Unit 6:
Crises and Achievements
(1900-1945)
Global History II Review
1
Science and Technology
• Medical advancements are made
• Standard of living improves
– Better wages for workers and conditions
• Increase in population (healthier/ safer)
• New Scientific theories developed
– Radioactivity (Nuclear energy)
– Einstein and Freud
2
World War I
• Causes (1914-1918)
– Nationalism- pride in one’s country
– Militarism- increase in militaries to protect
– Imperialism- conquering territories
– Alliances- joining forces incase of attack
• War began when Arch Duke was killed
– Balkans were a “powder keg” of tension and
started the war by each country joining in
3
World War I
• Alliances formed across Europe
– Central Powers (Triple Alliance)
• Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Ottoman Empire
– Allied Powers (Triple Entente)
• Britain, France, Russia, Later Italy, Japan, USA
• Industrialized warfare
– Trench warfare- dug trenches to fight from
– New weapons- machine gun, tank,
submarine, airplane, and poison gas
4
World War I
• Turning Point of the war when USA joins
• Russia withdrew from war (Revolution)
• Costs of the war
– Tremendous loss of life (more than 8 million)
– Economic losses forced Germany to pay
reparations for the war (Treaty of Versailles)
– Formation of the League of Nations to try and
prevent future wars from happening
5
Revolution in Russia
• Causes of the Revolution (1917)
– Czar Nicholas was an autocratic ruler
• Harsh treatment of the people, suppressed reform
– Peasants were unhappy with conditions
– Diversity among the Russian people inspired
nationalism among populations
– Revolution of 1905- protesters were attacked
– People wanted to get out of World War I
6
Revolution in Russia
• Bolshevik Revolution (Communists)
– Provisional government was slow to change
– Communists promised Peace, Bread, & Land
• Lenin Rules Russia
– Communists overthrew provisional gov.
– Russia drops out of World War I
– Civil war between Reds and Whites (czar)
– New Economic Policy- governemnt controlled
nearly everything in the Soviet economy
7
Revolution in Russia
• Joseph Stalin takes over Soviet Russia
– Totalitarian dictator launched Great Purge
– Russification- promoted Russian culture for
everyone living in Russia (non-Russians)
– Five-Year Plans to build industry and increase
agricultural output
– Collectivization created large farms
– Forced Famine- starved peasants in Ukraine
– Modernized Russia to compete with West
8
Between Wars
• Treaty of Versailles
– Harsh punishment for Germany
• Loss of territory, military restrictions, war guilt
– Formation of the League of Nations
• Designed to prevent future aggression and wars
• Weakened due to refusal of USA to join
• Collapse of Empires
– Austria-Hungary broke up into several nations
– Ottoman Empire lost war and broke up
9
Between Wars
• National movements emerged
– Turks under Kemal Ataturk Westernized
– Iran under Shah Reza Khan Westernized
– Pan-Arabism- Arab nations wanted to be free
of foreign (European) rule
– Zionism- push for a Jewish state in Palestine
– Indian Nationalism- wanted independence
• Gandhi used civil disobedience to win rights
10
Between Wars
• Chinese Nationalism
– Economic collapse in China led to revolt
– May Fourth Movement- modernize China by
turning to the West
– Communists emerged (Mao’s Long March)
– Civil War between Communists & Nationalists
• Women’s Suffrage movement gains vote
– Democratic nations give women right to vote
11
Between Wars
• World Wide Depression (1929)
– Economic problems in Europe from WWI
– Interdependency of world economies
– Great Depression: collapse of economy
– Banks and business closed
– People lose faith in capitalism and democracy
• Rise of Fascism
– Rule a people by dictatorial government
12
Between Wars
• Rise of Fascism
– Italy: Mussolini promised better economy and
gain territory expected after WWI
– Germany: Weimer Republic failed (democracy
– Inflation created economic problems and
gave rise to Hitler
– Hitler promised to regain lost territory, fix the
economy, rebuild the military
– Anti-Semitism rose (hatred toward Jews)
13
Between Wars
• Japan becomes a militaristic power in Asia
– Depression ended movement toward
democracy in Japan
– Need for raw materials drove Japan to
imperialism and militarism in Pacific region
– Expanded into China and Manchuria
– Anti-Western feelings
– Left League of Nations
14
World War II
• Causes of World War II (1939-1945)
– Aggressive nature of Italy, Germany, Japan
• Japan invaded and took territory in China
• Italy attacks Ethiopia (L-N does nothing)
– German Aggression:
• Rebuilds military, took Rhineland, Austria, and part
of Czechoslovakia
– Appeasement (give in to an aggressor)
• Policy followed by Europeans to prevent war
• Start of War: Germany invades Poland ’39
15
World War II
• Axis Powers gained territory rapidly
– Germans used Blitzkrieg “Lighting War”
• Turning points in the war
– US enters the war after Pearl Harbor attack
– Battle of Stalingrad turned back Germans
– Invasion of Normandy by Allies (D-Day)
– Battle of Midway in the Pacific
16
World War II
• Holocaust: Genocide against Jews
– Hitler’s “Final Solution” killed 6 million Jews
• World War II Ends
– Germany was overrun by Allies and gave up
– Americans dropped two atomic bombs on
Japan to end the war in the Pacific
• Technology of World War II
– Jet planes, bomber planes, atomic weapons
17
World War II
• Impact of World War II
– 75 Million people died world wide in the war
– Many cities and economies were in ruins
– War Crime trials such as Nuremberg Trials
– Soviet Union occupied Eastern Europe
– United Nations was formed to discuss world
problems and develop solutions over war
18