Unit 4 Selfcheck #1 Answers
1. What was new about twentieth century dictators? Explain the reasons why the term
totalitarian was now needed.
•
•
Dictators could now control their populations in a “total” manner
Modern technology (such as mass media, increased firepower, and espionage systems)
allowed 20th Century dictators to control life more than ever before through repression
and terror
2. What is a totalitarian government? List some of its characteristics.
•
•
•
•
•
•
one leader with absolute power
only one ideology
extreme use of secret police
no dissent allowed
no human rights
use of censorship and propaganda
3. Why were many Italians unhappy in the years following the First World War?
Many Italians were unhappy after the First World War because they saw their new
democratic government as weak and ineffective and they blamed their leaders for poor
results for Italy at the Paris Peace Conferences.
4. Explain what happened during Mussolini’s March on Rome?
Mussolini gathered 26,000 Blackshirts on the outskirts of Rome in an attempt to overthrow
the government. However, King Emmanuel, rather than risk a civil war, simply handed
Mussolini the government.
5. a) What did Mussolini believe was the ultimate goal of a fascist government?
Mussolini believed that his fascist government should lead Italy into a war of imperial
conquest.
b) Provide an example of Mussolini attempting to fulfill this goal.
Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia in 1935.
1. Why did the German government form a democracy at the end of the First World
War?
Germany became a democracy because the German leaders thought that this form of
government would please the Americans. They wanted to please the Americans in hopes of
being treated more leniently in the settlement process.
2. What was the name of Germany’s new democratic government?
The Weimar Republic
3. Complete the following table outlining some of the reasons for the failure of the
Weimar Republic.
Explanation
Threat to the Republic
(why was this a threat?)
Association with the
Treaty of Versailles
•
The Republic was associated with the government that
had signed the hated Treaty of Versailles.
Association with the
collapse of the mark and
the Great Depression
•
Anyone ruined by the inflation and collapse of the mark
in 1923 blamed the Weimar Republic for allowing German
money to devalue, and later, high rates of unemployment to
occur. This increased Hitler’s popularity.
Adolf Hitler
•
Adolf Hitler promised to destroy democracy and never
again let the German people suffer from an economic crisis like
inflation and the Great Depression.
4. When and why did “ordinary” inflation become hyper-inflation in Germany?
Hyper-inflation occurred when Germany failed to make her reparation payments and the
French and Belgian troops moved in to occupy the Ruhr Valley
1. Complete the following table describing the basic principles of the NAZI party.
DEFINITION
Extreme Nationalism
A belief that the citizens’ sole reason for existence was to serve the
state.
Anti-Democratic
DEFINITION
Hitler intended to turn Germany into a dictatorship.
DEFINITION
Anti-Semitism refers to a hatred of Jewish people.
HITLER’S MOTIVE
Anti-Semitism
Hitler needed to blame the difficulties in Germany since the war on a
scapegoat, and he chose the Jewish people. Some of the reasons for
Hitler’s anti-semitism will never be fully understood.
SIGNIFICANCE
The atmosphere of hatred created by the Nazi Party’s anti-Semitic
stance set the stage for later atrocities while also relieving the German
people of their responsibility for the First World War.
WHY?
Military Power
Historically Germany had a strong army and Hitler promised to restore
this to the German people.
2. As the German people became increasingly dissatisfied with the democratic Weimar Republic,
they turned to political parties to the left and to the right. Which parties represented the left
and right wing parties in Germany at the time?
The left wing party was the communist party, and the right wing party was the NAZI party. There were
also other right wing parties referred to as nationalist parties.
3. When Hitler was elected in 1932, what became his title?
Hitler’s new title was Chancellor.
4. After Hitler outlawed the communists from the Reichstag and thereby received a majority, he
passed the Enabling Act which effectively made him all-powerful.
NAZI GERMANY
5. What happened during the “Night of the Long Knives” in June 1934?
Hitler had about 1,000 “enemies of the state” murdered.
6. What restrictions did Jewish people face when Hitler implemented the Nuremburg Laws?
•
Jews had to wear the Start of David at all times.
•
•
•
Jews lost their professional careers and their property.
Jews were not allowed to mingle with the German population.
Jews lost their citizenship.
7. What happened on November 9, 1938?
Germans attacked Jewish shops, beat many Jews in public, and imprisoned many for no reason at
all. This night was called “Kristallnacht.”
