Untitled Flashcards Set

What does the 'Age of Anxiety' or 'Age of Disillusionment' refer to?

A period characterized by widespread uncertainty and insecurity following World War I.

What was the Versailles Treaty?

The peace treaty that ended World War I, imposing heavy reparations on Germany.

What was the League of Nations?

An international organization formed after World War I to promote peace and cooperation among countries.

What was the Weimar Republic?

The democratic government established in Germany after World War I, known for its political instability.

What was the French occupation of the Ruhr?

The occupation of the Ruhr industrial region by France in 1923 due to German reparations default.

What is 'Passive resistance'?

A non-violent form of protest against the French occupation of the Ruhr.

What is hyperinflation?

An extremely high and typically accelerating inflation that erodes the real value of the currency.

What was the Beer Hall Putsch?

A failed coup attempt by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in 1923 aimed at overthrowing the Weimar government.

Who was Gustav Stresemann?

A German politician who served as Chancellor and Foreign Minister, known for stabilizing the Weimar Republic.

What was the Dawes Plan?

A 1924 plan to help Germany pay reparations by restructuring its debt and providing loans.

What was the Treaty of Locarno?

A pact signed in 1925 that aimed to secure post-war territorial settlements between Germany and its neighbors.

What was the Kellogg-Briand Pact?

A 1928 international agreement to condemn war and promote peaceful means of conflict resolution.

What was the Great Depression?

A global economic downturn that began after the stock market crash in October 1929.

How did Great Britain deal with unemployment during the Great Depression?

They did not follow John Maynard Keynes' ideas of government intervention to stimulate the economy.

What was the Popular Front government in France?

A leftist coalition that governed France in the mid-1930s, promoting social reforms and labor rights.

What was democratic socialism in Scandinavian countries?

A political ideology that combines democratic political systems with social ownership and economic democracy.

What is totalitarianism?

A political system in which the state holds total authority over society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life.

What methods of control do totalitarian regimes typically use?

Propaganda, political repression, state control of the economy, and police terror.

What did fascist ideology believe in?

Extreme nationalism, militarism, and the supremacy of the state over individual rights.

What was the March on Rome?

A 1922 event in which Mussolini led his followers to seize power in Italy.

What was the Fascio di combattimento?

The Italian name for Mussolini's 'fighting league,' which became the core of the Fascist Party.

What does the term Il Duce refer to?

The title taken by Benito Mussolini, meaning 'The Leader'.

What was the Lateran Agreement?

A 1929 agreement between Italy and the Vatican that recognized the independence of Vatican City.

How did Nazi ideology differ from Italian fascism?

Nazism emphasized racial purity and anti-Semitism as central tenets, unlike Italian fascism.

What was the Mein Kampf?

A book written by Adolf Hitler outlining his political ideology and plans for Germany.

What was the significance of the Reichstag fire?

The 1933 event used by Hitler to justify the suspension of civil liberties and consolidation of power.

What was the Enabling Act?

A 1933 law that gave Hitler the power to enact laws without the involvement of the Reichstag.

What does Gleichschaltung refer to?

The process of consolidating power and establishing total control over all aspects of German society.

What was the 'Night of the Long Knives'?

A purge in June 1934 where Hitler eliminated potential political rivals within the Nazi Party.

What was the goal of Lebensraum?

The Nazi policy of territorial expansion to provide living space for the German people.

What were the Nuremberg laws?

Racial laws enacted in 1935 that stripped Jews of their citizenship and legal rights.

What was Kristallnacht?

A violent anti-Jewish pogrom that occurred in November 1938, known as the 'Night of Broken Glass'.

What was War Communism?

The Bolshevik policy of nationalizing industry and requisitioning agricultural produce during the Russian Civil War.

What was the NEP - New Economic Policy?

A policy implemented by Lenin to revive the Soviet economy by reintroducing limited market mechanisms.

What were kulaks?

Wealthy peasants in the Soviet Union who were targeted during collectivization.

What was Stalin's 'Socialism in one country'?

A policy advocating for the consolidation of socialism within the Soviet Union rather than worldwide revolution.

What is a Command Economy?

An economy in which the government makes all decisions regarding the production and distribution of goods.

What were the Five-Year Plans?

A series of centralized economic plans aimed at rapid industrialization in the Soviet Union.

What is propagandistic music?

Music that serves as a tool for promoting political ideas and ideologies; used heavily in totalitarian states.

What was collectivization of agriculture?

The Soviet policy of consolidating individual landholdings into collective farms.

What does 'Liquidation' of the Kulaks refer to?

Stalin's policy of eliminating the kulak class as part of collectivization, often resulting in execution or deportation.

What were the Great Purges?

A campaign of political repression in the Soviet Union from 1936 to 1938, targeting perceived enemies of the state.

Which nation remained democratic in the east during the rise of authoritarianism?

Spain.

Who was General Francisco Franco?

The leader of the Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War, who later ruled as a dictator.

What nations supported Franco during the Spanish Civil War?

Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.

What was the significance of Guernica?

A town in Spain bombed during the Civil War; became a symbol of the horrors of war, famously depicted in Picasso's painting.

What type of leader was Franco after the civil war ended?

A totalitarian dictator, repressing dissent and promoting nationalism.

How did governments utilize radios and movies during the interwar period?

