Chapter 21
This chapter
reviewed how Europe fell during World War I and World War II and how it
recovered after this fall. Strayer talked about how World War I started,
what happened after it, the Great Depression, how World War 2 started, and
looked specifically what areas were involved in this war.
WWI:
The conflicts
between European states led to World War I, which is also known as "the
Great War." The Great War was not planned by the states, but was
"an accident." (p. 627) The war started after
"an Austrian heir to the ...throne" (p. 627) was killed. The
war became a global war due to alliances that had been made between
states, each country wanted to protect their alliances so they fought for the
country that they were allied with.
Along with
alliances, nationalism of the states and militarism also led to the Great
War. Those within a nation wanted to protect it, so they fought.
Military advancements due to industrialization created more weapons, and
militaries had their own "war plans" of how to fight when at
war. The increase in weapons and types of weapons put together with
strategic was plans led to more injuries, deaths, and family disruptions.
The Great War led
to the collapse of the German, Russian, and Austrian empires. Without
these major states, new states formed. The war ended with "the
Treaty of Versailles," but the restrictions that this treaty put on
Germany led to World War II where the power went from Europe to the U.S.
The Great Depression
As politics
collapsed in Europe, the economy in the Americas collapsed. The
"American stock market" crash in 1929 started the Great
Depression. This depression started because other
countries could no longer buy the products America was producing.
Capitalism had led to a global demand of products, so America made these
products. As products were bought and exported the economy went up, but
when other countries could no longer buy the products America's economy
collapsed. To help end the Great Depression, President Roosevelt
created "the New Deal." (p. 635) The New Deal created
jobs, helped those without jobs, and created a "minimum
wage" (p. 635) for workers.
WWII
Democracy,
liberty, "and individual freedom came under...attach" (p. 636) after
World War I and the Great Depression. Italy, Germany, and Japan moved
away from democracy and toward a more state controlled authority.
Italy and Germany
created fascist societies instead of democracies. It Italy, Benito
Mussolini promised a state with unity through "a generous social program,
but once... (in)... power, he concentrated ...on...state power." (p.
638) Mussolini's end goal was to get Ital back to 'traditional Italian
life." (p. 638) In Germany, "Adolf Hitler and
National Socialist...Party" (p. 639) wanted to stop the restrictions
on Germany from the Treaty of Versailles. They wanted to help the
economy, and they wanted to get back the traditional German values. Both
Italy and Germany would punish or kill those that did not agree with what they
were told to do. The difference between the fascist times of Italy and
Germany were that the Italian workers stood up against Mussolini's control
where the German workers did not stand up against Hitler's control.
Japan went for an
"authorization government" instead of democracy. Japan forced
"the Japanese way" (p. 642) of life on people, and would
"resocialize" those that lost this way. Japan also focused on
it's "military values." (p. 644)
Italy, Germany,
and Japan all wanted to expand their control globally and this led to World War
II.
WWII
World War II in
Asia started when Japan attacked China in 1937. Japan felt that they were
subjects of "European racism," (p. 644) and they were
dependent on America for many products. These two items led to Japan
wanting greater autonomy. They chose to attack the U.S. as they felt
threatened and cornered. They felt that their country would fail, so they
thought it best to try and save their country rather than sit back and watch it
fail.
World War II in
Europe started when Hitler used the restrictions of "the Treaty of
Versailles" (p. 647) to expand German rule throughout Europe.
World War II led
to "around 60 million" (p. 648) death, and "more than half of
them ... were civilians." (p. 647) As more soldiers died,
women entered the "industry and the military." (p. 651)
Hitler used WWII to spread German ideals and killed millions in this process,
this is known as the "Holocaust." (p. 651) After Hitler
lost his battle, communism grew.
It is believed
that Europe was able to survive its fall for three reasons.
1.
"resiliency of an industrial
society" (p. 653)
2.
"ability...to
integrate...recovering economies" (p. 653)
3.
its "overseas extension...the
United States." (p. 653)
When Europe fell,
the U.S. stepped in and helped it regain stability, and this is how the United
States "global leadership" (p. 654) started. The U.S. created
the "Marshall Plan" (p. 654) which put money back into the European economy,
and "required...(Europe) to cooperate with one another." (p.
654)
One of
the main differences between WWI and WWII is that WWI was an
accident, no one planned to go to war; where WWII was planned by other
countries trying to push their ideas onto other countries.
