AP Euro Unit 6 20th Century Global Conflicts

Cecil Rhodes

When? 1853-1902

Who? British colonizer, capitalist

What? Established protectorates over Bechuanaland (Botswana) and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe and Zambia). Established rich gold mines in the Transval.

Spanish-American War

When? 1898

Who? US and Spain

What? Began after rising tensions from Spain’s harsh rule in Cuba. Fighting occurred in Cuba and Philippines. US won. Treaty of Paris gave Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Philippines to the US. Marked the emergence of the US as a global imperial power.

Orientalism

When? Term created in the 1970s

Who? Edward Said

What? Describes the fascination and st4ereotypical and often racist Western understandings of non-Westerners that dominated 1800s thought. Originally “orientalism” referred to the European view of Arab societies in North Africa and the Middle East. This view was shared by all of Europe. Affected literature and art of the time.

Heart of Darkness

When? 1902

Who? Polish-born novelist Joseph Conrad

What? Spoke of the pure selfishness of Europeans in supposedly civilizing Africa. The main character turns from a liberal scholar to a savage brute. Critiqued imperialism.

Meiji Restoration

When? 1867

Who? Japan

What? The restoration of the Japanese emperor to power. Led by patriotic samurai. Hardly any bloodshed. Led to the modernization of Japan.

The Black Hand

When? Early 1900s

Who? A radical group of Yugo-slav nationalists

What? Gavrilo Princip (member) shot Archduke Francis Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungary country. Wanted unification of Slavic states and freedom from Austria. Shooting Archduke led to the outbreak of WWI.

“blank check”

When? 1914

Who? German chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg to Austria-Hungary

What? Said Germany would faithfully stand by Austria-Hungary in war, assuming that Britain would not be entering the war against Austria-Hungary. Encouraged the prowar faction in Vienna to take a hard line against the Serbs at a time when moderation might have still limited the crisis.

Battle of Somme

When? Summer 1916 - November 1916

Who? British offensive in northern France

What? Began with a week of bombardment of the German line to cut down barbed wires; Germans forced to retreat to dugouts where they suffered from lack of food, water, and sleep. Germans used machine guns to shoot down attackers. Shook troop morale and public opinion at home for Britain. British pushed Germans back 7 miles. 420,000 British, 200,000 French, 600,000 Germans killed or wounded. Exemplified the horrors of trench warfare.

Armenian Genocide

When? 1915

Who? Ottoman government, with German support

What? Happened because Armenians welcomed Russians as liberators. A mass deportation of Armenians from their homeland. 1 million Armenians died from murder, starvation, and disease. A modern example of ethnic cleansing.

Who was Ivan the Terrible?

Ruled 1574-1584 (Russia). Particularly cruel and brutal absolutist ruler.

Who was Mikhail Romanov?

Ruled 1613-1645 (Russia). Established Romanov dynasty that would last until the 20th century.

Who was Peter the Great?

• Ruled Russia 1682-1725

• Built navy and had numerous military victories

• Moved capital to St. Petersburg, established bureaucracy

• Pushed Western reforms

Where was the traditional Slavic capital?

Kiev, before Peter the Great.

How was Russian serfdom different from the rest of Europe?

When the rest of Europe was moving away from feudalism, Russia imposed a rigid caste-like structure over Russia’s labor force with a law in 1649.

Who were the Boyar families?

The 52 Boyar families became Russia’s top class with the imposement of a caste-like structure over the labor force in 1649.

Which philosophers did Catherine the Great have a relationship with?

Supported Denis Diderot financially and had a flattering correspondence with Voltaire.

What effect did Catherine’s relationships with Enlightenment philosophers have?

Made her seem more great than she actually was.

What was the significance of the Russo-Turkish war?

Left Russia as one of Europe’s military powers.

When was the Russo-Turkish War?

1768-1774.

What was Russia’s traditional relationship with the Ottoman Empire?

Series of wars with the Ottoman Empire throughout the centuries.

