1900-Present AP World Review
Immediate Causes of WWI
-Began when all four factors (MAIN) violently intersected -Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne(Archduke Ferdinand) and his wife were assassinated by Slav nationalists who wanted the province united with other southern Slavic nations -Austria-Hungary accused Serbia of supporting the terrorists and declared war -Russia sided with its Slavic ally Serbia, Germany pledged support for Austria-Hungary -Germany declared war on Russia, France honored the alliance and joined Russia -Great Britain (lat major European power to enter the war) because German forces violated Belgium's neutrality on their way to attack France
League of Nations
-Organization of mostly European nations but also Japan, Ethiopia, Siam and Latin American states -Isolationist US never joined -Dominated by Britain and France -Promoted voluntary cooperation and anti war policies like trade sanctions rather than creating global police force Successes: demonstrating the power of institutional cooperation between nations, combating malaria and other diseases, stopping labor abuses, controlling distribution of opium products, lessening the slave trade Fails: never succeeded in primary purpose- stopping large scale international conflicts, failed to react effectively to actions of totalitarian regimes- Japanese invasion of Manchuria, Italian conquest of Ethiopia, German militarization of Rhineland, paralysis during the drawn out civil war in Spain
Mexican Revolution
1910-1920, involved the common people fighting for increased rights and participation in national affairs People: had been ruled by dictator Porfirio Diaz- approach to modernization was to encourage foreign investment in land and industry, led to foreign domination of the Mexican economy, Madero- liberal leader Events: people rose up against Diaz in support of liberal leader Madero, liberal elites discovered they had greater uprisings than expected and went out of control, leaders from other districts advocated for land reform, power changed hands continually throughout civil war, leaders were assassinated or overthrown Constitution of 1917: conservative forces won and under Carranza an assembly wrote it, promised land reform, imposed restrictions on foreign economic control, set minimum salaries, maximum hours for workers, granted workers the right to unionize and strike, placed restrictions on Church-owned property and schools Effects: no counterrevolution, relatively stable and slowly developing its own terms, establishment in 1929, National Revolutionary Party (Party of Institutionalized Revolution, PRI)- dominated politics, instituting land redistribution, standing up to foreign companies
World War I
1914-1918, "Great War" Where- largely fought in Europe and Middle East, secondary fronts in Africa, Asia and all oceans How- technologically advanced weapons led to casualties in the millions, trench warfare, total war- applied the doctrine to modern industrialized states, whole nations were mobilized, economies were reordered to support the military, men left for the front so women entered the workforce, militarized civilian life, new media (posters, radio, cinema) extended governments ability to propagandize their wars, "home front" a legitimate military target, endless sacrifice in the name of national defense as an accepted aspect of modern life, aircraft bombed cities, navies cut off food shipments to starve whole populations into surrender End- Central Powers were unable to hold out against British, French, American economic and military pressure, Russia left the war and conceded Eastern Europe to the Germans (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk), Germany sued for an armistice (1918)
Great Depression
1929-1939 Causes: overdependence on American loans and purchasing, industrial and farming surpluses leading to deflation, poor banking management, increased tariffs and protectionism leading to a trade war Events: United States was the leading creditor nation and was crucial to the health of world markets, New York stock market collapsed October 1929, American credit-based economy contracted, existing loans called in and new loans were cancelled Effects: especially severe in Europe because it depended on American loans to recover from WWI, US bank failures had a ripple effect in financial capitals, global unemployment rose to double-digit levels, countries tried to protect their economies by cutting public expenditures and limiting imports (tended to worsen the problems), Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act- US passed the highest tariff (tax on import) in history, sparking a trade war and further limiting trading partners abilities to repay their American debts, economic hardship led to social instability and a rise in political extremism in many nations- left communists criticized the failings of capitalism and advocated Soviet-style collectivization, right fascists sought governmental control and direction of private enterprise to achieve national self-sufficiency, Britain, France and US remained democracies even with experimented with more state regulation of their economies, Japan, Italy and Germany looked to dictatorial rule to unify their divided societies, overcome economic hardships and solidify national power and prestige through aggressions against their neighbor
Technology in Cold War
Advancements in missile technology in order to deliver nuclear bombs between continents, leading to launch of first satellite by USSR in 1957 (began space race), then US moon landing in 1969, Soviet space station in 1970s, Soviet engineering as science was world class in state sponsored sectors like armaments, intelligence gathering, math, physics and construction, rigid ideology hampered technological developments in computers, agriculture, biochemistry, automobiles and media
Consequences of Development
Advantages: cheap and easily adapted technology compressed time and money it took to modernize underdeveloped region Consequences: huge shifts in employment of the working classes in developed countries, factory work and farm work used fewer workers, lower wage regions, large scale environmental issues, ecological pollution, threats to public health, toxic disposal problems
Long-Term Causes of WWI
Before: Forward-looking optimism in European politics, belief in perfection of civilization, confidence in European superiority, general peace for almost a century after the Battle of Waterloo MAIN: Militarism- popular in this period, war was seen as honorable and purifying aspect of human nature, led to constant threats, arms races and ultimatums over minor disputes, ex: naval arms race between Germany and Great Britain caused friction between previous allies Alliances- European balance of power depended on alliances, which are defensive plans that would protect a nation in the event that it was attacked, major powers found themselves committed to supporting their allies even in conflicts that did not threaten their own interests, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy had mutual agreements and France and Russia were allied if Germany were to attack either one Imperialism- tensions stemmed from Europe and in the world, Ottoman Empire weakened and withdrew from Balkan lands so many empires (Austro-Hungary and Russian) competed to dominate or acquire this area, (Britain, France, Germany, Italy) competed for overseas colonies (Africa) Nationalism- undermined traditional multinational empires, establishment of Italy and Germany inspired nationalist movements elsewhere, Poles, Irish, Slavic, Arab people hoped for their own nations
Mao's Changes to China
Businesses nationalized, land given to peasants and they were urged to pool land to be more effective on cooperative farms, one party totalitarian state, communist party supreme, government attacked crime and corruption, peasants encouraged to speak bad about landlords, killing landlords, communist replaced confucian, schools opened with emphasis on public education, heath care workers to remote areas, women won equality, still little opportunity, extended family weakened, led to erratic methods of national development Great Leap Forward: all life collectivized, private property abolished, social customs replaced by Communist party activities, modern industrial capacity being achieved by backyard steel furnaces- farmers made iron and steel from scrap metal, was a failure, had to meet quotas, produced poor quality iron, bad weather and agricultural drop in productivity, caused a major famine and 30 million deaths Cultural Revolution: effort to revolutionize China, young students (Red guards) imposed Maoist orthodoxy on institutions in society, middle class and educated people were persecuted or sent to countryside for reeducation in ways of the peasantry, country lost entire generation of skilled leaders, 700,000 to several million dead, party promoted more moderate and rational path to modernization after his death
