WH Final cram

Militarism

A policy of aggressive military preparedness. It involves the belief that a nation should maintain a strong military and be prepared to use it to defend or promote its interests. This contributed to an environment of tension and suspicion prior to World War I.

Alliances

Agreements between countries to support each other in case of war. These created a complex network of alliances in Europe, such as the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and the Triple Entente (France, Russia, and Britain), increasing the likelihood of a widespread conflict.

Imperialism

The policy of extending a nation's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means. Competition among European powers for colonies and resources led to conflicts and rivalries worldwide.

Nationalism

A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one's nation. In Europe, this led to tensions between different ethnic groups, as well as desires for independence and conflicts within empires.

Japanese Imperialism

Japan's drive to expand its territory and influence in Asia during the early 20th century. Motivated by the need for resources and markets to support its growing economy, Japan pursued aggressive expansionist policies.

Pan-Asianism

An ideology promoting the unity and cooperation of Asian countries to resist Western colonialism. It sought to create a sense of shared identity and purpose among Asian nations.

WWI Propaganda

The use of biased or misleading information to promote a particular political cause or point of view during World War I. It played a significant role in shaping public opinion and garnering support for the war effort.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty that officially ended World War I. It imposed harsh terms on Germany, including territorial losses, reparations, and acceptance of blame for the war, contributing to resentment and instability in the interwar period.

Scapegoat

The act of blaming an individual or group for something they did not cause. Germany was scapegoated for World War I and burdened with heavy reparations, leading to economic hardship and social unrest.

Alsace-Lorraine

A territory located on the border between France and Germany. It was returned to France by the Treaty of Versailles, reversing previous territorial gains by Germany and fueling nationalist sentiments.

Totalitarianism

A political system in which the state holds total authority over society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life, such as in Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. It is characterized by strong central control and suppression of dissent.

Economic Instability

The severe economic downturn that affected many countries worldwide in the 1930s. It led to unemployment, poverty, trade barriers, and political instability, creating conditions ripe for extremism and conflict.

Reparations

Payments made by a defeated country to compensate for damages caused during a war. Germany was required to pay heavy reparations after World War I, which crippled its economy and fueled resentment.

Expansionist Policies

A political and military strategy of taking over other countries typically by force. Axis powers like Germany, Italy, and Japan pursued aggressive foreign policies to reclaim lost territories and expand their empires.

Widespread Poverty

A state of extreme deprivation, where people lack basic necessities. Widespread destitution among peasants and workers in Russia contributed to social unrest and discontent prior to the Russian Revolution.

Autocratic Rule

A system of government in which one person possesses unlimited power. Tsar Nicholas II's rule in Russia alienated citizens, suppressed dissent, and fueled demands for democratic reform.

Military Buildup

The expansion of military forces and weaponry by nations, creating an atmosphere of tension and suspicion prior to World War I. This arms race heightened the risk of conflict.

Colonial Losses

The loss of overseas possessions by Germany after World War I. This impacted its agricultural production, trade, and economic stability, contributing to domestic hardship.

Economic Growth

The increase in the output of goods and services in Japan, which drove its expansionist policies in Asia. Japan needed resources and markets to support its growing economy.

Cultural Superiority

A belief in superiority of one's own culture over all others. The Japanese believed that their culture was more advanced than that of other countries in Asia, which led to conflict in the region.

Industrialization

The process of transforming from an agrarian society to one based on manufacturing. Germany depended on foreign imports for raw materials and resources, making them defenseless.

PTSD in Soldiers

A mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event. Soldiers experienced mental and emotional trauma that led to depression, anxiety, and other mental ailments.

Economic Backwardness

Slow progress in modernizing its industries and agriculture in Russia, which hindered its ability to compete with other European powers and caused economic hardship.

Social Unrest

Widespread dissatisfaction and protests in Russia due to widespread dissatisfaction with poverty, inequality, and autocratic rule.

Revolutionary Ideas

The rise of new political ideas that advocated for the overthrow of the Russian government.

World War I Entry

Russia entered World War I to protect Serbia, but this led to the deaths of millions due to internal problems that Russia already faced internally.

Outdated Equipment

The Russian military was not prepared or modernized compared to the rest of Europe.

Internal Economic Collapse

Russia's government and economic systems collapse as a result of World War I.

High Casualties

Russia suffered catastrophic losses that led to civil unrest.

Food Shortages

A scarcity of food supplies in Russia during WWI, leading to widespread hunger, riots, and contributing to civil unrest and revolution.

Hitler's Rise to Power

Adolf Hitler manipulated the internal problems of Germany, promising order and justice.

Great Depression

The worst economic crisis that spread to almost every country in the world, with Germany being hit particularly hard.

Promise of Glory

A promise to the German populous that by following Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime, that the German people will rise up and become great once more.

Oratory Skills

Hitler was a great public speaker being very charismatic to the German populous.

Scapegoating Jews

The act of placing blame upon the Jewish population to distract from the government's problems.

Aryan Purity

The belief in Nazism that the Aryan ethnicity was the supreme ethnicity that was being threatened by everyone else.

Enabling Act

A law passed that gave Adolf Hitler supreme power over the German government.

Political Assassinations

Hitler had many political rivals and opponents killed in order to secure his power.

Propaganda Spread

Information spread to help or harm a cause, the Nazi Party was particularly effective at this.

Censorship

The Nazi Party wanted to make sure no opposing views could be spread, so they censored all possible opposition.

Military Control

Hitler consolidated all of Germany's military might under his personal control.