How did the Bolsheviks see the earlier Pugachev Rebellion?

As a movement of freedom fighters.

When was the Pugachev Rebellion?

Put down after the Russo-Turkish War.

When did Russia fall behind the other European powers?

Mid-1800s.

Why did Russia try to establish ports and navy in the Black Sea?

Russia always needed warm water ports because it’s hard to trade in frozen ports.

Why was Europe wary of the balance of power and Russsia’s expansionism before/during the Crimean War?

Napoleon had recently ruined the balance of power.

What 2 religious groups had tensions in the Ottoman Empire?

Orthodox Christians and Muslims.

What was Crimea?

A small piece of land attached to Ukraine that was right on the Black Sea, a very valuable piece of land that Russia fought over in history.

When was the Crimean War?

1853-1856.

Why did Russia first attack the Ottomans in Crimea?

Said it was to protect Orthodox Christians, but real reason was for access to the Black Sea.

Who declared war on Russia to support the Ottomans in the Crimean War?

France and England.

Why did France and Britian join the Crimean War?

To keep Russia weaker. Balance of power.

What was the press on the Crimean War?

Covered heavily in British papers. One of the first wars to be photographed commonly.

What infection were people dying from in the Crimean War?

Cholera.

What was the violence like in the Crimean War?

Very bloody war.

What happened in October 1854?

British and French arrive at Sevastopol, the capital of the Crimean peninsula, and begin a siege.

When did Tsar Nicholas I die?

February 1855, during Crimean War.

Who received the Russian throne after Nicolas I?

Alexander III, his son.

What ended the Crimean War?

Treaty of Paris because France and Russia were weary of fighting.

What was the last autocracy left in Europe in 1905?

Russia, they had no type of representative political institutions.

Who was Nicholas II?

Became tsar in 1814, descendent of Queen Victoria, believed he was the absolute ruler anointed by God.

When was the Russo-Japanese War?

1904-1905.

Why did the Russo-Japanese War start?

Russia sought a warm-water port on the Pacific, Japan feared Russian encroachment on Korea and Manchuria.

How did the Russo-Japanese War start?

Japan launched a surprise attack on the Russian fleet.

Who won the Russo-Japanese War?

Even though they had more casualties, Japan won.

What was happening at the end of the Russo-Japanese War?

Nicholas II continued the war even though it was going badly. Japan defeated Russia in several naval battles despite being outnumbered.

What ended the Russo-Japanese War?

Treaty of Portsmouth, signed in New England.

What was the result of the Russo-Japanese War?

Japan became the first Asian nation to defeat a Western Power and established itself a major world power. Russia humiliated.

Why were the Russian peasants discontent in 1905?

The Industrial Revolution was moving into Russia.

What was Russia’s Bloody Sunday?

In January 1905, a crowd of peaceful protesters comes to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. Soldiers open fire, killing or wounding hundreds.

What was the October Manifesto?

Revolts and a general strike across the country force the government to issue the October Manifesto. Re-established the Duma (parliament) with universal male suffrage. Relationship between czar and Duma will break down in coming years.

What is MAIN?

Long-term causes leading to WWI: militarism, alliances, imperialism, nationalism.

Who was Kaiser Wilhelm II?

Takes over for William I (his father) in 1888 as Kaiser of Germany. Had a sad, abusive, messed up childhood because of his arm deformity.

Why did Wilhelm II fire Bismarck?

To prove himself to be his own man.

Who was the Triple Alliance?

Germany, the aging Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy.

Who allied with the Ottoman Empire?

Germany.

Who initiated the Triple Alliance?

Knowing that France would want to avenge their loss after the Franco-Prussian War, Bismarck initiated the Triple Alliance in 1882.

Who was called the “Sick Man of Europe”?

Ottoman Empire.

Who was the Triple Entente?

France, Russia, Great Britain.

When did the Triple Entente emerge?

After the Crimean War.

What allowed France to court Russia as an ally?