Chapter 22
This chapter
reviewed communism. Strayer looks at how communism evolved in Russia and
China, and how it lead to "global conflict." (p. 675) He
ends with looking and how communism failed.
Communism emerged
when countries did not agree with "the democratic process," (p. 660)
and they wanted to have their own type of government. Communist countries
believed in "social equality and collective living...without private
property." (p. 660) (These ideas started from the Marx
Theory.)
In Russia,
communism started after WWI. Many Russians were having hardships after
WWI while the upper classes were not, and this led to a socialist
takeover. A "grassroots organization of workers and soldiers, known
as 'soviets' was created. This organization took over the 'state power'
from 'the Provisional Government.'" (p. 664) The takeover led
to civil war that ended with Russia being renamed "the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics." (p. 664) Russia turned to
communism as a way to get out of WWI.
In Chine,
communism arose with the "Chinese Communist Party (CCP)." (p.
665) The CCP was originally started as a group trying to
"organize...the...working class." (p. 665) The CCP was a
small group that grew larger as Japan tried to invade China. China turned
to communism to avoid being taken over by Japan.
Russia and China
tried to make their classes and gender equal under communism rule. They
both had feminist movements that allowed women more rights. They took
over "landlords' estates and redistributed them...more equitable...to the
peasantry." (p. 670) They focused on
"industrialization" (p 669) to help them grow.
Socialism
In Russia women
were given the same rights as men politically. Women were allowed to
divorce more easily. They were given the "to take their husbands'
surnames." (p. 669) The were given maternity leave, and they
were able to work in industrious jobs.
In Japan
"The Marriage Law" (p. 669) was created. This gave women more
freedoms such as "free choice in marriage, ... easy divorce, ... the end
of concubinage and child marriage." (p. 669) Widows were
allowed to marry again, and women had equal property rights.
Industrialization
"The Soviet
Terror and the Chinese Cultural Revolution" undermined socialism and led
to the fall of it. The Soviet Terror was when the state would kill those
that were thought to not believe in the soviet ways. The Chinese Cultural
Revolution was when the communist leader, Mao, started a "rebellion,
against the Communist Party." (p. 674) This rebellion led to
fighting with in China.
It is
thought that communism failed because the governments couldn't compete with
"capitalist countries" economically, and that they did not practice
the moral of equality that they required others to do. Communism fell in
three different areas.
1.
In China after the leader, Mao died.
2.
In Europe when more "popular
movements" took over.
3.
In the Soviet Union when their
political system fell apart.
Chapter23
This chapter
discussed how European imperialism ended in Africa and Asia. In 1900
European imperialism dominated in Africa and Asia, but it did not dominate much
after this. It is believed that the European empire lost control for two
reasons:
1.
WWI and WWII "had weakened
Europe," (p. 694) and this allowed the world to see that Europeans
were not superior.
2.
The United Nations ideas were
"anticolonial." (p. 695)
While these two changes were
occurring, people that live in the colonies also started to want to lead their
own country and not be led by others. This idea became known as
nationalism.
India: Ending British Rule
In India,
Mohandas Gandhi, also known as "Mahatma, the Great Soul" (p. 698)
started to transform India from a European colony. He wanted to save
India from colonization and "modern civilization." (p.
698) While other countries envisioned "social
revolutions," (p. 698) Gandhi envisioned "moral transformation of
individuals." (p. 698)
Gandhi's goal was
to united India when out of European imperialism, but this did not
happen. Disputes between the Hindus and Muslims led to India dividing
into two countries, those that were Muslim and those that were Hindu.
Africa; Ending Apartheid
South Africa was
no longer under European rule, but their "government (was) ... controlled
by a white settled minority." (p. 700) An "apartheid
policy... (tried) to separate blacks from white .... while (keeping) ... their
labor power in the white-controlled economy." (p. 700) Though,
blacks outnumbered white 80% to 20%, they were dependent on the
"white-controlled economy." (p. 700)
As black ted to
end the apartheid they created "the African National Congress (ANC)."
(p. 702) The ANC was a nonviolent movement that was banned by the
government. The next movement that arose was the "Black
Consciousness." (p. 702) This movement was not nonviolent, and
led to much bloodshed in South Africa.
While the apartheid policy led to South
Africa bloodshed, it also led to restrictions from other
countries. South Africa was not allowed to participate in some
"international sporting events, ... (and) artists and entertainers ...
(would not) ... perform there." (p. 702) These oppositions to
apartheid policy led to its end.
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