Vietnam Struggle for Independence
Causes: French Indochina was evacuated by Japan, group of Vietnamese nationalists began a guerrilla campaign against the returning French People: Ho Chi Minh- leadership who started campaign Events: French-Indochina War- lasted nine years before defeat at Dien Bien Phu forced French to quit Effects: Indochina was divided into Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia (resembling Korean War communist North and nationalist south), US committed a massive army to defend South Vietnam, Norths determination and roots in Vietnam patriotism won them the war, negotiated peace preceded full communist victory, Vietnam devastated by intensive combat and took years to recover, Laos and Cambodia also suffered destruction, Cambodian genocide, Vietnam fought a war to repel Chinese influence in postwar Indochina
World War II
Causes: Great Depression, Treaty of Versailles Events: three main theaters (Europe, Mediterranean, Pacific-Asian), Germany's invasion of Poland is said to be beginning of war but war had been in Asia since the Japanese invasion of China, took until 1941 for European and Pacific to be one global war, Japanese offensives against the US and European, events in different regions affected each other, Japanese seizure of Southeast Asian colonies, Soviet Union did not intervene against Japan while fighting for its life, Americans Germany first outlook
Japan and East Asia Reforms/Revolutions
Causes: Japan was governed by US dominated occupation that imposed a liberal constitution, land reforms and new education system Goal: make Japan more Western oriented and economically strong to prevent revival of militarism and to defend against communism in East Asia Events: offered a defensive alliance under its own naval and air forces, promoted free trade Effects: able to develop export economy of manufactured goods, strong focus on technology, corporations and banks were world class competitors, rebuilt itself as a solidly united and wealthy member of First World 1990s: economy formed a speculative bubble that when it burst caused a contraction that lasted almost ten years, Last Decade, rapidly aging demographic profile, suffered a financial crisis Effects: struggled with lingering economic issues, lack of inclusion of women in workforce, shrinking population in aging country
Greater Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
Causes: Japans goal of economic self-sufficiency needed an imperial foreign policy, island nation had few natural resources of its own Events: seized Taiwan and Korea in a growing overseas empire, wanted rich resources of China, invasion of Manchuria 1913- led to protests in the League of Nations but no effective action Effects: Japanese kept their territory and withdrew from the league, idea of Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere was developed, anti-imperialist (sought to replace European rule over Asian nations with Japanese rule)
The Middle East
Causes: Pan-Arab nationalists saw Ottoman Empire replaced by British and French Empires that divided the Middle East into League of Nation mandates that paid no attention to regional, demographics or sectarian divides Events: Iraq rebelled and was gradually given independence by Britain in 1932, Arabian Peninsula was unified bu the Saud Dynasty, did not achieve independence until after WWII, Cold War dynamics complicated Middle Eastern politics
Iran
Causes: Persia descended from one of the worlds oldest civilizations and was still an independent empire in 1914, nationalist elites and Islamic clergy had been engaged in revolution against the dynastic Shah since 1906 Events: created a parliament and constitutional monarchy, removed some foreign influence over their government People: Reza Pahlavi- army leader, in response to Soviet and British interference declared the new Shah and the country was renamed Iran, replaced by son Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, Ayatollah Khomeini- exiled Iran: introduced modern reforms along Western lines, followed Turkey's example, demanding Muslims liberalize their practices to accommodate social progress, wear modern clothing, give more freedom to women, chose to back Nazi Germany Events: US and Britain sponsored a coup detat in support off Shah to protest Western oil interests, Shah launched massive land reform and industrial program to enlist peasant and working class support against landlords, clergy and educated middle class who resented his authoritarian antidemocratic rule, women gained right to vote, run for elected office and serve in judiciary, White Revolution- weakened the Shah, alienated conservatives and religious while doing little to win over peasants and working classes, US ally, persisted in a strident anti-communist against leftists, regime increased in world influence because of oil revenue, lost touch with changing social dynamics in his people, uncertainties of industrial revolution, Iranians from every class saw traditionalist Shi'ite Muslim clergy, increasing civil resistance forced Shah to leave Iran, Khomeini returned and was voted to become Islamic Republic Effects: Islamic Revolution put clergy in charge and imposed fundamentalist theocracy that was hostile to secular and Christian west, remains a regional industrial and military power and an example of the power of religious rather than political or economic ideas in modern revolutionary history
Communist Revolutions in Russia
Causes: Russia was far behind Western Europe economically technically and politically, slowly building an industrial base with foreign capital and increasing agricultural production, still dominated by a small and wealthy aristocracy, imperial court and bureaucracy, rigid censorship was enforced by state police, pointless sacrifices of World War I led to social upheavals and riots in March 1917 People: Tsar Nicholas II- retained all real executive power and had little interest in broadening the base of his government to include the rising middle class, Vladimir Lenin- leader of the leading power of communists called the Bolsheviks, Cheka- secret police who spied on and arrested anyone who deviated from revolutionary enthusiasm, Joseph Stalin Events: tsar forced to abdicate and ceded power to a provisional republican government, liberal government stayed in the war which caused revolts and strikes Bolsheviks: promised people peace land and bread, seized power and declared Russia the first socialist state, made peace with Germany (ended Russia's part in the war), seized all private land, banks, industries, former owners persecuted, estates looted and burned, Soviets or popular committees ruler locally under command of central party, 1924 Lenin died and Stalin came to power Marxism-Leninism: called for dictatorial central direction by a single party until industry, national wealthy and communist thought had developed enough for the state to wither ways Stalin's Five Year Plans: goals of increasing industrial and agricultural productivity, individual farms were collectivized, over 5 million who resisted were killed, intensive program of heavy industrialization began, education and health care were universal and free, women were given equal rights under the law, literacy increased, organized religion was suppressed in favor of atheism, civil rights were nonexistent, Communist party used state terror and purges to enforce submission, hundreds of thousands were fried and executed, millions were imprisoned in deadly labor camps Effects: this aspect of communism was denied or minimized, Soviet propaganda offering glimpse of a future that works to Marxist believers
Eastern Europe Reforms/Revolutions
