German and Russian Revolutions 20/10/2009

04:06:00

1. German Revolution

November 26, 2009

• On November 9, 1918, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany abdicated and
left Germany to the Netherlands.
• The events that preceded this decision:
i. The Kaiser did not accept the Treaty’s conditions because
he did not want to make Germany more democratic.
o This caused revolts around the country. Even the
Kaiser’s armed forces were revolting against this.
o The revolts began because they were sick and tired
of the war. They thought it was bad enough, they
didn’t want more.
o The Kaiser stepped down because he didn’t want to
give the parliament a lot of power.
• SUMMARY: Peace under certain conditions:
i. Germany to become more democratic.
o Kaiser refused.
o Revolts began and growing fear of
socialist/communist revolution.
• Friedrich Ebert
i. Elected to Reichstag in 1912.
ii. Leader of Social Democratic Party since 1913.
iii. Elected President in January 1919.
• Weimar Republic
i. Weimar constitution was written in July 1919.
ii. Extremely democratic constitution. Shown:
o All Germans over 20 could vote.
o The president is elected.

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 o The system had proportional representation.
 Proportional representation: the more votes
you get, the more seats you get in the
Reichstag.
 Example: 10% of votes=5 seats. 50% of
votes=50 seats.
iii. Some non-democratic laws:
o The president could rule the country for six months
without any role of the Reichstag.
iv. This was made to be used in emergency situations and
crises such as war etc.
• Democracy: Power of the people; the leader is elected by the
people.
• In the Weimar Republic, the people vote for seats in Reichstag,
and majority of representatives vote for Chancellor.
• Challenges for the Weimar Republic.
i. The national income was about 1/3rd of what it was in
1913.
ii. Industrial production was 2/3rd of what it was in 1913.
iii. Threatened by revolution – unstable.
• How close was Germany to a Communist revolution? What
stopped it?
i. An ‘alliance’ was formed between Ebert’s Social Democratic
Party, and right-wing Freikorps to stop and crush the
imminent communist revolution.
• Left-wing party: communist, and socialist.
i. Communist: equal rights, equal income, and equal rights.
Some countries wanted this because of a huge gap in
wealth between the classes. This would diminish the whole
point of classes and everyone would be equal.
• Right-wing party: conservatives who like to keep things the way
they are. Severe right-wing party would be fascist.
• After Ebert signed the Treaty of Versailles, he was almost
overthrown by the rightists but the people in cities saved him
because they did not want a conservative government, they
needed things to change. They were sick of wars, whether civil
or foreign. Enough is enough, NO MORE PROBLEMS.

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December 3, 2009
• In which parts of the Weimar Republic were there right-wing
supporters?
i. In the army
ii. In the bureaucracy
iii. In the judiciary system
iv. Industrialists, businessman, financiers
v. Religious establishments
• What stopped a right-wing takeover?
i. The people
• The Ruhr invasion and hyperinflation
i. 1922: Germany did not pay reparations
ii. France and Belgium invaded the industrial heartland of
Germany, the Ruhr.
iii. The German workers went on a government requested
strike.
iv. Invasion turned violent.
v. Halt in industrial production caused a collapse of the
German economy and currency.
vi. Hyperinflation as a result of too much money in circulation.
• The Effects of Hyperinflation
i. The middle class became poor.
o Because the middle class had savings, and since the
value of money went down, what they had became
pointless.
ii. The working class – nothing changed
o Their life was paycheck every week, and lived like
that. No savings, no nothing, so no effect.
• Stresemann
i. Took over as Chancellor in August 1923.
ii. Called off the strike.
iii. Replaced the worthless currency.
iv. Negotiated US loans (Dawes plan).
v. Reparation payments renegotiated.
vi. HOWEVER, long term damage had been done: the Weimar
Republic had lost the support of the middle class.
• German Economy

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 i. Was now based on American loans, as was the rest of the
world.
ii. GET CHART OF DAWES PLAN, VERY IMPORTANT.
• Documentary on Germany in Inter-War Period
i. After the war, people were ecstatic and they all celebrated
peace and end of bloodshed.
ii. Although the defeated have to pay price of peace
iii. Treaty of Versailles
o Took place in January 1919, in Versailles, France.
o Most important people there were, Lloyd George (PM
of Britain), Woodrow Wilson (US President), and
George Clemenceau (French Premier).
o Woodrow Wilson wanted long and ever-lasting peace,
not revenge. His 14 points put some moral rules into
government.
 Although while he was working, the people in
the U.S. lost interest and decided they did not
want anything to do with European problems.
o Lloyd George was working most to recover Germany
and get it ready to be a steady trading partner.
o While Germany were fighting for their existence at
the conference, it was the allies who were setting the
fate of Germany.
o Here, the map of Europe was changed many times.
o Consequences of Treaty of Versailles:
 Germany was not allowed to place any troops
in the Rhineland, it was to be kept by allied
forces until 1935.
 Germany had to limit their troops to 100,000
men
 Germany had to accept full responsibility for
starting the war.
 Since Germany was in no position to decline of
even negotiate the terms, they were forced to
sign.
o During the communist revolution, the army did not
shoot at the Friekorps, and it was the strike that
saves the German government.

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 o In 1921, the allies were still discussing how much
Germany should pay.
 France: repairing the war crushed country was
extremely expensive and they believed that
they could just squeeze the money out of
Germany.
 Germany argued that reparation would be a
terrible burden on Germany and the people.
o On January 1923, the reparations were still not paid
so French and Belgian troops entered and invaded
the Ruhr.
 The French then believed that the German
workers there would now work for them, but
unexpectedly, the German troops and
industrialists united and striked against this.
The French then decided to get some of its own
workers.
 Tensions grew and soon enough Germans
started killing some French soldiers.
 It was a united hatred against the French.
o 1923 was a terrible year for Germany.
 The Ruhr was invaded and Hyperinflation hit
Germany with a boom.
o In Germany, the left wings were mostly treated and
sentenced harshly and right winged people were
treated and sentenced very leniently. This shows
how the German’s mindset was.
iv. Stresemann was then elected as chancellor.
o He decided that Germany would pay the reparations
as the only way to get France out.
o The inflation became under control.
o And Stresemann created the Dawes plan which was
accepted among the Big Three.
o German industry returned to normal as the French
decided to pull out because of the Dawes Plan.
o All hostilities seemed to be disappearing.
o And in 1926, Germany became a member of the
League of Nations.

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 o Life in Germany seemed to be returning to normal.

1. Russian Revolution

December 4, 2009
• Russia, around the 1900s, was in transition (changing) evidence:
i. Middle class emerged which shows a change in the social
makeup of the country. Shown as a social change.
o Russia began to industrialize. Would be categorized
as an economic change. This is what caused the
middle class to grow. They got a lot more money.
 This shows that they were finally in the same
financial standing and mental standing as the
aristocrats yet they were still treated as 3rd
class citizens.
ii. Political opposition wanted more democracy and some
even wanted revolution.
iii. There was a continuation of the Autocracy (tsars rule).
o Thought a divine ruler. Not a religious leader. It is
just thought that their family were handpicked by
god to be the rulers of Russia.
o The middle class began challenging this way of
legitimizing the rule because they wanted a
democracy. They wanted this for equal rights, say in
the economy, the ability to vote, and they basically
wanted a say for the way that they are living.
o People in good positions in the government were
basically there because of their connection, or wasta.
iv. Position of aristocracy and peasants had not changed at all
throughout the war. The poor stayed very poor and the
rich stayed very rich.
v. Population growth occurred in Russia. Population grew a lot
faster. Shows that there is a decrease of death which
shows that there was better food, better medicine, etc.
vi. Large majority of the population were peasants.
• Urbanization began and many people began going to the cities to
find jobs.

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 i. The working class, coal miners, etc, was a new social class
that emerged in Russia.
o Very similar to peasants because they were given
low living conditions and were extremely poor.
o Working class wanted higher salaries, improved
working conditions, although did not care much
about democracy.
o Although there is a conflict between peasants and
working class. A competition over food. Since the
peasants are selling the food, and the working class
are buying them, there is a problem because the
peasants want to sell them at the highest price
possible and the working class want to buy at the
lowest price possible. MINOR
• So all had problems with the government except the aristocrats
and clergy.

Source A: Population 1900 (in millions)

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Russia 103
Germany 56
Austria-Hungary 45
Great Britain 41
France 39

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Italy 32

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Source B: Railways – kilometers of track in 1900 (in thousands)

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Russia 53
Germany 52
France 38
Austria-Hungary 36
Great Britain 35

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Italy 16

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 Source C: Coal production in 1900 (in million tones); figures in
brackets refer to percentage in production since 1890

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Russia 16 (170%)
Germany 149 (67%)
Austria-Hungary 39 (50%)
France 33 (28%)
Great Britain 225 (24%)

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Italy (0.5%)

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Source D: Steel production (in million tones)

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Countries 1890 1900
Russia 0.4 1.5
Germany 2.3 6.7
Austria-Hungary 0.5 1.2
France 0.7 1.6

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Great Britain 3.6 4.9
WHAT IS ABOVE IS NOT IMPORTANT, NO CONCERN

December 8, 2009
• Russian Revolution of 1905
i. Notes last time are FACTS about Russia at the time.
ii. Causes of the Revolution
o LONG TERM CAUSES
 Industrialization which caused:
• Rise of middle class where they became
as wealthy as the aristocrats but were
still considered a lot less important and
powerful.
o This angered them to a great
extent and they began going
against the government.
 Peasants were living under terrible conditions
where they had to deal with low food, extreme
cold, etc. As well as the working class, basically
living in POVERTY, so got completely against
the government.
 The form of government, being an autocratic
government, caused a lot of trouble between
the classes. Stated above.
o SHORT TERM CAUSES
 The government eased censorship. Basically
less censorship.
• Government saying, you wanna speak
freely then speak freely.
 There was the war with Japan in which they
lost badly.
• The Russians showed how confident they
were and how they were going to kill the
“yellow little monkeys” and then they
were crushed.
 Trade unions were allowed.
• ‘You wanna be organized then be
organized.’

