1914-1945

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 * 1914-1945 (End of WWII)**

WWI: Trench Warfare, Gas, The Home Front

 * Trench Warfare
 * Western/Eastern Fronts
 * Total War
 * War Communism

Warfare and Technology of WW1
World War One was the first fought with brand new technology such as tanks and gas primarily due to the fact that its the first post industrial war. This new technology produced probles for ranking officers as their old fighting and mobilzation techniques were obsolete. In an attempt to put the new technology to good use army officials came up with the idea of trench warfare which comprised of two opposing armies fighting in large holes shooting bombing and gassing each other with very little territorial gain This produced heavy losses on both entrenched sides of Germany, the eastern and western fronts. The new technologies changed the face of the battle front from a gentlemans field to a place filled with death and horror. The gas effectively produced heavy losses to the opposing armies because people have to breathe to survive but it will kill them if they do. German U-boats used stealth so that it was hard to anticipate an attack as one can't see under the water. Lastly tanks were able to roll over any opponents and fire lage shells. All of these new technologies made World War One into less of a war and more of organized slaughter.

The Home Front
During World War 1 the soldiers weren't the only fighting for their counties. Every citizen was expected to be part of the war effort through having industial jobs even women made their way into the workplace. War Communism was a huge part of the home front war communism began with rationing of food and other items that could be used by the soldiers on the battle front. War communism developed into a system that dictated what jobs people could have and set wages and other econmic regulations


 * Self-Determination
 * League Of Nations[[image:http://euroheritage.net/Europe1918.gif width="419" height="380" align="right"]]
 * War Guilt Clause
 * German War Reparations
 * Militant Regulations

The Treaty of Versialles intended to create a lasting peace so that another World War would never occur. The Treaty was designed to create peace. place blame for the war, and make it so Germany could never attack again. The assigned the blame to Germany with the War Guilt Clause which stated that germany was to recieve blame for every single one of the problems that resulted from the war. To ensure that Germany could never agian force an large scale a offensive they placed militant regulations on them and mandated large German War Reparations. Lastly in an attempt to create a lasting peace the Treaty created the League of Nations which is an international body designed to keep peace in Europe. A large part of the League of Nations is Self-Determination which let nationalities decide if they want to be their own country this reshaped the map of europe and created more peacekeeping problems.

The Outcome of the Treaty of Versailles was a completely new map of Europe that was no longer based on the conservatism of the Congress of Vienna but based on nationality. It also led to WW2 because it put such strain on Germany that they appointed a strong leader who became a dictator, Adolf Hitler. It also led to the policies of appeasement used by the British because the treaty stated that war was to be avoided at all costs.

The Russian Revolution
Leninism Before you can start to under stand the Russian Revolution you must first be able to understand the time before it. The leader before the Revolution started was Tsar Nicholas. He was a weirdo. He had a son who was a hemophiliac. His advisor, Rasputin, was a creeper. Rasputin was a ldies man. He was also very hard to kill I am not sure exactly how long it took to kill him bt it was impressive.

Well the people don;t like hom much money the governent is spending and they are angry that they are doing so badly in the war. One revolution ary leader decides to start a revolution.This man was LEnin. Lenin ued his political inflence to control the masses and then started a revuton that replaced the old government with a new governmet that he conrolled. He also made a deal with Germany to let Russia out of the war. This allowed Lenin to pu all of his attention to starting up his fledgling country. He usd propraganda to get te people to supprt him and he gained power quickly because of the structure and stablity that he promised the peasants. He did as much as he could before he finally passed away and the election was up for leader. As we all know, to make along and partially ironic story short, Stalin becomes the next leader of the USSR. He ruld with an iron fist, and He institutd many new reforms hat aloowed the nation to get along. THe varietyies are endless he also made a load of amazing tanks.


