Causes of World War II Practice Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards identifying key causes, concepts, and historical figures related to the outbreak of World War II based on the lecture notes.

Treaty of Versailles

A treaty signed in 1919 after WWI that forced Germany to accept blame for the war, pay heavy reparations, and follow strict military and land restrictions.

Article 231

Commonly known as the 'War Guilt Clause,' this part of the Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to accept total blame for the First World War.

League of Nations

An international organization created after WWI to maintain peace and encourage cooperation, which failed due to a lack of military power and the absence of major powers like the USA.

Appeasement

A policy used by Britain and France that involved giving in to Hitler’s demands to avoid another global conflict.

Dictatorship

A system of government where leaders have total power, often characterized by the use of propaganda, control of the population, and aggressive territorial expansion.

Global Interaction

The key concept of the unit focusing on how the cause of conflict between nations has consequences across time, place, and space.

Causality

A related concept in the unit exploring how one event, such as an economic hardship or a treaty, acts as a catalyst for another, such as conflict.

Reparations

Heavy financial penalties and payments forced upon Germany by the Treaty of Versailles, leading to significant economic hardship.

Totalitarianism

A form of government exemplified by dictators like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, where leaders exercise total control over the state and people.

Adolf Hitler

The dictator of Germany whose aggressive foreign policy and desire for territorial expansion were key factors leading to the outbreak of WWII.

Benito Mussolini

The dictator of Italy who, along with Hitler, represented the rise of totalitarian leaders with aggressive foreign policies prior to WWII.

The Great Depression

An economic period described as creating a 'broken' economy, which made people more likely to vote for extreme, powerful leaders.