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WORLD AT WAR SIMULATION
DAY 1
4-26 / 4-27
Nationalism:
The strong belief that the interests of a particular nation-state are of primary importance. Also, the
belief that a people who share a common language, history, and culture should constitute an
independent nation, free of foreign domination.
(Dictionary.com)
Imperialism and the lead up to the war:
There were many factors that led up to the start of World War I in Europe. A lot of these factors were
rooted in the deep history of the old powers of Europe including Russia, Germany, France, Italy,
Austria, Hungary, and Britain. The real causes of World War I included politics, secret alliances,
imperialism, and nationalistic pride. However, there was one single event, the assassination of
Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, which started a chain of events leading to war.
Alliances and Politics
In the years leading up to the war, the nations of Europe were constantly jockeying for power and
making alliances. Germany made an alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy in 1881. These countries
all agreed to protect each other in the event they were attacked by France. However, Italy then went
and made a secret alliance with France saying they would not aide Germany.
In response to Germany's alliances, France and Russia established an alliance in 1892. In 1904,
Britain and France signed an agreement. The Triple Entente was formed between France, Britain,
and Russia in 1907. Germany felt that this powerful alliance surrounding them posed a real threat to
their existence and power in the region.
Imperialism
Imperialism is when a country expands its influence and power into a large empire. Some European
countries, such as France and Britain, had created large worldwide empires and had become very
rich. Other European countries, such as Russia and Germany, wanted to create their own vast
empires. This caused competition and conflict between many of the countries throughout the world.
Europe Ready for War
In 1914, the situation in Europe was tense. Secret alliances, internal politics, and the desire to grow
empires had built up distrust and dislike between many of the European powers. All it would take was
one international event and Europe would be at war.
Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, was
assassinated in Sarajevo. The Austria government believed that the assassination was organized by
the Serbian government. They also saw this as an opportunity to regain control of Serbia.
Austria-Hungary Declares War
Austria-Hungary issued a number of harsh demands on Serbia, threatening to invade if Serbia did not
comply. They gave them 48 hours to respond. When Serbia's response fell short of the demands,
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28.
More Declarations of War
Austria-Hungary had hoped they could quickly take over Serbia and that Serbia's ally, Russia, would
not risk a major war in order to help Serbia. However, they figured wrong. Russia immediately began
to mobilize its troops and prepare for war. In response, Germany, Austria-Hungary's close ally,
declared war on Russia on August 1st. A few days later, Germany declared war on France and
invaded Belgium. Britain then declared war on Germany and World War I had begun.
(http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/causes_of_ww1.php)
Trench Warfare:
Trench warfare is a type of fighting where both sides build deep trenches as a defense against the
enemy. These trenches can stretch for many miles and make it nearly impossible for one side to
advance.
During World War I, the western front in France was fought using trench warfare. By the end of 1914,
both sides had built a series of trenches that went from the North Sea and through Belgium and
France. As a result, neither side gained much ground for three and a half years from October 1914 to
March of 1918.
How were the trenches built?
The trenches were dug by soldiers. Sometimes the soldiers just dug the trenches straight into the
ground. This method was called entrenching. It was fast, but left the soldiers open to enemy fire while
they were digging. Sometimes they would build the trenches by extending a trench on one end. This
method was called sapping. It was safer, but took longer. The most secret way to build a trench was
to make a tunnel and then remove the roof when the tunnel was
complete. Tunneling was the safest method, but also the most
difficult.
<Soldiers fighting from a
trench
German trenches like this
were generally
better built than those of the
Allies>
What were the trenches like?
The typical trench was dug around twelve feet deep into the ground. There was often an embankment
at the top of the trench and a barbed wire fence. Some trenches were reinforced with wood beams or
sandbags. The bottom of the trench was usually covered with wooden boards called duckboards. The
duckboards were meant to keep the soldiers' feet above the water that would collect at the bottom of
the trench.
The trenches weren't dug in one long straight line, but were built as more of a system of trenches.
They were dug in a zigzag pattern and there were many levels of trenches along the lines with paths
dug so soldiers could travel between the levels.
Life in the Trenches
Soldiers generally rotated through three stages of the front. They would spend some time in the front
line trenches, some time in the support trenches, and some time resting. They almost always had
some sort of job to do whether it was repairing the trenches, guard duty, moving supplies, undergoing
inspections, or cleaning their weapons.
Conditions in the Trenches
The trenches were not nice, clean places. They were actually quite disgusting. There were all sorts of
pests living in the trenches including rats, lice, and frogs. The rats were everywhere and got into the
soldiers' food and ate just about everything, including sleeping soldiers. The lice were also a major
problem. They made the soldiers' itch horribly and caused a disease called Trench Fever.