 * The Stock Market Crash of 1929
 * Britain and the Gold Standard
 * Roosevelt's "New Deal"
 * Social Democrats in Scandinavia
 * Recovery and Reform

-The roaring 20s' was a time of great prosperity and investment for the people of Europe and America. Much of the spending was based on credit which was a new concept during this time period. The credit concept also found its way into the stock market and many people were buying stock without the proper funds. The American stock market was built on borrowed money. After "Black Tuesday" in the U.S, other nations began feeling the hurt because at this time the world had a global economy. -As Britain began feeling the hurt of depression, they changed to the Gold Standard in hopes to avoid the depression.

Revival began when Roosevelt's proposed seemingly socialist policys at the time. The New Deal created many jobs in order to pull the country and global economy out of the depression.

Also when countries stopped using the Gold Standard many saw improved economies in the 1930's.

In Scandinavia the people built on a flexible type of socialism based on cooperative social action. They pioneered in large public works to maintain production and employment. They also increased social welfare benefits as well.

Britain's 30's more productive then the 20's for America. Britain went back to protective nationalism. Low interest rates encouraged a housing boom. The south was much more prosperous after the depression.

Communist Russa
Nazi Germany

-Mussolini and Hitler compared with Stalin all had similar strategies in propaganda and authoratative complete power. However there ideologies were quiet different. In Fascism, everything is for the good of the state. The state is almost the religion. This extreme patriotism for the nation and secret police put and kept Mussolini and Hitler in power.

Fascist Italy - Alliances with capitalists against socialism was common because of the opposite ideologies. The totalitarian state used modern technology and communications to exercise complete political control.

Nazi Germany -Same ideology as Mussolini in Italy however Hitler came to power legally. This fact shows the desperation and charisma that Hitler had. Hitler used huge rallies and the radio to reach everyone with extreme patriotism. The other strategy Hitler used was the major appeal to the youth of Germany

Communist Russia -Stalin used the Cheka or secret police to terrorize and maintain power. He also had to use some elements of capitalism to maintain the communist state. The NEP was an example of this.

All these leaders had to compromise their ideologies in order to make it work in reality.

Modern Anti-Semitism - 19th and 20th Century

 * ======**Traditions of anti-semitic beliefs**======
 * ======**Russian Anti-Semitism**======
 * ======**German Anti-Semitism (Nazism)**======
 * **Holocaust (1945 - Present)**

**Traditions of anti-semitic beliefs**

 * Prelude**: Jews in Central and Western Europe experienced a period of emancipation, in which they prospered. Jews in Western and Central Europe became excellent businessmen and took part in many influential jobs in the government.

**Turning Point:** The stock market crash of 1873 sparked anti-Semitism in Central Europe, and awoke long traditions of anti-semitic beliefs and feelings, which were the following:


 * 1) Religious intolerance
 * 2) Ghetto exclusion
 * 3) Anti-Jewish riots
 * 4) Anti-Jewish expulsions

The awakening of anti-semitism was largely due to the reaction against liberalism and its economic and political policies. It was also modernized in the fact that it was fueled by resentment of Jewish achievement and their "financial control__" of the economy. The successes of the Jews also alarmed people and felt threatened by Jewish competition. (small shopkeepers, office workers, and professionals). Many modern political parties also harbored feelings of anti-semitism, for example the conservatives, and the extremist nationalists. Some anti-semitic political parties were formed purely to attack and degrade Jews, but wouldn't achieve much damage until the later 19th century during World War II.


 * Summary: ** Jewish achievements and control in governments made people jealous and paranoid of Jews. The stock market crash of 1873 was the spark and brought about anti-semitism in sharper focus.