Mussolini's Rise to Power

Took advantage of the economic hardship to take power and establish a fascist dictatorship.

Roman Empire Appeal

Benito Mussolini used the idea of restoring the greatness of the Roman Empire to garner support.

Appeasement Policy

The act of giving an aggressive totalitarian regime what they want to avoid conflict. This policy ultimately failed.

Vichy Regime

The Nazi collaborated French government that administered the parts that Germany did not occupy.

Rome-Berlin Axis Pact

This pact meant Italy and Germany were fully aligned ensuring that the policy of appeasement was gone.

Fascism Definition

A system of government with a dictator that has absolute control over a society.

Hiroshima

The first use of an atomic weapon on a civilian target.

Little Boy

The codename of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Nagasaki

The second and last use of an atomic weapon on a civilian target.

Fat Man

The code name of the bomb dropped on Nagasaki.

Nuremberg Laws

Racist laws enacted in Nazi Germany to discriminate against Jews and strip them of their rights and citizenship.

Reich Citizenship Law

Nazi law taking away Jewish people's rights.

Law for the Protection of German Blood

A Nazi law prohibiting Jewish people from marrying or having relations with non-Jewish Germans.

Genocide

The systematic murder of a large group of people based on ethnicity, nationality, and/or religious views.

Holocaust

The systematic extermination of Jews by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the murder of approximately six million Jews.

D-Day

The invasion of Normandy, in France, by allied forces which signified a turning point in Europe against Germany.

Operation Overlord

The codename for D-Day when allied forces invaded France.

Nuremberg Trials

The trials held by the allied forces trying leaders from Nazi Germany for war crimes.

156,000

The amount of allied soldiers that participated in D-Day.

140,000

The estimated number of deaths caused by the Hiroshima bombing.

74,000

The estimated number of deaths caused by the Nagasaki bombing.

September 15, 1935

The date in which the racist Nuremberg Laws were enacted.

Two main parts

The two laws that made up the Nuremberg Laws.

Physical destruction

Creating deadly conditions to eliminate an ethnicity.

Cultural diffusion

Traditions and culture being destroyed to eliminate cohesion of a population.

May 8, 1945

The date Germany surrendered ending World War II in Europe.

Turning point

D-Day signifies a major turning point in the war.

War crimes

Violating the rules of war.

Chinese Civil War

The war between communist and nationalist forces that eventually led to a communist victory.

Zionism

A movement to establish a homeland for the Jewish people in light of years of persecution.

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.

Capitalism

An economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.

Cold War

A state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures short of open warfare, in particular the state of political tension between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1991.

Proxy War

A war instigated by a major power that does not itself become involved.

Iron Curtain

he notional barrier separating the former Soviet bloc and the West prior to the decline of communism that followed political events in eastern Europe in 1989.

Truman Doctrine

The principle that the US should give support to countries or peoples threatened by Soviet forces or communist insurrection.

Marshall Plan

A United States program of economic aid for the reconstruction of Europe (1948–1952).

Glasnost

The policy of openness initiated by Gorbachev in the 1980s that provided increased opportunities for freedom of speech, association and the press in the Soviet Union.

Perestroika

The program of economic and political reform in the Soviet Union initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986.

Fall of Berlin Wall

On November 9, 1989, the wall separating East and West Berlin crumbled. This symbolized the failure of communism and totalitarianism in the Eastern Bloc.

Soviet Union

A socialist state on the Eurasian continent that existed from 1922 to 1991, nominally a union of multiple national Soviet republics; its government and economy were highly centralized. The Cold War was in large part a geopolitical battle between the US and this power.

Kuomintang

The political party that ruled China from 1927 to 1949. They fought the Chinese Communist Party for control of the country.

Chinese Communist Party

The founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The CCP came to power in 1949 after defeating the Kuomintang in the Chinese Civil War.

Ideological Conflict

Conflict based on opposing beliefs. They often include politics, religion, and values.

Nuclear Arsenal

The complete collection of nuclear weapons a country possesses. They were at the forefront of geopolitical strategy during the Cold War.

Space Race

The competition between nations regarding achievements in space exploration.

Post-WWII Recovery

After World War II, large parts of Europe suffered catastrophic damage, either from the war itself or the policies that were inflicted on them by occupying forces. These are international efforts to rebuild those regions.

Korean War

A war lasting from 1950 to 1953 that was fought on the Korean Peninsula located in Eastern Asia.

South Korea

A country in Eastern Asia aided by the United States from communist forces during the Korean War.

No Clear Victory

The Korean War devastated large portions of the Korean Peninsula, and neither side was successful in defeating the other. The border between North and South Korea was largely unchanged by the end of the war.

Korean Division

Korea was turned into two separate countries, North and South Korea, due to ideological difference. The Korean War further codified this separation.

US Role

The United States prevented communism from spreading to South Korea.

NATO

A military alliance primarily composed of countries in North America and Europe formed to protect each other from external threats.

Warsaw Pact

A treaty signed in 1955 which established the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance of socialist states.

NATO Membership

Consisting of 30 current members throughout primarily North America and Europe, each member is committed to each others' protection.

Post-WWII Formation

This treaty was signed after the end of World War II to establish some form of geopolitical stability after the immense conflict.

Anti-Communism

One of the primary aims of NATO was to ensure communism didn't spread past the Iron Curtain into Western Europe.

Warsaw Pact Members

The Warsaw Pact involved primarily the Soviet Union's satellite states that it had influence over during the Cold War.

Defense Claim

One of the main claims of the Warsaw Pact was that it was strictly for defensive purposes.