Download Unit 16 A WWI - Interwar

Review Unit #16A
World War I and the Interwar Years
WORLD WAR I (1914-1919)
MAIN Causes:
Militarism: new industrial technologies encouraged nations to create and
stockpile more weapons
 Tanks, machine guns, poison gas, grenades, etc.
- Alliances: designed to achieve a balance the power – nations joined sides with
other nations for protection
 Triple Alliance and Triple Entente
Imperialism: competition over territory, especially in Africa, but even within Europe
- Nationalism: competitive relationships between European powers - “Balance of
Power”
- Assassination: the assassination of Austria-Hungary’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand
by a Serbian extremist sparks “the power keg of Europe” in the Balkan Peninsula the alliances take action – leads to the start of World War I
Warfare: - Trench Warfare: fighting took place in the trenches along the Western Frontessentially a stalemate
- Propaganda: organized information created to sway public opinion on an issue
- Genocide of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire; massacre is an example of
human rights violations
Results:
- Treaty of Versailles: harsh punishment on Germany  indirectly leads to some of
the causes of World War II and the rise of fascism -> Germany must accept
blame for the war, lose its colonies and pay reparations (repairs)
- Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points: promoted the ideal of national selfdetermination
- League of Nations: created to keep peace in the world – ended up being very
ineffective
- New Europe: many of the old “Empires” and “Kingdoms” are broken up (including
Austria – Hungary)  beginning of modern national states
BETWEEN THE WARS
Hitler’s rise to power:
 Germany’s poor economic situation caused them to look for a strong political leader
o Severe inflation, high unemployment, and fear of communism
 Hitler made promises to the people to improve economic conditions and promote
nationalism:
- Jobs created in the Army and in factories making military supplies-violating
the Versailles Treaty
- To regain pride, he worked to get Germany’s land back and re-build the
military again
Hitler’s Germany:
 Totalitarian Government – one-party system of government with total control of
all parts of life (no freedom of the press) – used intimidation and terror to control
people
 Fascism: a type of government that is totalitarian – and – very nationalistic (Mussolini
in Italy too)
 Nazi Party – Nazi’s were the political party that Hitler controlled and who helped him
control Germany
- aimed to develop the Aryan race
- desired expansion of German territory throughout Europe to gain
resources through a policy of imperialism
- used extensive propaganda to spread their ideas and control people
(Hitler Youth groups)
 The Holocaust –Jews and other minorities-concentrated and many killed (in urban
ghettos previously)
- Genocide – the mass killing of a race or culture of people – human
rights violation
- Hitler’s plan:
1. Harass and torment the Jews – maybe they would leave on their
own
Kristallnacht (1938); Nuremburg Laws - anti-Semitic laws
2. Concentrate them in camps – separated them from true
“Germans”
3. The “Final Solution” – extermination in mass numbers