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 • This helped how the revolution started.
They got organized and basically
organized how they were going to revolt.
Facilitated the revolution.
o TRIGGER CAUSE
 Bloody Sunday
• In January of 1905, 200,000 protesters
marched on the Winter Palace in St.
Petersburg to give a petition to the Tsar.
Although the Tsar’s soldiers opened fire.
o Not clear who ordered the
shooting. Not necessarily the Tsar
but he is still responsible over the
situation.
o This caused the Tsar to lose a lot of
respect from many people in
Russia.
• Tsar’s government lost control over the
country; rebellions, strikes and mutinies
dominated Russia for the following 10
months. Soviets set up in the town.
iii. The Revolution
o The Tsar offered Russia a Duma (elected
parliament), the right to free speech and the right to
form political parties.
o November: financial help for peasants announced.
o The opposition divided because he gave the Middle
Class what they wanted. This left the workers and
the peasants.
o He made peace with Japan and the best troops were
brought back to Russia to crush the revolts.
o February: the Middle Class formally denounced the
strikes, the land seizures and the Moscow uprising
and distanced themselves from the revolution.
o By March 1906: the revolution was completely
crushed by the army.
o By May 1906: powers of the Duma were severely
limited.

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December 9, 2009
• Middle class calling for democracy, working class pushing for
better working conditions, and peasants pushing for ownership of
land.
• 1905 1917

- The revolution was crushed - The army would not listen

by the army in May of 1906. to the Tsar.

• In 1917, his army did not obey him because of his failure in the
war, their sympathy with the cause of the opposition, and
because he took personal control of the army during WWI so any
failures in the war were blamed on him.
• The difference between the war in Japan in 1905 and the Great
War of 1914, WWI was a total war. The treatment of the soldiers
was terrible and if they retreated, they were shot.
• Also in 1917, he lost support of the aristocracy because of the
Tsar’s friendship with Rasputin. While in 1905, they were
completely supporting the Tsar.
• The middle class, in 1917, realized and had learned that the Tsar
cannot be trusted, especially with the introductions of the Duma
back in 1906, then a year later became completely limited.
• Similarities between both revolutions are strikes and unrest
among the people, breakdown of the supply system (railroads
a.k.a. transportation), famine among the lower classes, and the
Duma was in existence.
December 14, 2009
• The March Revolution
i. In January, strikes broke out all over Russia. In February,
they spread.
ii. They were supported then members of the army even
joined.
iii. On the 7th of March, workers in Petrograd went on strike.
They were then joined by thousands of women, all
demanding for bread.

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 o From the 7th to the 10th, the number of people
striking rose to 250,000 workers. Industry came to a
standstill.
o At this time, the Duma set up a Provisional
Government to take over the government.
iv. On the 12th of March, the Tsar ordered his army to crush
the revolt by force, they refused.
v. The marchers marched to the Duma and told them to take
over the government. They accepted.
vi. On the same day, revolutionaries set up the Petrograd
Soviets again, and began taking control of food supplies to
the city – On the 15th of March, the Tsar abdicated…
the Tsars were finished.
• The Provisional Government
i. The Duma’s provisional Committee took over the
government.
ii. It faced three overwhelming decisions:
o To continue the war or make peace.
o To distribute land to the peasants (who had already
started taking it) or ask them to wait until elections
had been held.
o How best to get food to the starving workers in the
cities.
iii. Included lawyer Alexander Kerensky.
o Was the Justice Minister in the Provisional
Government who then became head of it.
o As well as a respected member of the Petrograd
Soviet.
iv. The provisional government promised Russia’s allies that it
would continue the war, while trying to settle the situation
in Russia.
v. It also urged the peasants to be restrained and wait for
elections before taking any land.
vi. The idea was that the provisional government could stand
down, and allow free elections to take place to elect a new
Constituent Assembly that would fairly and democratically
represent the people of Russia.
• The Petrograd Soviet

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 i. Was a possible government to take over, apart from the
Provisional Government.
ii. They were very popular among the working class and in
key industries such as coal mining and water. They also
had great support among soldiers in the army.
iii. During the crisis back in the spring of 1917, the Soviet and
Provisional Government worked together.
• Kornilov offensive (July offensive).
i. In September 1917, Kornilov marched his troops towards
Moscow, intending to get rid of the Bolsheviks and the
provisional government. As well as restoring order.

HOMEWORK
Timeline of Lenin’s Rule
• 1917
i. Nov 8
o Church land handed to peasants
o Russia ask for peace with Germany
ii. Nov 12
o Work day limited to 8 hours
iii. Nov 14
o Workers given rights and healthcare
iv. Dec 1
o All non-Bolshevik newspapers burnt
v. Dec 11
o All cadets (opposition) banned and arrested
vi. Dec 20
o Secret police fight opposition
vii. Dec 27
o Workers Comitee
o Borks under Bolshevik control
• 1918
i. Jan 18
o Constituent Assembly dissolves
ii. March
o Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed
CONTINUE AT HOME

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January 13, 2010
• Single-party rulers we are going to study this year
i. Lenin
ii. Stalin
iii. Mussolini
iv. Hitler
v. Mao
vi. Castro
• Most questions would be like: What methods did (ruler x)
use to rise to power and what where the conditions at the
time? SEE DOWN
• Any single power ruler divided into three parts
i. Rise to power
o Methods
o Conditions
ii. Consolidation: early phase of his rule
iii. Rule
o Domestic
 Economy
 Social
 Woman
 Minorities
 Policy towards the youth
o Foreign
• Lenin’s Rise To Power
i. Methods used:
o Relating to the public
 Message
• “Peace, Bread, and Land”
 Appearance
• He made himself look like the public
o Wearing a peasant hat
o Messed up tie, etc.
 Charisma
• Was a very convincing speaker
• He was very persuasive and a good
speaker.
o Used The Party (Bolsheviks)

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  Were in the Petrograd Soviets
• Supported the working class to a great
extent (see notes above)
• Helped a gradual Bolshevik take-over &
support for revolution
o Leadership / Organization
 Trotsky: No military experience
• Created the Red Guards to fight off
Kornilov’s army in September 1917.
o Was their military force before they
got into power of the country.
o Were created in the summer of
1917.
o Had great tactics and strategy and
were very well organized.
ii. Conditions:
o Instability in Russia
 Socio-economic situation
 WWI
o Provisional Government had become weak and
unpopular.
• Lenin’s Consolidation
i. November 1917: Land given to peasants, armistice, and
workers got control of factories.
ii. December 1917: Cheka established, oppositions were
banned and arrested, and all non-Bolshevik newspapers
were burned.
iii. January 18, 1918: Constituent Assembly Dissolved
o If he let it stay, it would be a threat to his party
because the Constituent Assembly was in control by
another party. He eliminated a rival; no sharing of
power.
iv. March 1918: Brest-Litovsk Treaty
v. July 19: Tsar executed
o Was afraid that the white army would take the tsar
and use him as a symbol for them to promote
themselves.
vi. November 1920: Civil War Won by Bolsheviks

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 •
i. Red Army: United and well organized
ii. Red Terror: Fear Factor
iii. War Communism: Government took control of markets,
banks, factories, agriculture, etc.
iv. Propaganda to gain support for themselves and lose
support for others.
v. March 1921: Created a new economic policy which
temporarily introduced capitalism.

January 14, 2010

• Why was the “New Economic Policy” a controversial economic
policy for the Communist Party?
i. The NEP was basically war communism. (Mentioned above)
o This led to a production decrease.
 Industrial
 Agricultural
o This led to famine (7-8 million died)
o Also led to inflation
 Because they produced less, the prices would
go up and the government would print money
to buy it.
ii. Kronstadt Rebellion
o The sailors rebelled against strong Bolshevik
supporters and armed forces because the situation
had become terrible.
o This woke Lenin up about the situation which caused
him to create the NEP.

