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WWI & Inter War Years

 

 

Vocabulary: 
 
Abdicate- to formally give up control of a country or state 
Alliances- teaming up with people/countries to fight together
Anti-Semitism- hatred of Jews 
Armistice- agreement
Autocratic- ruled with unlimited power
 
Bolsheviks- a radical revolutionary group who were willing to sacrifice everything for change. 
 
Central Powers- Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Ottoman Empire
Collectivization- a system in which private farms are eliminated and peasants work land owned by the government 
Credit- buying something with barrowed money 
Czar/Tsar- Russian emperor 
 
Emperor Hirohito- is in charge of Japan in the Interwar Year period. His goals for Japan was to expand their land and become more technologically advanced. Japan took over China.  They enter villages, raping and killing innocent Chinese citizens.  This was known as the "Rape of Nanking." (see packet about Japan--"Emperor Heaven") 
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Fascism- a political philosophy that glorifies the state above the individual by emphasizing the need for a strong central government led by a dictatorial ruler
 
Ghetto- formerly a district in a city in which Jews were required to live 
Great Depression- economic decline (1929-39) with mass unemployment and worldwide poverty (Great Britain, Germany, and U.S.) People are losing jobs-extremely poor, food shortages, money has little to no value
Gulags- were the prison camps that Stalin set up in the Soviet Union   
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Hammer and Sickle- supposed to show unity between working class and peasants; hammer=working class, sickle=peasants; outsiders may have found it threatening  
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Imperialism- the extension of a nation's power over other lands
Import- product bought from another country 
Investment- money spent with hopes of future profits 
 
Kaiser- German word for king
Kulaks- a peasant in Russia wealthy enough to own a farm and hire labor. Emerging after the emancipation of serfs in the 19th century, the kulaks resisted Stalin's forced collectivization, but millions were arrested, exiled, or killed.
 
Maginot Line- a zone of heavy defensive fortifications erected by 
France along its eastern border in the years preceding World War II, 
but outflanked in 1940 when the German army attacked through 
Belgium. France avoided conflict with Germany by setting up the Maginot Line to prevent any future attacks  
Militarism- the reliance on military strength
 
Nationalism- the unique cultural identity of a people based on common language, religion, and national symbols
 
Pan Slavic Movement- led by Serbia, goal was to unite the Southern European Slavs into one Slavic nation
Profit- money earned from business dealings 
Propaganda- ideas spread to influence public opinion for or against a cause -- sending messages through TV, radio, papers, etc. 
 
Reconnaissance- examination of an area to gather information
Reparations- a payment made to the victor by the vanquished to cover the cost of war. 
Romanovs- autocratic rule with unlimited power oppressive rule 
 
Shell Shock- mental problems could be fear and noise of war (live in a state of fear)
Soviet- Russian councils composed of representatives from the workers and soldiers 
Stalemate- a situation where no progress is made
Statistic- numerical data
Stock- shares of ownership in a business
 
The Red Baron- pilot from Germany that had over 80 kills
Totalitarian State- a government that aims to control the political, economic, social, intellectual, and cultural lives of its citizens 
Triple Alliance- Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy 
Triple Entente- Russia, France, and Britain ​
 
Unemployment- percentage of people without jobs
 
Weimar Republic- After WWI the Allies replace Germany's kaiser with a democratic government 

Other Facts:

* The U.S. entered the war in April 6, 1917.  

* The President of the United States during the war was Woodrow Wilson. 

* The war ended on November 11th on the 11th hour in 1918. 

* Germany takes guilt for the war.

 

* Treaty of Versailles: 

          * The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on June 28th 1919.

          * Who attended--United States, France, Great Britain, Italy (France wanted Germany to "pay" the most) 

          * Germany loses land and money 

          * People thought it was unfair because they didn't believe Germany caused WWI; the reparations caused, famine, homeless, loss of jobs, money was worthless 

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What Happens in Germany after WWI?

          * People are without jobs, money has no value, people are losing their homes, and they are starving.  

 

* League of Nations: 

          * Is an intergovernmental organisation founded on January 10th, 1920, as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War.

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* What changes are made in the U.S. to avoid the people from revolting during the Great Depression? 

          * FDR creates a New Deal, sets up government program to get people to work 

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* Russia was going through a revolution and left WWI 

 

Study Guide Information 

 

Archduke Franz Ferdinand-

          * June 28, 1914

          * He is from Austria

          * Was visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia

          * Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assessinated by Princip (Franz was shot near the heart and his wife was shot in the abdomen)

 

The Schlieffen Plan-

         * German invasion of France and Belgium in August 1914.

