Social Studies 20-1 - Unit 3: National Interests

Foreign Policy

- A course of action that a sovereign nation takes in its conduct with other nation-states or international organizations

- A set of goals that outline how a country will interact with other countries

National Interests

A sovereign state’s goals and ambitions.

Self-determination

The process by which a country determines its own statehood and forms its own government.

Otto von Bismarck

- Germany's first Chancellor

- United 25 sovereign German nation-states into one empire

- Believes that Germany should be in a majority of 3 in any dispute among the 5 Great Powers

Willhelm II

- New Kaiser (Emperor)

- Retires Bismarck

- Refuses to renew the alliance with Russia, leaving Germany with only Austria-Hungary as an ally

Great Powers

Sovereign states with immense military, political, and economic might.

=> Each state wants to be the greatest power

The 5 Great European Powers

1. Britain
2. France
3. Germany
4. Russia
5. Austria-Hungary

MANIA

The 5 causes of the first world war.

1. Militarism

2. Alliances

3. New, Radical Nationalism

4. Imperialism

5. Assassination

Militarism

The belief or desire that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests.

=> War is romanticized; technology is emerging; conscription

Dreadnought

A heavily-armed battleship used by the Britains in response to Germany's strong military.

Conscription

Compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces.

Alliances

Agreements between nations to meet common goals or support common causes.

1. Triple Entente

- Response to lost conflicts over territory with France

2. Triple Alliance

- Informal agreement; each nation free to pursue its own foreign policy

Triple Entente (Allied Powers)

An alliance between:

FUR

France

UK

Russia

Triple Alliance (Central Powers)

An alliance between:

GAI

Germany

Austria-Hungary

Italy

- (leaves in 1915 to join the Entente)

New, Radical Nationalism

An ideology that emphasizes the collective experiences and shared sense of belonging of a nation.

=> Overinflated confidence

Pan-Slavism

- A movement to promote the independence of Slav people - Led to the Russo-Turkish War of 1877

- Desire for union

Imperialism

The act of one country imposing political and/or economic control over other countries.

- Competition to expand territory leads to increased tensions

- Britain expanded imperial control over five continents, France controls Africa, Germany is jealous

Scramble for Africa

European nations fought to invade, annex, divide, and colonize the African continent.

Immediate Cause

A cause which effects are seen right away.

=> Specific incidents that kick-start an event; a catalyst

The Black Hand

A Serbian nationalist group whose goal was the creation of a Greater Serbia, predominantly through violence.

Assassination

- Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

- Viewed as an immediate cause (catalyst) for WWI

Underlying Cause

A cause which is present for a long time before its effects are seen.

=> Long-term events, ideologies, or beliefs that lead to the start of an event

Chauvinism

- Excessive patriotism, eagerness for national superiority

- Unwarranted bias, favouritism, or devotion to one's own particular group, cause, or idea

Jingoism

- To advocate an aggressive nationalism

- One who vociferously supports a nation's military aims

=> Embodies the ideals of chauvinism, but does so through an aggressive foreign policy that usually involves armed conflict

July Crisis

Austria-Hungary scrambling to determine how to respond to the assassination of the Archduke.

Total War

A type of warfare that includes civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate targets.

=> All resources of society are mobilized to support/fight the war, and priority is given to warfare over non-combatant needs

War on the Homefront

The idea that everybody in the country is in the war... both at home and in the fight.

Schlieffen Plan

- Designed to allow Germany to wage a successful two-front war
- Based on the fact that Russia would take at least 6 weeks to mobilize its troops, and would attack from the East
- Germany was to march into France
- Was unsuccessful

War of Attrition

To wear an opponent down to such an extent that their will to fight collapses.

=> Who will withstand?

Trench Warfare

- Long, deep ditches dug into the ground as protective defences

- Meant to protect from machine gun fire and airborne artillery attacks

- NOT pleasant

US Joins the War

Reasons behind Americans ending their neutrality:
1. German attacks on American merchant ships in the North Atlantic
2. Zimmerman Telegram

Zimmerman Telegram

A document from Germany to Mexico that proposed a military alliance between the two countries if the Americans entered the war.

