World History Semester 2 Final Review Notes

European Imperialism (Late 19th - Early 20th Centuries)

  • Primary Motivation: Acquire raw materials and establish markets for manufactured goods.
  • Justification: "Civilize" and modernize local populations.
  • Social Darwinism: Justified colonization and exploitation of African and Asian territories.
  • Ideology: Racial superiority and dominance.
  • Berlin Conference: Marked the official division of Africa among European powers.
  • Impact of Berlin Conference: Artificial borders disregarding ethnic and cultural divisions.
  • Leader of Independence Movements: Mohandas Gandhi.

Armenian Genocide

  • Victims: Armenian men, women, and children.
  • Ottoman Empire's Intention: Systematically eliminate the Armenian population as part of ethnic cleansing.
  • Methods Used: Forced migration, death marches, mass executions, and starvation.
  • UN Definition of Genocide: It was a systematic attempt by the Ottoman Empire to exterminate the Armenian population.
  • Hitler's Reference: Implied that genocides can be ignored or forgotten over time.

Causes of World War I (M.A.I.N.)

  • Nationalism: Intense pride and loyalty toward one's country, leading to conflict.
  • Militarism: Maintaining a strong military and being prepared to use it aggressively.
  • Alliances: Complex webs of agreements to support one another in case of conflict.
  • Imperialism: Competition for colonies and global influence.

World War I

  • Resources and Soldiers: Drawn from Africa and South Asia.
  • Colonial Support: Provided raw materials, labor, and soldiers to the war effort.
  • Trench Warfare: Characterized by deep ditches and prolonged stalemates.
  • US Entry Impact: Provided fresh troops and resources, boosting the morale and strength of the Allies.

Russian Revolution

  • Bolshevik Revolution Impact: The end of Russian involvement in World War I.
  • Beginning of Communist Control: The Bolshevik Revolution.
  • Leader of Bolshevik Revolution: Vladimir Lenin.
  • Influence on WWI Outcome: Russia withdrew from the war, allowing Germany to concentrate its forces on the Western Front.

Treaty of Versailles

  • Economic Impact on Germany: Severe inflation and massive debt due to reparations.
  • Political Climate in Germany: Nationalist and extremist movements gained support.
  • Changes to European Borders: New nations were created in the east based on ethnic and national lines.

League of Nations

  • Ineffectiveness: Lacked a standing military force and key nations like the U.S were not members.
  • Response to Japan's Invasion of Manchuria: Verbal condemnation without enforcement actions.

Japan's Expansion

  • Beginning: The invasion of Manchuria (1931).
  • Main Goal: To dominate East Asia and secure natural resources.

Italy's Expansion

  • Major Conflict: The invasion of Ethiopia in 1935.
  • League of Nations Reaction: Weak economic sanctions that were largely ineffective.
  • Main Goal: To restore the glory of Ancient Rome.

Germany's Expansion

  • Beginning: The Annexation of Austria (Anschluss).
  • League of Nations Response: Economic sanctions and verbal condemnations.
  • Policy of Appeasement: Conceding to aggression in order to avoid conflict.
  • Primary Goal: To reclaim lost territories and expand eastward into Europe.

Rise of Totalitarian Regimes

  • Disillusionment After WWI: Created skepticism towards democratic institutions and support for authoritarian solutions.

The Holocaust

  • Nazi Government's Intention: To systematically eliminate entire populations they considered "undesirable".
  • The Final Solution: Nazi Germany's plan to systematically exterminate the Jewish population.
  • Methods Used: Forced labor camps, mass shootings, and gas chambers.
  • Targeted Groups: Jewish people, Roma, disabled individuals, political opponents, and more.
  • UN Definition of Genocide: It involved the systematic attempt to exterminate the Jewish population.

World War II

  • Human Costs: High, due to bombings, massacres, and forced labor.
  • Winston Churchill: Became an iconic symbol of resistance and national unity.
  • Emergence of Superpowers: The United States and the Soviet Union emerged as superpowers after World War II due to strong economic recovery and military strength.

Post-WWII Conferences and Plans

  • Yalta Conference: The division of Germany into occupation zones controlled by Allied forces.
  • Marshall Plan: Accelerated economic recovery and growth in Western Europe.

United Nations Genocide Convention

  • Primary Goal: To criminalize acts of genocide and prevent future atrocities.
  • Definition of Genocide: The deliberate extermination of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.

Soviet Union

  • Five-Year Plans:
    • Severe famine in Ukraine known as the Holodomor, resulting from forced collectivization.
    • The Intention of the soviet government during the Holodomor was to suppress Ukrainian nationalism and control grain production.
    • Methods used by the Soviet government during the Holodomor were seized grain and food supplies and hid census statistics.
    • Primary targets of the Holodomor were Ukrainian farmers and rural populations.
    • Significant growth was seen in heavy industry, like steel and coal production.