The weather also contributed to rough conditions in the trenches. Rain caused the trenches to flood
and get muddy. Mud could clog up weapons and make it hard to move in battle. Also, the constant
moisture could cause an infection called Trench Foot that, if untreated, could become so bad that a
soldier's feet would have to be amputated. Cold weather was dangerous, too. Soldiers often lost
fingers or toes to frostbite and some died from exposure in the cold.
(http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/trench_warfare.php)
Technology of WWI:
New Weapons

Artillery - Large guns, called artillery, were improved during World War I including anti-aircraft guns to
shoot down enemy planes. The majority of the casualties in the war were inflicted using artillery.
Some large artillery guns could launch shells nearly 80 miles.
 Machine gun - The machine gun was improved during the war. It was made much lighter and easier
to move around.
 Flame throwers - Flame throwers were used by the German Army on the western front in order to
force the enemy out of their trenches.
 Chemical weapons - World War I also introduced chemical weapons to warfare. Germany first
used chlorine gas to poison unsuspecting Allied troops. Later, the more dangerous mustard gas was
developed and used by both sides. By the end of the war, troops were equipped with gas masks and
the weapon was less effective.
(http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/ww1_changes_in_modern_warfare.php)
WORLD AT WAR SIMULATION
DAY 2
4-28 / 4-29
Inter-war (Great Depression, Hitler, Japan):
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I between Germany and the Allied Powers. Because
Germany had lost the war, the treaty was very harsh against Germany. Germany was forced to
"accept the responsibility" of the war damages suffered by the Allies. The treaty required that
Germany pay a huge sum of money called reparations.
The problem with the treaty is that it left the German economy in ruins. People were starving and the
government was in chaos.
Japanese Expansion
In the period before World War II, Japan was growing rapidly. However, as an island nation they did
not have the land or the natural resources to sustain their growth. Japan began to look to grow their
empire in order to gain new resources. They invaded Manchuria in 1931 and China in 1937.
Fascism
With the economic turmoil left behind by World War 1, some countries were taken over by dictators
who formed powerful fascist governments. The first fascist government was Spain which was ruled by
the dictator Franco. Then Mussolini took control of Italy. These dictators wanted to expand their
empires and began to look for new lands to conquer. Italy invaded and took over Ethiopia in
1935.Adolf Hitler would emulate Mussolini in his take over of Germany.
Hitler and the Nazi Party
In Germany, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power. The Germans were desperate for
someone to turn around their economy and restore their national pride. Hitler offered them hope. In
1934, Hitler was proclaimed the "Fuhrer" (leader) and became dictator of Germany.
Hitler resented the restrictions put on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles. While talking about peace,
Hitler began to rearm Germany. He allied Germany with Mussolini and Italy. Then Hitler looked to
restore Germany to power by expanding his empire. He first took over Austria in 1938. When the
League of Nations did nothing to stop him, Hitler became bolder and took over Czechoslovakia in
1939.
Appeasement
After World War 1, the nations of Europe were weary and did not want another war. When countries
such as Italy and Germany became aggressive and began to take over their neighbors and build up
their armies, countries such as Britain and France hoped to keep peace through "appeasement." This
meant that they tried to make Germany and Hitler happy rather than try to stop him. They hoped that
by meeting his demands he would be satisfied and there wouldn't be any war.
Unfortunately, the policy of appeasement backfired. It only made Hitler bolder. It also gave him time
to build up his army.
Great Depression
The period before World War II was a time of great economic suffering throughout the world called
the Great Depression. Many people were out of work and struggling to survive. This created unstable
governments and worldwide turmoil that helped lead to World War II.
(http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_ii/causes_of_ww2.php)
Holocaust:
What was it?
The Holocaust is one of the most terrible events in human history. It occurred during World War II
when Hitler was leader of Germany. Six million Jewish people were murdered by the Nazis. This
included as many as 1 million Jewish children. Millions of other people that Hitler didn't like were killed
as well. This included Polish people, Catholics, Serbs, and handicapped people. It is thought that the
Nazis murdered as many as 17 million innocent people.
A Jewish boy and mother being arrested
Why did Hitler and the Nazis do it?
Hitler hated Jewish people and blamed them for Germany losing World War I. He considered Jewish
people to be less than human. Hitler also believed in the superiority of the Aryan race. He wanted to
use Darwinism and breeding to create a race of perfect people.
Hitler wrote in his book Mein Kampf that when he became ruler he would rid Germany of all the Jews.
Not many people believed he would really do this, but as soon as he became Chancellor he started
his work against the Jews. He made laws that said Jews had no rights. Then he organized attacks on
Jewish businesses and homes. On November 9, 1938 many Jewish homes and businesses were
burnt down or vandalized. This night was called the Kristallnacht or "Night of Broken Glass".