Communist Party

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January 21, 2010
• Stalin: one of the most important single-party ruler of the 20th
century
i. Died in 1953 of natural causes.
ii. USSR (United Social Soviet Republic)
iii. ANYWAY…STALIN
iv. 1941-Hitler invades Soviet Union
o Violated a Russia-Germany peace pact

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 v. Became members of the league of nations in the 1930s but
never became important internationally.
vi. Russian economic policy
o Industrialization
o Collectivization
 Of agriculture
•
i. Domestic Policies
o Purges
o Propaganda
ii. Stalin evolved the country from being an underdeveloped
country to a superpower that has nuclear weapons
o He took the country a long way
o It became an industrial power
o Advanced to such an extent that it should have taken
100 years but took a lot less

January 26, 2010

• Totalitarian State
i. Censorship
ii. Propaganda
iii. Limited Access to Archives
iv. Limited or No Freedom of Speech

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Inter-War Period 20/10/2009 04:06:00

1. The Great Depression

February 10, 2010

• US Economy:
i. Causes why it was so dominant in the 1920s:
o Natural Resources
 Oil, Coal
 Agriculture
 Raw Material
o Population Growth
o WWI
 Europe was weakened
 US supplied Europe + Former European
markets overseas (colonies)
o US became financial centre of the world
ii. Strengths of the US economy in the 1920s:
o Confidence in the market
o Increased demand for consumer goods
o Easy access to credit
o Republican Policies
 Called Laissez Faire
 Tariffs  US production protected
 Low Taxation
iii. Weaknesses of the US economy in the 1920s:

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 o Europe increased tariffs  Less export from US
o Unfair distribution of wealth
 Trusts
 Agricultural prices plummeted

Person makes a loan from the bank to invest in stocks  therefore takes
money from someone else’s bank account
The stocks drops and wall street crashes – person loses his money and
still owes money to the bank – they take his house and he loses his job
He loses his job because the company is overproducing their products.
Everyone loses in this situation.

3. The Invasion of Abyssinia

February 15, 2010

• The documentary
i. Benito Mussolini thought he was the heir to the ‘New
Roman Empire’.
ii. Haile Selassie was King of Abyssinia.
iii. By 1934, Mussolini had one of the most powerful armies in
Europe.
iv. Being defeated by Abyssinia in the past, Mussolini decided
to regain their pride.
v. To Mussolini: “War is to men, as maternity is to women.”
vi. Italy began by attacking Abyssinia. Starting with the city of
Wawa.
•
i. Abyssinia begged the League to punish Italy for their
actions, while Italy said they were provoked and they
should punish Abyssinia.

Timeline
June 28, 1919: The treaty of Versailles is Signed The Treaty of
Versailles ends World War One and imposes heavy reparations payments
on Germany.

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November 1920: The First Meeting of the League of Nations The
Assembly of the League of Nations meets for the first time in Geneva,
Switzerland. The US is notably absent, the Senate having voted against
joining the League in November 1919.
November 1921: The Washington Conference is Held The United
States convenes the Washington Conference, attended by Britain, France,
Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, China, Japan, and Portugal. The
Conference results in a naval armaments treaty that sets a ratio for
tonnage of capital ships (over 10,000 tons, with guns bigger than eight
inches) for Great Britain, the US, Japan, France, and Italy. The ratio
agreed upon, in that order, is 5:5:3:1.67:1.67.
October 30, 1922: Benito Mussolini is Made Italian Premier King
Victor Emmanuel declares Mussolini premier in an attempt to head off
violent conflict between the Fascists and the Communists.
November 9, 1923: The Beer Hall Putsch Adolf Hitler and General
Ludendorf, a World War One hero, lead a small contingent of followers in
a harmless, comical attempt at rebellion, for which Hitler is imprisoned for
two years.
January 21, 1924: Vladimir Lenin Dies Lenin's death leaves some
question as to who will be his successor. Joseph Stalin eventually beats
out Leon Trotsky to take control of the Soviet government.
May 11, 1924: The Cartel des Gauches wins the French Election
The Cartel displaces the ruling Bloc National, in a marked victory for the
left, but proves unable to govern effectively.
August 27, 1924: The German Chamber of Deputies Accepts the
Dawes Plan The Dawes Plan restructures the schedule of German
reparations payments so as to reduce the amount of annual payments,
and grants Germany a large loan.
December 1, 1925: The Locarno Pacts are Signed The Locarno Pacts
are signed in efforts to stabilize relations with Germany and its neighbors.
The pacts usher in a period of peace and prosperity.
1926: Joseph Pilsudski Becomes Virtual Dictator in Poland Pilsudski
maintains this position until his death in May 1935

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March 1926: The Samuel Commission in England Releases Its
Report on Coal Mining The Samuel Commission, under the
Conservative government, releases a report which advises wage cuts for
miners. The Triple Alliance responds by striking, which is emulated by
many other industries in England to protest he Conservative
government's policies.
April 14, 1931: The Spanish Monarchy is Overthrown and The
Republic Is Born A provisional government is established to take Spain
from monarchy to republicanism.
1932: General Gyula Gombos Comes to Power in Hungary Gombos
becomes prime minister, an office he uses like a dictatorship, setting the
tone for Hungarian government during the remaining inter-war years.
February - July 1932: The final League of Nations Disarmament
Conference is Held The last major League of Nations-sponsored
disarmament conference meets from February to July 1932 at Geneva,
with 60 nations in attendance, including the United States. However, this
conference, like it's predecessors, fails to secure any agreement, and
organized disarmament remains an unaccomplished goal.
1933 - 1934: 1,140,000 Communist Party Members are Expelled
by Stalin Stalin's Central Purge Commission, created in 1933, publicly
investigates and tries many party members for treason as Stalin seeks to
rid the party of oppositon.
January 30, 1933: Hitler is Appointed Chancellor of Germany In an
attempt to reel in the chaos of the German government, President Paul
von Hindenburg declares Hitler chancellor, the first major step in Hitler's
ascent to dictatorship.
March 23, 1933: The German Reichstag Passes the Enabling Act
The Enabling Act gives Hitler the power to issue decrees with the status of
law.
June 3, 1936: Leon Blum's Popular Front Government Comes to
Power in France The Popular Front, a leftist party, institutes social
legislation and allows wide public participation in the government, but
ultimately fails to curtail the depreciating economy.
July 17, 1936: The Spanish Nationalists Begin the Spanish Civil
War Generals Goded, Mola, and Francisco Franco lead troops in rebellion
against the republic, sparking the Spanish Civil War.

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April 25, 1937: Spanish Nationalists Bomb Guernica The small
northern town of Guernica is bombed, and civilians are gunned down as
they flee the scene. In this brutal massacre 1500 die and 800 are
wounded, but the military targets in the town remain intact.
September 18, 1938: The Munich Pact is Signed Britain and France
appease Hitler by signing the Munich Pact, which grants Hitler control of
the Czech Sudetenland.
March 30, 1939: The Spanish Civil War Ends Madrid falls to Francisco
Franco's forces, effectively ending the Spanish Civil War. Franco's
oppressive dictatorship begins.
September 3, 1939: Britain and France Declare War on Germany In
response to Hitler's continued aggression in Eastern Europe, Britain and
France go to war with Germany in an attempt to stop Hitler's bid for
global hegemony.

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Paper 1 Help 20/10/2009 04:06:00

Paper One on Stalin

• Question 1 is always divided into 2 questions. Total of 5 points.

i. It needs to be kept brief and all I need to do is
paraphrase.
ii. 2-3 sentences max per question.
iii. Should get full score on this.
• Question 2 is always a compare/contrast question on two or
sometimes, but rarely, three sources. Total of 6 points.
i. Lets say talking about Sources A and B. We don’t write it
like “Source A says (blank), while Source B says (blank)”.
It should be like “Source A and B both agree on…diagree
on…etc.”
• OPVL: Origin, Purpose, Value, and Limitations. Total of 6 points.
i. Don’t interpret/analyze the context or sources! Separate
evaluations and must be written in paragraph source.
ii. Origin: What, when, where, and who
iii. Purpose: Why and to whom was the source intended for?
iv. Value and Limitation is sort of based on the origin and
purpose.
v. Value: is it useful for me as a historian.
vi. Limitation: Is it biased? What are the limitations of the
source.
• Mini-Essay: Use sources & own knowledge. Total of 8 points.
i. Must use both sources and own-knowledge to get full
parks. If a person only uses the sources or only own-
knowledge, will get max 5 points.
ii. Should be written thematically and be written like an
essay. Intro-Body-Conclusion. Don’t summarize each
source in paragraphs.

33
Homework 20/10/2009 04:06:00

Chapter 11 – The USSR Under Stalin: Industrialization

1. Do you think the businessmen listening to Stalin in Source A

liked what he was saying? Give reasons for your answers.

I think some businessmen listening to Stalin in Source A did not like what he was saying
while some did. The ones that did not like what he was saying was because this fast tempo is
already stressing them as it is. They need the tempo to go a little slower to make their work a
lot easier. While the ones who liked what he was saying did because they would enjoy a more
flourishing business.

2. Read Source B. What evidence is there in the extract to show that it is from an
official source? Does this mean that it is reliable?

The evidence that shows that this extract is taken from an official source is where it says that
it was from History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks) and most
importantly written during Stalin’s time. But, it is not reliable whatsoever because it is most
likely biased. Also, a Commission of the Central Committee edited it, which is a
governmental agency.

3. Read Sources C and D carefully.

a. How do these sources differ in explaining why some of the USSR’s
industries failed?

Source C, written by a British historian, blames the industry failing in the

USSR on the ‘Komsomol’. This was the League of Communist Youth and was
judged by this western historian to be inexperienced and inefficient with many
administrative problems. Thus placing young people in positions of high
authority and responsibility. While source D, an extract from the communist
party’s official history, claiming that the failure of the industries was due to a
large organization of wreckers – suspected of being bourgeois experts. These
‘wreckers’ aimed to restore capitalism in the USSR. Therefore Bolshevik
businessmen were to be thoroughly trained in the technique of production.

b. Which source do you think is likely to be the more reliable? Give reasons
for your choice.