Causes: Soviet Union satellite states in Europe, installed communist leaders and monitored affair, economic hardships, foreign domination, lack of political liberties led to discontent Events: Uprising of 1953- communist forces had to put down riots in East Germany, Hungary rose up but Red Army crushed revolt, Prague Spring movement- for civil and economic freedom, suppressed by Soviets, decline of USSR- marked by rise of Solidarity- Polish union led social movement that defied martial law, Velvet Revolution- 1989, succeeded without Soviet interference People: Lech Walesa- elected as first anti-communist president in 1990, Vaclav Havel- elected president, Slobodan Milosevic- led civil wars in Yugoslavia, revived nationalist dream of Great Serbia with genocidal policy of ethnic cleansing in largely Islamic, NATO intervened to suppress Serbia, tried for war crimes at International War Crimes Tribunal Effects: more education, urban working class grew, aristocratic classes dispossessed as industry supplanted agriculture, mass demonstrations in East Germany led to opening of border to West Germany- dramatic televised demolition of Berlin Wall, end of Cold War opened series of ethnic based civil wars in Yugoslavia, recognition of Kosovo's independence from Serbia led to sourcing in relations between West and Russia, expansion of NATO and European Union and rise of authoritarianism in Russia led to renewed tensions between East and West, Great Recession
Africa's Reforms
Causes: UN economic sanctions and international boycotts brought global attention to the fundamental injustice of the apartheid system in South Africa Events: government began to institute racial reforms, newly independent struggled with populations, poverty and resource mismanagement, increasing commitments to democracy, growing urbanized middle class, suppression of endemic diseases, new infrastructure to promote intracontinental trade, wars, 1994 genocide in Rwanda, diseases (ebola) People: Nelson Mandela- African National Congress leader, first president elected by all the people of South Africa
Zionism and Palestinian Nationalism
Causes: WWI- British ruled Palestine under a League of Nations mandate, Balfour Declaration of 1917- British government supported a homeland for Jews in Palestine, European zionist movement for Jewish nationalism, Holocaust Events: Arab Palestinians saw both British rule and Jewish settlements as forms of Western imperialism, British tried to control violence between communities but Jewish minority began to grow, WWII- Pan-Arab Movement joined Palestinians in opposing creation of Jewish state, weakened British Empire asked UN- planned to divide the area into two states, paralleled India, negotiated end to colonial rule led to violence and mass migrations between rival groups and war ensued, Jewish victories over Arab, Jews expelled from newly independent Arab states and relocated to Israel Effects: creation of the state of Israel on May 14 1948, both claim ancient Holy Land as national homeland, fighting continues, Israel fought three wars with Arabs, Six Day War 1967- expanded its territory, Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)- used terrorism to press for Palestinian state to replace Israel in region as Hamas, detente developed between Israel and Saudi Arabia to counter their mutual region rival Iran
Germany
Causes: Weimar Republic tried to reestablish Germany's place in the international community, Great Depression- withdrawal of American credit, caused a collapse of the economy and rising popularity for German communists Events: opposing the communists with street fighting and uniformed gangs- National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party), Hitler was appointed chancellor in 1933, became dictator by eliminating his political opponents through terror, intimidation and forced labor camps, Jews were increasingly persecuted and driven from public life, Nazi Party and propaganda of German revival and expansion dominated all areas of national life, pushed to annul the Versailles treaty restrictions on German power, wanted to weaken Western alliances, German army moved to reoccupy the demilitarized Rhineland on the French border People: Adolf Hitler- leader of Nazi party, railed against communism and used traditional anti-semitism to suggest that communism was a global conspiracy organized by the Jewish people, blamed all of Germany's economic, diplomatic and social problems on Jewish population Nazism: greatest difference from fascism was it was based on the racial hatred and promotion of Aryan (germanic) racial superiority
African Independence Movements
Causes: almost all of Africa being carved up by European powers, transformed by the development of monoculture plantations of cash crops for export and mines of precious metals, ownership of property was exclusively in hands of European merchants, after WWII left wing parties running European governments had little interest in subsidizing outright imperial enterprises, rise of democratically minded elite class eager for independence, arbitrary borders- created nations comprised of unrelated ethnic groups with a history of conflict, new states became rivals competing for power Events: structural difficulties in development, colonial powers had modernized local economies and societies solely to exploit and export natural resources, broad based modernization efforts went over tensions between unequally developed regions, dictatorship and military rule were characteristic aspects of Africa's political culture in 1960s and 70s
Turkey
Causes: breakup of Ottoman Empire was taking place because of European imperial pressure, WWI started competition(Austria-Hungary and Russia) to control former Ottoman lands Events: Allies mobilized Arab resentment of Turkish domination, Young Turks- progressive modernizers, fought to preserve Anatolian Turkey from being carved up by victorious Allies, caliphate was abolished, Islam took a back seat to nationalism and modernization in new Republic of Turkey, Kemalist state balanced industrial development, strengthened Islamic faith and practice, one of worlds most secular Muslim state
Africa Struggle for Independence
Causes: colonies developing large white settler communities because of imperial sponsors, settlers being priviledged over natives, resisted independence movements by the native majorities Events: armed conflicts and wars, Mau Mau Uprising- Kenya, crushed by the British Army, accelerated movement towards full independence in 1963, Algeria- former part of France, National Liberation Front (FLN)- began a terrorist campaign to drive out the French, local French government collapsed as conflict proved unwinnable, independence in 1962 Effects: large number of colonial whites departed, Algeria torn between Islamic and modernizing socialist currents- leading to civil war 1991-2002, ended with government victory over Islamists
Internationilization
Causes: connected world, distinctions and barriers between cultures blurred and weakened Events: Western entertainment companies spreading worldwide, Western cultural ideas, sports, rise of social media Effects: food brands found everywhere, spread ideas about individualism consumption and self-fulfillment, family roles changing and different in different places, easier for people to interact Globalization: enabled cultural diffusion to become multidirectional, tourism, immigration and internet have allowed consumers to have opportunities with other cultures
Communist Revolutions in China
Causes: declining Qing Dynasty and end in Xinhai Revolution (Chinese Revolutions of 1911), last emperor abdicated and China declared as a Republic, new government instituted a program of Western oriented reforms focused on national independence from foreign control, constitutional democracy and popular welfare, fragmented into a series of warlord dominated zones reflecting their long history with chaotic regional struggles when a strong central government weakened Events: Kuomintang (KMT)- ruling nationalist party, struggled to unify and modernize China in face of Western extraterritorial privileges and increasing Japanese imperialist pressure, new Soviet Union helped build KMT's military, Chinese Communist Party (CCP)- emerged as a major political and military rival, program oriented toward China's huge rural population, growing conflict with Japan increased national feeling but weakened or destroyed modern or Westernized factors, Japan's surrender in 1945- open civil war broke out, military blunders and widespread internal corruption led to KMT's defeat by 1949 and it evacuated to Taiwan, Republic of China held onto UN security council seat until 1971 when it became internationally recognized as a government 2nd Revolution: launched in 1949 by communist Mao Zedong, countries refused to recognize, eliminated all opposition by killing or imprisoning millions, completely controlled cultural and political expression, elevated Mao as supreme and perfect dictator, expanded party's existing land reform program, landlords were dispossessed and killed, landless peasants were given own parcels to farm in cooperative groups, required social, economic adjustment, communist ideology promoted as replacement for Confucian ideals (had enforced class hierarchies), businesses were nationalized, Five Year Plan began to develop heavy industry along Soviet lines People: Sun Yixian- founded party and led until he died then led by Jiang Jieshi, Mao Zedong- led 2nd revolution, proclaimed country to be peoples republic of china
