Causes of Conflict and Global Power

Vocabulary

• Alliance – An agreement between nations to support one another.

• Militarism – The belief in building up a strong military to prepare for war.

• Imperialism – A policy of extending a country's power through colonization or conquest.

• Nationalism – Pride in one’s nation, sometimes to the detriment of others.

• Armistice – An agreement to stop fighting, often before a peace treaty.

• Totalitarianism – A form of government where the state holds total authority.

• Genocide – The deliberate extermination of a national, racial, or cultural group.

• Disarmament-The act of reducing or eliminating military weapons and forces, often to promote peace or avoid conflict.

• Appeasement-Giving in to the demands of an aggressive country or leader in order to avoid conflict.

• Isolationism – A policy of staying out of foreign affairs or conflicts.

• Interventionism – A policy of becoming involved in the affairs of other nations.

• Containment – U.S. policy during the Cold War to stop the spread of communism.

• Domino Theory – The belief that if one nation falls to communism, others will follow.

• Preemptive Strike – A military attack launched to prevent an imminent threat.

• Nation Building – Efforts by a foreign power to help reconstruct government and society.

• Peacekeeping – Efforts by international forces to maintain peace in conflict areas.

• Propaganda – Information used to promote a political cause or point of view.

• Censorship – The suppression of information that is considered harmful or inconvenient.

• Misinformation – False or inaccurate information spread unintentionally.

• Disinformation – Deliberately misleading or biased information.

• Media Bias – When news sources favor one side or perspective.

• Psychological Warfare – Using fear, propaganda, or threats to demoralize the enemy.

• Cold War – A period of political and military tension between the U.S. and USSR.

• Terrorism – The use of violence to achieve political goals.

• Patriotism – Love for and loyalty to one’s country.

The General Causes of War (Mnemonic: MANIA + RICE)

• 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.

• Resources – Competing over oil, water, land.

• Ideology – Beliefs like democracy vs. communism.

• Colonial Tensions – Revolts, independence movements.

• Economics – Trade disputes, depressions, debt

Propaganda

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

• Misinformation: False info shared by mistake.

• Disinformation: False info shared on purpose.

Why Are These Tools Used In War?

• To gain public support

• To demonize the enemy

• To boost morale

• To influence other countries

World War 1

• Global conflict from 1914 to 1918.

• Began after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

• Major causes: alliances, nationalism, militarism, and imperial rivalries.

• Ended with the Treaty of Versailles, which blamed Germany.

WWI War Timeline

• 1914: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand & Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia & Trench Warfare Begins on the Western Front

• 1917: The United States Enters the War

• 1918: Armistice is Signed-Fighting Ends WWI

The Spark and The Powder Keg: Causes of World War 1

• M.A.N.I.A.

  • Militarism – Germany built up its navy to rival Britain’s.

  • Alliances – Triple Entente (France, Britain, Russia) vs. Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy).

  • Nationalism – Slavic nationalism in the Balkans; France wanted Alsace-Lorraine back.

  • Imperialism – European nations competed fiercely for colonies.

  • Assassination – Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

• R.I.C.E.

  • Resources – Germany and Britain competed for oil.

  • Ideas – “Social Darwinism”.

  • Conflict – Previous wars left tensions unresolved; Balkan Wars increased instability.

  • Emotions – Fear, national pride, hatred stoked by propaganda.

Propaganda & Censorship

• Propaganda: Britain’s “Lord Kitchener Wants YOU”; Germany portrayed Russians as barbaric;

• U.S. posters showed German soldiers attacking civilians.

• Censorship: Britain banned reporting on trench conditions; soldiers’ letters were edited.

Treaty of Versailles (1919):

• Germany had to accept full blame for the war

• Forced to pay huge reparations and lost colonies.

• Military restrictions angered Germans.

• New Nations Created: Austria-Hungary and Ottoman.

From WWI to WWII – A Chain Reaction

• Militarism Returns– Hitler rebuilt the German army despite the treaty.

• Alliances – Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) formed to oppose the Allies.

• Nationalism – Hitler promoted German superiority and blamed others for their defeat.

• Imperialism – Japan invaded Manchuria (1931); Germany took over Austria and Czechoslovakia.

• Ideas (R.I.C.E.) – Fascism promoted war and conquest as good; propaganda portrayed enemies as evil.

• Emotions (R.I.C.E.) – Fear, revenge, and pride were used by Hitler and Mussolini to justify war.

World War 2

• Global conflict from 1939 to 1945.

• Began when Germany invaded Poland.

• Driven by fascism, expansionism, and anger over the Treaty of Versailles.

WWII War 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

Old Wounds and New Ambitions: Causes of World War II

• M.A.N.I.A

  • Militarism – Germany rebuilt its military; Japan and Italy expanded their armed forces.

  • Alliances – Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) vs. Allied Powers (Britain, France, USSR, U.S.).

