Pre-War Germany to WWII Flashcards

Germany Pre-War (1870s-1939)

• Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871):
  • Unified Germany under Prussian leadership.
  • Instilled nationalism.
• Chancellor Otto von Bismarck:
  • Engineered alliances (Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy in 1882).
  • Sought to isolate France to prevent a two-front war for Germany.
  • Established a treaty with Russia.
  • Dismissal by Kaiser Wilhelm II led to the unraveling of the alliance system, ending the Russian alliance and contributing to the creation of the Triple Entente (France, Russia, and Britain), which ultimately contributed to World War I.
• Kaiser Wilhelm II:
  • Pursued aggressive foreign policy (Weltpolitik).
  • Embraced militarism.
  • Dismissed Bismarck.
• Triple Alliance vs. Triple Entente:
  • Created rigid alliance systems.
• Weimar Republic (1919-1933):
  • Formed after WWI defeat.
  • Struggled with uprisings (Spartacists, Freikorps).
  • Burdened by the Treaty of Versailles, imposing heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany, including the loss of the Ruhr Valley.
  • Experienced hyperinflation due to the Treaty of Versailles and territorial losses.
  • Ruhr Crisis.
  • Hyperinflation.
  • Dawes Plan (1924).
    *Great Depression (1929):
  • Crushed Germany's fragile recovery.
  • Boosted extremist parties.
• Rise of the Nazi Party (NSDAP):
  • Exploited economic crisis, anti-Treaty sentiment, and nationalism.
  • Promoted ultranationalism, Anti-Semitism, and the belief in the Aryan Race.
  • Sought Lebensraum (living space) for Germans.
  • Rejected the Treaty of Versailles.
  • Advocated for totalitarianism and used propaganda to manipulate the public.
  • The SA (Sturmabteilung) and SS (Schutzstaffel) were instrumental in enforcing Nazi policies, including the elimination of political opponents.
• Key Documents:
  • 25 Points.
  • Mein Kampf.
• Key Terms:
  • Hyperinflation.
  • Dawes Plan.
  • "Stab in the Back" Myth: Claimed that the German military had not been defeated but instead stabbed in the back by politicians, socialists, and Jews. The Nazis used this narrative to gain support and push for the repeal of the treaty’s terms.
  • Treaty of Versailles.
  • SA (Sturmabteilung).
  • SS (Schutzstaffel).
  • Freikorps.
  • Spartacist Uprising.
  • Ruhr Valley.
  • Beer Hall Putsch.
  • Night of the Long Knives (1934): Was a purge of the SA leadership, including Ernst Röhm, who had become a threat to Hitler’s power. By eliminating the SA and consolidating support from the army, Hitler strengthened his position as dictator. The SS became the primary force for enforcing Nazi policies, and Hitler’s absolute control was further solidified.
  • Enabling Act: Granted Hitler dictatorial powers and effectively dismantled the democratic Weimar Republic.
  • Reichstag Fire: Allowed the Nazis to claim that communists were attempting to destroy the government and justified the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties and allowed the arrest of communist leaders and political opponents. This set the stage for the Enabling Act.
  • Gestapo: Enforced censorship, silencing opposition and creating a climate of fear.
  • Hitler Youth: Indoctrinated children.
  • Nuremberg Laws.
  • Kristallnacht.
  • Aryan Race.
  • Lebensraum.
  • Chancellor.
  • President Hindenburg.
  • Paul von Hindenburg.
  • National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP).
  • Propaganda: Nazis used propaganda to glorify Hitler, promote Anti-Semitism, and instill national pride. Nazi propaganda permeated every aspect of life, from the media to education, ensuring the people were loyal to the regime and its goals.
  • Totalitarianism.
  • Anti-Semitism.
• Essential Questions:
  • Bismarck's alliance system aimed to maintain peace by isolating France after the Franco-Prussian War through alliances like the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and a treaty with Russia. These alliances were designed to prevent a two-front war for Germany. However, after Kaiser Wilhelm II dismissed Bismarck and pursued a more aggressive foreign policy (Weltpolitik), the system began to unravel. The Russian alliance ended, leading to the creation of the Triple Entente (France, Russia, and Britain), which ultimately contributed to the outbreak of World War I.
  • The Treaty of Versailles imposed heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany, including the loss of the Ruhr Valley. This caused hyperinflation and political instability. The Weimar Republic was blamed for accepting the treaty, leading to the "Stab in the Back" Myth. The economic chaos and resentment towards the treaty created fertile ground for extremist parties, especially the Nazi Party (NSDAP), which capitalized on the dissatisfaction of the German public.
  • The Weimar Republic faced constant political instability due to the failure of democratic institutions and frequent uprisings, like the Spartacist Uprising and threats from the Freikorps. Its economic struggles included hyperinflation and the aftermath of the Great Depression in 1929. The reliance on loans through the Dawes Plan and the Treaty of Versailles further weakened the economy. This instability provided an opening for radical movements, most notably the Nazi Party.
  • The Nazi Party (NSDAP) promoted ultranationalism, Anti-Semitism, and the belief in the Aryan Race. They sought Lebensraum (living space) for Germans, rejected the Treaty of Versailles, and promised to rebuild Germany’s power. Unlike other parties, the Nazis advocated for totalitarianism and used propaganda to manipulate the public. The SA (Sturmabteilung) and SS (Schutzstaffel) were instrumental in enforcing Nazi policies, including the elimination of political opponents.
  • The Reichstag Fire of 1933 allowed the Nazis to claim that communists were attempting to destroy the government. This justified the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties and allowed the arrest of communist leaders and political opponents. This set the stage for the Enabling Act, which granted Hitler dictatorial powers and effectively dismantled the democratic Weimar Republic.
  • The Night of the Long Knives (1934) was a purge of the SA leadership, including Ernst Röhm, who had become a threat to Hitler’s power. By eliminating the SA and consolidating support from the army, Hitler strengthened his position as dictator. The SS became the primary force for enforcing Nazi policies, and Hitler’s absolute control was further solidified.
  • Propaganda was used by the Nazis to glorify Hitler, promote Anti-Semitism, and instill national pride. The Gestapo enforced censorship, silencing opposition and creating a climate of fear. The Hitler Youth indoctrinated children, while Nazi propaganda permeated every aspect of life, from the media to education, ensuring the people were loyal to the regime and its goals.
  • The Treaty of Versailles was used by the Nazi Party to rally Germans against the Weimar Republic and the Allies, framing it as a betrayal. The "Stab in the Back" Myth claimed that the German military had not been defeated but instead stabbed in the back by politicians, socialists, and Jews. The Nazis used this narrative to gain support and push for the repeal of the treaty’s terms.
  • The Great Depression devastated the German economy, causing widespread unemployment and poverty. This failure of the Weimar Republic to resolve the economic crisis allowed extremist parties like the NSDAP to exploit public frustration. The Nazis promised jobs, national renewal, and the overturning of the Treaty of Versailles, leading to increased support.
  • The SA, and later the SS, used violence to intimidate, arrest, and murder political opponents. The Reichstag Fire led to the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties and allowed the Nazis to arrest many political opponents. The Night of the Long Knives further eliminated rivals within the Nazi Party itself. The Gestapo maintained a climate of fear, effectively eliminating any threat to Nazi power.