China's Cultural Revolution

  • Targeted Group: Intellectuals, teachers, and counterrevolutionaries.
  • Consequences:
    • Destruction of artifacts and traditional Chinese culture.
    • Long-term effects included distrust towards intellectuals and a decline in education for a generation.

Zionist Movement

  • Global Support: Accelerated by World War II and the Holocaust.
  • Definition: Advocates for the re-establishment of a Jewish homeland in the historic Land of Israel.

United Nations Partition Plan of 1947

  • Global Organization: United Nations proposed the division of land between Jewish and Arab communities.
  • Main Objective: To establish two independent nations, one Jewish and one Arab.
  • Major Consequence: Ongoing regional conflict and disputes over land and sovereignty.

Cold War

  • U.S. Intervention in Latin America: Aimed at preventing communist influence.
  • U.S. Support for Military Coups: Led to widespread human rights violations and political oppression.
  • Command Economy Contribution to the Fall of the Soviet Union: Struggled to meet consumer needs and promote efficient production.
  • Military Conflict Impacting the Soviet Union: Drained Soviet resources and weakened its political stability in the Soviet-Afghan War.

Other Items

  • Hitler's Justification: The systematic genocide of Jewish people during the Holocaust.
  • Marshall Plan Impact: Accelerated economic recovery and growth in Western Europe.

True/False Statements:

  • Berlin Conference: True - Allowed European nations to claim African territory without consideration for indigenous populations.
  • Social Darwinism: True - Was used to justify European imperialism by suggesting that stronger nations were naturally superior and destined to dominate weaker ones.
  • M.A.I.N. Causes of WWI: True - Fueled the war and contributed to tension and rivalry among European powers for decades before the conflict started.
  • Colonial Populations in WWI: True - Were heavily involved in providing raw materials, soldiers, and labor to European powers during World War I, rather than participating in political negotiations.
  • Russian Revolution and WWI: True - Forced Russia to exit World War I, which allowed Germany to shift its military strength to the Western Front.
  • Bolshevik Revolution of 1917: True - Led to the overthrow of the Russian monarchy and the establishment of the first communist government.
  • Post-WWI Eastern Europe: True - The map was redrawn, leading to the creation of several new nations that reflected ethnic and cultural divisions.
  • Stalin's Five-Year Plans: True - Prioritized rapid industrial growth and the strengthening of heavy industries over consumer goods.
  • Winston Churchill: True - His leadership and speeches during the Battle of Britain were crucial in maintaining British morale and resistance against Nazi attacks.
  • Yalta Conference: True - Brought together Allied leaders to plan the defeat of Nazi Germany and discuss the political future of Europe after World War II.
  • The United Nations: True - Was established after World War II with the goal of promoting peace, cooperation, and preventing future wars, replacing the League of Nations which had failed to stop global conflicts.
  • The Holocaust and UN Genocide Convention: True - The horrors of the Holocaust prompted global leaders to create the United Nations Genocide Convention, aimed at preventing mass atrocities and protecting human rights.
  • United Nations Partition Plan of 1947: True - Aimed to peacefully divide territory into separate Jewish and Arab states to address regional conflicts.
  • U.S. and Soviet Influence: True - To counter Soviet influence during the Cold War, the United States often backed authoritarian regimes in various parts of the world, prioritizing anti-communism over democratic values.
  • Authoritarian Regimes: True - The United States supported certain authoritarian regimes during the Cold War primarily to counter Soviet influence, even if those regimes did not support democratic principles.
  • Cultural Revolution Artifacts: True - During the Cultural Revolution, many historical artifacts, temples, and cultural landmarks in China were destroyed or severely damaged.

Fill-in-the-Blank

  1. Social Darwinism is based on the idea of "survival of the fittest," suggesting that stronger societies would naturally dominate weaker ones.
  2. The "Lost" Generation expressed deep disillusionment after World War I, reflecting skepticism and loss that opened the door for extremist ideologies in Europe.
  3. The main goal of Stalin's Five-Year Plans was to rapidly "industrialize" the Soviet economy through centralized government control.
  4. At the "Yalta" Conference in 1945, Allied leaders planned the final defeat of Germany and the future of postwar Europe.
  5. The "Marshall" Plan provided over 1212 billion in aid to help rebuild Western European economies after World War II.
  6. The rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II is known as the Cold War.
  7. The term "Iron" Curtain was used to describe the division between Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe and the democratic West.

Timeline

  • Late 1800s–Early 1900s: Berlin Conference, imperialism, Social Darwinism
  • 1914–1918: World War I
  • 1917: Russian (Bolshevik) Revolution
  • 1919–1930s: Post-WWI redrawing of borders, Stalin’s Five-Year Plans
  • 1939–1945: World War II
  • 1945: Yalta Conference, end of WWII, beginning of Cold War
  • Late 1940s–1991: Cold War
  • 1947: United Nations Partition Plan
  • 1966–1976: Cultural Revolution in China