Ghettos
During World War II when the Nazis would take over a city in Europe they would force all of the
Jewish people into one area of town. This area was called a ghetto and was fenced in with barbed
wire and guarded. There was little food, water, or medicine available. It was also very crowded with
multiple families sometimes sharing a single room to live in.
Concentration Camps
All Jewish people were eventually to be brought to concentration camps. They were told they were
relocating to a new and better place, but this was not the case. Concentration camps were like prison
camps. People were forced to do hard labor. The weak were quickly killed or died of starvation. Some
camps even had gas chambers. People would be led into the chambers in large groups only to be
killed with poison gas. The concentration camps were horrible places.
Hiding
Many Jewish people hid from the Nazis during World War II. They would hide with non-Jewish
families. Sometimes they would pretend to be a part of the family and sometimes they would hide in
hidden rooms or in a basement or attic. Some were able to eventually escape across the border into
a free country, but many hid for years sometimes in the same room.
Stories and Heroes of the Holocaust
There are many stories of Jewish people striving to survive during the Holocaust and the heroes who
helped them. Here are a few:
Anne Frank's Diary - This diary tells the real life story of a young girl named Anne Frank. She and
her family hid from the Nazis for two years before they were betrayed and captured. Anne died in a
concentration camp, but her diary survived to tell her story.
Schindler's List - This movie tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who
managed to save the lives of over one thousand Jewish people who worked in his factories. Note: this
movie is R-rated and not for children.
The Hiding Place - This tells the true story of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch lady who helped to hide
Jewish people from the Nazis. Corrie gets caught by a spy, however, and is sent to a concentration
camp. Corrie survives the camp and is let free at the end of the war.
(http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_ii/holocaust.php)
WORLD AT WAR SIMULATION
DAY 3
5-2 / 5-3
Rationing:
Wartime shopping
There were no supermarkets. You went to different shops for different items. For fruit and
vegetables, you went to the greengrocer. For meat, to the butcher. For fish, to the fishmonger.
For bread and cakes, to the baker. For groceries such as jam, tea, biscuits and cheese you went
to the grocer. Other shops sold clothes, shoes, medicines, newspapers and all the other things
people needed to buy.
In most shops, the shopkeeper or shop assistants served customers from behind a counter.
Many shops were small family businesses. Most big towns had department stores.
Rationing
Food rationing began in 1940. This meant each person could buy only a fixed amount of certain
foods each week.
Much of Britain's food came from other countries in ships. Enemy submarines sank so many
ships that there was a shortage of some foods. Rationing made sure everyone got a fair share.
You had to hand over coupons from your ration book, as well as money, when you went
shopping. When you had used up your ration of one food (say, cheese or meat), you could not
buy any more that week. Vegetarianscould swap meat coupons for other foods.
What could people buy?
People had to register with local shops to use their ration books. Often long queues formed as
soon as people heard that shops had more supplies. The first foods rationed were bacon, sugar,
tea, butter and meat. Lots more foods were rationed later, including sweets! One egg a week
was the ration in 1941. There were no bananas, so younger children did not see their first
banana until the war ended.
Clothes were rationed too, so clothing factories could switch to war work. Paper, petrol and other
things, such as soap (one bar a month) and washing powder, were also rationed.
What foods would we have missed?
Frozen pizza, chicken nuggets, burgers and chips perhaps. Remember, there were no home
freezers! Potatoes were not rationed, so you could make your own chips - if you could find some
oil or fat to cook them in. In summer, people were asked to eat more salads, to save cooking
fuel.
With eggs rationed, people tried dried egg powder. One packet was equal to 12 fresh eggs.
Dried egg made good scrambled eggs, but it was bad luck if you only liked eggs fried or boiled.
Unfamiliar foods appeared too, such as Spam (tinned meat) from America, and snoek, a fish
from South Africa.
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/world_war2/food_and_shopping/)
Technology:
On the Ground
Tanks - Although tanks were first used in World
War I, it was during World War II that tanks
became a major military force. Hitler utilized tanks
in his fast moving Panzer divisions. They enabled
him to quickly take over much of Europe using a
tactic called Blitzkrieg, meaning "lightning war."
Some of the most famous tanks from World War II
include Germany's Tiger tank, the Soviet Union's
T-34 tank, and the United States' Sherman tank.
In the Air
Aircraft - The air force became one of the most important parts of the military during World War II.
Whoever had control of the air, often won the battle on the ground. Different types of planes were
developed for specific tasks. There were small, fast fighter planes designed for air-to-air combat,
large bombers that could drop huge bombs on enemy targets, planes designed to land and take off
from aircraft carriers, and large transport planes used to deliver supplies and soldiers. Other
important advances in aircraft included the first military helicopters and the first jet-powered fighter
planes.