 * Russian Anti-Semitism**


 * **Prelude:** Jews in Russia before 1914 experienced extreme poverty and did not experience a brief period of Jewish emancipation like the Jews in Central/Western Europe. ||
 * Turning Point:** The Russian government saw the opportunity for the advantage of redirecting the bitter and dissatisfaction towa[[image:http://static.newworldencyclopedia.org/thumb/f/fd/Hep-hep_riots.jpg/280px-Hep-hep_riots.jpg align="right" caption="Pogroms In Russia fueled anti-semitic feelings even more"]]rds the Russian government to the Jews. Blaming the Jews for everything bad that happened in the Russian government, the Jews found themselves at the brunt of the rage of all of the Russians.

The Russian government denounced the Jews as foreign exploiters and traitors to the government, and even financed **//pogroms//**. The Jews suffered horribly at the hands of the Russian government and the people. The police and the army stood aside and did nothing. Russian peasants would take their rage and hatred on the Jews.

The Russian government also burdened the Jewish population even further with "official" harassment and placed quotas on the Jew's residencies, educations, and participations in the professions in Russian economy. This violent Russian anti-semitism would lead the Jewish minority would turn towards **//self-emancipation//** and the vision of a **//Zionist//** settlement in Palestine. Many would, however; emigrate to the U.S. and western Europe, taking their valuable skills along with them.


 * Summary: ** The Russian government was very harsh towards its Jewish citizens, which led to Jews emigrating out of Russia, and dreams of a Zionist movement in Palestine were born.

**German Anti-Semitism (Nazism)**
//Mein Kampf// dictated the idea Hitler had concerning the Jews. He firmly believed that Jews were the lowest of low, and were to be destroyed in order to free up **//"living space"//** and create a pure **//Aryan//** race of what he believed were biologically superior to Jews. Hitler believed that through war and conquered territory he would ethnically cleanse Europe of the Jews. He also blamed the Jews for exacerbating the economical problems Germany was facing, making them **//scapegoats//** for the German people.
 * Prelude:** Hitler, the most infamous leader of the Nazi Party, inspired the Nazi idealism through his book //Mein Kampf// which expounded on the following ideals:
 * 1) Anti-Semitism
 * 2) "Race" (Aryans)
 * 3) "Living Space"
 * 4) Führer with unlimited arbitrary power
 * 5) War and conquered territory


 * Turning Point:** The **//Nuremberg Laws//** classified the already job deprived Jews as Jewish. Many Jews in anticipation of the violent anti-semitism emigrated. On a late night in 1938, **//Kristallnacht//** (The Night of Broken Glass) had the Jewish population under attack; windows were smashed, shops were looted, and synagogues and homes were burned. Many Jews lost their property and homes, and much more. This was just a taste of what was to come, which would be the worst of them all the **//Holocaust//**//.//


 * Summary: ** Hitler laid out his plan of how to deal with the Jews in his book // Mein Kampf, // which preached the superiority of the Aryan race. The Nuremberg Laws sparked open violence against the Jews, and the eventual attempt to exterminate the Jews in the Holocaust.

The Holocaust

 * Prelude:** The **blitzkrieg** had overwhelmed Poland and enabled Hitler to effectively smash through the European countries and the Nazi war machine was well on its way to conquering Europe. Hitler then turned his focus on "**//The Jewish Question//"**


 * Turning Point:** The fall of Warsaw enabled the Nazis to start deporting the German Jews to Poland in which they were concentrated //in// **//ghettos//**.

In the **//ghettos//**, the Jews were forced to wear the **//Star of David//**, and were slave laborers. Meanwhile the trek into U.S.S.R. had the Nazis executing the Soviet Jews they met along the way by forcing them to dig their own mass graves and then machine gunning them down.

The **"Final Solution"** had begun.

Systematically arresting and deporting Jews, the Jews were then sent to concentration camps or slave labor camps. Some were sent to labor camps to be worked to death. Many were, however; sent to the death camps. Under the pretension of taking showers, the Nazis packed the Jews into the showers and then gassed them. The gas chambers proved to be truly effective and silent killers. By 1945, 6 million Jews perished at the death camps such as **//Auschwitz-Berkenau, Ravensbruck,//** //and// **//Treblinka//**.