Asia Pre-War (1850s-1941)

• Imperialism in China:
  • Opium Wars, resulting in treaties like the Treaty of Nanjing, which imposed extraterritoriality and opened China to foreign spheres of influence.
  • Treaty of Nanjing.
  • Extraterritoriality.
  • Spheres of influence.
• Self-Strengthening Movement / Boxer Rebellion / Hundred Days' Reform: Failed modernization due to resistance from conservative elements.
• Meiji Restoration (1868-1912):
  • Ended feudalism.
  • Centralized power.
  • Industrialized Japan.
  • Adopted Western military models.
• Japanese Imperialism:
  • First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95).
  • Russo-Japanese War (1904-05).
  • Annexation of Korea.
• Manchuria:
  • Mukden Incident (1931).
  • Manchukuo puppet state.
• Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945):
  • Rape of Nanjing.
  • Scorched earth policies.
• Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere: Justified Japanese dominance.
• Key Terms:
  • Imperialism.
  • Sphere of Influence.
  • Balance of Trade.
  • Trade Deficit.
  • Trade Surplus.
  • Opium Wars.
  • Treaty of Nanjing.
  • Indemnity.
  • Extraterritoriality.
  • Taiping Rebellion.
  • Self-Strengthening Movement.
  • Boxer Uprising.
  • Open Door Policy.
  • Hundred Days of Reform.
  • Sun Yixian (Sun Yat-sen).
  • Three Principles of the People.
  • Meiji Restoration.
  • Treaty of Kanagawa.
  • Diet.
  • Zaibatsu.
  • Ultranationalism.
  • Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.
  • Russo-Japanese War.
  • First Sino-Japanese War.
  • Second Sino-Japanese War.
  • Manchuria/Manchukuo.
  • Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek).
  • Rape of Nanjing.
• Essential Questions:
  • Western imperialism destabilized China through the Opium Wars, resulting in treaties like the Treaty of Nanjing, which imposed extraterritoriality and opened China to foreign spheres of influence. These treaties weakened the Qing Dynasty, causing economic and social unrest, which contributed to rebellions such as the Taiping Rebellion and Boxer Uprising. Efforts like the Self-Strengthening Movement and Hundred Days of Reform failed to modernize China due to resistance from conservative elements.
  • Japan successfully modernized through the Meiji Restoration, which ended feudalism and implemented rapid industrialization and military reform based on Western models. In contrast, China was resistant to change, faced internal instability, and struggled with ineffective reforms, such as the Self-Strengthening Movement and Hundred Days of Reform, which were either too limited or met with strong opposition from conservatives.
  • Japan sought to expand its territory to secure resources and establish itself as a dominant power in Asia. After victories in the First Sino-Japanese War and Russo-Japanese War, Japan annexed Korea and invaded Manchuria following the Mukden Incident. Japan justified its expansion as part of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, claiming to liberate Asia from Western colonialism while pursuing its own imperialist goals.
  • Militarism and ultranationalism shaped Japan’s aggressive foreign policy and led to the invasion of neighboring territories, such as Manchuria and later China in the Second Sino- Japanese War. Domestically, militarism fostered an authoritarian government, where the military had significant political power. Ultranationalism glorified Japan’s destiny to lead Asia, promoting a sense of superiority and leading to brutal campaigns, including the Rape of Nanjing.
  • Qing China resisted Western pressure, leading to military defeats in the Opium Wars and treaties like the Treaty of Nanjing that forced it into unequal trade relations. Japan, on the other hand, embraced Westernization through the Meiji Restoration, rapidly modernizing its military, economy, and government to avoid the fate of China. Japan’s more proactive and flexible approach enabled it to become an imperial power by the early 20th century, while China remained weak and divided.

Russia (1917-1941)

• Russian Revolution (1917): Overthrow of Tsar Nicholas II; Bolshevik (Communist) takeover.
• Lenin and the Bolsheviks:
  • Promised “Peace, Land, and Bread.”
  • Withdrew from WWI (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk).
• Civil War (1918-1921): Red Army (Bolsheviks) vs. White Army (counter-revolutionaries).
• War Communism → NEP (New Economic Policy): NEP allowed limited capitalism to revive the economy.
• Stalin’s Rise:
  • Took power after Lenin.
  • Eliminated rivals (e.g., Trotsky).
  • Built a totalitarian state using propaganda, censorship, and purges.
• Five-Year Plans & Collectivization:
  • Rapid industrialization, forced collective farming, caused famine (esp. in Ukraine).
• Great Purge: Stalin eliminated opposition within the Communist Party and military through executions and labor camps.
• Key Terms:
  • Proletariat.
  • Bourgeoisie.
  • Lenin.
  • Trotsky.
  • Stalin.
  • Communism.
  • Marxism.
  • Soviets.
  • Bolsheviks.
  • Mensheviks.
  • War Communism.
  • New Economic Policy (NEP).
  • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
  • Cheka.
  • USSR.
  • Five-Year Plans: Rapidly industrialized the USSR, focusing on heavy industry but at the cost of consumer goods.
  • Collectivization: Forced peasants to give up their land and work on collective farms. Many resisted and were executed or sent to gulags. Food production declined, causing widespread famine, particularly in Ukraine (Holodomor).
  • Kulaks: Wealthier peasants.
  • Great Purge: Eliminated opposition within the Communist Party, military, and general population, instilling fear and loyalty to Stalin.
  • Gulag: Labor camp system.
  • Propaganda.
  • Censorship.
  • Totalitarianism.
• Essential Questions:
  • The Russian Revolution was caused by dissatisfaction with Tsar Nicholas II’s rule, poor performance in World War I, economic hardship, and demands for reform. Lenin and the Bolsheviks seized power, promising “Peace, Land, and Bread.” Russia exited WWI through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The Civil War followed, resulting in a Bolshevik (Red Army) victory and the creation of a Communist state.
  • Stalin created a totalitarian state using propaganda, censorship, and purges. His Five-Year Plans rapidly industrialized the USSR, focusing on heavy industry, but at the cost of consumer goods. Collectivization of agriculture led to widespread famine, especially during the Ukrainian famine. Political dissent was crushed in the Great Purge, which targeted rivals and perceived enemies.
  • Collectivization forced peasants to give up their land and work on collective farms. Many resisted, especially kulaks (wealthier peasants), and were executed or sent to gulags. Food production declined, causing widespread famine, particularly in Ukraine (Holodomor). Millions died as a result of both famine and repression.
  • Stalin maintained control through propaganda, a cult of personality, secret police (NKVD), widespread censorship, and the Gulag labor camp system. The Great Purge eliminated opposition within the Communist Party, military, and general population, instilling fear and loyalty to Stalin.
  • Lenin’s New Economic Policy (NEP) allowed limited capitalism to rebuild the war-torn economy by encouraging small private businesses and farmers' markets. Stalin’s Five- Year Plans, by contrast, were state-controlled economic policies aimed at rapid industrial growth and agricultural collectivization. The NEP was more flexible and successful in the short term, while Stalin’s policies caused significant human suffering but industrialized the USSR.