34
 Source C would definitely be the most reliable source because it was written
by a British historian while source D was written by pro-Bolshevik members.
Source D was also taken from the communist party’s official history.

2. Look at Sources E and J. What do they tell you about the

reasons for the poor efficiency of Soviet industry at the
time?

Source E illustrates that the reasons for poor efficiency of Soviet industry at the time were
due to ‘slackers’ which in this campaign were portrayed as small, slim, and weak compared
to the efficient, hard-working workers. The campaign encourages workers to point out the
‘slackers’ in order to achieve a more productive work force. This could result in the
elimination of many hard-workers who fell out of favor by other laborers. Source J critically
analyses Stalin’s Five-Year Plans by judging Stalin as incompetent and adventurous, making
the process of industrialization much more difficult. Roy Medvedev claimed Stalin was the
cause for the poor efficiency of Soviet industry at the time further stating that the result
would have been far greater without Stalin.

3.
a. Using Source B to help you, explain why the government issued the poster
in source E.

With compliment to Source B, the poster in Source E encouraged a more efficient

work force by instilling fear within the common worker to achieve the goals stated
in Source B such as the increase of agricultural productions and well as
industrialization.

b. Do you think the poster would have helped to increase production?

As mentioned previously, the issuing of the poster instilled fear in the workers’
minds that consequently brought more efficiency and better results. Workers
would have to work harder and faster to ensure their job as well as their lives.

4. Study the figures in Source G.

a. Which industries achieved the target of the first Five-Year Plan?

Based on Source G, Oil was the only industry during the first Five-Year Plan

35
 to have achieved its target.

b. Which industries achieved the target of the second Five-Year Plan?

Steel was the only industry during the second Five-Year Plan to have achieved
its target.

c. Which industry increased its production seven-fold from 1927 to 1937?

Electricity was the only industry to have increased its production seven-fold
from 1927 to 1937.

d. What does the information you now have tell you about the success or
failure of the Five-Year Plans?

First off, it must be stated that each industry doubled in a ten year span which
implies that on that note, Stalin was successful in managing to increase
production in five industries. However, it can be argued that he set unrealistic
goals and rarely achieved his target production, but nonetheless, drastically
improved the USSR’s production.

5. Read Sources H, I and J and decide, giving your reasons, which of the following
statements you agree with.
a. The results of the first Five-Year Plan were not as good as they could
have been.
b. The ordinary people of the USSR benefited more from the second than
the first Five-Year Plan.

Source H, describing the achievements of the first Five-Year Plan, claims that
the results have been met. This would prompt me to disagree with ‘Statement
A’. While Source J claims that the results would have been far greater without
Stalin thus prompting me to agree with ‘Statement A’.
Source H neglects the needs of ordinary people as it was focused on the
industrialization of the USSR while Source I agrees with statement be

36
 claiming that the second Five-Year Plan focused on the provision of consumer
goods which implies better standards of living by providing cars and mediocre
footwear.

6. Read Source K
a. What reasons does the extract give for the patients being in the hospital?

The reasons the extract gives for the patients being in the hospital are due to
malnutrition, cold, and lack of hygiene. This is illustrated by the subject eating
a little black bread and egg soup, being in the ‘gangrenous’ department of the
hospital, and peasants with frozen limbs, and belies empty.

b. If you had been living in these conditions, how far do you think you would
have blamed Stalin’s policies for your situation?

To a great extent I would blame Stalin’s policies for my situation because it

was his policies that led to the abolition of bread-rationing and the re-
evaluation of the Rouble which led to the poor state I would be in.

7. Read Source L and explain the meaning of the following words: norm, boot-
licking and parasites.
a. What does each of these words tell you about life in a labor camp?

These words tell me that life in a labor camp was extremely difficult and the
people could not care less about the workers, or ‘parasites’; they just wanted
them to do the work.

b. What do they tell you about the attitude of the writer towards her
overseers?

The writer’s tone shows that she was not that scared anymore. She was almost
mocking them. She did not like the overseers one bit because they kept
showing them how to fell the tree using better footwear than they had etc.

8. Using all the extracts (a) make a list of all the advantages and achievements of
the Five-Year Plans and then (b) make a list of all the disadvantages and
hardships. Do you think rapid industrialization was worth all the suffering?

37
• Sources • Advantages • Disadvantages
• Source A • Need to • None
compete
with the rest
of the world.
• Source B • Specific • None
industries to
develop in
order to
excel in the
process of
industrializat
ion.
• Source C • None • Laziness,
inexperience,
too much
youth.
• Source D • None • None
• Source E • Getting rid • None
of the
Slackers
• Source F • None • None
• Source G • Increase in • None
production
for 5
industries
• Source H • Development • None
of the highly
industrial
country
• Source I • Standard of • None
living
improved
• Source J • None • Stalin’s
incompetence
and
adventurism.
Results would
have been far
greater without
Stalin

38
 • Source K • None • Famine, lack of
hygiene and
poor standards
of living.
• Source L • None • Many
intellectuals
were falsely
accused of
plotting against
the
government.

The rapid industrialization helped the country flourish to become one of the most industrial
countries in the world, but it affected the people terribly. In the short run, I think the rapid
industrialization was not worth all the suffering but on the long run I think it was. Many died
of famine during these Five-Year Plans, but many more could have died in the future because
the country would have stayed undeveloped.

Jack Robert Seikaly

1439 Words

39
Single-Party Rulers 20/10/2009 04:06:00

Totalitarian State
• Official ideology
• Single mass party
• Terroristic control led by the police
• Monopolistic control over the media
• Monopoly of arms
• Central control of the economy

1. Benito Mussolini

February 19, 2010

• Fascism: Mussolini’s personal definition
i. Anti-Pacifist
o Glorification of war
o “War is to men, what maternity is to women.”
ii. Individual duty towards the society
o Against suicide
iii. Anti-Marxist
iv. Pro-Heroic
v. Anti-Democratic
o NO 1 vote, 1 count. Some people are more valuable
than others and should count for more.
vi. Authoritarian

vii. (Limited) individual liberty

40
 viii. Expansionism
ix. Nationalism

2. Adolf Hitler

March 12, 2010

• Impact of WWI on Germany by 1918
i. Germany was virtually bankrupt
o War left 600,000 widows and 2 million children
without fathers – by 1925 the state was spending
about one-third of its budget in war pensions.
o Industrial production was about two-thirds of what it
had been in 1913.
o National income was about one-third of what it had
been in 1913.
ii. The war had deepened divisions in German society
o There were huge gaps between the living standards
of the rich and the poor.
o Many German workers were bitter at the restrictions
placed on their earnings during the war while the
factory owners made vast fortunes from the war.
o During the war women were called up to work in the
factories. Many people saw this as damaging to
traditional family values and society as a whole.
iii. Germany had a revolution and became an unstable
democratic republic
o Stresses of war led to a revolution in October-
November 1918.
o Many ex-soldiers and civilians despised the new
democratic leaders and came to believe that the
heroic leader Field Marshal Hindenburg had been
betrayed by weak politicians.
• After WWI, Germany had to claim responsibility of starting the
war, pay enormous reparations, and were told to become more
democratic.
i. This was very embarrassing for the people as well as the
government of Germany.

41
• On November 9, 1918, the Kaiser abdicated his throne and left
Germany.
i. The next day, Friedrich Ebert became the new leader of the
Republic of Germany. He immediately signed an armistice
with the Allies. He also gave the new Republic freedom of
speech, freedom of worship and better working conditions.
• The people’s reaction of everything was skeptical.
i. They were pleased that the war was over but were also
anxious. They were not sure that an armistice would be the
end to all their troubles.
• In January of 1919, Germany had their very first free elections.
Ebert won the majority and became president of the Weimar
Republic.
i. The Weimar Republic was the republic that was put into
place in Germany right after the First World War.
• From the very start, Ebert faced violent opposition from both
left-wing and right-wing opponents. Nearly all of the Kaiser’s
former advisors remained in their positions in the army,
judiciary, civil service and industry.
i. The threat from the left
o One left-wing group was a communist party known
as Spartacus. They were very similar to Lenin’s
Bolshevik party.
 They were very against Ebert’s plans for a
democratic Germany. They wanted a Germany
ruled by workers’ councils or soviets.
 Early in 1919, they launched their bid for
power and set up soviets in many towns.
 Ebert made an agreement with the
commanders of the army and Freikorps, anti-
communist ex-soldiers who form themselves
into vigilante groups, to put down the rebellion.
 The Freikorps won and put down this
attempted communist revolution.
o Another communist attempted takeover was the one
in Bavaria-South of Germany.
 Again, the Freikorps crushed this rebellion.
Around 600 communists were killed.