Brest-Litovsk Treaty

A treaty that gave the Germans, Austro-Hungarians, and Ottomans over one million square miles of territory.

Battle of Ypres

- Canada's first major engagement
- Exposed to poison gas

Battle of Somme

- Introduced creeping barrage and tanks

Battle of Vimy Ridge

- 4 Canadian divisions fought together for the first time
- Ross: "birth of a nation"
- Location of Canadian war memorial

Second Battle of Passchendaele

- War of attrition
- Canadian's join the fight part-way through

Hundred Days Offensive

- The final 100 days of World War I

- Rapid series of victories achieved by the Allies

The War Measures Act

The law that gave the government the power to suspend individual rights in the name of public safety.

Conscientious Objectors

- Pacifists; did not agree with the war effort

- Often viewed as traitors to the nation; were treated as such

Armistice

- Marked the end of hostilities on the Western Front
- President Wilson's 14 Points

Idealism

The idea that a country's foreign policy should reflect its internal values.

=> Idealists can still forcibly spread their values

Realism

The idea that focuses less on another country's domestic policy and more on its foreign policy.

=> Focus less on what governments due within their borders; prioritize their own core interests

Advantages of Idealism

- Promotes values
- Supports free societies
- Deters bad behaviour

Disadvantages of Idealism

- Limitations to influence
- Distracts from vital interests
- Expensive and time consuming
- Unintended consequences

Advantages of Realism

- Promotes security and prosperity
- Builds influence
- Limits costly interventions

Disadvantages of Realism

- Deprioritizes values
- Empowers bad actors

Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points

- The 14 points the president of the United States felt were essential to the negotiation of peace with the Central Powers
- Colleagues felt that they were too idealistic

Paris Peace Conferences

- Allied Powers came together to negotiate peace with the Central Powers

- Negotiations took several months

- Plans had to be drawn to prevent the outbreak of a similar conflict in the future

- Important decisions were made by the Big Three (UK, US, and France)

David Lloyd George

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
- Didn't want to be too soft on Germany, but also recognized that Germany was an important barrier between Russia and the rest of Europe
- UK citizens wanted Germany to be harshly reprimanded

Woodrow Wilson

The President of the United States; author of the 14 points.
- Preserving economic relationships
- Did not have a vested interest in the imperial aspect of the war
- Idealist; wanted to prevent future war

Georges Clemenceau

The Prime Minister of France.
- Most impacted by the war geographically
- Wanted to take back conquered lands
- Force Germany to take full responsibility
- Demanded harsh reparations from Germany

Vittorio Emanuele Orlando

The Prime Minister of Italy.

=> Italy did not have as much power as the other nations, but was included in the discussions as a member of the Allied Powers

- Interested in satisfying the Treaty of London

- Wanted land from Austria-Hungary

Reparations

Payment for war damages post-war.

Treaty of Versailles

- Signed in May of 1919
- Largely negotiated by the Big Three
- German delegates were shocked by the severity of the terms; treaty did not resemble the terms presented when the Armistice was negotiated
- Defeated nations would have no say in the peace negotiations being made

Six Terms of the Treaty of Versailles

Guilt

Army

Reparations

Germany lost land

League of Nations

Extra points

Anschluss

- Political union of Austria with Germany
- Germans believed Austria should be a part of Germany
- Right to self-determination

League of Nations

- International organization with the goal of maintaining world peace
- Preceded by the Concert of Europe, and succeeded by the United Nations after WWII
- Lacked membership from the USA and the USSR
- Lacked the ability to enforce its own mandates; was dependent on member states to do so

Collective Security

An agreement in which each member in the system accepts that the security of one is the security of all, and therefore commits to a collective response to threats to, and breaches of, peace.

Weimar Republic

- Time period where the Germans faced serious economic and social disorder
- Exacerbated by the strict conditions of the Treaty of Versailles
- Hyperinflation

Dawes Plan

A plan for Germany to pay more reasonable reparations on a sliding scale.

Ultranationalism

Extreme nationalism that promotes the interests of one state or people above all others.

Internationalism

When different countries or nations work together to promote similar causes or interests.

Moderate Nationalism

The rejection of radical or extreme nationalism.

Nationalism

The identification with one’s own nation and support for its interests.