Causes of Conflict and Global Power

Causes of Conflict and Global Power

• Major causes for war.

Vocabulary

• Alliance: Agreement between nations to support one another.

• Militarism: Building up a strong military to prepare for war.

• Imperialism: Extending a country's power through colonization.

• Nationalism: Pride in one’s nation.

• Armistice: Agreement to stop fighting before a peace treaty.

• Totalitarianism: Government where the state holds total authority.

• Genocide: Deliberate extermination of a group.

• Disarmament: Reducing or eliminating military weapons and forces.

• Appeasement: Giving in to demands to avoid conflict.

• Isolationism: Staying out of foreign affairs.

• Interventionism: Becoming involved in other nations' affairs.

• Containment: U.S. policy to stop the spread of communism.

• Domino Theory: Belief that if one nation falls to communism, others will follow.

• Preemptive Strike: Military attack to prevent a threat.

• Nation Building: Efforts to reconstruct government and society.

• Peacekeeping: Efforts to maintain peace in conflict areas.

• Propaganda: Information used to promote a cause.

• Censorship: Suppression of information.

• Misinformation: False information spread unintentionally.

• Disinformation: Deliberately misleading information.

• Media Bias: News sources favoring one side.

• Psychological Warfare: Using fear to demoralize the enemy.

• Cold War: Tension between the U.S. and USSR.

• Terrorism: Violence to achieve political goals.

• Patriotism: Love for one’s country.

General Causes of War (M.A.N.I.A + R.I.C.E)

• M.A.N.I.A

  • Militarism: Building up strong military forces.

  • Alliances: Agreements between countries.

  • Nationalism: Pride in one's nation.

  • Imperialism: Expanding power through land/resources.

  • Assassination: Spark or trigger event.

• R.I.C.E.

  • Resources: Competing over resources.

  • Ideology: Beliefs like democracy vs. communism.

  • Colonial Tensions: Revolts, independence movements.

  • Economics: Trade disputes, depressions, debt.

• These causes often overlap.

Conflict and Peace

• Unfair peace treaties can create future conflict.

• Power shifts and broken alliances create instability.

• Revenge and unresolved issues cause new conflict.

Propaganda

• Definition: Information used to influence opinions, often biased or misleading.

• Misinformation: False info shared by mistake.

• Disinformation: False info shared on purpose.

Why Use Propaganda?

• To gain public support.

• To demonize the enemy.

• To boost morale.

• To influence other countries.

World War I

• 1914-1918: Global conflict.

• Trigger: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

• Major powers involved: Britain, France, Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary.

• 1917: The United States joins the Allies.

• 1918: Armistice is signed.

• Treaty of Versailles: Blamed and punished Germany, leading to future conflict.

World War I Timeline

• 1914: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

• 1914: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.

• 1914-1918: Trench Warfare on the Western Front.

• 1917: The United States enters the war.

• 1918: Armistice is signed.

World War I Causes (M.A.N.I.A. + R.I.C.E.)

• M.A.N.I.A.

  • Militarism: Germany's naval buildup.

  • Alliances: Triple Entente vs. Triple Alliance.

  • Nationalism: Slavic nationalism in the Balkans.

  • Imperialism: Competition for colonies.

  • Assassination: Gavrilo Princip kills Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

• R.I.C.E.

  • Resources: Competition for oil and raw materials.

  • Ideas: "Social Darwinism".

  • Conflict: Franco-Prussian War tensions.

  • Emotions: Fear, national pride, propaganda.

Propaganda & Censorship in World War I

• Propaganda

  • Britain's "Lord Kitchener Wants YOU".

  • Germany portrayed Russians as barbaric.

  • U.S. posters stirred outrage.

• Censorship

  • Britain banned reporting on trench conditions.

  • Soldiers’ letters were edited.

Treaty of Versailles (1919)

• Germany accepted full blame.

• Germany paid huge reparations and lost colonies.

• Military restrictions angered Germans.

• New nations created; Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empires broken up.

• Global discontent: Italy, Japan, and Russia felt ignored.

Chain Reaction from World War I to World War II

• Militarism Returns: Hitler rebuilt the German army.

• Alliances: Axis Powers formed.

• Nationalism: Hitler promoted German superiority.