42
 o In 1920, again another communist rebellion.
 It was in the Ruhr industrial area and police,
army and Freikorps clashed with the
communists. There were 2000 casualties.
o All these disputes with the communists caused a
bitterness between Ebert and the Socialist party.
Although many Germans, when it came to this issue,
agreed with Ebert.
 Ebert, along with many Germans, feared a
bloody communist takeover like what
happened in Russia.
o Despite these communist defeats, they still remained
a powerful anti-government force in Germany
throughout the 1920s.
ii. The threat from the right
o The right-wing opponents were largely people who
had grown up in the successful days of the Kaiser’s
Germany.
o They liked Germany having a strong army, wanted
Germany to expand its territory, and were proud of
Germany’s powerful industry.
o In March 1920, 5000 Freikorps were led into Berlin in
a rebellion known as the Kapp Putsh.
 The army refused to fire at them.
 Ebert’s government seemed doomed.
• Although the country was saved by the
people, especially the industrial workers
of Berlin, who declared a strike which
brought the capital to a halt with no
transport, power or water.
• Economic Disaster
i. The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to pay reparations
of 6600 million pounds. In 1921, they paid 50 million
pounds. In 1922, nothing.
o French got pissed and invaded the Ruhr and took
materials they thought they deserved so they could
sell them.

43
 o The workers protested and the French killed over 100
and expelled 100,000.
o More importantly, this occupation caused the
collapse of the German currency.
ii. Hyperinflation
o Because they had no goods to trade, the German
government started printing money. This paid off
many of Germany’s war loans and paid off many
industrialists’ debts too.
o This set off a chain reaction because with so much
money in circulation, prices and wages rocketed. The
money became worthless.
 The richer Germans, with savings, were the
most effected from this. The ones who could
buy a house in 1921, could barely buy a loaf of
bread in 1923. As if they had no savings.
 The rising cost of a loaf of bread in Berlin
• 1918: 0.63 Marks
• 1922: 163 Marks
• January 1923: 250 Marks
• July 1923: 3465 Marks
• September 1923: 1,512,000 Marks
• November 1923: 201,000,000,000 Marks
iii. Economic Solution
o In August 1923, s new government under Gustav
Stresemann took over.
 He called in worthless marks and burned them,
replacing them with a new currency called the
Rentenmark.
 He renegotiated the reparations payments.
 And he negotiated to receive American loans
under the Dawes plan.
o The hyperinflation had now ended but caused great
political damage to the Weimar government. They
had lost the support of the whole middle-class.

44
World War Two 20/10/2009 04:06:00

March 19, 2010

• Causes
i. Systemic/Context
o Europe’s situation; balance/imbalance.
o Recovery of Germany likely post WWI.
o Nobody could stop the recovery of Germany
 GB/France had been weakened by WWI
 National cooperation had failed (LON)
 Empires disintegrated into weak and unstable
successor states. (ex Austro-Hungarian
Empire, Ottoman Empire)
ii. Germany/Hitler
o Was Hitler a planner or an opportunist (gambler)?
 Planner: Intentionalist, planned it step-by-
step.
 Opportunist: Structuralist, used/toned by
domestic situation.
 It is most likely a combination of the two.
• Four Power Pact, July 1933 (GB, F, I, Germany)
i. Cooperation to preserve peace
ii. Acknowledged principle of ‘reasonable revision’ of the
peace treaties.
iii. This pact never materialized
o Germany left the Disarmament conference as well as
the LON
o Re-introduced conscription, March 1935
iv. Negative effects:
o Eastern European states were shocked
 Sought alliances:

45
 • Franco-Soviet Pact, 1935
• Polish German Non-Aggression Pact,
1934.
• Events:
i. Saar Plebiscite, 1935
o Propaganda victory for Hitler
ii. Stresa Front, April 1935
o Italy, GB, France and Germany
o Oppose unilateral revision
o Deterrent to Hitler
iii. Abyssinia, Oct. 1935
o Stresa Front DISCRDETED
o LON
iv. Remilitarization of the Rhineland, March 1936
o Succeeded because:
 France miscalculated
 Hitler was bold and unpredictable

March 21, 2010

• Movie on Hitler’s developments and moving towards the Second
World War
i. He was an amazing speaker and people loved him and
sometimes seemed to fall into his ‘spell’.
o People become hysterical when in the presence of
Hitler.
o Whoever had touched Hitler’s hands was perceived
as a saint in their village, town, etc.
o Videos of Hitler hugging children, petting dogs, and
chilling with friends were all at one point or another,
shown to the public.
 Being an ‘ordinary’ person like everyone else.

46
 ii. He revolutionized weaponry
o Tanks a lot more advanced than World War One
o Planes were better
o New German Navy was advanced
iii. In 1936, the Germans walked through the Rhineland and
re-militarized it.
iv. Hitler then marched into Austria in 1938, and made it a
province of Germany.
v. Then Hitler moved in and took over Czechoslovakia.
o All this with no resistance whatsoever.
• Must put on timeline:
i. Spanish Civil War – 1936 to 1939
ii. Anti-Comintern Pact
o Comintern was the ‘Third International’ which was a
communist organization from 1919 to 1943.
iii. Anschluss
o The German annexation of Austria in 1938.
iv. Appeasement
o Sudetenland
o Munich Agreement – September 29, 1938
o Czechoslovakia
o Nazi-Soviet Pact
v. Hitler Invades Poland

47
Cold War 20/10/2009 04:06:00

Began in 1945 and ended in 1990.

Conferences in Tehran (1943), Yalta (1945), and Postdam (1945) show

the beginnings of the conflict between the United States of America and
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
• Tehran Conference, 1943
i. State of War:
o The Allies had begun to win the War.
o The USSR was now pushing the Germans into
retreat.
o The US and the UK invaded Italy and drove the
Germans out of North Africa.
ii. Germany:
o They were planning what to do with Germany once it
is defeated.
o It had to be an ‘unconditional surrender.’
iii. Poland:
o They discussed the shape pf Poland’s post-war
borders.
o Stalin wanted a lot of territory.
o They agreed that the USSR was to keep land seized
in 1939 and Poland would get land from Eastern
Germany.
o A puppet regime was needed to be set up in Poland.
iv. Eastern Europe:
o The USSR is to keep territory seized from ’39 to ’40.
v. Japan:
o The US and the UK wanted the USSR to join the war
against Japan in the Pacific.
vi. United Nations:
o The US, UK, and USSR agreed to create a successor
to the League of Nations.
o They learned from their mistakes with the LON.
• Yalta Conference, February 1945

48
 i. State of War:
o Germany was on the verge of being defeated.
o The USSR have driven Europe from Eastern Europe.
o The UK and US forced the Germans out of France.
o Japan are under heavy aerial bombardment from the
US.
ii. Germany:
o The Allies decided that Germany would be disarmed,
demilitarized, de-nazified, and divided.
o Germany would be divided into four zones occupied
by the USA, the USSR, the UK, and France.
o An ACC would run be set up to run the country
temporarily.
o Germany to be forced to pay $20 billion with 50% of
it going to the USSR>
iii. Poland:
o The borders of Poland were established.
o Stalin got what he wanted territorially.
iv. Eastern Europe:
o They would be able to decide who governed them.
 This became a known deal between the USSR
and the UK, and US.
v. Japan:
o USSR agreed to join the war against Japan only if
they gain certain land from Germany.
vi. United Nations:
o The USSR decided to join the UN.
o They decided there should be five permanent
members with veto power.
• Postdam Conference, July 1945
i. State of War:
o Germany had surrendered unconditionally.

49
 o The war in the Pacific was still going on.
o The US had planned to use the Nuclear Bomb by this
point.
ii. Germany:
o Germany agreed to be disarmed, demilitarized, de-
nazified, and divided.
 The allies decided how this was going to be
done.
iii. Poland:
o New US president challenged the Western Frontier.
o The Polish Government should be re-organized.
iv. Eastern Europe:
o Truman challenged the ‘Percentages Agreement’
which he thought gave Stalin too much power in the
area.
o It looked to the US that the USSR was planning a
communist takeover.
v. Japan:
o The Atomic Bomb was dropped and was successful.
o The US told the USSR not to join the war in the
pacific .
vi. United Nations:
o The UN was officially created.
o The Big Five became: USSR, UK, US, France and
China.

Origins of the Cold War

• Orthodox View
i. USSR responsible
ii. Ideological explanation:
o Communist expansionism (“World Revolution”)
• Late 60s/early 70s: Revisionist Views

50
 i. USA caused the Cold War because their foreign
policy is dictated by economic/capitalist needs
o They need secure markets and free trade
 Containment
ii. US refused to understand USSR’s need for security
• Post-Revisionist view (1980s)
i. Action-Reaction
ii. Improvisation rather than plan of action
iii. Misunderstandings, misperceptions
• Post Cold War:
i. Stalin’s role was crucial
ii. Persons important

Ideological Differences
• USA
i. Limited government
ii. Multi-party politics
iii. Individual rights
iv. Free enterprise economy
v. Open society
vi. No tradition of left-wing politics in the US
• USSR/Russia
i. Strong central state
ii. One-party government
iii. Command economy

51
 iv. Closed society

Visions for Post-War World

• USA/Roosevelt
i. Program for peace; UN
ii. No empires/spheres of influence
iii. Democracy to flourish in self-determined states
iv. Free trade economy; “Open Door” policy
o This led to the IMF and World Bank
• USSR/Stalin
i. Security of the USSR; 1914 borders to be restored and belt
of friendly states to be created on the western border.
ii. Fear of Germany
iii. Less concerned about world peace and recovery of world
economy.