8. What was the name of Germany’s secret police?
Germany’s secret police were called the Gestapo.
SOVIET UNION UNDER STALIN
9. What was Stalin’s primary goal? Why?
Stalin wanted to modernize the economy of the Soviet Union (become an industrial power) in order to
be better prepared to protect against an invading force.
10. How did Stalin intend to achieve this goal? List at least four steps.
Stalin created five-year plans and a command economy. He collectivized farm land, created stateowned farms, invested in the construction of heavy industry, and used harsh measures to enforce his
plans, including the executions of enemies of the state.
11. Why did Stalin sign a Nazi-Soviet Pact in August of 1939?
Stalin was worried that the Soviet Union would one day be one of Hitler’s targets, and Britain and
France had rejected his attempt at establishing collective security.
1. List the fundamental causes of the Second World War. Rank these causes
according to which you think contributed most to the coming war. Remember, this
is an exercise in opinion only!
Answers will vary.
Causes:
• Treaty of Versailles
• the Great Depression
• the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party
• the failure of the League of Nations
• extreme nationalism
• and the unwillingness of the democratic governments to intervene in places like
Germany
2. Complete the following table outlining the three appeasement crises.
VICTIM
YEAR
ACTION TAKEN
LEAGUE RESPONSE
Rhineland
Austria
Czechoslovakia
1936
German troops entered
the Rhineland.
This was a direct violation of the
Treaty of Versailles, but Britain
and France did nothing.
1938
German troops entered
Austria, which then
became part of
Germany.
Appeasement: no action.
19381939
Hitler threatened to
invade the
Sudetenland.
Appeasement: Hitler got what he
wanted at the Munich Conference
in return for promising not to
invade the rest of Czechoslovakia.
In March, 1939 he did take Czech.
3. What action finally signaled the failure of the policy of appeasement?
Regardless of the Munich agreement, Hitler chose to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia.
4. What was Hitler’s reason for signing the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
Hitler wanted to avoid a two-front war; he did not really intend to maintain the nonaggressive clause of the agreement.
Complete the tables for each “battle” of the Second World War. You will need to consult several
sections of the Student Workbook in order to find all of the information. The battles here are
presented along chronological lines, not according to locale.
BATTLE: THE INVASION OF POLAND
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHEN: September 1st, 1939
WHERE: Poland
WHAT: The Germans invaded Poland using
blitzkrieg tactics.
OUTCOME: Britain and France declared war
on Germany. Canada’s declaration followed
a week later.
BATTLE: THE PHONY WAR
WHEN: October 1939 – April 1940
It started the Second World War.
Blitzkrieg allowed the Germans to sweep
through Poland with little resistance.
Canada was not automatically obligated
to go to war, but chose to do so a week
after Britain’s declaration.
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHERE: Western Europe
WHAT: It was expected that Germany was
going to invade Western Europe.
Allied troops and Canadians were all
waiting for combat to begin.
OUTCOME: Germany did not invade due to
bad weather and indecision.
BATTLE: EVACUATION OF DUNKIRK
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHEN: 1940
WHERE: The English Channel
WHAT: British and French troops retreated to
the French beaches at Dunkirk and became
trapped.
In spite of this being a defeat, this event
represented a moral victory for the Allies.
A few weeks later, France surrendered to
Germany.
OUTCOME: 900 ships sailed from England
and rescued 340,000 soldiers.
BATTLE: THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHEN: Summer of 1940
The use of radar and the German cipher
WHERE: Britain
machine (the Engima) contributed to
WHAT: Air attacks by the Luftwaffe on
Britain’s RAF airfields
Britain’s power in the airs.
OUTCOME: Hitler eventually abandoned air
attacks on the airfields and ordered daylight
bombing raids on London. This allowed
Britain’s forces to regroup and later win the
battle.
Hitler’s change in tactics in response to
Churchill’s bombing of Berlin likely cost
him the war.
This battle was the first time that Hitler
was denied conquest.
The battle left the future Allies with a base
from which to attack Hitler in Europe.
BATTLE: THE INVASION OF THE
SOVIET UNION
WHEN: June 22nd, 1941
WHERE: Soviet Union
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHAT: Hitler launched an invasion called
“Operation Barbarossa” with 3 million
German troops.
OUTCOME: The Germans advanced but
were stopped just outside of Moscow for
now.
