WWI, Interwar Dictatorships, and WWII History

Flashcards covering the causes, progression, and aftermath of World War I, the interwar rise of totalitarian regimes, United States diplomatic responses, the Battle of the Atlantic, the Pacific War, and early Cold War portents.

What event was highlighted as a political catalyst and example of the growth of nationalism prior to World War I?

Otto Van Bismark's Franco-Prussian War (1870-71).

What were the four unfolding steps of the Crisis in Serbia in 1914?

1. The Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

2. Germany's Blank Check

3. Russia mobilizes for War

4. Germany Issues Ultimatums to Russia and France

What military strategy did Germany implement to avoid a war of attrition during World War I?

The Von Schlieffen Plan, which was based on the illusion that new weapons favored an offensive over a defensive strategy.

What battle shattered the illusion of a quick offensive war in 1914?

The First Battle of the Marne (1914).

What were the three key pillars of Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points listed in the lecture?

1. International Collective Security (A League of Nations)
2. Anti-Colonialism and Self-Determination
3. Free Trade (Removal of Tariffs)

Why was the legitimacy of the Treaty of Paris (1919) questioned from the start?

The Germans and Russians were not invited to the peace talks, and the Italians walked out.

Why did the isolationist United States Congress refuse to join the League of Nations?

Due to Article X, which was designed to satisfy France by having the United States replace Russia in the Triple Entente.

What were the military restrictions placed on Germany by the Treaty of Paris (1919)?

The Rhineland was permanently demilitarized, Germany's military was limited to 100,000 volunteers, military schools were dissolved, and air weaponry was banned.

What financial reparations were imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Paris, and how were they justified?

Germany was required to pay $33\text{ billion}$ in gold reparations, which was justified by 'The Guilt Clause'.

What was the extent of German hyperinflation by 1923 due to reparation payments?

The value of the German mark dropped from 4 to the dollar to 4 trillion to the dollar.

What was the purpose of the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928?

It outlawed war as a mechanism for solving international conflicts.

How did the 1900s totalitarian regimes differ from earlier autocratic governments?

Their control of individuals was much more thoroughgoing, and they were controlled by a single party that viewed itself as an elite force devoted to the commands of a single leader.

Why did Adolf Hitler view both Communists and Jewish people as special threats to his vision?

Hitler viewed Communists as a state without a nation, and Jewish people as a nation without a state, both threatening his worldview.

What were the five steps in Adolf Hitler's democratic rise to power between 1930 and 1933?

1. Heinrich Bruning invoked the Emergency Clause in 1930
2. The SS used terror in the 1932 elections, securing 37% of the vote
3. President Paul Hindenburg appointed Hitler as Chancellor
4. The Reichstag Fire of 1933 (blamed on communists)
5. The Enabling Act of 1933

How did the United States respond to Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in 1935?

By passing the Neutrality Act of 1935, which placed an embargo on weapons and ammunition, but not on scrap metal.

What was the SS St. Louis incident of 1939?

A German ocean liner carrying 937 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany was turned away by Cuba, the United States, and Canada.

What was the flaw in Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement toward Germany and Italy?

His logic assumed adversaries could be detached or appeased, but neither Hitler nor Mussolini was appeaseable.

What did Winston Churchill demand in his 'Blackmail Letter' following the evacuation at Dunkirk?

Churchill demanded destroyers, arms, and airplanes, necessitating that Britain have prior claim.

What were the three main strategic components of Plan Dog?

1. Ensure Britain's survival through military aid
2. The U.S. avoids conflict with Japan
3. The U.S. must send troops to Europe

How did Franklin D. Roosevelt sidestep public objections regarding peacetime drafted men being sent closer to Europe?

He defined Greenland and Iceland as part of the Americas.

What U.S. destroyer was sunk by a German U-boat in October 1941, resulting in 150 American deaths?

The Reuben James.

What naval vessel tonnage ratio was established by the Washington Naval Treaty of 1921?

For every 5 tons of British naval vessels, the U.S. was permitted 5 tons, and Japan was permitted 3 tons (a 5:5:3 ratio).

What intelligence breakthrough served as the first step toward the American victory at the Battle of Midway?

The 'Magic' codebreaking project, which broke Japan's military secrecy.

What tactical mistake did Admiral Nagumo make during the Battle of Midway regarding aircraft armament?

He ordered his aircraft refitted for a second Midway attack, but reversed his commands upon reconnaissance spotting an American aircraft carrier.

What was the outcome of the Battle of Midway in terms of aircraft carriers destroyed?

The U.S. destroyed 4 Japanese aircraft carriers while losing 1, shifting the carrier ratio to 3 American carriers to 2 Japanese.

What were the Allied goals for the Guadalcanal campaign (August 1942-1943)?

1. Prevent Japan from isolating Australia
2. Advance up the Solomon Islands toward Rabaul
3. Seize the initiative with an offensive battle

What happened to the Japanese force at the Battle of Alligator Creek during the Guadalcanal campaign?

800 of the 900 Japanese soldiers were killed.

What territories did Lenin's Bolsheviks agree to give to Germany under the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

What were the immediate consequences of Operation Drumbeat in 1942 off the American coast?

Within three months, German U-boats sank 216 American vessels in coastal waters (more than half of which were fuel tankers), forcing vessels to sail only in the daytime.

By August 1942, what decision did the Allies make regarding maritime supply routes to the Soviet Union?

The Allies suspended supply convoys to Russia.