Wartime Cooperation
• Lend-lease agreement between USA and USSR from November
1941 (before Pearl Harbor).  10 million tons of equipment
supplied to USSR
• An alliance of necessity brought about by German and Japanese
aggression.
• Americans adopted a more positive attitude towards the
Russians as a result of the war effort on the Eastern Front.

Timeline
• 1945
i. February 4: Yalta Conference.
ii. April 12: FDR dies.
iii. July 24: US President Harry S. Truman tells Stalin that the
US has nuclear weapons.

52
 iv. August 2: Potsdam Conference
v. August 6: US drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima
vi. August 8: USSR invades Manchuria as well as a couple of
Japanese islands
vii. August 9: US drops atomic bomb on Nagasaki
viii. September 2: Japan surrenders unconditionally to the
US.
• 1946
i. February 22: George F. Kennan writes his long telegram.
ii. March 5: Winston Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ speech
• 1947
i. January 1: President Truman announces the Truman
Doctorine.
ii. June 5: George Marshall outlines the Marshall Plan
• 1948
i. February 26: Communist Party takes control of
Czechoslovakia.
ii. April 3: Marshall plan is put into effect.
iii. June 24: Stalin blockades all land routes from West
Germany to Berlin.
iv. June 28 to May 11, 1949: Berlin Blockade
• 1949
i. April 4: NATO is created
ii. August 29: USSR tests its first atomic bomb.
iii. October 7: The USSR declares their part of Germany as the
German Democratic Republic.

NATO
• Was created in 1949
• Stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization

53
 • It was a defense alliance
• Communist countries retaliated by creating the Warsaw Pact six
years later in 1955

Nuclear Power
• The USSR got the a-bomb in September 1949
• Re-established the balance of power

China
• It became communist in December 1949
• Came under the rule of Mao Zedong
i. As a result of a civil war that was going on from 1946 to
1949
o Nationalist vs. communists
• Since 1911, 1912, China had become in some type of turmoil
i. In 1937, the Japanese invaded Manchuria
ii. WWII: China vs. Japan
iii. Civil war ‘46-‘49
iv. Etc.

NSC-68: ‘Total Commitment’

• It was a report of the U.S. National Security Council produced in
1950.
i. Seen as one of the key documents of the Cold War
• It warned of how all communist activity everywhere could be
traced back to Moscow.
i. Now they could get as much public support as they wanted
against the communists.
ii. It encouraged military and economic aid to be given to any
country the US thinks is resisting communism.

54
Korean War
• Background
i. Japanese victories  weakening of Nationalist
governments of China and colonial governments in Asia
ii. Japanese defeat  vacuum in areas Japan had invaded
iii. Unilateral US occupation of Japan; MacArthur in charge
(“one of the least consultative leaders in modern history”)
created a democratic Japan.
• Korea
i. Jointly occupied by USSR and USA; border at the 38th
parallel
ii. 1945-1950; Korea a peripheral concern for both
superpowers – they maintained their zones only to restrain
each other.
iii. US and USSR troops withdrawn in 48/49
iv. Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam already a concern for US 
supported the French colonial government
• North v. South
i. North
o Kim II Sung; Russian trained communist
o Nationalist
o Claimed right to lead entire Korea
o Despised Syngman Rhee
o Led undemocratic communist government
ii. South
o Syngman Rhee; elderly rebel brought back from exile
o Nationalist
o Claimed right to lead entire Korea
o Despised Kim II Sung
o Led undemocratic anti-communist government

55
Cuba
• In 1895, there was a war between Cuba and Spain because the
Cubans wanted independence.
• In 1898, the USS Maine blew up and the U.S. blamed the
Spanish. This attack on American forces gave them enough
reason and public support to enter the war. They did so on the
side of the Cubans.
i. That same year, the U.S. won the war and had military
occupation of Cuba.
o The U.S. military withdrew when the Cuban
government signed the Platt Amendment.
• By the 1950s
i. Economy
o Americans were still owning the fruit companies,
tobacco companies, and sugar companies. Their
economy was basically owned by the US.
ii. Political
o US influence/control (“puppet” president”)
iii. Social
o Lower class and farm-workers were pissed because
everything they work for (sugar, tobacco and fruit)
was going to the US.
o The middle class were angry too.

56
ALL TIMELINE 20/10/2009 04:06:00

Topic 1 Topic 3 Topic 4

World War I Mussolini League of
World War II Mao Nations
Chinese
Revolution

1900:
“The Boxer Rebellion”. Rebellion against Western occupation and
Christians

1905:
Sun Yatsen’s formation of the Alliance League (forerunner of GMD) in
Japan

1911:
“The Double Tenth”. The spark of the Chinese revolution
On this day, troops in Wuhan province refused to obey an order
1912:
Fall of the Manchu Dynasty. Sun Yatsen then Yuan Shikai President
1914:
Start of WW1
Causes:
System of Alliances (why the war became a world war)/Imperial rivalry
Economic rivalry
War was seen as morally correct – the public was enthusiastic and
anticipating a war – acceptable tool of diplomacy
Fierce nationalism – independence movements (such as within the
Austro-Hungarian Empire)

57
Secret diplomacy – raised suspicion
Arms race (i.e.Germany wanted to become a naval power – this created a
threat to other empires)
Vigorous foreign policy of Germany
Practice/ Nature of warfare: Changed popular perceptions of warfare
Industrial Revolution:
Weapons could now be manufactured on a vast scale
Development of weaponry
Easy mobilization – as a result of a population that was largely
concentrated
Influence of nationalism
It stopped people from negotiating, and led to wanting complete victory
Elements of total war
Entire population became involved – conscription
Industry was geared towards war production
Women were used in industry – took over men’s jobs
Nobody was safe – everything is dispensable – all vulnerable to
casualties, especially with weapons that had the capability to kill citizens
Economic warfare
Destroying the enemy’s capacity to supply huge armies – i.e. blocking
ports
Use of propaganda
Development of mass media
Maintain enthusiasm for the war
Pressure those who did not support the war
Convince world opinion of the justness of one’s cause
Weaken enemy moral
Loss of individual freedom

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Conscription
Gearing of industries
Censorship of press
Casualties were appallingly high
Fighting tended to be static
Trench warfare
Conditions were appalling
Effect of War:
Domestic Effects:
Changes in population structure:
Most of those killed were of ages 18-38.
Fall in the birth rate 1914-1918.
The ‘baby boom’ that followed the war meant huge demand for school
places.
Manpower shortage during 1930s.
Changes in society:
Social barriers undermined b/c of the emphasis on national unity during
the war years.
Status of women enhanced.
Increased role of Governments:
Increased intervention in areas of health and education.
Gov. had taken over areas of the private sector during the war; some of
these remained under Gov. control.
Belief in the need for economic self-sufficiency:
Normal trade was disrupted.
Countries had tried during the war to develop alternative home supplies.
Promoted the idea of autarky

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Major changes in the internal economies of states: European powers
entered the war as creditor nations but ended the war as debtor nations.
International Effects:
Nationalism reached its highest point (i.e.: through treaties that took into
account the ‘right of self determination’ of Woodrow Wilson. (yet there
were many exceptions)
Spreading of democratic ideals: new states that emerged from war
initially dedicated to democracy (in practice not always the case)
Creation of the world’s first communist state (single most important
consequence?)
Economic life and world trade dislocated: prewar trading patterns had
changed during the war and were never restored.
Major post war programmes began with ‘re’: reconstruction, reparations,
repayment, recovery, restoration…indication of the desire to turn back the
clock rather than rebuild with new thinking and initiative.
Left a tangle of war debts and reparation payments: all the victorious
Allies (except US)heavily in debt  countries like France did not take
active measures and waited for reparation to start flowing.
Shift away from Europe as the center of the world (this trend was evident
by the end of WWII)
Development in the area of international organizations: to prevent the
horrors of war (i.e.: League of Nations, ILO)

1917:
Turning point of WW1. Russia withdraws; US joins
1919:
January-Paris Peace Conference (Treaty of Versailles)
Benito Mussolini forms the Fascist movement in Milan Italy.
Characteristics:
Strongly nationalistic
Strongly/Violently anti-Communist
Anti-Liberal-democratic
Opposed to international org. Elitist and Authoritarian (‘Obedience not
discussion’ — Mussolini)
Close identity btw the party and the state
Strongly anti-Semitic
Glorified war (promoted Social Darwinism)
Profoundly racist

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Had a paramilitary wing (ie: Blackshirts / S.A.)
Promoted the myth of the race (use victories of the past)
Placed emphasis on the myth of the predestined leader
Made great use of symbolism (ie: swastika)
Did not have a clear doctrinal base
League of Nations formed (Woodrow Wilson)
Aims:
Deal with disputes among nations and encourage cooperation
Prevent war (learned lesson of WWI)
Protect the independence of countries and their borders
Encourage the reducing of armaments
Enforce Treaty of Versailles
Structure:
Secretariat
The staff of the League's secretariat was responsible for preparing the
agenda for the Council and Assembly and publishing reports of the
meetings and other routine matters, effectively acting as the civil service
for the League.
Too few secretariats ∴ slow and ineffective
Council
The League Council had the authority to deal with any matter affecting
world peace. The Council began with four permanent members (Great
Britain, France, Italy, Japan) and four non-permanent members elected
by the Assembly every three years. The first four non-permanent
members were Belgium, Brazil, Greece and Spain. China took the place of
the United States, which was originally to be the fifth permanent member,
after the United States Senate, dominated by the Republican Party since
the 1918 election, voted on March 19, 1920 against the ratification of the
Treaty of Versailles. Subsequently, the composition and the number of
members of the Council were changed as Germany was added as a
permanent member and the number of non-permanent members was
increased to nine for a total of fifteen members.
The Council met in ordinary sessions four times a year, and in
extraordinary sessions when required. In total, 107 public sessions were
held between 1920 and 1939.
Assembly

