Historical Security Council
Topic 1: Submarine Warfare
Throughout the Great War, Germany constantly struggled with the decision to adopt the
policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. These submarines, or U-boats, were created in
order to counter the British Navy, which was the strongest naval force at the time the war
broke out in 1914. The German U-boats, however, were decidedly lethal, as they could fire
unseen and unsuspected torpedoes upon both military and commercial vessels. These
military submarines were far more sophisticated than any other naval vessel in the world. In
order to match naval prowess with its enemy Great Britain and level the playing field, the
German military attempted to use these submarines during the war. Although the U-boats
were extremely effective against enemy ships, they were used in WWI primarily to wreck
the naval economy of the Allied nations. These ships raided and nearly destroyed the
trading industries of many other countries.
However, Germany was rather tentative in fully implementing the U-boats campaign; the
German Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg feared the United States' response to such an action.
In fact, many of the Allied and neutral nations regarded the submarines as violations to the
international code of war. They condemned Germany’s actions as both needlessly
aggressive and ultimately illegal. Indeed, when Germany finally adopted unrestricted
submarine warfare on 9 January 1917, the aggravated United States quickly ended its
neutrality in April and joined World War I.
The worldwide fear and hatred of the submarines was largely due to the morality, or lack
thereof, of the U-boats. The German submarines violated international policy by
indiscriminately attacking any merchant ship trading with the Allied powers. This fear was
further exacerbated with the unprecedented attack on the Lusitania, a British ocean liner,
on 7 May 1915. The U-boat attack claimed over 1,200 lives, with 128 of them Americans.
However, it was largely theorized that the Lusitania had munitions on it and that its
passengers were a cover for this transport. Despite this, by the next year, the German
sinking of the Sussex, a French ferry, on 24 March 1916 led to a growing sentiment of
aggravation in the war-stricken world. In response to these attacks, the United States and
Germany drafted the Sussex Pledge on 4 May of that same year, which limited and
restricted Germany’s policy of submarine warfare.
Despite mass condemnation by many other nations, the Germans were not the only ones
culpable of war atrocities and crimes. Germany adopted submarine warfare in partial
response to the British economic and naval Blockade of its nation, which caused over half a
million Germans to starve to death. Nevertheless, Germany began using U-boats
indiscriminately, after Hollweg’s order of unrestricted submarine warfare. In response
shortly after, the United States broke diplomatic ties and joined the war on 6 April 1917.
At the end of the Great War, the Historical Security Council is now faced with the task of
resolving the conflict of submarine warfare. It is the undertaking of the United Nations to
determine the severity of these attacks and whether or not restrictions and regulations
should be placed on U-boats usage in the future. Delegates will discuss the necessary
limitations that need to be taken on such warfare, and the extent to which these restrictions
will be held. In addition, the issues of morality and neutrality, of war as a whole, must both
be fully explored. While many nations are internally attempting to resolve these problems, it
is now on the agenda of Historical Security Council to resolve any and all conflicts as one.
Discussion Questions:
1. After seeing the repeated violation of international law, will certain leaders be
reprimanded or punished for their aggressive actions?
2. How can the Historical Security Council regulate the use of U-boats in future
conflicts?
3. To what extent can neutrality be preserved—were the German attacks truly violating
of neutral nations?
Resources:
1. Flank, Lenny. "World War One: The Birth of Submarine Warfare." DailyKos. Kos
Media, LLC, 6 Nov. 2013. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/06/1253332/-World-WarOne-The-Birth-of-Submarine-Warfare>.
Description: A general outline of “Holland Boats” and an explanation of the
evolution of U-boats.
2. "Germany Resumes Unrestricted Submarine Warfare." History.com. A&E
Television Networks, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-resumes-unrestrictedsubmarine-warfare>.
Description: A short article about 1 February 1917, when Germany resumes U-boat
warfare.
3. Harris, Brayton. "World Submarine History Timeline 1580-2000." Submarine
History 1914-1941: A Timeline of Development. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar.
2014. <http://www.submarine-history.com/NOVAthree.htm>.
Description: A detailed timeline of the evolution of submarine usage in history.