         * German invaded a neutral country (Belgium)--This made France, Russia, and Britain angry and Britain declared war 

 

Conditions of the Trenches: 

Rats: brown and black rats, rats could have 900 babies at a time, soldiers would use their gun to kill them, rats made the food go bad

Lice: soldiers did not wash for months, clothing was durty, could not get rid of lice eggs, if they wanted to kill lice they had to use their fingernails or "pop" lice with fire.

Trench Foot: caused by cold/wet feet, standing for a long time, feet would turn red or blue, high fever, they would have to cut off your foot, try to keep feet clean and dry, they had multiple socks, used oil to keep water away

Food: beef (main food), little drinking water, water was cleaned with chlorine, bully beef, biscuits, bread, and jam 

 

Boredom and Camaraderie: soldiers would fix the trenches, they could not move around a lot, write letters home, write diaries, enlist their friends, sing, talk about home, help protect each other

Gas: gas was a constant fear for men, chlorine gas destroyed the lung tissues so men could not breathe and mustard gas blistered the skin and caused blindness 

Shell Shock: mental problems caused by fear and noise of war, men would live in a state of terror, some people end up in mental hospitals for treatment 

Study Guide Information 

 

Lusitania-

          * (Click) here to watch the Lusitania movie

          * Was a British ship

          * Nickname "The Queen of the Seas"

          * The ship could carry more than 2000 people along with a crew of about 850

          * Sailed her maiden voyage on September 7th, 1907

          * The ship was luxurious and considered unsinkable 

          * On May 7th, 1915 the ship gets sunk by a Germany U-Boat--159 Americans were on the ship

 

Zimmerman Note-

          * United States was neutral

          * United States severed diplomatic relations with Germany

          * In January of 1917, British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German Minister to Mexico, von Eckhardt, offering United States territory to Mexico in return for joining the German cause.

          * This message helped draw the United States into the war

 

The Russian Revolution 
 
The Romanovs 
          * Autocratic- ruled with unlimited power 
          * Czar/Tsar- Russian emperor 
          * Resistant to change
          * Oppressive rule- lots of laws, no freedoms 
 
Alexander II 1856-1881 
          * Moves Russia toward modernization and social change 
          * Freed Serfs
          * Redistributed land 
 
Alexander III 1881-1894 
          * Halted all reforms made by his father
          * Discouraged challenges to his rule by: 
               * Censorship 
               * Secret Police 
               * Political Prisoners- sent to Siberia 
               * Pogroms- Jews (plan to kill large groups of Jews) 
 
Russian Pogroms 
          * 1871-1906
          * Widespread anti-semitism spread from Europe 
 
Nicholas II & Alexandra 1894-1917
          * Economic Growth 
          * Industrialization 
          * Trans-Siberian Railway 
          * Growth of revolutionary movement: why? 
          * Russo-Japanese War (1905) 
          * 1914 Russia enters WWI 
 
Russo-Japanese War 
          * Cause-Imperialism 
          * In the late 1800s Russia and Japan were competing for territorial control of Manchuria and Korea
          * Both nations signed agreements over the territories but Russia violated the treaties and Japan attacked (1904)
 
Russia & WWI
          * 1914-Czar Nicholas engages Russia into WWI
          * Unprepared to handle the military and economic costs 
          * Weak troops and generals-lacked modern technology 
          * First year-4 million soldiers died 
          * Revolts on the home front forced the Czar to step down ending 300 years of Czarist rule in Russia
 
Rasputin 
          * While Nicholas was dealing with WWI, Rasputin become an influential force in Russian policy making
          * Self-proclaimed "holy man" 
          * Mysterious healing powers-seemed to be the only person who could heal the heir to the throne (hemoplilia) 
          * To show gratitude Czarina (wife of Alex) allowed him to make key political decisions 
          * Murdered in 1916 by a group of nobles who feared his increasing role in government affairs 
 
Bloody Sunday 
          * St. Petersburg- Czar's Winter Palace
          * 200,000 workers gathered asking for better working conditions 
          * Czar's generals fired on the unarmed crowd
          * More than 1,000 where wounded and several hundred killed 
 
Impact of Bloody Sunday 
          * Led to creation of the Duma-Russia's first Parliament 
          * Duma's intent- move Russia towards constitutional monarchy such as Britain 
 
The March Revolution 
          * March 1917 
          * 200,000 workers called for the Czar to step down 
          * Soldiers sided with the protesters- created general uprising 
          * Czar Nicholas steps down
          * A year later revolutionaries murder Czar and family-end of 300 year czarist rule 
          * Duma creates provisional government, which is an emergency government 
 