Wilhelm II refusing to renew the “reinsurance treaty” with Russia after firing Bismarck.

What was the Anglo-Japanese Alliance?

Signed 1902. Between UK and Japan.

What were the Balkans?

The Slavic countries.

Who influenced/controlled the Slavic states?

Ottoman Empire.

Who annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908?

Austria.

Which Slavic state had the highest nationalism?

Serbia.

What was the First Balkan War?

In 1912. Italy, Serbia, Greece, and Bulgaria ally to successfully drive the Turks out of the Balkans.

What was the Second Balkan War?

In 1913. Territorial dispute between Bulgaria (backed by Austria) and Serbia (backed by Russia).

Who wanted Pan-Slavism?

Russia.

What was Pan-Slavism?

United Slavic countries.

What did German nationalists want?

A German-controlled Europe.

How did imperialism act as a cause of WWI?

World powers were competing for territories around the world, especially in Africa. Many countries were trying to have a sphere of influence over China.

What were the Moroccan Crises?

War nearly broke out in Morocco in 1905 and 1911 between Germany and France.

How did militarism act as a cause for WWI?

Britain built the world’s strongest navy. As Germany began acquiring overseas colonies, it began to build its own navy. Schlieffen Plan.

What was the Schlieffen Plan?

In Germany, Field Marshal Alfred von Schlieffen anticipated a two-front war against France and Russia, and called for a first-strike plan against France because Russia’s military would be slow to mobilize. Planned to invade Belgium.

Why was the Schlieffen Plan able to take root?

German government was lacking diplomats and peace-minded people after Bismarck dismissed.

How was propaganda used in WWI?

Used to gain support and depict other countries’ people in subhuman ways.

Who was Austria-Hungary allied with?

Germany.

What was Austria-Hungary’s reason for entering the war?

Wanted to punish Serbia.

Who was Germany allied with?

Austria-Hungary.

What was Germany’s reason for entering the war?

To stand by its ally, Austria-Hungary.

Who was Serbia allied with?

Russia.

What was Serbia’s reason for entering the war?

Attacked by Austria-Hungary.

Who was France allied with?

Russia and Britain.

What was France’s reason for entering the war?

Wanted to avoid facing Germany alone at a later date.

Who was Belgium allied with?

Neutral.

What was Belgium’s reason for entering the war?

Invaded by Germany.

Who was Britain allied with?

France and Russia.

What was Britain’s reason for entering the war?

Outraged by invasion of Belgium.

Who was Archduke Franz Ferdinand?

Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Assassinated on a visit to Austrian-controlled Bosnia in Sarajevo, June 28, 1914.

Who was Gavrilo Pricip?

Member of the Serbian nationalist group the Black Hand. Assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Who gave Austria a blank check of unconditional support?

Germany.

What was Austria’s ultimatum to Serbia?

Cooperate with the investigation and crush all anti-Austrian support, or risk war.

When did war between Austria and Serbia start?

July 28,1914.

Why was everyone dragged into Austria and Serbia’s war?

System of alliances.

What was the Schlieffen Plan meant to compensate for?

The belief that German forces would be outnumbered in ratios of 5:3.

Who succeeded Schlieffen as Army Chief of Staff? What are some general changes made to the plan?

Helmuth von Motke. Made it so that Germany only invaded Belgium, not the Netherlands.

What did the Schlieffen Plan rely on for success? Why didn’t that work?

It relied on speed. The fastest form of transportation at the time was trains, but the enemies destroyed their railroads, which made the Plan take more time.

Why did the Schlieffen Plan underestimate Russia?

Russia had lost to Japan in the Russo-Japanese War.

What battle destroyed the Schlieffen Plan?

First Battle of the Marne.

What was the First Battle of the Marne?

After breaking through Belgium (2 weeks), the Germans got within 15 miles of Paris. British and French attacked at the valley of the Marne River. 600 taxicabs from Paris were used to rush soldiers form the city to the front.