4. Payne, David. "The U-Boat in the Great War and Its Effect." The Western Front
Association. The Western Front Association, 6 June 2008. Web. 28 Mar.
2014.
<http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-at-sea-in-air/germ
an-navy/398-u-boat-effects.html>.
Description: A general outline of the impact submarine warfare had on the Great
War.
5. Rosenberg, Jennifer. "Sinking of the Lusitania." About.com 20th Century
History. About.com, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
<http://history1900s.about.com/cs/worldwari/p/lusitania.htm>.
Description: An article about the sinking of the RMS Lusitania and its worldwide
effects.
6. Trueman, Chris. "Unrestricted Submarine Warfare." Unrestricted Submarine
Warfare. HistoryLearningSite.co.uk, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/unrestricted_submarine_warfare.htm>
.
Description: An overview of the German perspective and adoption of unrestricted
submarine warfare.
7. "U-boat Attack, 1916." Eyewitness to History. Ibis Communications, Inc., 1997.
Web. 29 Mar. 2014. <http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/sub.htm>.
Description: An emotional account of the horrors of submarine warfare.
8. "U-boat War in World War One." The U-boat War in World War One (WWI).
Guðmundur Helgason, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.uboat.net/wwi/>.
Description: Detailed statistics of U-boat’s usage, types, commanders, and targets.
9. Ulloa, Johan. "Submarine Warfare and Its Influence on Society." Submarine
Warfare. Johan Ulloa, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.aletheia.fsnet.co.uk/cache/ulloa.html>.
Description: An article about technology and how it affects the world and war, with
a more detailed description of the impacts of submarine warfare in WWI.
10. "U.S. Submarines in World War I." Undersea Warfare: The School of War.
Undersea Warfare, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/usw/issue_22/ww1.htm>.
Description: A technical explanation of the submarines used in WWI.
Topic 2: The Russian Revolution
When the Great War broke out in 1914, Russia was severely unprepared for such an
undertaking. Despite the Russian advance interfering with the Schlieffen Plan, a German
military operation to quickly win the West Front against France before proceeding east into
Russia, the Germans still managed to push the Eastern Front to the borders of modern-day
Lithuania and Latvia by the middle of 1915. In addition to the mass casualty count during
the war, the Russian home front fared no better. The year 1916 marked various disasters
including the militarization of industry, the shortages of foodstuffs, and the bitter and
outspoken criticisms of the government.
In February of 1917, public outcry finally rose to a dangerous level as food riots and
protests ravaged Russian cities. Exacerbated and feeling deeply threatened, Czar Nicholas II
abdicated in early March. With no government, two Russian political groups began to fight
for control. One group consisted of former Duma members, who were part of a government
institution under Nicholas II’s rule. These people essentially represented the middle and
upper classes of Russia. The other group was the Petrograd Soviet, which symbolized the
workers and soldiers of Russia. The former managed to develop a Provisional government,
which granted more civil liberties to Russians, and took control. The latter group dissolved
in disorganization. However, there were still problems with the new government and with
Russia itself. Although a new leadership had been established, no measures had been taken
to solve the food shortage crisis, improve the quality of life, or even end Russian
participation in the Great War.
As a result, a new group led by Vladimir Lenin named the Bolsheviks rose to power, calling
for another armed insurrection of the newly-formed Duma government. Indeed, in the
October Revolution of 1917, the Bolsheviks led a bloodless coup to gain control of the
government. Lenin promised an end to the war (in the Treaty of Brest Litovsk in 1918), an
abolition of private land ownership, and a system for workers to control factories—
essentially, the beginnings of a Socialist or Marxist movement. The people of Russia reacted
towards this open arms, embracing communism as a solution to fix the seemingly endless
cycle of poverty. However, a minority was upset with political changes and sought a return
to the previous status quo. Thus, in June 1918, a Civil War erupted between the Whites,
loyalists who earned the support of the Western Allies, and the Reds, forces led by Lenin
and the Bolsheviks.
In the midst of this conflict, the Historical Security Council is now faced with the grave
issues of the revolution. The United Nations must determine the fate of the revolution by
determining whether or not intervention is to be warranted—including whether or not an
UN-supported force should be sent into the Russian nation. Other possible tactics that may
be discussed are the use of UN peacekeepers, economic sanctions, or the severing of
diplomatic relations. In addition, the committee will need to solve the social problems
plaguing Russia: the food and job shortages due to the newly founded socialist government.
