WORLD CIV

Causes of WW1

Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, Imperialism): Was a massive slap in the face of all European countries involved. For a century they rarely fought each other and they experienced great success fighting and colonizing native peoples throughout the world. Known as the great was and the war to end all wars. Many knew it would happen but were unsure of when. Many wanted self-determination.

Self-Determination

Belief that all ethnic groups deserved their own nation. A form of nationalism that was popular throughout Europe during the 1800’s. Many European empires had large minority populations that did not want to be a part of the system.

Allied Powers

Britain, France, and Russia and their allies. Italy and Japan joined early in the war and the US joined late.

Central Powers

Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy join together in a  defensive pact against Russia and France. Italy left as the war began (they joined the other side) and the Ottoman Empire joined as WWI began. 

Trench Warfare

Became the main style of combat in the western front of WWI. Trenches were dug, mines were placed between them and barbed wire is strung from belgium to Switzerland (western front). Life in them was boredom with terror, waist deep mud, rats, lice, and corpses. There was a trench foot which made feet fall off because they were constantly wet.

Weapons of WW1

machine gun - increases stopping power of a single soldier, artillery - killed more than any weapon, barbed wire - strung across no mans land to slow soldiers, poison gas- used to overcome trenches.

The Treaty of Versailles

Official treaty ending WWI, created the conditions that led to WWII, Germany was forced to take full blame for the war and had to swallow economic, political and national humiliation. Could only have an army of 100K, home territory was lost or occupied, not aircraft or submarines, had to pay huge reparations, had to give up most colonies. Many new European countries were formed when large empires were broken up.

Freidrick Nietze

German Philosopher who questioned Western values and proclaimed “god is dead” lived and died before the great war, his work became very influential in the post WWI years.

Technology

Communication technology progressed at a fast rate during the interwar years, movies and radio became most popular.

Fascism

Type of government that was a reaction of communism, liberal democracy, feminism, economic turmoil, and disillusion. Dedication to lost traditions, fanatical national pride and ethnocentrism and extremely racist.

Communism

Everything is controlled by the government, sharing the wealth they have.

Enabling Acts

gave hitler total power in Germany. It famously took 53 days for hitler to dismantle the German democracy from within.

Eugenics

Nazi attempt to create a “master German Race” by rewarding “racially valuable” families. A cult of motherhood was created. People with defects were eliminated. 

Kristallnacht

The “night of broken glass” when Nazis attack German homes, businesses and synagogues. Coordinated with open government support.

Invasion of Manchuria (1931)

Japan invades Manchuria in northern China and begins World War ll in Asia. Japan wanted it for its resources and potential farmland. They started by attacking it as it was seen as a safe start due to it's light population

Blitzkrieg

A military tactic debuted by the Germans translated to “lightning war.” It is a fast, coordinated, attack by all branches of the military focused on offense

Allied Powers

Britain, France, the Soviet Union (late), China, and the United States (late)

Axis Powers

Germany, Italy, and Japan

The Fall of France

In spring of 1940, multiple countries including France fell to Germany due to the German Blitzkrieg that the allies could not adapt to. The fall of France was significant because they were considered a “Great Power”

Operation Barbarossa

The German invasion of the Soviet Union in June of 1941. It caught Stalin by surprise and hitler did it to get “living space” and build a “new order”

The Battle of Stalingrad

First large-scale velocity by the Soviets (lost 1,250,000 troops) and the largest single battle in human history. TURNING POINT OF THE WAR IN EUROPE 

The Fall of the Axis Powers

After all of the attacks above, Germany was surrounded and their defeat was inevitable. On May 7, 1945, Hitler commits suicide and Germany surrenders days after. Germany, Italy, and Japan faced defeat in World War ll due to a combination of factors, including Allied strategic advantages, the immense industrial and manpower resources of the Allies and strategic miscalculations by the Axis leaders.