Name: _____________________
Global History and Geography
Date: ______
Unit 5: Short Response Practice
Do Now:
Directions: Read and analyze the excerpt below:
Evaluate the many punishments imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles. Was it fair to
have Germany take full blame for WWI?
This quote is referring to the Treaty of Versailles – Treaty that ended WWI
- this quote is discussing how harsh the treaty was on Germany
- Germany has been broken up and weakened
- Germany has been forced to accept full blame and pay all the expenses of war
- Calls the Treaty a “death sentence for Germany,” because of how harsh the conditions
were – Germany has no choice but to sign this
- If they don’t, there are armies surrounding Germany waiting to take over.
- Sign or lose all of Germany. At least by doing this, part of Germany could be saved

Many people will resent the Weimar Republic for signing the Treaty of Versailles. This
will cause many people to turn to Adolf Hitler.
Additional Conditions of the Treaty of Versailles:
-
Germany had to reduce their military to 100,00 (demilitarize)
Had to give land (Alsace and Lorrain) and coal mines to France
-
Reparations - Pay heavy fines (did not finish paying until the Fall of 2010)
Had to give up colonies to Britain and France
Aim #1: What were the causes of the Great War (WWI)?
M – Militarism: buildup of armies
A - Alliances: pact between two countries
N – Nationalism: strong pride for your country. Feeling that your country was superior to
others. This sometimes causes a country to underestimate the power of another
I – Imperialism: Fighting was fought in both Europe and in the mother countries colonies
A – Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian Nationalist (powder keg of
the Balkans)
Aim #2: How was Germany unified under Otto Von Bismarck?
-
Realpolitik – (reality politics) - using ruthless tactics to satisfy a nation’s interests
Doing what is necessary for your country. (Similar to Machiavelli)
What was life like in the trenches?
-
Shell shock
- Hunger/starvation
-
Trench Foot
Lice
- Trenches filled with horrible smells and dead bodies
- Shell holes
Propaganda did not portray the realities of trench warfare. Posters made war look like fun and
that the war would not last long.
Aim #3: How did WWI begin?
1. Formation of two alliances – Triple Entente and Central Powers
Triple Entente:
Central Powers: (TAG)
France
Ottoman Empire –(Turkey)
Russia
Austria-Hungary
Britain
Germany
2. Kaiser Wilhelm becomes more warlike and forces Bismarck to resign.
Allows the treaty that Bismarck created with Russia to end. This will cause Germany to
right a two war front
3. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand  ethnic tensions in the Balkans
Aim #4: What were the purpose of WWI propaganda posters? Was their use justified?

Promote nationalism – strong pride for your country

Encourage men to enlist in war –army, navy, air force


Encourage women/children to ration food and supplies for war
Encourage women to allow men to enlist



Promote war efforts amongst women and children (total war)
Dehumanize the enemy
Portray the trenches to be “cool” and fun

Encourage citizens to purchase war bonds (liberty bonds) to support the war
effort
Aim #5: How and why was censorship used during WWI?

Did not want important information like war plans and location intercepted by the
enemy
Removed any negativity about war – did not want people to know how bad war is so

that they can continue to have people enlist in war.
Wanted to continue a strong sense of nationalism – did not want people to think

that war was for nothing. Removed all information about starvation and death.
Wanted to continue to portray the enemy as a monster (dehumanize) the enemy

Aim #6: How did the US get involved in World War I? Was it necessary?

Violation of Freedom of the Seas –sinking of ships by German U-Boats – US was


neutral
Sinking of the Lusitania – 128 citizens were on board
Favored trade with the Triple Entente. Wanted to make sure that they did not

lose the money they lend to them in war.
Interception of the Zimmerman Telegram – Germany promoted an alliance with
Mexico. Germany agreed to support Mexico if they would declare war on the US
(so that they could obtain the land they lost during the Mexican-American War).
* Germany did this so that they would not have to fight a two front war.
Aim #7: Were the punishments for Germany in the Treaty of Versailles justified?
(Note: You will need to pick a side and support it using some of the examples below for
either argument.) Please refer to the Do Now quote to support this answer
No - Everyone should be responsible:

It was the creation of alliances that led to WWI


Militarism – buildup of armies to gain more/protect colonies
Should be the responsibility of Serbia and Austria-Hungary for the Assassination of
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Yes: Germany should accept full blame for WWI


Germany instigated the war by pushing Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia
o (promised to be their ally if they did)
Germany began to build up it’s military (this threatened Britain and other countries)
Conditions of the Treaty of Versailles:
-
Germany had to reduce their military to 100,00 (demilitarize)
Had to give land (Alsace and Lorrain) and coal mines to France
-
Reparations - Pay heavy fines (did not finish paying until the Fall of 2010)
Give up colonies to Britain and France
Aim #8: Does the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during WWI
constitute genocide?
Genocide: is the intentional deliberate, and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an
ethnic, racial, religious, or national group