The delegates must decide whether the council should extend humanitarian aid or instead
ignore the problems in the turmoiled nation. Moreover, debate must also focus on
economically rebuilding the Russian nation if possible, due to both the infrastructural
damage during the war and the general malaise of poverty from the transition between
multiple governments. While the Russians fight amongst themselves, the Historical Security
Council must take appropriate action to terminate these conflicts.
Discussion Questions:
1. To what extent should the United Nations intervene in the Russian Revolution?
2. How will the revolution and the length of the revolution affect the world?
3. How should the Historical Security Council help newly formed nations regarding
social development?
Resources:
1. "Documents on the Russian Revolution." Documents on the Russian Revolution.
Marxists Internet Archive, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/events/revolution/>.
Description: A brief summary of the revolution, which also includes definitions of
key terms and people in the time period.
2. Fernholz, Elizabeth M. "The Russian Revolution of 1917." The Russian
Revolution of 1917. Marquette University, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
<http://academic.mu.edu/meissnerd/russian-rev.htm>.
Description: A brief summary of the Russian Revolution.
3. "Internet History Sourcebooks." Internet History Sourcebooks. Fordham
Unversity, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook39.asp>.
Description: Links to various sources including primary documents written by key
figures during the Russian Revolution.
4. Millies, Stephen. "The Russian Revolution Changed the World Forever." Workers
World. Workers World, 06 Nov. 2013. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.workers.org/articles/2013/11/06/russian-revolutionchanged-world-forever/>.
Description: An article on the impacts the Russian Revolution had on the world and
on history.
5. Ortiz, Dr. David, Jr. "Chronology of Russian Revolution." Chronology of Russian
Revolution. University of Arizona, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.u.arizona.edu/~davido/russianrevolutiondates.htm>.
Description: A timeline that discusses events before, during, and after the Russian
Revolution.
6. Rosenberg, Jennifer. "Russian Revolution Timeline." About.com 20th Century
History. About.com, 2014. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
<http://history1900s.about.com/od/Russian-Revolution/a/RussianRevolution-Timeline.htm>.
Description: A timeline of events that occurred during the Russian Revolution.
7. Rosenberg, Jennifer. "The Russian Revolution of 1917." About.com 20th
Century History. About.com, 2014. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
<http://history1900s.about.com/od/Russian-Revolution/a/RussianRevolution.htm>
Description: A summary of the Russian Revolution with specific and important
details.
8. "Russian Revolution." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 31
Mar. 2014. <http://www.history.com/topics/russian-revolution>
Description: An overview of the Russian Revolution with a video describing the
Romanov’s influence in the Russian Revolution.
9. Smele, Jonathan. "War and Revolution in Russia 1914 - 1921." BBC News. BBC,
10 Mar. 2011. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/eastern_front_01.sht
ml>.
Description: A detailed timeline of the Russian Revolution that also encompasses
specific details of events that occurred before, during, and after the revolution.
10. "World War I." World War I. Alpha History, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
<http://alphahistory.com/worldwar1/russian-revolution/>.
Description: An article connecting the Russian Revolution to World War I.
Topic 3: Aftermath of World War I
On 11 November 1918, an armistice was signed to terminate the fighting of the Great War
and end further aggression between Germany and the Allied powers. With the conclusion of
World War I, numerous problems plagued the world as a whole, covering all aspects
including social, economic, political, diplomatic, and geographic. The Treaty of Versailles,
put into effect in June 1919, would attempt to solve these problems.
In the war-stricken world, many nations experienced a downturn in postwar economics. Due
to both property damage and fierce military spending during the war, many European
economies suffered from significant financial troubles. There was massive inflation
throughout the continent of Europe, with the brunt of it lying on the German economy, due
to the exorbitant reparations it was required to pay. In the postwar world, only the United
States had remained relatively intact; in fact, America experienced a postwar economic
boom into the 1920s. Yet, little attention was paid to the international bankruptcy of the
postwar era. Rather, the problem was left to fester as the blame accumulated on Germany.
