Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... i ORIGINS OF WWII .................................................................................................................................... 1 Versailles Treaty as a Cause ....................................................................................................................... 1 Weakness of League of Nations ................................................................................................................. 2 Appeasement .............................................................................................................................................. 2 The Great Depression (GD) ....................................................................................................................... 2 Ideologies ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Diplomacy .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Different Views .......................................................................................................................................... 3 PRACTICES OF WWI ................................................................................................................................ 4 Nature of WWII.......................................................................................................................................... 4 Counter-Attacks by The Allies ................................................................................................................... 5 Other War Tactics ...................................................................................................................................... 5 The End of WWII ....................................................................................................................................... 5 EFFECTS OF WWI ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Social Changes ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Political, Economic Changes & International Relations ............................................................................ 6
Sy Hai Dinh – Kungsholmens Gymnasium IB History SL Notes (May 2014 Exam Session)
Sy Hai Dinh – Kungsholmens Gymnasium (2014)
INTRODUCTION This is part of my series of detailed IB History SL notes that I took during my history course at Kungsholmens Gymnasium. The study guide covers WWII, thus can be used to study the topic „Causes, Practices, & Effects of Wars‟ in the IB History Syllabus. In order to make the guide unbiased as much as possible, I‟ve decided to include mainly facts, and historical interpretations that are taken from many different perspectives. However, be aware that the sources that I used can never be 100 percent unbiased! Words or phrases, which are emphasized throughout the guide, can be divided into 3 types: -
Bold: means that „the phrase is either a headline or a key terminology‟
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Bold & Italic: means „important phrases‟
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Bold, Italic, & Underlined: means „vitally important key words‟
This guide is not for commercial use; hence, the information presented here (in which most are taken from the internet, from The Origins of the First and Second World Wars, written by Frank McDonough; from the History for The IB Diploma: Causes, Practices and Effects of Wars, written by Mike Wells; or from my teacher‟s lectures at school) will not be formally referenced. Please feel free to contact me through email (my email address is
[email protected]) if you have any questions regarding this study guide. Thank you!
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Sy Hai Dinh – Kungsholmens Gymnasium (2014)
TIMELINE of Main Events 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937-45 1938
1939 Sept 1939 Sept 1939 1940 Dec 1941 1945 Sept 1939 1940 Dec 1941 June 1941 1942 – 1943 1943 1944
Germany left LoN Italy brought troops to prevent Germany from taking over Austria Anglo-German Naval Treaty a British move to control over German navy, but at the same time gives Germany an opportunity to revise Versailles Treaty Germany re-militarizes the Rhineland; Rome-Berlin Axis (a limited treaty) Chinese-Japanese War German annexation of Austria; Germany also wanted to invade Sudentenland of Czechoslovakia, which angered France & worried GB finally France & GB allowed Germany to do that in Munich Conference Hitler then became more aggressive & continued with rearmament Germany took Czechoslovakia, Bohemia & Moravia worried GB GB-Polish guarantee of independence; GB also started negotiations with Russia German-USSR deal to not attack each other in case of war War started with German invasion of Poland France & GB declared war Italy joined on Germany‟s side Japan attacked Pearl Harbor US joined on Allies‟s side Russia declared war on Japan Without helps from UK, Poland got blitzkrieg attacked by Germany & USSR Battle of Britain Pearl Harbor attack Blitzkrieg + air forces Operation Barbarossa (invasion of USSR) Battle of Stalingrad, Midway & El Alamein counter-attacks The fall of Italy D-Day invasion seaborne warfare
ORIGINS OF WWII
Versailles Treaty as a Cause -
Germany was forced to sign Versailles treaty as a diktat, even though it got victory in Eastern Front it was forced to reduce its military (a humiliation), demilitarization of Rhineland (an insult to German independence), & lost territories (Alsace-Lorrain, Polish Corridors) hatred for Poles & French
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Encirclement France in the West, Communists in the East (that tried to spread communism)
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War Guilt Clause & huge reparations humiliation and economically threatened
Two solutions were either to go to another war, or to negotiate with the victors however, negotiations failed during Golden Age of Germany the only solution left was to go to another war (which was indeed WWII)
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Sy Hai Dinh – Kungsholmens Gymnasium (2014)
Weakness of League of Nations -
WWII was initially started (1933–39) by a series of attacks by Japan, Germany & Italy on other lands to gain territories; however resistance from League of Nations (LoNs) & the rest of the world was weak
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LoNs failed to prevent big disputes realizing the ineffectiveness of LoNs, powers such as US, GB, or France decided to go their own ways, while aggressors (e.g. Japan, Italy & Germany) left LoNs
Appeasement Reasons for appeasement policy by GB & France: -
Internal economic problems, Great Depression (GD) Debate: appeasement to buy time for GB & France, or to hope Germany to recover after the war for better co-operation?