World War II (1939-1945)

• Appeasement: Western democracies allowed Hitler to expand (Rhineland, Austria, Sudetenland) in order to avoid another war, due to the trauma of WWI, economic depression, and belief that the Treaty of Versailles had been too harsh. This allowed Hitler to rearm Germany, occupy the Rhineland, annex Austria (Anschluss), and take Sudetenland. However, appeasement failed when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939.
• Invasion of Poland (1939): Germany’s blitzkrieg started WWII; Britain and France declared war.
• Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan.
• Allied Powers: Britain, USSR (after 1941), USA (after Pearl Harbor).
• Blitzkrieg: “Lightning war” – fast, powerful attacks.
• Operation Barbarossa: Germany’s failed invasion of the USSR (1941), breaking the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.
• Pearl Harbor (Dec 7, 1941): Brought the USA into the war.
• Total War: Civilians and economies mobilized for war. Civilians were targeted (e.g., bombing of cities, Holocaust), women worked in factories, and governments controlled production. In the USSR, the USA, and Britain, propaganda and rationing were used to support the war effort. The war affected all aspects of life, not just soldiers on the battlefield.
• D-Day (1944): Allied invasion of France; turning point in the West.
• Hiroshima/Nagasaki: Atomic bombs dropped by the USA to end war with Japan.
• Holocaust: Systematic genocide of Jews and other groups by the Nazis, driven by Nazi ideology, particularly Anti-Semitism. Under the Final Solution, Jews and other minorities were deported to concentration camps and extermination centers like Auschwitz. Approximately 6 million Jews and millions of others were murdered through mass shootings, gas chambers, forced labor, and starvation.
• Key Terms:
  • Appeasement.
  • Blitzkrieg.
  • Winston Churchill.
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt.
  • Adolf Hitler.
  • Joseph Stalin.
  • Hideki Tojo.
  • Battle of Britain.
  • Operation Barbarossa.
  • Pearl Harbor.
  • Battle of Stalingrad: Soviet victory turned the tide in the East.
  • D-Day: Allied invasion of France opened the Western Front.
  • Yalta Conference.
  • Potsdam Conference.
  • United Nations.
  • Holocaust.
  • Final Solution.
  • Concentration Camps.
  • Genocide.
  • Total War.
  • Manhattan Project.
  • Hiroshima.
  • Nagasaki.
  • Nuremberg Trials.
• Essential Questions:
  • Britain and France followed appeasement to avoid another war, due to the trauma of WWI, economic depression, and belief that the Treaty of Versailles had been too harsh. This allowed Hitler to rearm Germany, occupy the Rhineland, annex Austria (Anschluss), and take Sudetenland. However, appeasement failed when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939.
  • In 1939, Hitler and Stalin signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, agreeing not to attack each other and secretly dividing Poland. This gave Hitler the confidence to invade Poland without fear of Soviet intervention. The pact was broken in 1941 when Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa.
  • Total war involved the full mobilization of a country’s population and economy. Civilians were targeted (e.g., bombing of cities, Holocaust), women worked in factories, and governments controlled production. In the USSR, the USA, and Britain, propaganda and rationing were used to support the war effort. The war affected all aspects of life, not just soldiers on the battlefield.
  • In Europe:
    • Battle of Stalingrad (1942–43): Soviet victory turned the tide in the East.
    • D-Day (1944): Allied invasion of France opened the Western Front.
  • In the Pacific:
    • Battle of Midway (1942): U.S. victory stopped Japanese expansion.
    • Island-hopping strategy pushed Japan back.
    • Hiroshima/Nagasaki (1945): Ended the war with Japan.
  • The Holocaust was driven by Nazi ideology, particularly Anti-Semitism. Under the Final Solution, Jews and other minorities were deported to concentration camps and extermination centers like Auschwitz. Approximately 6 million Jews and millions of others were murdered through mass shootings, gas chambers, forced labor, and starvation.