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Each member was represented and had one vote in the League Assembly.
Individual member states did not always have representatives in Geneva.
The Assembly held its sessions once a year in September and decisions
were made unanimously
Committees
Court of International Justice
Health Committee

62
International Labour Organization
Refugee Committee
Mandates Commission
Slavery Commission
Successes:
Silesia 1921
Aaland Islands 1921
Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928
Failures:
Vilna 1920
Corfu 1923
Manchuria 1931
Abyssinia (Ethiopia) 1935
Disarmament
Britain objected to 1923
1932-1934 Hitler breaks meetings
Treaties:
Washington 1921
Dawes Plan 1924
The Geneva Protocol 1924
Overall Failures:
Membership
Not all the great powers were members of the League (U.S, Germany
1926, Russia 1934)
Organization

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Ineffective meetings and slow decision making
Sanctions
Britain and France did not strongly impose them ∴ never successful or
made a difference + last option of military force never imposed
The Treaty of Versailles
Terms were not satisfactory (i.e. complete disarmament of Germany)
Britain and France
Had their own interests in mind and, themselves, defied terms of the
League
The will to make it work
1919 post-war mood of idealism disappeared + mood changed by
Depression
Economic Depression
Caused all countries to focus on own economic suffering and interest ∴
League was ignored
GMD formed by Sun Yatsen
May 4th Movement, series of anti-foreigner demonstration

1920:
Appeal of Fascism to Italy (1920-1922)
Fascism was not clearly developed in theory and could appeal to all
groups irrespective of status The emphasis upon law and order was
appealing (it was seen as an alternative to social unrest) People were
turning to other forms of Gov. due to immense economic problems.
Weak governments were easy preys for the fascists
The fear of communism led to support for the fascists who were violently
anti-Communist
Fascism gave its members a sense of identity
Fascism made great use of the potentials of the newly developed mass
media
Traditional parties lacked inspiration and the fascists:
Represented a dynamic alternative
Were not opposed by the Gov. which they sought to bring down

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Rise of Fascism (1920-1922)
Disgust in Italy at the terms of the peace treaties (didn’t obtain A.H.
territory)
The Fascists represented a means to stop the socialists and the
communists (in the eyes of conservative politicians, who sought to
moderate and control Fascism to their purposes)
Mussolini was backed by wealthy industrialists and landowners (b/c of
their fear of socialist reforms)
Support from Pope Pius XI and the Vatican (who saw the Fascists as an
opportunity to normalize State-Church relationships)
Lack of faith in Italy’s institutions (failures of WWI, post-war violence,
high U…)
After the March on Rome (October 22) the King offered the post of Prime
Minister to Mussolini
The violence of the Fascists (i.e.: blackshirts) intimidated opponents
The complicity of the police and the army (who didn’t suppress Fascist
violence)
League of Nations in business/action
Vilna border Dispute (Poles seized Vilna; League cannot persuade them to
leave)
(1920-1921)War between Russia and Poland(Poland invades land held by
Russians, Russians forced to sign treaty of Riga which doubled the size of
Poland; league didn’t help Russia because it was Communist; bias
decisions)
1921:
CCP is formed (Mao cofounder)
Aaland Island land disputes between Finland and Sweden (League gave
islands to Finland, Sweden accepted this verdict)
Upper Silesia border disputes between Germany and Poland (League
divided land between two countries and they agreed upon it)
1921 Washington Conference (US, France, Britain, Japan forced to limit
navies)
1922:
First united front between CCP and GMD to fight warlords
King hands over position of Prime Minister to Mussolini
1922-1924 Fascism in Italy is strengthened. Establishment of a
dictatorship:
Excluding Socialists from the coalition

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Continuing to attract members (weakening opponents at the same time)
Continuing violence against political opponents
The fact that the Vatican became increasingly pro-Fascist
The lack of unity amongst opponents
The Acerbo Law (July 1923) which stated that the party of coalition which
won an election was to be automatically awarded 2/3 of the seats in
parliament (this made strong Gov. possible) Winning the April 1924
election w/ 374 out of 535 seats in parliament
Use of electoral fraud in the south of Italy (to ensure Fascist victory)
League fails to stop war between Greece and Turkey between 1921-1922
but gives help to refugees
1923:
Acerbo Law winning party gets 2/3 of seats in government, therefore
strengthens government
Corfu Incident. During boundary disputes between Greece and Albania,
General Tellini murdered, so Italy occupied Corfu. The Conference of
Ambassadors overruled the League’s order to Mussolini to leave – forced
Greece to pay compensations to Italy.
1924:
Fascists win elections and Mussolini becomes dictator. A move toward
dictatorship:
December 25: a law passed complete power in Mussolini’s hands and
introduced several repressive measures:
Political parties were banned
Trade unions were banned
Free press was ended (through takeover by Fascists or censorship)
Elected local officials were replaced by officials appointed by the central
Gov.
Increased power of arrest and detention w/out trial
Scope of death penalty widened (to include action against the authorities)
Setting up a special court to deal w/ ‘political crimes’
Creation of a secret police force (OVRA)
These strengthened Mussolini and the State rather then the Fascists.
Mussolini disallows all non-fascist work unions.
Geneva Protocol  claims that if 2 members in dispute they would have
to ask the League to sort out the disagreement and they would have to
accept the Council’s decision. Failure because Britain refused to sign it

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Dawes Plan USA lent money to Germany to avert the economic crisis,
as set by treaty of Versailles.
1925:
Mussolini dissolves Italian parliament/becomes dictator
Chiang Kaishek succeeds Sun Yatsen (1925-1949)
Locarno Treaties Germany accepts Western borders set by treaty of
Versailles
1926:
1st Northern Expedition
Germany became a member of the League

1927:
White Terror/Shanghai massacre
Chinese civil war
Red Army formed
1928:
Mussolini ends woman's rights in Italy
Jiangxi Soviet : Mao fully establishes teachings and power
2nd Northern expedition
Kellogg- Briand Pact signed by 65 nations agreeing not to use force to
settle disputes
Optimism- recovering relationships and economic recovery
1929:
The Great Depression/Wall Street Crash (1929-1939)
∴ End of Locarno Honeymoon
France begins construction of Maginot Line (defense from Germany)
1931:
Japanese invasion of Manchuria
1930:

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Chiang Kai-shek organized five extermination campaigns against Jiangxi
Soviet (1930-1934)

1932:
World Disarmament Conference in Geneva (Hitler walks out because
members failed to agree on German rearmament)
1933:
Second World Disarmament Conference (leading to Hitler withdraws)
Hitler withdrew Germany from the League
Japanese withdrew from League
1934:
Mao led the Long March to flee Jiangxi Province to go to Yanan
Italian invasion of Ethiopia (1934-1935)

1935:
CCP set to work to educate peasants and their children
Britain makes secret deal with Germany about force of its navy. Break
terms of Versailles Treaty because done without consulting allies
Hoare-Laval Pact signed between Britain and France to appease Mussolini
in Ethiopia (2/3rds)

1936:
2nd United Front formed. CCP capture Chiang Kai-shek and force him to
agree to Front against Japanese invasion of China
Germany remilitarizes Rhineland (defies Treaty of Versailles)
Rome-Berlin Axis formed between Hitler and Mussolini

1937:
Open war between Japan and China (1937-1945)

68
Italy leaves League of Nations + completes takeover of Ethiopia

1938:
Hitler annexes Austria
Munich Pact signed. Germany, Italy, France, and Britain give Sudetenland
in Czechoslovakia to Germany (high point of appeasement)

1939:
German-Italian alliance formed
Nazi-Soviet Pact singed
Start of World War II. Germany invades Poland (The Phony War)
Causes:
The Versailles Settlement:
It was an uneasy compromise.
Redrawn boundaries of Europe did not satisfy all.
Drew frontiers avoiding completely the minority problem.
The whole idea of the reparations ‘contained the seeds of future disputes’.
Isolation of both the USA and USSR:
US refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles and join the League of
Nations.
USSR was treated like the defeated Central Powers (with the creation of
the Cordon Sanitaire)
Neither power had an interest in maintaining the peace settlement of
1919-20.
Nationalism:
New states determined by the concept of ‘self-determination of peoples’
(i.e.: Poland) proved aggressive and expansionary.
Reorganization of Europe did not produce more democratic states:
Dictatorships in Poland, Hungary, Rumania, Italy, Germany.