The **//Holocaust//** was the worst case the world has ever seen in people acting on their anti-semitic hatred and bias. Fortunately there has never been such a large scale attack on anti-semitism. Unfortunately anti-semitism does still exist in this world, but it has never been as harsh and shocking to the world as the **//Holocaust//** has.


 * Summary: ** The Holocaust was the attempted extermination of Jews which was achieved through the use of labor camps and gas chambers.

Nazi Germany: The Rise of Hitler, Nazi Aggression, Appeasement

 * **Nazism**
 * **Enabling Act**
 * **Blitzkrieg**
 * **Appeasement**

**The Rise of Hitler**

 * Prelude:** Hitler felt betrayed, when Germany surrendered and the Weimar Republic was established, and joined the German Workers' Party. He gained absolute control of the political party and went on to attempt an armed uprising against the Wei[[image:http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41346000/jpg/_41346794_nuremberg203ap.jpg width="243" height="182" align="right" caption="The SS"]]mar Republic.


 * Turning Point:** The **//Enabling Act//** allowed Hitler to 'legally' gain absolute dictatorial power in Germany for four years.

Hitler quickly established his control over the government using **//divide and conquer//** tactics. Many Nazis were installed into top government positions, which then they would in turn create organizations solely for Hitler's purposes. The **//Nazi Labor Front//** outlawed unions and strikes, effectively strangling economic freedom. Free speech was eliminated and life became anti-intellectual. Hitler installed his own version of the **secret police** in the form of the **//SS//**, which eliminated the potential revolutionary army of the SA.

Germany now was a one party state. **//Nazism//** ideology reigned. Hitler had promised the people economic stability. In order to follow up on his promises, he appointed **//Hjalmar Schacht//, a central banker which restored credit and business. //Class barriers// were nonexistent, and many people, be they poor or rich, found ample opportunities to rise to the top. Equality was achieved with the breaking down of class barriers. Living standards improved and many people saw that Hitler was bringing change he had promised. Not just spewing //propaganda// and hopes. With the German state improving and Germans clamoring in support to Hitler. Hitler took the steps towards nazi aggression in Europe. **


 * Summary: ** Hitler used the Enabling Act to gain dictatorial power, and brought placed rigid controls on the economy, the lives of the people, and the military. Although, however; Hitler brought on economic improvements and standards of living, which earned him support and confidence and Germany veered towards aggression.

**Nazi Aggression**

 * Prelude:** A confident Hitler had the popular support of the German people and he broke off with Schacht and turned towards re-armament and preparation of war.


 * Turning Point:** Germany withdraws from the **//League of Nations//**[[image:http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2388/2265813813_63d23bffb9.jpg width="291" height="270" align="right" caption="The Nazi-Soviet non aggression pact political cartoon"]]

Hitler withdrew his country from the **//League of Nations. After Germany withdrew, Hitler immediately started to act on his ideology of //**//"living space"** and annexed the independent Austria into Germany. Mussolini threatened war, and Hitler backed down. But this was not the end of nazi aggression. Hitler, in March 1935, declared the **Treaty of Versailles** null and void. Hitler re-armed Germany and promptly and brazenly marched into the **Rhineland ** and annexed it for Germany. The aggression didn't stop there however, Germany and Italy made a treaty, the **Rome-Berlin Axis**. A increasingly more aggressive Germany then took the **Sudetenland ** and later on the country of Czechoslovakia for themselves and also made another treaty with Russia. The **non-aggression** pact had Hitler and Russia agree to "divide" Eastern Europe in German and Soviet territories. Almost immediately, Hitler, in his most open aggressive act unleashed the **//blitzkrieg// on Poland, sparking World War II.

