HIS 121 UK Final War & Society

Winston Churchill

(1874-1965) served as the prime minister of Great Britain from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. He led Britain's fight against Nazi Germany in World War II. Boosted national morale with public speeches during the war.

Adolf Hitler

(20 April 1889 -30 April 1945) Austrian-born German Fascist politician and the leader of the Nazi Party. He was chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945 and dictator of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945.

Arguments for & against War Prior to 1914

(Against: economies were on the rise, industrial revolution was under way, well-being of citizens, living conditions and wages were improving, international trade was increasing. For: Nationalism, militarization, modern weapons, imperialism, war seen as natural selection and necessary (positive cultural value)

Nazi-Soviet Pact

(August 23,1939) Hitler made the pact with Stalin, a promise not to go to war with each other and (secretly) a promise to invade Poland and split it between them

Imperialism

(It was the growing need to expand for resources and a way to show dominance. All of Africa had been divided up by now and Russian rule was growing in central Asia while Britain was largely in India and the Pacific. Dutch and US both split up Philippines and Indonesia)

Fascism

one leader (authoritarianism / totalitarianism), Mussolini got rid of the people who disagreed with his beliefs.

Collective Security

one type of coalition building strategy in which a group of nations agree not to attack each other and to defend each other against an attack from one of the others, if such an attack is made.

League of Nations

opening session of League of Nations Assembly was in 1920. U.S. never joined, Germany was not allowed to join. Created to prevent the recurrence of war. Defined some of basic human rights, laid present day basis for those rights. Remembered as a failure primarily because of its unsuccessful efforts to bring about disarmament and outlaw war.

Totalitarianism

power held by a dictator, interest of the state, state is in control. Dictator can break laws.

Racial anti-Semitism

prejudice against, hatred of, or discrimination against Jews as an ethnic, religious, or racial group.

German "Wonder Weapons"

term developed as German propaganda stating that Germany has revolutionary "super weapons." Most of these weapons were just prototypes, failed, or never reached combat.

El Alamein

the first time in WWII the British inflicted a major defeat over the Germans

Trench Warfare

the main type of warfare that was seen in WWI. Each side dug massive trenches with barbed wire in the middle. No side really moved, which made it a long war. This resulted in more deaths because of machine guns, artillery, and poisonous gas. Solution to this was the tank.

Armenian Genocide

the mass murder of Armenian minority group in Turkey where 800,000-1.5 million Christians were murdered by the Ottomans. They were lead on death marches or executed on sight on their movement to the Syrian desert.

German Re-armament

the period after the Treaty of Versailles when Germany began to re-arm or build up weapons/make technological advances secretly violating the treaty. Started as right after treaty, but greatly expanded when the Nazi party came to power.

Japanese Invasion of China

(1937-1945) Chinese forces were unable to effectively resist the Japanese. This launched the second Sino- Japanese War, which came after the invasion of the Chinese Province of Manchuria in 1931

Stalingrad

(1942-1943) Soviet Victory, Turning point on the Eastern Front, also the worst battle that happened on the eastern front

Alliance Systems

(Triple Alliance (Italy, Germany, Hungary), Franco-Russian Alliance (The alliance ended the diplomatic isolation of France and undermined the supremacy of Germany in Europe), Entente (GB, Russia, France)

Kaiser Wilhelm II

(the last German emperor and ruler of Prussia.)

Nationalism

(the policy or doctrine of asserting the interests of one's own nation viewed as separate from the interests of other nations or the common interests of all nations. Excessive patriotism and devotion to one's own country.)

Japanese Offensive Against US, British Empire, Dutch Empire

****

Significance of "Jew Hunts"

*****

Blitzkrieg

A German term for "lightning war," blitzkrieg is a military tactic designed to create disorganization among enemy forces through the use of mobile forces and locally concentrated firepower. Its successful execution results in short military campaigns, which preserves human lives and limits the expenditure of artillery. Came about after trench warfare showed flaw in the plan, and began to fail

Warsaw Uprising

Aug. 1944, consisted of members of the Polish "home army." At the start of the uprising, members were pretty optimistic, but the uprising was ultimately crushed. After the uprising, Germans destroyed 85% of the city. Over 200,000 Polish were killed in the fighting.