Developments in Technology
Causes: drive to improve devices that ease or replace human labor Examples: electric motors and internal combustion engines, automobiles, airplanes, radio, television, electric appliances, power grids, highways, communication networks, machines control other machines, analog devices, digital computers People: Tim Bernere-Lee developed first world wide web Effects: piracy, cyberbullying, doxxing, deepfakes, first iPhone
Changing Gender Roles
Causes: few professional opportunities for women, educated women were limited and working class in labor, women's participation in industrial and professional labor forces during WWI Events: became voters between 1920-40s, WWII advances in woman's image as workers, citizens, soldiers, peacetime backlash as women were expected to return to homemaking and low prestige part time jobs, 1960s-70s: Western world saw sexual revolution, challenging traditional gender norms, marriage and family (factors: birth control, divorce, property laws)
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Causes: growing urban population, impoverished countryside dominated by wealthy families and Catholic Church, run by a military dictatorship, king abdicated and a republic was formed, introduced liberal reforms (women's suffrage, legalized divorce, redistribution of land, anticlerical laws that weakened Catholic Church's power) Events: conservative reaction and increasing social discord reached climax when right wing army officers revolted, Spanish democracy stood between the fascist backed nationalist forces of Franco and communist dominated forces supporting left wing republic People: General Francisco Franco- nationalist faction defeated Republican faction Effects: fascist Spain shattered by war, played little role in the second world war, remain fascist until 1973, called a dress rehearsal for second world war, new weapons and tactics, pioneered the use of IEDs, Germany's experimentation with air power, terror of bombing of Guernica- served as a model for daytime bombing of cities in World War II
Developments in Energy
Causes: high profile incidents at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island and Cold War nuclear weapons failed to displace fossil fuels Examples: renewable energy would mature, hydropower Effects: mass carbon production- global climate began to change, Sykes-Picot Agreement- ensured the security of British and French economic interests and access to oil fields, Soviet and US jockeyed for oil producing nations
Population Growth
Causes: improved public health, use of sewage systems, new medicines, technological advances, Green Revolution- introduced chemical fertilizers, high producing seeds, fed the growing world population, prevented famines 1.6 billion to over 7 billion by 2012 Events: birth rates dropped because families invested more resources in each child, women entered the workforce, the number of children a family could support decreased
Global Conflicts and Terrorism
Causes: increasing globalization, rose of non-state threats that transcended traditional borders, groups opposed to US foreign policy, influence of Western culture on their societies Events: Aum Shinrikyo's cult 1995- Tokyo subway sarin gas attack, al-Qaeda 2001- September 11 in NYC, 3,000 lives lost, financial and economic damage, invaded Afghanistan, Taliban overthrown and Afghanistan War continued, 2003- US invaded Iraq, effort to remove potentially threatening dictator and weapons of mass destruction, not officially sanctioned by UN, Saddam Hussein- removed from power, weapons were never located Effects: widespread insurgency broke out in Iraq, 4,500 US soldiers died, 100,000 Iraqi civilians died, ride of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), gradual return of US forces to Iraq and introduction into Syria
India/Pakistan Partition
Causes: increasing violence between Hindu and Muslims persuaded British to agree to this Effects: led to creation of Hindu Indian and Muslim Pakistan, division led to mass cross migration of Muslim and Hindu refugees and terrible civil slaughter, hundreds of thousands were killed, positioned relations between India and Pakistan (fought wars for next 50 years) Pakistan: composed of western and eastern provinces separated by India, populations of different ethnic groups, ancestral history and share only Muslim religion, 1971-East Pakistan fought for independence and became Bangladesh
India and South Asia Reforms
Causes: independence adopted a British style parliamentary political system People: Nehru- leader, advocated industrialization, Indira Gandhi- Nehru's daughter, ruled India on and off from 1960s till assassination in 1984, centralized governments power, supported the breakup of rival Pakistan, ruled by decree Events: congress socialist orientation, state took ownership of major industries, resources, transportation, utilities, local and retail businesses and farmland remained private, industrialization revived business traditions, favored relations with Soviet Union, development of nuclear weapons, dynastic traditions in ruling classes- female prime ministers, secular India struggled with fundamentalist radicals, remains democratic, commercial and media culture independent of Western, leaders attempt to liberalize the bureaucratically insufficient economy to modernize and industrialize the peasant countryside and compete with China, fourth nation to successfully send a probe to Mars, 1997- renewed Maoist insurgency that resulted in deaths of thousands of Indian civilians
Racial Equality Efforts
Causes: inhabitants in colonies were controlled by white nations, never held to equal status or ability of white population, oppression of minority populations Events: negritude movement Francophone African- rejecting assimilation and advocating solidarity, Afrocentrism during civil rights era- correct Eurocentrism in history and literature, Civil Rights Act 1965- mass movement to repeal segregation and white supremacy laws, Brazilian Constitution of 1998- emphasizing civil liberties and criminalizing racial prejudice and speech against minorities
Independence and Nationalist Movements
Causes: inspired by decline or defeat of colonial powers, causes of colonial warfare- size of European settler populations, perceived importance of the colony to the ruling country's economy, national prestige, radicalism of the independent movements ideology Goal: resist and expel foreign occupiers Events: some new nations had been able to negotiate their independence with relative lack of violence,
Globalization
Causes: interconnected through trade, cultural exchange, political interaction on a mass scale Effects: regional groups and treaty organizations to channel and direct global exchange
2008 Financial Crisis
Causes: interconnectedness of global economy, what happens to one major economy can reverberate throughout rest of the world Events: US housing market collapsed in 2008, more than 3 million Americans lost homes, triggering a severe economic downturn, rippled through global economy Effects: Great Recession, worldwide political implications for many years to come
Southeast Asia Struggle for Independence
Causes: peninsulas and archipelagos occupied by Japan during the war, defeat of Europeans by an Asian army and harsher policies of Japanese roused a generation of nationalist movements to evict the ruling empires Events: Sukarno- declared independence for Indonesia in 1945, Netherlands fought four year colonial war before admitting defeat and withdrawing, Britain challenged by a communist insurgency in Malaya- which it defeated while preparing for the colony for independence, British emphasized small nit jungle tactics rather than massive firepower