Summary: ** A re-armed Germany withdrew from the League of Nations and annexed the Rhineland, and the Sudetenland for Germany. Signing treaties with Russia, the non aggression pact, and the treaty with Italy, the Rome-Berlin Axis showed Germany's break with isolation. Germany acted upon their open aggression policy by unleashing the ** blitzkrieg ** on Poland and starting World War II. **//

**Appeasement**

 * Prelude:** Hitler started to act upon his **//"living space"// ideology and annexed the de-militarized Rhineland. **

Turning Point**: The adoption of the policy of** //appeasement// by Great Britian When Hitler sent his troops into the Rhineland, Great Britian, Italy, and France were quick to denounce the aggression of Hitler, but did nothing. British action dictated French action, due to Great Britian's policy of appeasement, the French did nothing. Americans also were retreating into a policy of // isolationism, and also shirked away from their international responsibilities. The lack of action in Britain can be correlated to the British underestimation of Hitler's ambition and power. They believed Hitler could be used as a political tool to stop the spread of Communism, and also guilt about the Treaty of Versailles, and lastly an attitude of pacifism sealed the British attitude of appeasement. The French were helpless without the British and stepped aside. Hitler, then demanded the Sudetenland and Chamberlain met with Hitler and appeasement won the day again, and Hitler gained the Sudetenland, and later on, Czechoslovakia was given to Hitler. This policy of appeasement, the European nations found out, was useless. The European nations finally adopted defensive and offensive measures against Hitler, after the blitzkrieg caused the fall of Poland.


 * Summary: ** The European nations adopted a policy of appeasement due to war guilt, an attitude of pacifism, and the fear of Communism. //

World War II Tactics and Turning Points
World War 2 gave birth to new battle tactics never before seen in warfare. For instance Germany's blitzgrieg or "lightning war" was a tactic that defeated foes by using fast effective attacks using planes, tanks, and trucks. Germany also saught to gain control of the air, this was demonstrated in the Battle of Britain, where Germany bombed London ruthlessly, while Britain remained strong and waited out the attack only to eventually come out on top in the end. Japan also used a unique style of attack called "kamikaze", which meant "sacred wind", where manned aircraft would intentionally crash there planes into soldier dense areas, specifically aircraft carriers. This destructivehigh risk battle style caused many Amercan casualties seen most potently in the attack on Pearl Harbour. Also a new type of amphibious warfare was seen later in WW2, most recognizably on D-Day where thousands of new landing craft stormed the beaches and readily deployed soldiers just seconds after hitting land. During the D-Day attack there were also some specially adapted varients of the Sherman Tank, and landing craft for the US Rangers only. Th amphibious Sherman worked, but only in calm water and the water wasn't calm during the invasion so they all sank. The varient of the landing craft helped the US Army Rangers climb the cliffs wth a grapping hook-ladder firing cannon. These tactics helped shape the war and also played large roles in the large death tolls seen throughout the war.

Potsdam and Yalta
The Big Three (United States, England, Russia) all met at Yalta in 1945 in what was known as the Yalta Confrence. It was decided at Yalta that Germany would be broken up into zones of occupation as well as pay heavy reparations to the Soviet Union. Decisions made at Yalta ended up having little staying power and each county was struggling to compromise with the other. For instance the United States as well as Britain wanted free elections throughout Soviet controlled eastern Europe, but Stalin demanded that they remain pro-Russian. The compromise over eastern Europe also broke down almost immediately. Stalin kept Bulgaria as well as Poland under communist rule, and other eastern European nations had pro-soviet "coalition governments implemented against the request of the U.S amd Britain. Soon after in July of 1945 the long-avoided differences over eastern Europe were finally recognized. Since Yalta Presidents Roosevelt had died and was succeeded by President Truman who was known as slightly more determined compared to the compromissing Roosevelt. Truman demanded immediate free elections throughout eastern Europe; Stalin disagreed point blank stating that any freely elected government in eastern Europe would be anti-soviet. Americas battle with the Soviet Union in what is knwon as the Cold War, had been given its roots in these two confrences where compromises failed to be made.