Creation of new national states after WWI

Austro-Hungarian empire disappears, new nations of Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Yugoslavia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. Germany loses Alsace-Lorraine and "polish corridor"; Ottoman Empire broken up, creation of new territory in Arab world; Japanese expands influence in Asia

Operation Barbarossa

Code name of Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during WWII, beginning June 1941. Driven by Hitler's ideological desire to conquer the soviet territories as outlines in his 1925 manifesto Mein Kampf

Vichy Government in France

Common name of the French State, which relocated to the town of Vichy headed by Petain from 1940-1944 during WWII. In 1940-1942, while the Vichy regime was the nominal government of France, Germany militarily occupied northern France. Government remained in existence, but was aware it needed to please Germany.

Mussolini

Created Fascist party in Italy, said that democracy is the "illusion of sovereignty": too many people with power to make decisions. Mussolini's points on Fascism: response to Communism / Democracy, depends national interests, protecting the elite and propertied.

Internment of Japanese Civilians in US

Forced relocation and incarceration during WWII. Roosevelt ordered it shortly after Pearl Harbor. The people were ordered into camps located on the interior area of the the western coast. Roosevelt allowed deportation/incarceration of the people on February 19, 1942

Role of émigré scientists

German Jewish emigre who moved to the America's were fleeing the Nazi regime in the 1930s revolutionized U.S. science and innovation. These highly skilled scientists had networks of colleagues that amplified their innovative contributions to American society

War Guilt Clause

Germany has to take full responsibility for the war and pay for the damages

Mein Kampf

Hitler's book on political ideology and future plans for Germany written during his imprisonment. Published July 18, 1925.

Role of Women in WWI & WWII

In both WWI and WWII women took over the jobs of the men that had left to fight in the war (nurses, factory workers, sewing, and spies were some of the most common jobs overtaken by women) but when the men returned from war, they took most of their jobs back.

Deportation of Jews

Jews were uprooted from their homes, sent on death marches or on trains/cattle cars to concentration/extermination or work camps, and were dehumanized.

Allied Invasion of Italy

July 1943, Mussolini ousted as dictator, Italy joins the allies. German special forces rescue Mussolini and help him set up a puppet gov't in northern Italy. Fighting continues in Italy until last days of war.

Guadalcanal

Jungle located on the Solomon Islands that the Japanese troops used to construct an airbase (June 1942), two months later, American troops arrived, which began the Guadalcanal war campaign. The battle ended February 1943, Japanese loss outweighed American loss heavily, and the Japanese had no realistic hope of withstanding a counter offense

Battle of the Bulge

Largest battle fought on the western front during WW2, it was the last major German offensive of the war. It was a planned counteroffensive against western allies where the Germans wanted to smash through Belgium to the English channel and cut off allied supply lines. Allied victory allowed them to push through and advance into Germany.

Stalin

Leader of Soviet Union from mid 1920s-end of his life in 195. Led SU through post war phase which later became known as the Cold War. Big contributing factor in WWI, WWII, and both Russian Revolutions

Battle of Midway

Naval battle in Pacific Theater of WWII, six months after the Pearl Harbor Attack ('42) , US Navy defeated fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy. "Most stunning and decisive blow in the history of naval warfare". Considered the turning point of the Pacific War.

North African Theater & "Torch" Landings

North African Campaign took place 1940-1943, fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Fought between Allies and Axis Powers who had colonial territories in Africa. Operation Torch: British-American invasion of French North Africa during the North African Campaign

Battalion 101

Order police consisting of ordinary men considered too old to fight who wanted to fulfill their patriot duty to Germany. They did not have a clue they would be "forced" to exterminate Jew in large masses. Mentioned in Christopher Browning's book Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland

Nationalist Socialist Party (Nazi)

Political party lead by Hitler (1920-1945). Fought against communism and wanted to draw workers away from communism. Initial strategy: anti-big business, anti-bourgeois, and anti-capitalist. Focus shifted to anti-semitic themes.

Manhattan Project

Produced the 1st nuclear weapons during WWII. Gathered intelligence of German Nuclear War Project. Produced two weapons: Little Boy and Fat Man

Serbian Nationalism

Started when Serbian nationalists assassinated the Archduke Ferdinand who was heir to the Hungarian throne. After the Balkan wars, Serbia wanted more land, so they set their eyes on Bosnia

Elie Wiesel

Survivor of the Auschwitz camp, and author of the book Night

Great Depression

The (1929-1939)collapse of the US economy affected the entire world. The German economy was especially affected because it relied heavily on loans from the US and foreign trade, since it was drained after reparations from the Versailles Treaty resulted in an already unsteady economy and rapid inflation. As a result, the German economy fell, and Germany began looking for any solution to pull them out of their struggle. Hitler seized this opportunity to propose his solution, especially because the crisis of the Great Depression brought disunity to the political parties of Germany. He gained rapid support during this time, taking advantage of the downfalls faced by other political parties at the time.