  • Nationalism – Nazi Germany promoted Aryan superiority; Japan embraced national expansion.

  • Imperialism – Germany annexed Austria and invaded Czechoslovakia; Japan invaded Manchuria and China; Italy invaded Ethiopia.

  • Appeasement – World leaders tried to appease Hitler (e.g., Munich Agreement, 1938

• R.I.C.E.

  • Resources – Japan needed oil and raw materials.

  • Ideas – Fascism, militarism, racism, anti-Semitism; Nazi ideology blamed Jews and communists.

  • Conflict – Resentment over the Treaty of Versailles.

  • Emotions – Fear, hatred, revenge, and desperation from the Great Depression.

Propaganda & Censorship – Controlling Minds During WWII

• Propaganda:

  • Nazi Germany used posters, films, and youth programs to promote Hitler.

  • The U.S. created posters like “Loose Lips Sink Ships”.

  • Japan promoted the emperor as divine and used cartoons to spread anti-American sentiment.

• Censorship:

  • Nazi Germany burned books and jailed journalists.

  • The U.S. controlled media reports from the front lines and censored images of dead soldiers.

The Aftermath: WWII Reshapes The World

• Germany and Japan Defeated

• The Holocaust Revealed

• United Nations Formed

• Atomic Age Begins

WWII's Legacy: From Global War to Cold War

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

• Alliances – NATO vs. Warsaw Pact defined the Cold War divide.

• Ideas – Democracy vs. Communism replaced fascism as the world’s ideological battle.

• Conflict/Emotions (R.I.C.E.) – Distrust, fear, and competition led to decades of Cold War tension.

• Colonialism Crumbles – Many colonies gained independence after the war (India, parts of Africa).

Cold War

• Period of political tension and rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union (1945-1991).

• Competed through military build-up, nuclear arms races, space exploration, spy missions, and influence over other countries.

• Ended when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

Cold War Timeline

• 1948-1949: Berlin Airlift

• 1950-1953: Korean War

• 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis

• 1957-1969: Space Race

• 1989-1991: Fall of the Berlin Wall & Collapse of the Soviet Union

A New Kind of Conflict-Causes of the Cold War

• M.A.N.I.A

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

  • Alliances – NATO (U.S. and Western allies) vs. Warsaw Pact (Soviet Union and Eastern Europe).

  • Nationalism – Both sides believed their way of life (democracy vs. communism) 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, Afghanistan, and Vietnam were battles for influence.

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

Propaganda & Censorship -The Battle for Belief

• Propaganda: U.S. promoted American freedom and the dangers of communism; USSR portrayed Americans as greedy capitalists.

• Censorship: The Soviet government banned Western books; the U.S. created loyalty programs and blacklisted suspected communists.

The Aftermath: The Cold War Ends-A World Transformed

• Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)

• Soviet Union Dissolves (1991)

• U.S. Becomes Sole Superpower

• Global Impact

The Road to Vietnam – The 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 between communist North Vietnam (supported by the Soviet Union and China) and non-communist South*

• Vietnam (backed by the United States).

• The U.S. withdrew its forces in 1973, and in 1975, North Vietnam took over the South.

Vietnam War Timeline

• 1965: Gulf of Tonkin Incident

• 1965-1968: Operation Rolling Thunder

• 1968: Tet Offensive

• 1969: Vietnamization Begins

• AaQ 1975: Fall of Saigon

One Nation Divided, A World Pulled - Causes of The Vietnam War

• 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 for independence and unification.

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

  • Assassination – The 1963 U.S.-backed assassination 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: Winning Hearts, Hiding Truths

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

• Censorship: Shocking images and reports turned public opinion.

The Aftermath: Consequences at Home and Abroad

• Vietnamization

• Paris Peace Accords

• Fall of Saigon (1975)

• U.S. Loss and Reflection

• Vietnam Reunified Under Communism

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 to remove the Taliban and find Osama bin Laden, and later invaded Iraq in 2003.

War on Terror Timeline

• 2001: September 11 Attacks & U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

• 2003: U.S. Invasion of Iraq

• 2011: Death of Osama bin Laden

• 2021: Withdrawal from Afghanistan

One Attack. Two Wars. Twenty Years: Causes of the War on Terror

• M.A.N.I.A

  • Militarism – The U.S. rapidly expanded military operations in the Middle East.

  • 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.

• R.I.C.E

  • Resources – Oil-rich regions and strategic locations became key interests.

  • Ideas – Democracy vs. extremism; freedom vs. fear.

  • Conflict – Years of tension, U.S. involvement in the Middle East, and unresolved regional issues 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 Doubt and Division

• Propaganda: U.S. leaders used phrases like “Axis of Evil”.

• Censorship: Reports on torture and civilian deaths began to change public opinion.

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?

• Homeland Security Created

• New Laws & Debates

• Public Trust & Division

• Global View of the U.S. Changed

• Future Conflict Model