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Underestimation of Hitler & Nazi GB & France thought that they could negotiate with Hitler
GB & France lost faith in LoNs took little effort to restrain Hitler Against Appeasement: -
Churchill criticized appeasement as it made war more likely GB & France should have stopped Hitler during events in 1936-7 for Hitler to lose supports due to humiliating defeats
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After Abyssinian Crisis, GB & France lost Italian support without Italy, Hitler could militarize Rhineland and invaded Austria and Czechoslovakia a chain reaction
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Stalin viewed appeasement as hostile towards USSR reason for German-USSR Deal
The Great Depression (GD) -
GD created huge difficulties for German economies; it also prevented other nations from helping Germany rise of Nazi aimed to end reparations and economic crises
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German farmers had not shared 1920s-boom in economy suffered greatly from GD
Ideologies Totalitarianism was new political phenomenon confusions among democratic politicians Fascist Ideology as a cause: -
Manchuria invasion; Abyssinian Crisis showed aggression, expansionist & nationalistic policies
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Nazi ideology Lebensraum, a racial state, destruction Versailles & Communism documented in Mein Kamp & Hossbach Memorandum; Germany invaded USSR in 1941 an ideological war
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WWII as a racial war Einsatssgruppen
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Sy Hai Dinh – Kungsholmens Gymnasium (2014) Democracy & Communism: -
As nobody wanted to have another war democracy led to adoption of appeasement
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Democracy was hostile towards USSR “The West were happy as long as Germany moved East”
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USSR was excluded in Munich Conference (to settle problem with German annexation of Czechoslovakia) interpreted by Stalin as a movement to cut USSR off from European politics
Stalin chose to be „friendlier‟ with Germany Rapallo Treaty (1922), Non-Aggression Pact (1939)
Diplomacy USSR: -
Stuck in the middle of the Axis powers (Japan in the East, Germany in the West) while being treated badly by democratic countries defensive foreign policies Non-Aggression Pact (Marriage for Convenience)
US & GB: -
Due to common fear of German rise which might interrupt balance of power or influence the free market in Europe no chance for isolationism Roosevelt & Churchill showed good friendship
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US declared its neutrality in 1939, but really still had “aid” agreements with GB
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After Pearl Harbor attack, Germany declared war on US even though it had no obligation to do so
Italy & Japan: -
Italy supported Franco during Spanish Civil War ideological?
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Japan was led by the emperor and legacy of samurai militarism, nationalism, fascism & expansionism due to the „unfair‟ Paris peace settlement, Japan decided to invade Manchuria 1931, and attacked Pearl Harbor to push Western influence out of Asia & for its dream of Asian domination
Different Views Orthodox view: -
Hitler (due to his fascist, nazi ideas), totalitarianism & appeasement were all to blame
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Japan cold-bloodedly planned war; US was the injured party
Revisionist Views: -
Hitler was opportunistic rather than driven by his ideology; he simply wanted to revise Versailles Treaty and diverted attention of German populations towards foreign problems to gain supports Inter-war peace settlement should ultimately be blamed
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Appeasement, Axis foreign policies (defensive) were not to blamed
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Stalin wanted a European War Non-Aggression Pact clearly showed his intentions
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Sy Hai Dinh – Kungsholmens Gymnasium (2014)
PRACTICES OF WWI
Nature of WWII -
Total War fought between major industrial nations, but bigger scale than WWI
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Technology & weapons were vitally important for victories depended heavily on industries & mobilization of resources industrial cities, factories & workers were targeted Modern Warfare
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Unlike WWI, the civilian casualties were much greater in WWII, with the powers trying to exterminate the basis of society (the people) a racial war (Einsatzgruppen as special death squads which tried to kill as many Jews, Communists & Gypsies as possible)
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Huge causalities made a peaceful settlement even more difficult to achieve
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3 Phases of War: o
Blitzkrieg & Phoney War (Sep 1939 – Dec 1940)
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Counter-attacks by the Allies
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The end of WWII
Blitzkrieg & Phoney War Unlike WWI (in which Schlieffen Plan failed due to strong Belgian & British resistance), the Allies quickly lost in the beginning of WWII due to the Blitzkrieg Tactics Blitzkrieg Tactics: -
Rapid attacks of the Axis (on e.g. Poland, Denmark, France & USSR)
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Relied on technologies to avoid costly frontal attacks fast moving tanks, air attacks, artilleries
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Aim to create chaos cities bombed, refugees attacked, rumors and false messages sent
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German army was well trained make decisions without orders from above flexible
Weaknesses of the Allies: -
Phoney War nobody wanted to start fighting GB & France only conveyed a propaganda-war by dropping leaflets on German lands to persuade people to revolt against the Nazis
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Poor cooperation with inadequate preparedness among the Allies due to sudden attacks from Axis power
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Australia & GB reacted very slowly against the Blitzkrieg attacks by Japan due to untrained army