Environmental Issues
Causes: population growth and industrialization Effects: overuse of natural resources, contamination by pollution, losses of plant and animal species, oceanic fish depleted, prohibiting commercial fishing, flora and fauna species disappearing, pollution, lung disease, damming of rivers, trash increase, landfills, gradual rise in temperatures, increased precipitation, rising ocean levels, natural parks, movements to protect wildlife, agencies to monitor resources and waste products, Greenpeace, Sierra Club, World Wildlife Fund- work to protect environment through direct action and governments for legal action
Island States Independence
Causes: position on sea lanes, important for expanding empire, used for plantation colonies, national movements confronted weakened or restructured empires, independence was conceded to island colonies that were unprofitable, strategically unnecessary or unsustainable in the face of nationalist resistance, negotiated national freedom in postwar period, countries were consumed by factional or ethnic strife that had been suppressed by colonial powers Events: Cuba- rebelled from decaying Spanish Empire, then came under effective political domination by US, Ireland- Great Britain, waged guerrilla war after WWI, achieve home rule as Irish Free State, complete independence as Republic of Ireland in 1937, Britain's rule in Protestant Northern Ireland remained a source of conflict, terrorist violence until Good Friday Agreement 1998
Arab Spring
Causes: street vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire after long term mistreatment by local police and confiscation of his fruit cart which was his only way to make money Events: widespread protests in Tunisia which spread to North Africa and Middle East, wanted more equitable government and greater economic opportunity for all, protests evolved in Arab Spring, Tusisian government was overthrown, Syria into Civil War, Effects: massive loss of life, four million Syrians flee abroad, reflects importance of Internet and social media in modern geopolitical
Italy
Causes: success of Marxist revolution in Russia led to a growing fear of communism especially in ones that had been destabilized by the war Events: first fully organized reactionary and anti-democratic movement emerged in Italy, Mussolini and group marched Rome in 1922 and demanded to form a government, king consented and Italy was dominated by Mussolini and fascists, Italy would be able to brutally invade Ethiopia in 1935 conquering one of Africa's only independent states People: Benito Mussolini- leader, became the prototypical modern dictator as he accumulated more and more power, rule was unquestioned
Religious Development
Causes: traditional religious devotion declined Effects: rise in secular agnosticism and humanism, liberal Christianity and Judaism, new forms of spiritually developed from blending Eastern and Western traditions, shift towards fundamentalism in all religions Liberation theology in Latin America: reinterpreted Catholicism as an aggressive reform movement
Soviet Union
Causes: transfer of power in Moscow, Lenin (architect of the Bolshevik Revolution died) and resulting power struggle within the ruling Bolshevik party ended when Joseph Stalin took control in 1927 Events: Stalin followed Lenin's example and Russia's tradition of absolute rule, ruthlessly eliminated his colleagues and twisted communism into a one-man dictatorship, method of rule became associated with modern Soviet-style communism but is referred to as Stalinism Stalinism: complete state ownership and centralized control of the economy through Five Year Plans, forced industrialization to modernize the country and military in defense against hostile capitalist world, world leadership in international communist movement to subvert capitalism and imperialism, forced collectivism for farming and control food supply, promotion of atheism and forcing organized religion underground, complete control of culture, art, media and entertainment Effects: new form of political leadership, dictatorships demonstrated political ideology was less important than the methods and goals used to mobilize society, modern totalitarianism displayed certain distinct features
India's Independence Movement
Causes: under British Empire, divided between Hindu and Muslim factions, Muslim population was in the minority and leaders deviated from congress's insistence that British India was destined to be a single independent federated nation, Britain's government of India Act of 1919- after WWI, granted some domestic power to the congress but left more power to British hands compared to white dominions (Canada and Australia), shocking episode and British public's disapproval of it began to push Indian opinion away from Dominion status (domestic self rule within the empire) and toward complete independence, British realized they could no longer count on Indian bureaucracy for governing and policing, could not afford a military campaign of suppression and conquest so August 15 1947 Independence was granted to India Events: led by upper class members of the Indian National Congress, balanced its reform effort with increased prosecutions for sedition, arousing popular resentment, Armistar- British general ordered troops to fire on a protest rally, killing hundreds of unarmed civilians, 1930s- Britain proposed a federal structure for India to protect minority Muslim rights but Muslim League countered, WWII began- British offered domestic rule in return for cooperation against Germany and Japan, despite campaigns and Japan's attempts to recruit Indian liberation army Indian people supported Britain in the war People: Mohandas Gandhi- emerged, focused on peasant roots and spiritual traditions of India, helped turn Congress Party from an elite debating society into a disciplined mass movement, methods of satyagraha- civil disobedience against unjust laws ans ahismo- nonviolence in the face of police action- highlighted the injustice of British rule, "quit India" resistance campaign, Muhammad Ali Jinnah- countered with a demand that India be divided into two separate states, Muslim and Hindu
The United Nations
Causes: victorious Allies resolved to try again with an international organization with the UN Description: attempted to fix the flaws of the failed League of Nations, The Security Council- permanent membership for the five Allied victors(US, USSR, GB, F, C) specifically tasked with keeping peace by military action if necessary, subject to veto by any of great powers, General Assembly- all member nations is a forum for discussing world problems and potential solutions, cannot pass laws, can raise issues and suggest resolutions Effects: busy settling disputes in Middle East and helping refugees left by WWII, strongest mark in Korean War (1950-1953)- authorizing an international armed force to resist communist attack, Cold War- split the Allies into opposition and many new nations emerged with little stake in Western oriented world order, proved less able to maintain world peace, without the sovereign power of military enforcement international organizations must mirror the balance of national power at the global level
Impact on Other World Powers
China- nationalism surged after Japan gained Germany's concessions in China, riots and May Fourth Movement- cultural and intellectual, war marked a shift toward more populist political base and away from intellectual elites of the former imperial governing class India- fought loyally as part of British Empire in hopes of gaining more independence after war, Britain introduced some reforms and liberalization it maintained complete control over the Raj which led to s surge in Indian nationalism under the leadership of the Congress Party and the charismatic Mohandas Gandhi- demanded full independence, Indians saw Europeans in a new light after self-destructive maelstrom of the Great War
Role of Women in Russia and China
China: marriage law forbade arranged marriages, worked alongside men in factories, nurseries set up to care for children, party leadership remained male, efforts made to end foot binding Russia: served in Red Army, 65% factory workers, ordered equal pay but not enforced, maternity leave with full pay, entered professions