BATTLE: PEARL HARBOUR
Hitler invaded the Soviet Union to fulfill his
vision of Lebensraum and to destroy
communism.
The Soviets reacted with a “scorched
earth” policy
Hitler now had a two front war.
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHEN: December 7th, 1941
WHERE: Pearl Harbour, Hawaii
WHAT: The Japanese launched a surprise
attack on the American naval base.
OUTCOME: The United States and Britain
declared war on Japan.
BATTLE: THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY
This attack brought the United States into
the war. In Europe this gave Britain a
much-needed ally.
Canada declared war against Japan and
Canadian troops were sent to fight in
Hong Kong.
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHEN: June, 1942
WHERE: Midway Islands, north and west of
Hawaii
This marked a turning point in the Pacific
Theatre.
WHAT: The Americans intercepted the
Japanese fleet which was preparing to
conquer these islands.
The American fleet sank the best units of
Japanese naval aviation (aircraft carriers).
OUTCOME: The Japanese were soundly
defeated.
BATTLE: DIEPPE
WHEN: August, 1942
The Japanese were on the defensive after
this battle.
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHERE: Dieppe – coast of France
More Canadian troops died in these few
hours than on any other day in the war.
WHAT: 5,000 Canadians landed on the
beach with the goal of taking the beach and
the town back from the Germans.
Part of the reason for the failure was that
Britain decided to forgo the much-needed
aerial and naval support.
OUTCOME: The attack failed and many
Canadians were killed and taken prisoner.
BATTLE: BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN
WHEN: October 1942
WHERE: 60 miles west of Cairo, North Africa
WHAT: The Germans and the Italians sought
control of Egypt.
OUTCOME: The British won in a decisive
victory.
BATTLE: BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC
Allies learned that heavy air and sea
support would be necessary for any future
invasion of France.
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
This victory was a turning point in the war.
It was the first time the Allies had
defeated the forces of the fascist
countries.
This victory prevented the Germans from
seizing the Suez Canal.
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHEN: The duration of the war
WHERE: Between North America and Britain
The Royal Canadian Navy provided much
of the protection for merchant ships.
WHAT: Germany wanted to cut off all Allied
supplies to Britain; British and Canadian
navies wanted to put an end to the German
submarine threat.
By the end of the war the Royal Canadian
Navy had expanded to include 370 ships
and 100,000 personnel.
TECHNOLOGY USED: U-Boats; the convoy
system (merchant ships surrounded by
destroyers for protection); long-range
bombers; sonar
OUTCOME: The Allies beat the German
submarines, “wolfpacks”, by dropping bombs
and depth charges.
BATTLE: THE BATTLE OF
STALINGRAD
WHEN: September 1942 – January 1943
WHERE: Stalingrad
2,000 members of the Canadian Navy lost
their lives in combat.
Canada’s involvement was crucial to the
Allied victory.
Many Canadians also served by manning
the freighters that transported material to
Europe.
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHAT: Hitler attacked Stalingrad because of
its name, and to go past it to the Caucasus
oil fields.
OUTCOME: The Soviets captured or killed
the entire German army.
BATTLE: THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN
WHEN: 1943 - 1945
This victory was an enormous boost in
morale for the Allied forces.
After this battle, the Germans suffered
defeat after defeat on the eastern front as
Stalin’s forces moved closer to Berlin.
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHERE: A landing on Sicily and then onto
the peninsula of Italy.
The “Vandoos”, a French-Canadian unit,
played a big part in liberating Rome from
German control.
WHAT: Allied forces, including Canadians,
landed on Sicily using an amphibious attack,
and then moved onto the mainland.
Mussolini was captured and hung in
public in 1945.
OUTCOME: The Germans were finally driven
back by a French-Canadian unit which then
pushed through to free northern Italy in the
fall of 1944.
The capture of Italy was an important
step towards the liberation of Europe,
and it kept many German troops
occupied.
BATTLE: THE NORMANDY LANDING
WHEN: June 6th, 1944
WHERE: The shores of Normandy
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
This was the largest Canadian military
operation of the Second World War.
WHAT: “Operation Overlord” was the Allied
invasion of German-held Europe.
Canadian forces were assigned the target
called Juno; over 5,000 Canadians were
killed.
OUTCOME: The Allied forces gained a
foothold in Europe to begin pushing back the
German army.
