitism

hostility to or prejudice against Jews.

Mussolini

Italian fascist dictator before and during WWII

Axis Powers

Alliance of Germany, Italy, and Japan during World War II.

Allies (WWII)

England, France, and Russia (after their pact with the Nazi Regime was violated) and the U.S. (after the bombing of Pearl Harbor).

Rape of Nanking

infamous genocidal war crime committed by Japanese military in Nanking. started in 1937 and lasted a few weeks. Japanese army raped, stole and killed prisoners of war and civilians

Pearl Harbor

United States military base on Hawaii that was bombed by Japan, bringing the United States into World War II. Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941.

Holocaust

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

Atomic Bomb

a bomb that derives its destructive power from the rapid release of nuclear energy by fission of heavy atomic nuclei, causing damage through heat, blast, and radioactivity.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Two Japanese cities on which the U.S. dropped the atomic bombs to end World War II.

United Nations

An international organization formed after WWII to promote international peace, security, and cooperation.