Rise and Fall of Communism
China: radical communist revolution took place when Russia's was moderating, apparent success inspired a new generation of communist parties Cuba: successful revolution led by Fidel Castro introduced communism to the Western Hemisphere, led to direct nuclear confrontation between the US and Soviet Union (Cuban Missile Crisis), repeated struggles across Latin American and the Caribbean between US governments and revolutionaries supported by USSR and Cuba Asia/Africa: uprisings, civil wars, some successful revolutions were based n anti-imperialist or nationalist forms of communism, supported by Soviet and or Chinese diplomacy, aid and military supplies (Vietnam, North Korea, successful), isolated communist movements or governments arose in underdeveloped colonies but struggled Soviet: collapse of the Soviet Union ad retreat of Chinese communism signaled failure of Marxism-Leninism and Maosim and changing revolutionary ideas
Ideology in Cold War
Communism: was a popular internationalist ideology, millions believed it was the economic and political model of the future Democratic capitalism and dictatorial communism: presented as the only two choices available for political and economic organization Non-Aligned Movement: founded by the leaders of Yugoslavia, India, Indonesia, Ghana, goal to explore a middle course between East and West for developing nations of the world
International Peace and Human Rights
Court of Arbitration- European nations set up in order to prevent wars by giving nations a way to settle international differences World Court: operated by League of Nations, continues to administer and judge cases of international law between consenting parties Hague and Geneva Conventions: defined the laws of war and war crimes because of the Holocaust and tribunals at Nuremberg and Tokyo to persecute war criminals International Criminal Court (ICC): 1998, proven problematic, major powers do not recognize its authority Universal Declaration of Human Rights: set standard bu which totalitarian or other abusive regimes could be judged and sanctioned Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs): CARE, Red Cross, Doctors without Borders, Greenpeace are rooted in citizen activism and work to tackle problems that reach beyond national boundaries and governments and operate like nonprofits
Impact of the War
Deadliest conflict in human history, over 70 million people died, 50 million were civilians, tens of millions died of famine and war related diseases, Germany and Japan adopted most brutal policies with explicitly racist ideologies of conquest, with work camps set to detain, torment and murder political or racial enemies, 17 million Jews, communists, labor leaders, prisoners of war, Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, mentally and physically disabled, Romani people were shot, gassed or worked to death, blaming Jewish people for all of Germany's problems, 6 million of 9.5 million Jews murdered during Holocaust, atomic weapons, chemical weapons, biological weapons used and whole cities on two continents burned to ash, uncountable wounded, traumatized and separated, destruction of wealth, explosives and expenditure, trillion US dollars
Developments in Science
Einstein's Special and General Theories of Relativity, Planck's Quantum Theory, Von Neumann's Game Theory, Shannon's Information Theory, Wilson's Plate Tectonics Theory Effects: significant advances in science, discoveries, practical technical use, government and corporations and universities supported sciences in hope of producing another breakthrough, Nobel Prize
Woodrow Wilson Fourteen Points
Entered the Versailles meeting with his plan. Called for self-determination of nationalities, peace without victory, disarmament, fair treatment of colonial people, establishment of the League of Nations- multinational organization for maintaining world peace
The War in the Pacific
Events: Japans invasion of China strained relations with the US (popular outrage over massacres like Rape of Nanjing), economic sanctions increasing- Japan tried to seize industrial resources in Southeast Asia from distracted European imperial powers and fend of US in defensive war, Japanese forces attacked Hawaii and Philippines in 1941, US- alarmed by totalitarian aggression had been moving away fro isolationist policies and began a rearmament program (entered war in 1941), devoted resources to defeating Germany, military presence in Asia was enough to overwhelm Japan, series of naval and air campaigns where American forces advanced on Japan, retook Philippines and began to bomb Japanese homeland, submarines blockade Japan, prepared to launch invasion, 1945-Berlin fell and Soviet Union declared war on Japan to seize Manchuria and Korea, Japan's major cities were leveled by mass firebombing, US used first atomic bomb in warfare in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered and Americans occupied devastated country
The War in Europe
Events: Nazi Germany was almost entirely unchecked from 1939-1942, took control of most of Eastern and Northern Europe with few casualties, fall of France, Britain left to defend itself and keep sea lanes open, Hitler repelled by British air and sea power, launched a massive invasion of USSR, 1942 was high tide of Axis Power- Germany dominated continental Europe, pushed farther into southern Russia and Egypt and sank ships carrying US reinforcements to Russia and Britain, Soviet Union rallied people and resources from industrial revolution and a series of huge and brutal battles like the sieges of Stalingrad and Leningrad, Germany was slowly destroyed and pushed back into Eastern Europe, 1944- Allies crushed Germany on three fronts through invasions, logistical support on American industry, intensive aerial bombing of German cities, Soviet ground power, 1945- Berlin fell to the Red Army, Hitler committed suicide, American and Soviet troops shook hands at the Elbe River in the center of Germany
Progress of Cold War
Events: paranoia and dread dominated war, Western nations became infected with fears about spies and treason, uprisings in Soviet States of East Germany, Hungary and Czechoslovakia were brutally suppressed, China tore itself apart with Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, proxy wars in Korea and Vietnam dogged the US, social tensions increased throughout West with postwar baby boom, US took advantage of Sino-Soviet Split and normalized relations with China, inspired a detente (diplomatic warming, relax) with USSR, increased trade, cultural exchange, arm agreements and diplomatic settlements in Europe, 1980s- resumption of high tension between superpowers, detente became tarnished by association with Nixon Administration (after Watergate Scandal), Soviet intervention in Angola- seen as communist world exploiting American weakness, Soviet invasion of Afghanistan- idea of peaceful coexistence with communist world seem foolish to Americans People: Mikhail Gorbachev- Soviet leader, reforms and tensions defuse End: Cold War unexpectedly ended with resulting implosion of the Soviet Union, Gorbachev did not count attempts by Warsaw Pact members to break away from Soviet domination, Red Army withdrew peacefully and Soviet support for Allies and client states ended, Soviet union broke up into numerous non-communist republics, largest being new Russian Federation
German Domination
Events: reoccupation of Rhineland, claims to German-inhabited territories in Eastern Europe, Britain and France's policy of appeasement- allowed Germany to annex Austria (Treaty of Versailles had forbidden), 1938 Munich Agreement- Hitler was given the Sudentenland (german speaking area in western Czechoslovakia) and in exchange Hitler pledged to make no more territorial demands, he invaded and annexed the rest of the country the next spring, failure of appeasement- Britain and France guaranteed security of Hitler's next victim (Poland, separated Prussia from the rest of Germany), Western Allies counted on the Soviet Union to oppose German threat, Hitler and Stalin made a joint agreement to invade Poland 1939 and Britain and France declared war, fighting consumed the continent Cause: German ambition to dominate Eastern Europe
Regional Organizations