Lenin
          * Marxism- ideology that followed ideas of Karl Marx. Main idea; working class (proletariat) would overthrow the Czar and the working class would rule
          * Exiled to Germany-studies Marzism 
          * Returns to Russia-1917 after Czar steps down 
          * Leader of Bolsheviks-Bolsheviks a radical revolutionary group who were willing to sacrifice everything for change
          * Motto: "Peace, Land, and Bread" 
 
Bolshevik Revolution
          * Also called "The November Revolution"
          * Nov. 1917- armed factory workers overthrew provisional government
          * Within days, Lenin and Bolsheviks seized power
          * Lenin redistrubuted all farmland to the peasants
          * The Bolshevik government signed a treaty with Germany and Russia withdrew from WWI, giving away parts of Russian lands
          * Bolsheviks murdered the Royal family  
 
Changes 
          * Lenin restores Russian economy (NEP: New Economic Policy-peasants could sell surplus crops, some private ownership, and encouraged foreign investment) 
          * Rename Bolsheviks the Communist Party 
          * Rename Russian- USSR (Soviet Union) 
          * Lenin has stroke (1922) 
          * Power struggle between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin 
          * Stalin wins and rules as dictator 
 
 
 
 
 

[Click] here to watch The Red Terror 

[Click] here to watch Benito Mussolini Italy's Nightmare 

Fascism Rises In Europe Notes from PowerPoint
 
What is it?
  • New militant political movement that emphasized loyalty to the state and obedience to its leader
  • Preached extreme loyalty to one’s country.
  • Wore uniforms of a certain color, used special salutes, & held mass rallies.
  • Similar to Communism, except, Fascists didn’t seek a classless society.  All classes have their own purpose.
  • Fascists only cared about their own nation!
 
Losing Faith
  • Most people lost faith in democracy, due to depressions around the world.
  • Fascists promised to:
    • Revive the economy
    • Punish those responsible for the hardships
    • Restore order & national pride
 
Italy & Fascism
  • Italy is still mad that they did not gain land.
  • Much social unrest due to rising inflation & unemployment
  • Wanted a leader to take action
 
Benito Mussolini
  • Newspaper editor and politician
  • Founded Fascist Party in 1919
  • Promised:
    • Revive the economy
    • Rebuild the military
  • Fascists members wore black shirts
  • Fear of workers revolt
  • October 1922, 30,000 Fascists marched on Rome
  • King gives Mussolini power
  • Called “II Duce” or the leader
  • Abolished democracy
  • Outlawed all political parties
  • Secret police jail his opponents
  • Government censors all media
  • Outlaws strikes
  • Ally Fascists with factory owners and large landowners
 
Hitler’s Rise to Power
  • Volunteered for the German Army
  • Hitler Greatly admired Mussolini
  • Awarded Iron Cross, a medal for bravery, twice
  • In 1919, he joined a tiny group called National Socialist Germany Workers Party, or NAZIS
  • This group felt that Germany should have overturned the Treaty of Versailles
  • Adapted the swastika as their symbol
  • Have a private militia called Storm Troopers, or Brown Shirts
  • Hitler becomes “der fuhrer” or leader of the Nazi party
  • Munich 1923- tried to seize power, failed, sentenced to 5 years, serves only 9 months
 
Mein Kamphf (“My Struggle”)
  • Written in jail
  • Aryans are master race
  • Non-Aryans: Jews, Slavs, Gypsies are inferior
  • Versailles=Outrage
  • Vows to regain German land
  • Need more lebensraum (living space)
  • Can do this by conquering eastern Europe and Russia
  • After prison, revive Nazi party
  • Americans loans stop/German economy collapsed, turn to Hitler
 
Hitler becomes Chancellor
  • Hitler could not be controlled
  • Conservative leaders advised the President to name Hitler chancellor
  • Hitler came to power legally
 
Hitler
  • Nicknamed "Der Fuhrer" 
  • Banned all other political parties
  • Had opponents arrested
  • SS (Schutzstaffel, or protection squad) wears black uniforms
  • Unconditional loyalty to Hitler, and racial purity
  • Secret Police- Gestapo, shocked Germans into following orders
  • Banned strikes
  • Dissolved labor unions
  • Government authority over business
  • Constructed factories, built highways, manufactured weapons, & served in the military
  • Unemployment dropped from 6 to 1.5 million in 1936
 
Hitler’s Rules
  • Used press, radio, literature, painting, and film as propaganda
  • Books are burned
  • Churches are restricted
  • Boys required to join Hitler Youth
  • Girls required to join League of German Girls or Maidens
 
Hitler Makes War on Jews
  • Anti-Semitism- hatred of Jews
  • Jews make up less than 1% of the population
  • Jews are used as scapegoats for Germany’s problems
  • Beginning in 1933, Hitler passes laws depriving Jews of most of their rights  
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