69
Only Czechoslovakia established a stable democracy.
The World Depression:
Led to the rise of extremists to power. (i.e.: Rise of the Nazi party)
Led Gov. to focus on short-term nationalistic measures due to economic
depression (international co-operation suffered)
The belief that war was a legitimate means of implementing national
policy continued. (i.e.: Mussolini and Hitler were ‘Social Darwinists’. They
opposed org. like the League of Nations b/c of association w/ Versailles
and b/c they ‘protect the weak’.)
Weakness of the western democracies of Britain and France:
French and British failure to support the League of Nations
The appeasement policies.
Led other countries to see dictatorship as a stronger and more effective
from of government / to come to terms with the dictators in the hope of
securing neutral status.
Too much of the ‘old war order’ survived: a second war was needed to
complete the transfer of values of the 19th century to those of the 20th.
Practices:
Many more countries involved / combat spread around the globe (i.e.:
the Pacific theater…)
First mechanized war (tank as key land weapon) which meant that the
areas involved were much greater than in 1914-18
German forces (prepared for mechanized warfare) enjoyed great success
from 1939-41
Civilian casualties were very high (i.e.: through the use of heavy
bomber aircraft / the use of ‘terror bombing’ i.e. Dresden / use of atomic
bombs / or b/c of the forced labor in the areas occupied by the Axis forces
/ racial policies of the Nazis )
Total War w/ civilian slave labor, mass deportations, execution of
hostages, extermination camps…
Great deal of activity by partisans or resistance movements. (i.e.:
French resistance, and Tito)
Use of aircraft (i.e.: German failure to gain control of British skies
meant failure to invade Britain / Massive bombing to destroy industry,
communications, and morale)
Characterized as an ideological conflict (Democracy vs. fascism / left
vs. right) the Axis powers were fascists but the distinction is less clear w/
Allies.

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THE FIRST AND ONLY NUCLEAR WAR
Effects:
Eclipse of Europe (control of world affairs moves to the USA and USSR
who emerged as superpowers)
International relations after the war come to be characterized by their
bipolarity.
Sweeping Social changes (Prof. Thomson: ‘Modern War is revolution’)
i.e.: right to vote to women, demands for social change (i.e.: through
election of Labor party)
Completed the work of WWI: final destruction of the ‘old order’ w/
abolition of monarchies and ending of the power of the traditional elite.
Gave great impetus to decolonialisation à both new superpowers
opposed to colonialism, major colonial powers exhausted by the war,
break up of the Myth of European superiority and invincibility.
Rapid spread of Communism: b/c of occupation of eastern and central
Europe by the USSR and communism had played a leading role in the
struggle against Nazism.
Rapid growth in regional and world organizations: attempt to create
a more co-operative world order (UN / EEC)
Boost for economic principles (through discrediting of fascism) à
meant a continuation of human right violations but that democracy was
not challenged in the way it had been in 1930s
War became condemned as morally wrong à attempts to limit the
use of warfare in international relations, conventions on use of certain
weapons (since 1945 no country actually declared war on another!)
Brought in the Nuclear Age with the changing of the ‘balance of power’
into the ‘balance of terror’.
Other less important effects:
Massive refugee problem (i.e.: Stalin expelled minorities)
Major Boundary Changes
Constitutional changes imposed by the Allies
War Crime Trials

1940:
Hitler lunched Blitzkrieg (lightning war) westward. Surrender of Dutch and
Belgium + fall of France.

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Battle of Britain. Hitler-Churchill. Hitler unable to establish superiority ∴
stopped invasion
Mussolini joins Hitler in Germany's war and Italy declares war against
France & Britain
Mussolini struck British in Egypt + Greece, both ending in failure
(example of axis lack of coordination & setback for Hitler)
Mao published “On New Democracy”, broadening CCP appeal to landed
and business classes
“Three-thirds” system introduced by CCP (allowed locals in local
administrations)

1941:
Operation Barbarossa/ “The Great Patriotic War”. Hitler breaks Nazi-
Soviet Pact and invades Russia (Napoleon’s mistake) ended in great
German loss  Russia joins war
German troops arrive in North Africa to aid Italians against British. Ends
in 1943 with Axis defeat.
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor  Germany declares war on the U.S 
U.S joins war
2nd United Front broken with Anhwei Incident. GMD attack of CCP.
Mao launches production drive to prevent starvation of CCP due to GMD
blockade and Japanese scorched earth policy. Succeeds in achieving self-
sufficiency.

1942:
U.S and Britain land in French North Africa

1943:
Desert battle won by Allies
Allied troops landed in Sicily, the Fascist Grand Council denounced
Mussolini’s actions, and the King dismissed Mussolini  Mussolini was
then arrested + Italy surrendered
Cairo Conference: FDR, Churchill, Chiang Kai-shek pledge defeat of Japan
Tehran Conference: FDR, Churchill, Stalin agree on invasion plans
1944:
Paris liberated

1945:

72
World War II ends
Yalta Agreement signed by FDR, Churchill, Stalin—establishes basis for
occupation of Germany, returns to Soviet Union lands taken by Germany
and Japan; USSR agrees to friendship pact with China
Mussolini hanged by pro-Allied Italians. Evaluating Fascism in Italy:
Failure in that it meant Italian involvement in WWII on Germany’s side,
loss of colonies, and Allied occupation.
The desire for empire was more of a burden than an advantage. (i.e.:
Ethiopia did not bring Italy any economic benefits)
The relationship w/ Germany meant that Italian interest were of
secondary importance, and post-1943 that Germany invaded Northern
Italy, used Italian workers as forced labor…
Fascism caused economic stagnation in Italy. A high lira damaged
exports, wages fell, and there was massive U. (partly b/c of the Great
Depression)
Fascism brought little social reforms and sided w/ the employers against
the employees.
The reality of the Corporate State was that Fascists sided w/ employers
and this system did little to represent the interests of the workers. This
system was effectively only a disguise for exploitation of labor.
Fascist rule was corrupt, and much needed reforms were not carried out.
Propaganda was used to claim successes, but remained propaganda.
Successes included improvements in public transport, success in the
campaign against the Mafia…
The one major success was the ending of the conflict btw State and
Church. (the establishment of the Vatican as an independent state)
Hitler commits suicide
Berlin falls
Potsdam Conference—Truman, Churchill, Atlee (after July 28), Stalin
establish council of foreign ministers to prepare peace treaties; plan
German postwar government and reparations
A-bomb dropped on Hiroshima by U.S.
USSR declares war on Japan
Nagasaki hit by A-bomb
Japanese surrender from China
CCP implemented reforms in land they occupied. Success meant they
were welcome to any new area occupied

73
General Marshall sent to China to prevent civil war and discuss idea of
coalition government
GMD refused and attacks Lin Biao’s troops  Outbreak of civil war

1946:
CCP land policy oscillated (1946-1948). Land taken by landlords and rich
peasants
GMD troops suffered desertion and corruption ∴ weak
Marshall arranged another truce but civil war broke out again (1946-
1949) + decided to stop further aid to GMD because of CCP complaints
GMD weaknesses:
Corruption in government
Inflation
Ruthlessness
Starvation and hardship
Weakness and corruption of army
CCP strengths:
Favorable treatment of Red Army (PLA in 1946)
Discipline of army
Establishment of self-sufficiency
Educational reforms
Low taxation in occupied areas
Local councils were elected to deal with local affairs
Red Army becomes known as the PLA (People’s Liberation Army)

1947:
PLA switches to open warfare against GMD successfully

1948:
GMD progressively loosing and positions desperate ∴ US Congress passed
Save China Act to financially aid GMD, however by the time it reached the
GMD it was too late
GMD had lost military conflict and battle of hearts and minds of the
people
CCP land policy moderated because it was too harsh

1949:

74
Chiang Kai-shek resigns as president and surrendered to CCP and GMD
fled to Taiwan
Mao proclaimed the People’s Republic of China
Organic Law
“On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship”
National Capitalism
Ideology
Peasant revolution
Mass Line
Rectification of revolution
Constant revolution
1950:
PLA continued occupation of unoccupied Chinese territories (i.e. Tibet)
Korean War broke out (first war of Cold War). China intervened on North
Korea’s side
Mao initiated social reform
* Land Reform Law
Marriage Reform Law
Campaigns against prostitution, gambling, and drug addiction
Sino-Soviet Treaty: Economic deal and treaty of friendship between
Russia and China

1951:
Inflation successfully tackled in China with introduction of new currency
The “three-antis” campaign

1952:
Economic policies succeeding in China. Industrial and agricultural
production increased greatly
CCP reliant on Soviet help in developing higher education (1952-1958)
The “five-antis” campaign

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1953:
End of Korean War. Created great national pride + proved how effective
Mao could mobilize troops and country
The First Five Year Plan (1953-1957)

1954:
1954 Constitutions introduced. CCP became the sole legal party of the
PRC + People’s National Congress was set up (laws made represented will
of the Party)
Party created huge networks of mass organizations (i.e. National
Women’s Association and the Youth League)
Agricultural Producers Co-operatives (APCs) were introduced under the
FYP
1957:
Hundred Flowers Campaign

1958:
The Great Leap Forward (1958-1960). Enormous economic failure

1960:
Abandonment of the Great Leap Forward. Responsibility given to Liu and
Deng

1961:
The power struggle (1961-1966). Lin Biao, Jiang, Qing, and the PLA all
played a role in restoring Mao to power post-Great Leap Forward

1962:
The Third Five Year Plan (1962-1966)

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1966:
The Cultural Revolution
Targeting the ‘Four Olds’
Old Thought
Old Habits
Old Culture
Old Customs
Victims were the ‘Five Categories’
Landlords
Rich peasants
Bad elements
Reactionaries
Rightists
1976:
Death of Mao

77