Impact of Balkan Wars

The Balkan wars basically ended with Ottoman Empire losing all of its territory in Europe, later prompting them to be aggressive in WWI

D-Day

The Normandy (France) landings were the landing operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Included Canada, GB, and USA... hoped for a quick and decisive defeat.

Hiroshima & Nagasaki

Two Japanese cities that the US dropped nuclear bombs on (August 6th-9th, 1945). Purpose was to make a statement, and get Japan to surrender. In the process, it immobilized Japanese military stations and killed thousands of people, including civilians.

Auschwitz

largest extermination camp, slave laborers. Crematoria worked around the clock, up to 18,000 victims could be cremated / gassed in a 24 hour time period.

Technology in WWI

machine guns, poison gas, barbed wire, tanks, artillery, hot air balloons

Versailles Treaty

major features included the breaking up of empires and creation of new nation-states in Europe (Austro-Hungarian empire disappears, new nations of Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Yugoslavia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. Germany loses Alsace-Lorraine and "polish corridor"; Ottoman Empire broken up, creation of new territory in Arab world; Japanese expands influence in Asia), reparations and war guilt clause, attempt to disarm Germany (take ⅙ of German territory), downsize German military power.

Soviet War Propaganda

Wanted to promote communist line using persuasive censorship. Used methods such as: the radio, posters, cinema, propaganda trains, schools, youth organizations, meetings, art, lectures, newspapers, book, etc.

Women during WWI

had large roles on the homefront. Took men's jobs in the fields and in economic/political life in villages. Also worked in factories

Franz Ferdinand

heir to the Hungarian throne who was assassinated by Serbian nationalists in 1914

Fourteen Points

Wilson's Peace proposal after the war had these main ideas: Reducing the chance or severity of future wars by reducing arms, Nations to settle disputes diplomatically instead of by war, Increased international trade, increased freedom of people, Safety in international travel & trade, and no secret treaties.

Manchukuo

after Japan invaded Manchuria (1931), they established a puppet state called Manchukuo, and their occupation lasted until the end of WWII

Militarism

after a conflict in 1871, nations starting planning more for war and stockpiling weapons while mobilizing troops. Germany had pre-war plans to invade France and hold off Russia simultaneously. Most countries were drafting all men then sending them to reserve units so they would be well trained when war occurred.

Pacifism

belief that violence, including war, is unjustifiable under any circumstances, and that all disputes should be settled by peaceful means. Pacifism revolves around the opposition to war, militarism, and/or violence. Due to the large loss of life during war, a change in public attitude toward militarism came about.

Communist Attitude Toward War

believed that war was not between nations, but on a global scale between the upper and lower class. Wanted lower class to revolt all over the world.

Russian Revolution of 1917

consisted of two different revolutions in the same calendar year. Russia tired of being at war bc huge losses, food shortage, etc. First revolution in March where Emperor Nicholas II abdicated and a provisional gov't was put into place, but continues war. Then in November the provisional gov't was overthrown by a communist regime put in place by the Bolsheviks and Lenin (red vs. white).

Jozefow Massacre

during the 1939 invasions of Poland by Germany and the Soviet Union, Josefow was bombed by the German Luftwaffe. Had both a large Nazi and Jewish presence in town, and due to the growing number of Jews arriving everyday, the living conditions deteriorated greatly. The actual massacre was carried out by Battalion 101, who had participants who were not dedicated Nazi's, but regular Germans.

Battle of Kursk

engagement between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front near Kursk in the Soviet Union during July and August 1943.

Treatment of POWs in WWI

this was not really a huge issue like in WWII. Most camps were decent enough and even provided education and job training for after the war. Prisoners were sometimes required to do tough manual labor. Had adequate housing and food. Each side figured that if they treated their prisoners well, the other side would do the same

Mukden Incident

was a staged event engineered by rogue Japanese military personnel as a pretext for the Japanese invasion in 1931 of northeastern China, known as Manchuria.

Ghettos

were set up to segregate Jews from the rest of the population. They were designed to be temporary; some lasted only a few days or weeks, others for several years. The vast majority of ghetto inhabitants died from disease or starvation, were shot, or were deported to killing centers