In fact, the outrageous reparations that Germany was required to pay in the Treaty of
Versailles ultimately led the rise of Hitler and the start of World War II.
Another key issue in postwar resolutions was the punishment of Germany. In the Treaty of
Versailles, Germany was economically crippled by exorbitant war reparations. In addition,
the German nation was publicly embarrassed by the War Guilt Clause, which forced
Germany to admit that they had solely caused the war. In addition to this, Germany and the
Central Powers suffered many territorial losses, and these pieces of land, through policies of
self-determination, began to form new nations such as Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and
Turkey. In addition, Russia also lost many territories in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and the
nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were born. The defeated Ottoman Empire and
Austria-Hungary also split into many daughter nations.
These new nations, having been recently freed, now face the problems of political instability
that could possibly lead to insurrection or rebellion. Attention and aid from the United
Nations must be lent to these countries—the delegates must thus determine the extent to
which UN-mandated help will be given. In addition, it is still unclear the extent of
independence in these nations. New borders will need to be drawn while paying attention to
preserving ethnic communities and social boundaries. Delegates must be prepared with
their own respective plans for these newly formed nations, both in nurturing them politically
and economically and in resolving any conflicts with bordering countries.
The settlements of the Treaty of Versailles were certainly not the most appropriate reaction
to the end of the war. The treaty was fueled by the embittered and angered nations of
Great Britain and France; however, their stringent conditions were one of the primary
reasons for the rise of fascism and Adolf Hitler. The Historical Security Council will be tasked
with rewriting such a treaty, such that WWI indeed becomes the “war to end all wars.” The
United Nations is tasked with transforming and morphing the new postwar world on the
issues of economic damage, political change, international diplomacy, international
disarmament, liberation of colonies, and self-determination.
Discussion Questions:
1. To what extent should the international community be involved in the recovery of
other nations?
2. How should the economic recovery, land reparations, and postwar agreements
among nations be regulated and promoted?
3. Should the German nation be punished for the Great War? To what extent?
Resources:
1. "Animated Map: The Western Front." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/animations/western_front/index_e
mbed.shtml>
Description: A site portraying the differences between pre-WWI times and postWWI times through various maps.
2. "The Effects of World War I." The Effects of World War I. Suffolk County
Community College, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.
<http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/westn/effectww1.html>.
Description: An analysis of how several countries from around the world were
affected by WWI.
3. "Effects of World War I." Effects of World War I. Maps Of World, n.d. Web. 04
Apr. 2014. <http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-war-i/effects.html>
Description: A discussion of how the Great War changed the world politically,
economically, and socially.
4. "Effect of World War I on Each Country." Effect of World War I on Each Country.
N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.worldology.com/Europe/world_war_1_effect.htm>.
Description: An informative site with statistics for each country involved in WWI
that regard the change in global relations and the respective casualty counts.
5. "The Great War And The Shaping Of The 20th Century." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 04
Apr. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/thenandnow/>.
Description: An article connecting WWI to more modern events in history.
6. Kitchen, Martin. "The Ending of World War One, and the Legacy of Peace." BBC
News. BBC, 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 04 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/war_end_01.shtml>.
Description: Information about WWI detailing the post-war tensions.
7. "Report Shows Lack of Knowledge about Global Impact of WW1." British
Council. British Council, 11 Feb. 2014. Web. 04 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/press/report-shows-lackknowledge-about-global-impact-ww1>
Description: An article discussing how the world has still not realized the full impact
World War I has made on the world.
8. Rosenberg, Jennifer. "The Versailles Treaty." About.com 20th Century History.
About.com, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2014.
<http://history1900s.about.com/od/worldwari/p/VersaillesTreaty.htm>
Description: An article describing the Treaty of Versailles.
9. "World War I: Treaties and Reparations." United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web.
04 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007428>.
Description: An article outlining the proposed treaties and efforts of peace that
were made by countries involved in WWI.
10. "World War One - The Treaty of Versailles." World War One. History on the Net,
25 Feb. 2013. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW1/versailles.htm>.
Description: An article outlining the Treaty of Versailles and describing its effects.