Muslims blame the Armenians for losing Christian land in the Balkans
Minority Christian group who began demanding more equality and more rights

Armenians were seen as a threat to the Empire
Evidence of intent:

Forced work (labor camps)


Armenians were segregated and massacred
Start to kill Armenian soldiers
- 1st killed healthy young men  they could fight
- 2nd kill intellectuals (writers, doctors, and teachers
Deportation Proclamation of Armenians:
- led them in circles (around mountains instead of roads) without food and water
through the desert  this shows intent
- not allowed to rest or drink
- Death marches (60 days) – exhausted them
Evidence of the mass killings of Armenians during WWI:
-
Writings from survivors
-
Consuls stationed in the Ottoman Empire spoke out against the genocide
Aim #8B: Should the United States force Turkey to acknowledge these events as
genocide? If so, how? If not, why not?
Proof of Genocide:

Letter from US Ambassador to Ottoman Empire


o Campaign of race extermination
There are many bones in Turkey
Erased records by the extermination of Armenians


Not taught in schools – not part of their history
Crime to call this genocide

Changed alphabet
Why has the US hesitated to call the 1915 killings of Armenians genocide?


Importance of Turkey to the US
Turkey is a broker between the US and the Muslim world


leading military force – 2nd largest military in NATO
The US uses their air bases – 70% of our war supplies cross through to get to Iraq and
Afghanistan
Aim #9: Did post WWI developments resolve the problems that caused the war in the
first place?
Ineffectiveness of the League of Nations:

No military force – decisions cannot be enforced. Can only place sanctions
(economic limitations on trade) to punish aggressive countries

US was not a member – Economically powerful country.
- US Senate decide to go back to a policy of isolation
Germany and Russia were not in it at 1st

Creation of new countries  based on nationalism and self-determination

Breakup of the Austria-Hungary Empire
o Serbia gets their own Slavic country  Yugoslavia
o Nationalism leads to the creation of new countries:
 New Countries: Yugoslavia, Poland, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Latvia,



region
Nationalism can be a unifying force, but can also break apart
Ottoman Empire splits and becomes Turkey
 Nations created after WWI in this region:


Lithuania, Estonia, USSR
Ethnic diversity - most ethnic groups get their own country
o However, ethnic tensions continue to remain in the Balkan
o Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, and Lebanon
Spheres of Influence by Britain and France:
o Syria, Palestine, British Mandate of Mesopotamia (Iraq)
How will ethnic and cultural differences affect long term peace in of the area?
 Grouped people that didn’t belong

Civil Wars:  example (Isis)
Aim #10: What were the causes and effects of the Russian Revolution?

Ineffective leader  Nicholas II
o Harsh absolute monarchy  continues the policies of his father Alexander
III
o People are scared, afraid, and hate Nicholas II  dictator
o Machiavelli said it was okay to be feared but to be careful of being hated


Rise of the Bolshevik Party  communists revolutionaries inspired Karl Marx
Industrialized society  poor pay, child labor, long hours, and terrible conditions

Marx claimed that a revolution would take place in an industrialized society
o This did not take place in England
 it was a democracy  Parliament created laws that satisfied the

proletariat
This does not happen in Russia  absolute monarchy does not care
Developments that led to revolution:


Loss in the Russo-Japanese War (humiliated) Japan is the size of California
Famine  people are starving

Bloody Sunday – people were massacred after peacefully protesting for more
rights by the Russian Army

WWI – Russia is in debt but continues to go into war to try to prove themselves
after losing in the Russo-Japanese War


Czar Nicholas II is forced to step down. He and his family are executed one
year later).
A provisional government is created under Alexander Kerensky.

Kerensky loses support – supports staying in WWI
Civil War:

Between the Bolsheviks (Red Army) and everyone else/those in support of the
monarchy (white army)

Lenin’s promote slogan: “Peace, Land, and Bread”:
Peace – Lenin signs a treaty with Germany giving up land in Russia. This ends Russia’s
involvement in WWI
Land: Lenin orders farm land given to the proletariat. They also gain control of the
factories
Bread: Ends shortage of food supplies by ending the war. Lenin provides food for the
poor
Changes under Lenin:


Creation of a new nation (1914-1991) – The Soviet Union –
“Russia” was the old way – ended the 300 year Reign of the Romanov family – can trace

lineage back to Peter the Great
The United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) – Communist dictatorship
Aim #11: Was the assassination of the last Russian Czar and his family justified?
Yes, fear that the White Army come and try to place the Romanovs back on the throne
Nicholas II did not help or support the needs of the people. They led this to happen
No, there was no need to kill the Romanov children
they could have allowed them to seek exile. Nicholas II had no desire to rule.