There were more than 200,000 Allied
casualties.
BATTLE: BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF
WHEN: October 1944
Allies gained the much-needed
beachhead in Europe.
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHERE: The Philippines
WHAT: The Americans took on virtually the
whole Japanese fleet.
The Japanese introduced the kamikaze
suicide technique: planes loaded with
explosives would deliberately crash into
an American ship.
OUTCOME: The Americans sank one half of
the Japanese fleet.
BATTLE: THE LIBERATION OF
HOLLAND
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHEN: May 1945
WHERE: Holland
WHAT: Canadian forces drove the NAZIS to
retreat from Holland and surrender.
th
OUTCOME: On May 8 1945 the last
German troops surrendered.
BATTLE: HIROSHIMA
This Canadian victory allowed Allied
troops to continue forward towards
Germany.
Canadians have been much respected in
Holland ever since.
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHEN: August 6th, 1945
WHERE: Hiroshima, Japan
WHAT: Truman decided to drop an atomic
bomb on the city.
This was the first atomic bomb used in
warfare.
OUTCOME: 100, 000 people were killed.
BATTLE: NAGASAKI
SO WHAT?
(Canadian Involvement / Significance)
WHEN: August 9th, 1945
WHERE: Nagasaki, Japan
WHAT: Truman dropped another atomic
bomb since Japan did not surrender
immediately
A total of 170,000 people died due to both
atomic bombs.
This Introduced the nuclear era in modern
international affairs.
OUTCOME: 35,000 people were killed.
1. What needs fuelled Japanese imperialist expansion in the 1930s?
Japan was facing an economic depression and a growing population, which intensified its
need for raw materials and access to markets.
2. In 1931, the Japanese army invaded Manchuria. Later, as the Japanese empire
expanded in the Pacific, how did the Americans respond?
President Roosevelt froze Japanese assets in American banks and refused to sell Japan
any more oil or scrap metal.
3. Why did the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Imperial Navy draw up a plan
to attack Pearl Harbour?
The attack was intended to give the Japanese Navy control of the Pacific in preparation for
future attacks.
4. On December 8th President Roosevelt made a speech to the Congress of the United
States which became known as the “Day of Infamy” speech. Read the speech
reproduced on the following page and then answer the questions below.
DAY OF INFAMY
5. Why did the Americans feel deceived by the Japanese?
One hour after the bombing of Pearl Harbour had commenced, the Japanese Ambassador
delivered a reply to a recent American message. The reply contained no threat or hint of
war or armed attack. However, in light of the distance of Hawaii from Japan, it was evident
that the attack had been deliberately planned many days before. During this time the
Japanese Government had deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false
statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
6. What was the intention of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour?
The attack on Pearl Harbour was intended to immobilize the U.S. navy. This attack allowed
the Japanese to fulfill their goals of a war of imperial conquest in the Pacific. The Japanese
hoped to eliminate the American Navy in the Pacific so that they could continue with their
war of conquest.
7. What the significance of the attack on Pearl Harbour in terms of the progress of
the War in the Pacific?
The attack on Pearl Harbour officially brought the United States into the Second World War.
The Americans would be instrumental in winning the War in both the Pacific and European
theatres.
ROLE OF WOMEN
1. List two ways in which the traditional role of Canadian women changed during the Second
World War.
•
•
Official women’s branches of the army, air force, and navy were created.
More women began entered the workforce (1 million by 1944).
2. Despite these advances, what inequalities in the workforce remained?
Women were still paid less for the same work, were deprived of childcare provisions and tax breaks
when the war ended, and were expected to give up their jobs to returning soldiers.
PRODUCTION
3. In what way did Canada contribute a “total war” effort?
Total war refers to the complete concentration of a nation’s industries on the war effort. Canada
contributed by creating bombs, bullets, ships, aircraft, and armoured cars.
4. How would you describe the level of government involvement in Canada’s war effort? Provide
examples to support your response.
The Canadian government became much more involved than it had been in the First World War. For
example, the federal government introduced rationing, created a War Supply Board, and increased
taxes and the sale of war bonds to pay for the war effort.
5.
a) Why did Canada become worried that Allied countries would no longer buy supplies from Canada?
The American government introduced the Lend Lease Act in 1941 which allowed Allied countries to
buy materials from the United States without having to pay up front.
b) What action did Prime Minister King take in response to this act?