Radar - Radar was a new technology developed right before the war. It used radio waves to detect
enemy aircraft. The British were the first to employ radar and it helped them to fight off the Germans
in the Battle of Britain.
Explosives
Bombs - World War II saw the invention of many new types of bombs. The Germans invented the
long range flying bomb called the V-1 as well as a rocket bomb called the V-2. The Allies developed a
bouncing bomb that would bounce across the water and explode once it hit a dam. Other specialized
bombs included bunker busters and cluster bombs.
The Atom Bomb - Perhaps the largest leap in technology during World War II was the atom bomb.
This bomb caused a massive explosion by using nuclear reactions. It was used by the United States
to bomb the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
(http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_ii/technology_of_ww2.php)
The Atomic Bomb:
Who invented the Atomic Bomb? The Atomic bomb was invented by scientists working in the
WW2 Manhattan Project. Robert Oppenheimer was the scientific director of the Manhattan Project
and is referred to as the "father of the atomic bomb"
What is an Atomic Bomb? An Atomic Bomb is an explosive weapon of great destructive power
which results from the rapid release of an immense quantity of energy in a chain reaction of nuclear
fission, especially of uranium-235 or plutonium-239. The term 'Fission' is given to the process of
"splitting" atoms through their bombardment by neutrons.
The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb - Was it the Right Decision?
The momentous decision to drop the Atomic Bomb was made by President Harry Truman. Ever since
the Atomic Bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki a debate has raged over whether it was
the right decision. Even before the bombs were dropped scientists and politicians hotly debated the
issue. The WW2 Potsdam Declaration or the Proclamation dated July 26, 1945 contained an
ultimatum stating that, if Japan did not surrender, it would face "prompt and utter destruction". The
Japanese did not reply. Those totally opposed to dropping the Atomic Bomb argued that it would
indiscriminately kill civilians and that conventional bombing and economic sanctions would force
Japan to surrender. Some argued that the Japanese should be warned about the bomb others
argued that the only way that Japan would surrender was if the
atomic bomb was dropped without warning, and the shock
would force the Japanese into surrendering. President Truman
had been warned by his military advisors that there would be
massive casualties if the United States invaded Japan.
What were the effects of the Atomic Bomb? The Effects of
the Explosion
The effects of an atomic bomb explosion produces an intense
light flash, a sudden wave of heat, followed by a tremendous
roar due to the shock wave of the explosion. A ball of fire rises
rapidly, followed by a mushroom cloud that extends to heights of 40,000 feet (12,200 metres).
What were the effects of the Atomic Bomb? The Effects on the Ground
The effects of an Atomic Bomb are truly terrifying, much of the surrounding areas of the bomb are
vaporized. Most damage caused by an Atomic Bomb comes from the explosive blast. The nuclear
blast causes a shock wave of air to radiate outward, producing changes in air pressure that
can crush objects and produce high winds that can knock objects down. When an Atomic bomb is
detonated, the blast creates a large crater. Debris from the crater is carried up into the air and made
radioactive by the explosion. This deadly material returns to the earth as radioactive fallout. The city
streets of Hiroshima and Nagasaki burned bright red, like live charcoal. Roof-tiles and granite stone
melted due to the intense heat.
What were the effects of the Atomic Bomb? Black Rain
The Hiroshima and Nagasaki explosions carried particles of uranium and plutonium that escaped
fission. Following the explosions, these and other irradiated materials were carried high into the
atmosphere and mixed with the heat and thermal currents from the firestorms led to rainfall in the
form of "Black Rain". The "Black Rain" was produced by fallout particles were mixed with carbon
residue from numerous city fires. Within 30-40 minutes of the bombings, in both Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, the deadly “Black rain” fell.
What were the effects of the Atomic Bomb? The Effects on the People
When an atomic bomb explodes, as in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WW2, people receive two
doses of radiation. One dose during the explosion and another from fallout. The rapid release of an
immense quantity of energy results in an intense burst of heat that causes skin burns as far as 5
miles from the nuclear blast. Intense exposure to radioactive material kills nerve cells and small blood
vessels causing seizures, heart failure and immediate death. Damage to the intestinal tract lining
causes nausea, bloody vomiting and diarrhea. Radiation sickness destroys the cells in the body
including blood cells, reproductive cells and hair cells. Delayed effects can appear months to years
after irradiation and include a wide variety of effects involving almost all tissues or organs resulting in
cancer, decreased fertility, and genetic mutations.
(http://www.american-historama.org/1929-1945-depression-ww2-era/atomic-bomb.htm)