• Imperialism: Japan and Germany expanded.

• Ideas: Fascism; Propaganda portrayed enemies as evil.

• Emotions: Fear, revenge, and pride used to justify war.

World War II

• Global conflict from 1939 to 1945.

• Began with Germany invading Poland.

• Axis Powers vs. Allied Powers.

• Included the Holocaust, new technology, and atomic bombs.

• The United States entered the war in 1941 after Pearl Harbor.

• Ended in 1945 with the defeat of the Axis powers.

• Led to the creation of the United Nations and the Cold War.

World War II Timeline

• 1939: Germany invades Poland.

• 1941: Pearl Harbor attack.

• 1944: D-Day Invasion.

• 1941-1945: The Holocaust.

• 1945: Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

World War II Causes (M.A.N.I.A. + R.I.C.E.)

• M.A.N.I.A.

  • Militarism: Germany, Japan, and Italy expanded militaries.

  • Alliances: Axis vs. Allied Powers.

  • Nationalism: Nazi Germany and Japanese expansion.

  • Imperialism: Germany, Japan, and Italy invaded other countries.

  • Appeasement: World leaders tried to appease Hitler.

• R.I.C.E.

  • Resources: Japan needed oil.

  • Ideas: Fascism, militarism, racism, anti-Semitism.

  • Conflict: Resentment over the Treaty of Versailles.

  • Emotions: Fear, hatred, revenge.

Propaganda & Censorship in World War II

• Propaganda:

  • Nazi Germany used posters, films, and youth programs.

  • The U.S. created posters and used Rosie the Riveter.

  • Japan promoted the emperor as divine.

• Censorship:

  • Nazi Germany burned books and jailed journalists.

  • The U.S. controlled media reports and censored images.

Aftermath of World War II

• Germany and Japan defeated.

• The Holocaust revealed, leading to war crime trials and the formation of Israel.

• The United Nations formed to prevent future wars.

• The Atomic Age begins.

Legacy of World War II: From Global War to Cold War

• Militarism: The U.S. and USSR began a new arms race.

• Alliances: NATO vs. Warsaw Pact.

• Ideas: Democracy vs. Communism.

• Conflict/Emotions: Distrust, fear, and competition led to decades of Cold War tension.

• Colonialism Crumbles: Many colonies gained independence.

Cold War

• 1945-1991: Political tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

• Competition through military build-up, nuclear arms races, space exploration, and spy missions.

• U.S. promoted democracy and capitalism; Soviet Union spread communism.

• Conflicts: Korean War, Vietnam War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

• Ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Cold War Timeline

• 1948-1949: Berlin Airlift

• 1950-1953: Korean War

• 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis

• 1957-1969: Space Race

• 1989: Fall of the Berlin Wall

• 1991: Collapse of the Soviet Union

Causes of the Cold War (M.A.N.I.A. + R.I.C.E.)

• M.A.N.I.A.

  • Militarism: The U.S. and USSR built up massive armies and developed nuclear weapons.

  • Alliances: NATO vs. Warsaw Pact.

  • Nationalism: Both sides believed their way of life was superior.

  • Imperialism(Influence): Instead of land conquest, the U.S. and USSR tried to control other nations through ideology and aid.

  • Arms Race: A race to build powerful weapons, including nuclear bombs.

• R.I.C.E.

  • Resources: The U.S. and USSR competed for global influence and economic control.

  • Ideas: Democracy and capitalism (U.S.) vs. communism and state control (USSR).

  • Conflict: Proxy wars like Korea, Afganistán, and Vietnam were battles for influence.

  • Emotions: Fear of nuclear war, hatred of the enemy, pride in national power.

Propaganda & Censorship during the Cold War

• Propaganda

  • The U.S. promoted American freedom and the dangers of communism.

  • The USSR portrayed Americans as greedy capitalists and glorified communism.

• Censorship

  • The Soviet government banned Western books, music, and media.

  • The U.S. created loyalty programs and blacklisted suspected communists.

Aftermath of the Cold War

• The Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)

• The Soviet Union Dissolves (1991)

• The U.S. Becomes Sole Superpower

• Global Impact

The Road to Vietnam: Cold War Turns Violent

*containment Becomes Policy.
*Domino Theory Grows.
*Vietnam Divided.
*Proxy War Begins.
*U.S. Escalation.