Formed to protect local interests, represent less powerful and formerly colonized areas Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): accelerate economic progress and promote political stability European Union (EU): effort to strengthen European economic trade relations and balance the influence of the US Organization of American States (OAS): postwar successor of Western Hemisphere conferences North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): remove trade barriers between countries Arab League: coordinate regional responses to a continual series of crises Organization of African Unity (OAU): providing coordination and cooperation among member states, supported end to white minority and colonial rule, replaced by African Union (AU)
Impact on Central Powers
Germany- economically, politically, socially devastated, lost millions of men, forced to pay huge reparations to Allies, lost its army and navy, all of its overseas empire, productive provinces on eastern and western borders, Kaiser abdicated out of chaos of democratic socialist and communist uprisings- a weak parliamentary style government was assembled in Weimar in 1919, hyperinflation devastated the middle class Austria-Hungary- dissolved as the war ended Ottoman Empire- fought with the Central Powers, partitioned after the war, freed from Turkish domination and Arab nationalism rose (inspired by Wilson's call for national self-determination), land was carved into French and British zones of imperial control called mandates, Palestine was a center of tension (Arab nationalists competed with Jewish Zionsist for control of land they were both promised), Ottoman briefly survived until Turkey declared itself a republic under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk- instituted a program of modernization and westernization, in final years of Ottoman- Young Turk government undertook the systematic genocide of the Armenian people
Sino-Soviet Split
Made the Cold War a tripolar conflict Causes: ideological conflict between USSR and China over de-Stalinization, peaceful coexistence with the West and comparative merits of Maoism and orthodox Marxism-Leninsim
Demographic Shifts
Migration increase both internal and external Causes: imperialism, industrialization, war, post imperialism
Outcomes of the War
No armistice or peace conference, Allies demanded unconditional surrender to avoid a repeat of the stab in the back myth that fueled the rise of the Nazi Party, Axis nations had to accept defeat, Germany and Japan were occupied by Allied armies, Allies purged the ruling class and imposed extensive social reforms, attempted to remake the countries the image of their own societies (Western or Soviet), held war trials top generals and government officials were charged, convicted and sometimes executed for crimes against humanity), set new precedent in international law as making war could now be punishable in international courts, France, China, Europe and East Asia devastated by conquerors and occupiers, crippled economically and already losing control over its empire, clearest victor was the US-suffered smaller losses in terms of men killed and built up its industrial power to supply the Allied forces, homeland had not been touched by combat except for attack on Hawaii, enjoyed a monopoly on atomic weapons, isolationism would linger till Truman Doctrine, assumed strong leadership position in world, Bretton Woods Conference 1944- committed to support the economies of other developed nations by linking strong domestic currency and undamaged economy to international gold standard- enabled rapid recovery in Europe and Japan, dollar- worlds reserve currency, Soviet Union- faced annihilation and survived to emerge as a military superpower, dominating large portions of Eurasia, wartime losses included 27 million dead, areas were occupied and ruined, participated in founding the United Nations and war crime trials, refused to join the postwar American led economic system and followed ideological and national security imperatives by establishing communist hegemony in Eastern Europe, took a renewed sense of national greatness, foresaw opportunities to spread communism
Diseases
Pandemics: 1918 influenza, HIV/AIDS 1918 influenza: killed between 50-100 million HIV/AIDS: killed over 35 million Diseases: malaria, cholera, smallpox, tuberculosis People: Alexander Fleming- discovered worlds first antibiotic, penicillin 1923 Effects: changing diet- cancer, diabetes etc, antibiotics- prevented spread of many diseases, vaccines
The Treaty of Versailles
Peace conference for WWI was held near Paris at Palace of Versailles, leading Allied powers (Italy, Great Britain, France, United States) (Big Four), they wanted to increase their power at the expense of the defeated enemy, France and Britain did not support the generous peace that Wilson had envisioned, League of Nations was approved but US Congress opposed it and did not join the idealistic new international order, League- established in 1921 but without great powers of America, Russia and Germany it struggled to keep peace when tensions arose, Treaty- laid down harsh terms which Germany had to agree, accepting sole responsibility for starting the war, paying heavy reparations that would cripple economy, map of Europe was redrawn at the expense of German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires, new nations (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia) were created 1919
Cuba
People: 1952-1959 dictatorship by Batista, Fidel Castro- organized a guerrilla movement, initially a failure, eventually captured power in 1959 Events: small percentage of people were very wealthy and masses of peasants were impoverished, Castro had promised to hold elections but did not and first denied he was a communist, nationalization of foreign owned land and property alienated the US and corporations so Castro sough closer ties with Soviet Union for protection, announced his communist plans for Cuba in 1961- collectivized farms, centralized control of the economy, free education and medical services, tensions with US escalated, Bay of Pigs: 1961 group of anti-communist Cuban exiles supported by the US launched a failed invasion attempt Cuban Missile Crisis: standoff when Soviet missiles were discovered in Cuba and after the US and Soviet Union averted WWIII with a compromise
Soviet Union/ Russian Reforms
People: Khrushchev- took power in 1953 after death of Stalin, publicized and criticized Stalin's faults and crimes in a process called de-Stalinization, encouraged more freedom of expression hoping to enlist new generation to help rebuild country in modern ways, revitalized communist interest in promoting world revolutions, supporting radical factions, 1964-1982- Brenzhnev- focused on keeping communist party in control, more restrictive policy towards dissidents and free expression, Gorbachev- 1985, felt only reform could save the communist system, policy of perestroika- restructuring, limited elements of free enterprise and private capital, glasnost- openness, encouraged open discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the system, Boris Yeltsin- 1990s, oversaw the liquidation of the state-controlled economy, capital wealth and natural resources taken over by oligarch, common people saw few benefits, life expectancy dropped by 5 years, military forces weakened, unpopular so he resigned and power went to, Vladimir Putin Effects: long shot gambles, apparent losses in Cold War confrontations in Cuba and Berlin led to his removal, Brenzhnev- industrial growth decline, absence of economic incentives and self defeating quotas, lowered baselines of acceptable quality and quantity, communism was insufficient but capitalism was able to make better working conditions with government regulation and democratic restrictions on accumulation of wealth, standard of living fell behind, opened itself to more Western contact 1970s- resulting ideologies caused more dissatisfaction Afghanistan: involvement in guerrilla war 1980s highlighted ideological and social weaknesses on domestic front Gorbachev results: attempted reform of a weakening regime only hastened its decline, republics declared independence from Soviet control, Soviet Union eventually dissolved succeeded by independent and non-communist republics 21st century: increasingly authoritarian, oligarchs persecuted or forcibly persuaded to cooperate with interests of the state, military invasions of neighboring nations, Russian forces intervened in Syrian Civil War
China's Reforms