Prime Minister King and President Roosevelt issued the Hyde Park Declaration which stated that the
United States would buy more raw materials from Canada, and would supply Canada with American
parts for weapons production.
PROPAGANDA
6.
What type of propaganda was used in Canada to encourage the war effort?
The National Film Board created hundreds of documentaries and short films, and many posters were
made which depicted an “evil” enemy.
CANADIAN TRAINING FACILITIES
7.
What was the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan?
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan was a series of 230 facilities across Canada which
trained pilots and other crew members from Commonwealth Countries.
8.
Who trained at “Camp X”?
Over 500 Canadian, British, and American spies were trained at this top-secret school.
CONSCRIPTION
9. Complete the following table. The left column lists some of the issues in the 1917 Conscription
Crisis. In the right column, enter a list of the background issues and the key issues in the 1942-1944
Conscription Crisis.
1917 Conscription Crisis
1942-1944 Conscription Crisis
Prime Minister King had promised in 1939 that he
would not introduce conscription.
The number of volunteers declined after 1916.
King implement the National Resource
Mobilization Act in 1940 which required all men
to help with the war effort.
Casualties increased in 1917.
By 1942, there was a need for troops overseas.
French-Canadians resisted conscription.
King held a plebiscite asking for Canadians to
release him from his promise.
The conscription crisis threatened to bring
down the government.
Pacifists spoke out against the war.
Most French-Canadians did not support
conscription.
Conscription sent 13,000 Canadians overseas, but
only 2,000 saw the front lines.
French-English relations were strained, but not
broken.
1.
Complete the following table outlining the discrimination which took place in Canada during the
Second World War.
VICTIM OF
PREJUDICE
DETAILS ~ Nature of the Discrimination
Over 100,00 Canadians were forced to register as enemy aliens, and 650
were interned in camps.
Enemy Aliens
Pro-NAZI
Political Parties
Any pro-NAZI political parties, as well as the Communist Party, were
banned.
Religious Groups
Those groups who practiced pacifism, namely Jehovah Witnesses, Quakers,
Hutterites, Mennonites, and Doukhobors, were met with open hostility. Many
members of these groups avoided military service.
Black Canadians
There was outright discrimination against Black Canadians until 1942, but as
the war went on and everyone served together in the armed forces, Black
Canadians began to demand equality in other areas.
Jewish Refugees from
Europe
It was made difficult for Jewish refugees to enter the country. Some people
refused to hire Jewish judges, lawyers, professors, and teachers and many
clubs posted signs declaring “No Jews Allowed”.
2. In what sense was Canada’s immigration policy restrictive?
British and American immigrants were “preferred” while immigrants of other backgrounds were
actively discouraged.
3.
In 1938, what change did the Canadian League of Nations Society seek from Prime Minister King?
The Canadian League of Nations Society wanted the government to accept Jewish refugees from
Europe based on humanitarian grounds.
4.
The status of Japanese Canadians changed with the bombing of Pearl Harbour. Complete the following
table outlining these changes.
BEFORE PEARL HARBOUR
REASON FOR
DISCRIMINATION
White Canadians were frustrated
because they were competing with
Japanese people for the same jobs,
but the Japanese were willing to work
for lower wages.
AFTER PEARL HARBOUR
People feared that Japanese
Canadians might supply Japan with
secret information.
1907:
Internment:
A race riot in Vancouver occurred in
which 5,000 Canadians smashed the
windows of Japanese Canadians and
terrorized them so that they would
leave Canada.
Men, women, and children were
fingerprinted, photographed, and given
an identification number. 22,000
Japanese Canadians were sent to
internment camps.
Japanese Canadians were forced to
choose between deportation to Japan,
or relocation away from the West
Coast.
METHODS OF
DISCRIMINATION
1928:
Custodian of Aliens Act:
PM King limited the number of
Japanese immigrants in order to
control their population growth. Only
150 Japanese people were allowed to
enter Canada each year.
This act liquidated the possessions of
Japanese Canadians without their
permission. This was used to pay for
their stay at the internment camps.
The Vote:
Deportation Law:
Japanese and Chinese Canadians
were denied the right to vote, and
were not permitted to join the armed
forces.
In 1944, a law was passed that stated
that Japanese Canadians could be
deported to Japan if they did not leave
British Columbia.
5. In 1988, what compensation was the survivor of each internee given?
$21,000 - $12 million in total