Vietnam War

• Conflict from the 1950s to the 1970s.

• North Vietnam (communist) vs. South Vietnam (non-communist).

• The U.S. involved to stop the spread of communism.

• U.S. withdrew in 1973; North Vietnam took over in 1975.

Vietnam War Timeline

• 1965: Gulf of Tonkin Incident

• 1965-1968: Operation Rolling Thunder

• 1968: Tet Offensive

• 1969: Vietnamization Begins

• 1975: Fall of Saigon

One Nation Divided, A World Pulled; Causes of the Vietnam War (M.A.N.I.A. + R.I.C.E.)

• M.A.N.I.A.

  • Militarism: The U.S. rapidly expanded its military presence in Southeast Asia to fight communism.

  • Alliances: The U.S. supported South Vietnam; the USSR and China supported North Vietnam.

  • Nationalism: Vietnamese leaders on both sides claimed to fight independence and unification.

  • Imperialism: Vietnam had been under French colonial rule; both sides wanted control over its future.

  • Assassination: The 1963 U.S-backed assinanation of South Vietnam’s President Diem deepened instability and U.S. commitment.

• R.I.C.E.

  • Resources: While not a major goal, Vietnam’s location was strategic for controlling Southeast Asia.

  • Ideas: Communism vs. Democracy: The U.S. wanted to stop the spread of communism(containment).

  • Conflict:The Cold War’s global tension exploded in Vietnam, a key battleground in the ideological war.

  • Emotions: Fear of communism, pride in American Power, and the Vietnamese people’s desire for independence all fueled the fight.

Propaganda & Censorship in the Vietnam War

• Propaganda: The U.S. government promoted the war as a fight for freedom and democracy.

• Censorship: Shocking images and reports turned public opinion.

From Vietnam to the War on Terror

• Distrust of Government Grows.

• Caution vs. Action.

• Shift in Strategy.

• Media Power Expands.

The War on Terror

• Began after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

• The U.S. launched military action in Afghanistan and invaded Iraq.

• The War on Terror led to long wars, new security policies, and global efforts to fight terrorism.

War on Terror Timeline

• 2001: September 11 Attacks

• 2001: U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

• 2003: U.S. Invasion of Iraq

• 2011: Death of Osama bin Laden

• 2021: Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Causes of the war on Terror (M.A.N.I.A. + R.I.C.E.)

• M.A.N.I.A.

  • Militarism: The U.S. rapidly expanded military operations in the Middle East and built long-term bases in Afghanistan and Iraq.

  • Alliances:The U.S. formed coalitions and worked with allies worldwide in the fight against terrorism.

  • Nationalism: 9/11 sparked a wave of American unity and patriotic support for action.

  • Ideology : The U.S. promoted democracy and freedom; terrorist groups promoted extremist religious and anti- Western views.

  • Attack: The 9/11 attacks were the spark, killing nearly 3,000 people and directly leading to U.S military response.

• R.I.C.E.

  • Resources: Oil-rich regions and strategic location became key interests for U.S Presence in the Middle East.

  • Ideas: Democracy bs extremism; freedom vs. fear; some argued U.S foreign policy fed resement.

  • Conflict: Years of tension, U.S involvement in the Middle East, and unresolved regional isses fueled terrorism.

  • Emotions: Fear, anger, and a desire for justice after 9/11 drove U.S Action, while many in the Middle East felt resentment and rage toward American intervention.

Propaganda and Censorship: Fear and Anger Turn into Division

• Propaganda: U.S. leaders used phrases like “Axis of Evil” and “Weapons of Mass Destruction" to build support for war in Iraq.

• Censorship: As wars dragged on, coverage shifted and deaths began to shape public opnion.

The Aftermath- Ongoing Consequences of the War on Terror

*Osama bin Laden Killed(2011).
*U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq(2011) and Afghanistan(2021).
*Rise of New Threats.
*Veterans and Mental Health.
*Massive Costs.

Where Do We Stand Now?

• Global conflict hasn’t disappeared.

• The U.S. and other nations still face threats from terrorist groups and tensions with countries like Russia, China, and Iran.

• New forms of conflict: cyberattacks, disinformation, and proxy wars.