7.1 Shifting Power

7.1 Shifting Power

Qing Dynasty Collapse

• Q: In what ways did the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911 reflect the broader decline of land-based empires in the early 20th century?

  • Struggled to modernize while European powers industrialized

  • Faced internal revolts (e.g., Taiping Rebellion, Boxer Rebellion) similar to Ottoman and Russian challenges

  • Weakened by external pressures (Opium Wars, foreign concessions) like other declining empires

  • Overthrown by revolutionary movements advocating for modernization and republicanism

• Q: How did internal corruption compare to external pressures in leading to the fall of the Qing Dynasty?

  • Internal:

    • Corrupt bureaucracy and inefficient tax collection

    • Famine and economic mismanagement led to widespread discontent

    • Peasant uprisings (Taiping Rebellion, Boxer Rebellion) weakened state authority

  • External:

    • Defeated in Opium Wars; forced into unequal treaties

    • Lost influence and land (e.g., Taiwan to Japan in 1895)

    • Foreign spheres of influence undermined Qing control

Ottoman Empire Collapse

• Q: How did nationalist movements within the Ottoman Empire contribute to its collapse, and how does this compare to other multiethnic empires?

  • Rise of nationalist movements (Arabs, Greeks, Serbs, Armenians) challenged Ottoman rule

  • Similar to Austria-Hungary, where ethnic groups sought independence

  • Weakening central control as regions declared autonomy (e.g., Egypt under Muhammad Ali)

  • Ottoman losses in the Balkans (e.g., Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece gained independence)

• Q: To what extent did the Treaty of Versailles and the Mandate System accelerate the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire?

  • Treaty of Versailles officially dismantled the empire

  • League of Nations Mandate System placed former Ottoman lands under British/French control (e.g., Palestine, Syria, Iraq)

  • Removal of Ottoman sovereignty over key regions led to political instability and future conflicts (e.g., Arab-Israeli tensions)

Russian Revolution

• Q: How did the Russian Revolutions of 1905 and 1917 reflect broader global trends of political instability and ideological shifts?

  • 1905: Growing discontent with monarchy, similar to Mexican & Chinese revolutions

  • 1917: Shift toward communism paralleled global movements toward socialism and anti-imperialism

  • Rising opposition to land-based monarchies seen in other revolutions (e.g., fall of Qing, Ottoman decline)

  • Economic inequality and wartime pressures (WWI) fueled revolutionary sentiment worldwide

• Q: Using evidence from primary sources, how did the ideology of communism alter Russian governance and society following the Bolshevik Revolution?

  • Lenin’s Bolsheviks established a one-party state (end of monarchy & democracy)

  • Nationalized industry and abolished private land ownership

  • Used propaganda and repression (e.g., secret police, censorship) to maintain control

  • Five-Year Plans under Stalin emphasized rapid industrialization at the cost of mass repression (e.g., purges, forced collectivization)

Mexican Revolution

• Q: How did the goals of the Mexican Revolution compare to those of other 20th-century revolutionary movements?

  • Focused on land reform and indigenous rights, unlike Russia’s shift to communism

  • Overthrew dictatorship (Porfirio Díaz) but retained capitalist structure

  • Like China’s later revolution, aimed at reducing foreign influence (e.g., control over oil)

  • Similar to Russian and Chinese Revolutions in opposing social inequality

• Q: In what ways did the Mexican Revolution challenge existing social hierarchies and economic structures?

  • Broke power of large landowners (haciendas) through land redistribution

  • Strengthened rights for peasants and workers (e.g., labor laws in 1917 Constitution)

  • Weakened foreign business control over resources (e.g., nationalization of oil)

  • Political shifts allowed more diverse leadership but inequality persisted in some areas

7.2 Causes of World War I

Imperialist Expansion

• Q: How did imperialist aspirations among European powers escalate tensions that led to World War I?

  • Competition for colonies (esp. Africa & Asia) led to tensions between European powers

  • Germany’s late entry into imperialism created rivalry with Britain & France (e.g., Moroccan Crises)

  • Imperial conflicts (e.g., Boer War, Russo-Japanese War) heightened militarization

  • Economic competition for resources among industrialized nations fueled aggression

• Q: To what extent was imperialist competition the most significant factor in the outbreak of World War I?

  • Imperialism: Created long-term rivalries and resource conflicts

  • Militarism: Arms race (esp. between Britain and Germany) escalated readiness for war

  • Alliances: Turned regional conflicts into global war (Triple Entente vs. Triple Alliance)

  • Nationalism: Fueled desire for war and independence movements (e.g., Serbian nationalism)

Territorial and Regional Conflicts

• Q: How did pre-existing territorial conflicts, such as those in the Balkans, create an unstable political environment that made global conflict more likely?

  • Austria-Hungary and Serbia clashed over influence in the Balkans

  • Pan-Slavism (supported by Russia) increased tensions with Austria-Hungary

  • Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbian nationalist (Gavrilo Princip) led to war declarations

  • Weakening Ottoman control in the Balkans created power struggles

Flawed Alliance System

• Q: How did the alliance system escalate a localized conflict into a global war?

  • Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia → Russia defended Serbia → Germany backed Austria-Hungary

  • Germany invaded Belgium, prompting Britain to enter war

  • Alliances meant that even minor disputes escalated into large-scale conflict

  • Defensive alliances (e.g., Russia-France agreement) ensured widespread war participation

Intense Nationalism

• Q: How did nationalism contribute to the outbreak of World War I, and how does this compare to other instances of nationalist-driven conflict?

  • Encouraged militarism & public enthusiasm for war (e.g., glorification of war in media)

  • Ethnic nationalism fueled conflicts (e.g., Slavic nationalism in Serbia, German unification tensions)

  • Similar to post-WWI independence movements (e.g., Indian National Congress resisting British rule)

  • Comparable to nationalist tensions in WWII (e.g., Nazi Germany’s expansionist policies)

7.3 Conducting World War I

Total War Strategies

• Q: How did WWI represent the first example of total war?

  • Governments controlled economies & labor (e.g., rationing, conscription)

  • Civilian populations targeted (e.g., bombings, blockades)

  • Media used for propaganda to maintain public morale

  • Mobilization of colonial troops (e.g., Indian soldiers for Britain, African troops for France)

• Q: How did political propaganda, media, and art impact public perception of the war?

  • Encouraged enlistment & justified war efforts

  • Demonized enemy nations (e.g., British anti-German posters)

  • Censored negative news to maintain morale

  • Similar to WWII’s use of propaganda (e.g., Nazi, Soviet, and Allied propaganda)

New Military Technology & Casualties

• Q: How did technological advancements lead to increased wartime casualties?

  • Machine guns & trench warfare led to stalemates & high death tolls

  • Chemical warfare (e.g., mustard gas) caused long-term injuries

  • Tanks & airplanes introduced new battle tactics

  • Unrestricted submarine warfare (e.g., U-boats) escalated global conflict

7.4 Economy in the Interwar Period

Government Economic Involvement

• Q: How did governments become more active in economic policies due to the Great Depression?

  • U.S. New Deal (public works, social security, bank regulations)

  • Fascist corporatist economies (state-controlled industry in Italy & Germany)

  • Soviet Five-Year Plans focused on rapid industrialization & collectivization

Repressive Policies in Economic Plans

• Q: How did Stalin’s Five-Year Plans use repressive policies, and what were the consequences?

  • Forced collectivization → widespread famine (e.g., Holodomor in Ukraine)

  • Labor camps (Gulag system) for political dissidents

  • Rapid industrialization but at cost of millions of lives

7.5 Unresolved Tensions after World War I

Shifts in Imperial Control

• Q: How did the Treaty of Versailles and the Mandate System reshape imperial territories?

  • Germany lost colonies, which were transferred to Allied powers under League of Nations mandates

  • Britain & France gained control of former Ottoman lands (e.g., Palestine, Syria, Iraq)

  • Japan expanded influence (e.g., Manchukuo, taking German territories in the Pacific)

Anti-Imperial Resistance

• Q: How did nationalist movements challenge imperial rule after WWI?

  • Indian National Congress led protests against British rule (e.g., Salt March)

  • Egyptian Revolution (1919) challenged British control

  • Chinese nationalist movements opposed Japanese and Western imperialism

7.6 Causes of World War II

Failures of WWI Peace Settlement

• Q: How did the Treaty of Versailles create conditions for WWII?

  • Harsh reparations crippled German economy → resentment

  • Redrew borders, creating ethnic tensions (e.g., Sudetenland crisis)

  • League of Nations lacked enforcement power

Rise of Fascist Regimes

• Q: How did fascist and totalitarian regimes contribute to WWII?

  • Germany (Nazi): Expansionist ideology (Lebensraum), militarization under Hitler

  • Italy (Fascist): Invasion of Ethiopia (1935)

  • Japan (Militarist): Aggression in Manchuria & China

7.7 Conducting World War II

Total War Strategies

• Q: How did WWII expand upon the concept of total war?

  • Even greater civilian mobilization (women in workforce, rationing)

  • Strategic bombing campaigns (e.g., Blitzkrieg, firebombing of Dresden)

  • Propaganda to justify war aims (e.g., U.S. anti-Japanese cartoons)

New Military Technology

• Q: How did WWII military advancements impact warfare and casualties?

  • Atomic bomb (Hiroshima & Nagasaki) led to mass destruction & Japanese surrender

  • Firebombing (e.g., Tokyo, Dresden) killed hundreds of thousands

  • Blitzkrieg tactics revolutionized land warfare

7.8 Mass Atrocities

Genocides & Ethnic Cleansing

• Q: How did extremist ideologies lead to mass atrocities during and after WWI?

  • Holocaust: Nazi persecution & extermination of Jews, Romani, others

  • Armenian Genocide: Ottoman mass killing of Armenians (1915)

  • Japanese atrocities: Nanjing Massacre (1937)

7.9 Causation in Global Conflict

Impact of Science & Technology

• Q: How did scientific advancements alter the understanding of war and society in the 20th century?

  • Communication: Radio, radar improved military coordination

  • Medicine: Penicillin reduced battlefield deaths

  • Agriculture: Green Revolution increased food production