People: Mao died in 1976 and Deng Xiaoping came to power Events: Deng instituted the Four Modernizations- industry, agriculture, technology and national defense, foreign and domestic investment was encouraged, industrialists assembled massive conglomerates and great wealth, entire cities were redeveloped, research and development focused on futuristic technologies, thousands of students sent abroad to study Effects: of capitalist style reforms economy boomed, path to restore peacefully its traditional position as a global heavyweight, regained the last of its territories held by Europe (Hong Kong and Macau), second largest economy in the world, lucrative market for business, invested in infrastructure and resource extraction- Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or One Belt One Road (OBOR) Events After: Communist Party still ruled China as a bureaucratic dictatorship, rising middle class began to push for democratic reforms- massive student demonstrations occurred in Tiananmen Square, China's leadership sent troops and tanks to crush rebellion
Trade Organizations
Regulating trade and investment World Bank: assembles and distributes loans from wealthier to poorer nations International Money Fund (IMF): coordinates monetary exchange rates to maintain global financial stability Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): economic group World Trade Organization (WTO): promote unrestricted global trade Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): first global trade organization Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): facilitating infrastructure developments
Fascism
Rise: many countries veered toward increased state power and authoritarian regimes but few countries had a large impact on the rest of the world, large powerful countries took totalitarian doctrines of state control to the furthest extreme and fascism and communism were used as alternatives to the democratic capitalist order Definition: national unifiers creating one people under one leader, saw communism as a threat to private property and traditional social structures, aimed to destroy labor unions while balancing the classes through domination of independent big business, dub itself national socialism in contrast to Soviet-style international socialism, hostile to the rights of workers in actual practice, centered on the unquestioned rule by a single charismatic leader with no opposing state institutions, single political party overrode and dominated all social structures, embraced ultra-nationalism and glorification of the state, glorified war as ultimate expression of power, rejected liberalism and democracy as weak and failed concepts
Impact on Allies
Russia- state collapsed, liberal revolution overthrew tsar in 1917 and communist coup seized power a few months later, communist government withdrew from the war and signed a desperate peace treaty with Germany 1918 and multisided war broke out almost immediately, leftist- Bolsheviks (Reds) and "big tent" anti-communist alliance (whites) Results: over a million people died before the final Red victory and establishment of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) 1922- anti-capitalist, angered by Western intervention in their civil war, Bolsheviks withdrew from European diplomacy while promoting a communist revolution and adding to world postwar instability Great Britain- lost significant percentage of young men, economically exhausted, owed billions in loans to the US, imperial dominions like Canada and Australia developed stronger nationalistic identities (due to wartime), Ireland revolted and won independence, independence movements in Africa and Asia grew France- suffered worse, Western front was fought on their territory, huge casualties and destruction of property, colonial troops returned to native countries with experiences helping to fuel independence movements, in debt to US Italy- one of leading Allied nations, been promised large portions of Austro-Hungarian Empire, received some but not all, postwar politicians continued to press for more concessions, looking for other imperial projects to distract nation from internal divisions US- elevated to great power status, failure of Wilsonian internationalism disillusioned them, traditional isolationism persisted, shunned foreign entanglement (like League of Nations), conservatives won the White House 1920- focusing on individual expansion and retreating from European affairs Japan- received Germany's Asian territories, proposed a Racial Equality clause for the League of Nations (hoping to be recognized as an Asian world power fully equal to Europe and America), Western powers refused further inflaming Japanese resentment and nationalism
Scotland and Catalonia
Scotland voted down independence in 2014 but separatist sentiments remained strong, Spain refused efforts to provide the province of Catalonia with legal means to determine its relationship with rest of Spain, efforts by separatists- been able to organize unofficial referendums that are legally unconstitutional
Military in Cold War
Soviets: tested their first atomic bomb in 1949 Weapons: far more powerful thermonuclear bomb (H bomb) was acquired by both nations in 1950s, nuclear weapons were impractical because both nations had enough to take out the other, used primarily as deterrents, doctoring called Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) Cuban Missile Crisis: 1962, closed they would come to nuclear war and scared both sides into more conservative nuclear policies (treaties to limit the proliferation and testing of weapons), two countries spent billions on conventional arms in order to develop more sophisticated systems for fighting
Japan
Taisho democracy of power WWI period gave way to repression of communists and labor activists Causes: Great Depression exacerbated existing trends toward an aggressive anti-Western nationalism, preexisting sense of Japanese racial superiority gained Events: military officers increasingly replaced civilian politicians in highest posts of government, emphasis on collective rule in the name of the divine emperor, never ruled by a glorified dictator
Cold War Origins
Tensions, grand alliance against Nazi Germany by the two leading capitalist democracies and first communist totalitarian state, disputes against postwar international order threatened Allies, Soviet Union sought to control the nations on western frontier to extended communism and a buffer to protect itself from future invasions, US and Britain protested, Red army occupation of Eastern Europe, Western powers unwillingness to continue the war led to a de facto division, Europe was divided into a capitalist, demonstrated west, communist and toleration east, Germany in the middle split into two states with an Iron Curtain, capital city divided into West and East sectors by Berlin Wall, competition to control Germany(Europe's greatest industrial and military nation) was a defying feature of Cold War
Impact of the Cold War
US and Allies won the Cold War Effects: hardly a peaceful and unified world, America's economy, society and politics had been distorted by decades of militarization and ideologically driven foreign policy, unipolar movement in 1990s- US economic, cultural and military dominance was challenged by rising powers (China, India, Japan, European Union, Russia, growing smaller but influential states), non-state actors and transnational corporations grew in strength, world shifted to a multipolar state comparable and pre WWI era, US taking place of British Empire as preeminent global power
Cold War
US and Soviet Union were both nuclear armed states, conflict was one of symbols, threats, imperial influence, trade and local proxy wars between client states (why it was called Cold War)
Islamic World
Western push-back against Pan-Arab nationalists and leftists created a void filled by Islamists- focused on traditionalism, including when caliphate united all Muslim people under one rule
Geopolitics in Cold War
Why: both vied for global influence especially in newly independent and developing nations in Asia and Africa Where: fought wars in Korea, Vietnam, India, Afghanistan and Angola Description: provided combat troops to opposing sides, used trade concessions, subsidies, infrastructure investments, cultural and educational exchanges and diplomatic or military support against local adversaries to maintain and extend geopolitical control, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Warsaw Pact- main alliances for the Americans and the Soviets