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Sy Hai Dinh – Kungsholmens Gymnasium (2014) Reasons for German Invasion of USSR (Operation Barbarossa): -
Nazi Ideology against Communism showing strength of Nazi over the „corrupted‟ communists
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Great economic gain (oil, food & raw materials)
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Exhaustion of USSR‟s troops after Russo-Finnish War great opportunity
Counter-Attacks by The Allies USSR took huge victory in Battle of Stalingrad; GB pushed Germany out of North Africa (after German defeat in El Alamein); US took victory in the Battle of Midway against Japan; while Italy fell easily in 1943, Japan & Germany still held strong resistance (e.g. kamikaze suicide bombers) Battle of Stalingrad (1943) -
Huge casualties for both sides; however USSR got advantages because they were fighting in their home
Biggest Battle; 1st time that Germany failed against the Soviet attacks
Other War Tactics Sea Invasion: -
The biggest invasion by the sea came on 6th June 1944 with the invasion of Normandy D-Day a symbol of hopes for a free France & for an invasion of Germany
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Island hopping attacks of the Allies on islands conquered b Japan
Air-force: -
Radar proved to be vitally important to track air attacks
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Bombing on Japan & Germany atomic bomb in 1945
The End of WWII Axis War Failure: -
Axis plans showed short-term weaknesses & long-term miscalculations all should be blamed on the lacks of economic resources compared to the Allies underestimating costs of modern warfare
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Germany failed to destroy GB forces at Dunkirk, lost control in the air and the navy (especially the Channel & North Sea which protected the GB) long-term fighting against GB
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Assuming US isolationism Germany continued to attack US supplies to GB a miscalculation
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Battles against USSR were total failures due to bad weather; Stalin was as ruthless as Hitler
Allies’ Successes: Co-operation of US & GB (Roosevelt & Churchill) provided more resources; while the ruthless communist regime in USSR was determined to continue the war with the new economic plan
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Sy Hai Dinh – Kungsholmens Gymnasium (2014)
EFFECTS OF WWI
Social Changes Total War required high level of commitment from both populations & government distinction between homefront & battle fields were blurred bigger scale than WWI Government Control & Propaganda: -
Censorship & Repressions were imposed, even in democratic countries
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Propaganda was more sophisticated than WWI due to strong ideological elements radio, films, TV
Challenge to Tradition: -
Women took a greater role in society due to women‟s participation in WWII & due to the loss of men expansion of female education; availability of contraception; more jobs offered for women
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Due to technological advances, highly-trained people from all backgrounds were needed
War-Crimes (Holocaust, Genocides) & Racism: -
People who had relations with the „enemies‟ were treated badly in the liberation, especially women in Norway
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The war permitted mass murder (Holocaust, Genocide) & rapes to be proceeded unchecked
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However, WWII could not end ethnic conflicts Anti-Semitism was still strong among some Europeans
Political, Economic Changes & International Relations Peace Conferences & International Relations: -
Yalta & Potsdam 4 occupations zones in Germany for UK, France, US & USSR (for reparations & to deNazify German people) while USSR Sphere of Influence extended to all Eastern Europe
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While USSR took reparations from its conquered enemies, the West didn‟t (due to humanitarian reasons)
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Japan became occupied while Korea gained independence but was divided into North & South
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Failure of Fascism, success of democracy & communism
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The beginning of Cold War Truman Doctrine (1947) introduced ‘Containment’ policy to prevent the spread of communism US gave massive economic aid to Europe in Marshall Plan to show its generosity
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Establishment of UN, NATO (1947), Warsaw Pact (1955) greater sense of internationalism
Nuclear Age: In 1945, nuclear weapons‟ long-term effects on human health were unknown nations used them extensively as a tool for their defenses Cold War nuclear threat, Cuban Missile Crisis
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Sy Hai Dinh – Kungsholmens Gymnasium (2014) Economic Changes: -
Destructive powers of WWII encouraged people to work together to rebuild (with the lesson of WWI in mind) great prosperity & economic growth with the greatest thanks to US (unlike US isolationism after WWI)
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Technological progress (cheap powers) helped encourage production & economic recovery
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EEC (EU), International Bank for Reconstruction & Development (the World Bank) & IMF were formed reducing tariffs between countries and providing loans for reconstruction Marshall Aid
Anti-imperialism -
The lost of Axis Powers in their conquering areas created a great opportunity for independence movement
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Economically, it was costly for European countries to keep their colonies after WWII
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Anti-Imperialism racist & greedy nationalists (fascist states) were criticized
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Some European countries promised their colonies independence if they were to fight on the same side
Indian (1947), Palestine (1948), Vietnam (1954) Independence!!!
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