To spread propaganda, promote national unity, and distract the public from economic woes.

What was Dopolavoro in Italy?

A recreational organization aimed at controlling workers' leisure time.

What was Kraft durch Freude (KDF) in Germany?

A state-sponsored program that provided affordable leisure activities to workers.

What was Leni Riefenstahl's 'Triumph of the Will'?

A propaganda film that glorified the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler.

How did people's disillusionment influence art?

It led to experimental forms of art that questioned traditional values and reflected existential concerns.

What are the Dada Movement and Surrealism?

Art movements that emerged as reactions to World War I, emphasizing absurdity and the unconscious mind.

What is functionalism in architecture?

An architectural philosophy emphasizing that the form of a building should be based on its intended function.

Who was Frank Lloyd Wright?

An American architect known for his innovative designs and the Prairie School movement.

What was the Bauhaus movement?

An influential design school in Germany that combined fine arts and crafts.

What did Hitler think of modern art?

He rejected it as degenerate and promoted traditional art that reflected Nazi ideals.

What is socialist realism?

An art style promoted in the Soviet Union that depicted optimistic views of communist life.

What is atonal music?

A type of music that lacks a tonal center, exemplified by composer Arnold Schönberg.

What is 'stream-of-consciousness' literature?

A literary technique that captures the flow of thoughts and feelings in a character's mind.

Who were significant authors known for the stream-of-consciousness technique?

James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and Hermann Hesse.

What did Carl Jung contribute to psychology?

He developed theories on the collective unconscious and archetypes.

What is the 'uncertainty principle' in science?

A principle in quantum mechanics indicating that certain pairs of physical properties cannot be simultaneously known.

What were the main ideas of Mein Kampf?

Hitler's thoughts on Aryan superiority, anti-Semitism, and his plans for Germany's future.

What actions did Hitler take that led to WWII?

Withdrawing from the League of Nations, reoccupying the Rhineland, and aggressive territorial expansions.

What happened during the German rearmament?

Germany began rebuilding its military in violation of the Versailles Treaty.

What was the Austrian Anschluss?

The annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938.

What was the significance of the Munich Conference?

A meeting that allowed Hitler to annex the Sudetenland in exchange for a promise of no further territorial expansion.

What does 'appeasement' refer to?

The policy of making concessions to an aggressor to avoid conflict.

What was the Polish Guarantee?

A commitment made by Britain and France to defend Poland if it was attacked by Germany.

What did Japan want in China?

To expand its empire and gain access to resources.

When did WWII begin in Asia?

September 18, 1931, with the invasion of Manchuria by Japan.

What does 'Blitzkrieg' mean?

A German term for 'lightning war,' referring to rapid and overwhelming military attacks.

What does 'Luftwaffe' refer to?

The German Air Force.

What does 'Wehrmacht' mean?

The unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.

What is meant by 'phony war'?

The period of inactivity along the western front in the early stages of WWII.

What was the miracle of Dunkirk?

The evacuation of Allied soldiers from Dunkirk, France, in May-June 1940, considered a miraculous escape.

Who was Marshal Henri Petain?

The leader of the Vichy government, a puppet regime established in France by Nazi Germany.

What was Winston Churchill's role during WWII?

He was the British Prime Minister who led Britain through the war.

What was the significance of the Battle of Britain?

A pivotal air campaign fought over Britain in 1940, preventing a German invasion.

What was 'The Blitz'?

The sustained bombing campaign by Germany against British cities during WWII.

What was the importance of North Africa in WWII?

Control of North Africa was crucial for securing Mediterranean routes and oil supplies.

Who was Erwin Rommel?

A German general known as the 'Desert Fox' for his leadership in North Africa.

What was the significance of the Battle of El Alamein?

A major turning point in the North African campaign, marking the start of the Axis retreat.

What was Operation Barbarossa?

Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, breaking the Non-Aggression Pact.

Who were the members of the Grand Alliance?

The United States, Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom.

What does 'unconditional surrender' mean?

The surrender of a party without any negotiations or conditions.

What are turning point battles?

Key battles that significantly change the direction of the war; examples include Stalingrad and D-Day.

What was the Italian campaign during WWII?

Military operations in Italy that faced challenges due to rugged terrain and entrenched resistance.

Who was Dwight D. Eisenhower?

The Supreme Commander of Allied forces in Europe during WWII.

What marked the end of the war in Europe?

Germany's unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945.

Who was Charles DeGaulle?

Leader of the Free French forces during WWII.

Who was Josip Broz (Tito)?

The Yugoslav leader who led partisan resistance against Nazi occupation.

What was the White Rose movement?

A non-violent resistance group in Nazi Germany that opposed the regime through pamphlet distribution.

Who was Colonel Count Claus von Stauffenberg?

The military officer who led the July 20 plot to assassinate Hitler.

What were ghettoes?

Enclosed districts in which Jews were forced to live, often in overcrowded conditions.

What was the Madagascar Plan?

A Nazi proposal to deport Jews to Madagascar, which was never implemented.

What were Einsatzgruppen?

Mobile killing units responsible for mass shootings of Jews and others during the Holocaust.

What was the Wannsee Conference?

A 1942 meeting where Nazi officials coordinated plans for the Final Solution.

What was the Final Solution?

The Nazi plan for the systematic extermination of Jews during the Holocaust.