Major Conflicts and Transformations (1914-1939)
Major Conflicts of the Period 1914-1939
- The Russian Revolution
- World War I
- The Rise of Nazism and Fascism
- The Spanish Civil War
- The Start of World War II
Territorial Conflicts Leading to World War I
- Germany vs. France: Control of Alsace-Lorraine
- Russia vs. Austria-Hungary: Control of the Balkans
- Italy vs. Austria-Hungary: Control of Istria and Trentino
The Triple Alliance
Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
Stages of World War I
- Early War of Movement
- Trench Warfare
- U.S. Entry into the War
The Significance of 1917
Russia withdrew from the war due to internal revolution, and the U.S. joined the Allied forces.
Defining Autocracy
Government ruled by a single person.
Russia’s Ruling Family
The Romanovs
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The treaty that formalized Russia’s surrender to Germany in World War I.
Lenin’s Actions
- Surrendering to Germany
- Collectivizing farms
- Nationalizing banking, transportation, and industries
The White Army
The anti-communist forces that fought against the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War.
The Roaring Twenties
A period of economic prosperity that seemed boundless.
Black Thursday
The stock market crash of 1929, marked by the closure of the New York Stock Exchange due to a lack of buyers.
Defining “Stock” (in the context of the 1920s)
An accumulation of unsold industrial goods.
Key Proposals of the New Deal
- Government purchase of agricultural products
- Creation of a minimum wage
- Unemployment insurance
- Public works projects
- Establishment of price controls (maximum and minimum prices)
The Architect of the New Deal
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Defining Economic Protectionism
An economic policy aimed at protecting domestic industries by restricting or prohibiting the import of foreign goods, often through tariffs or quotas.
Factors Contributing to the Rise of Fascism and Nazism
- Fragile democracies
- The economic crisis of 1929
- Conflict between communists and anti-communists/ultra-nationalists
- Germany’s resentment over the Treaty of Versailles
Social Sectors Supporting Totalitarianism
Big businesses, wealthy capitalists, and conservatives.
The Meaning of “Duce” and “Führer”
Both terms mean “leader.”
Main Features of Totalitarian Systems
- Authoritarian political systems
- State control of the economy and society
- Suppression of dissent
- Irrational thought, ultra-nationalism, militarism, and blind obedience to the leader
Defining SS and Gestapo
- SS: Protection squadron (Schutzstaffel), a paramilitary organization under Hitler
- Gestapo: The secret police of Nazi Germany
The March on Rome
Mussolini’s fascist takeover of Rome in 1922.
The Blackshirts
The nickname for the Italian Fascist paramilitary groups.
The Nazi Party’s Official Name
National Socialist German Workers’ Party
Leaders of the Conservative and Liberal Parties in Spain
- Conservative: Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
- Liberal: Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
Characteristics of the Spanish Constitution of 1876
- Restricted statement of rights
- Sovereignty shared between the king and the courts
- Census suffrage (voting rights based on property ownership)
Defining Census Suffrage
Only those who paid a certain amount of taxes were allowed to vote or be elected.
Defining “Caciquismo”
A system of political patronage and corruption in Spain, where local bosses (caciques) controlled elections and manipulated votes.
Defining “Pucherazo”
Vote rigging by stuffing ballot boxes.
Defining PSOE and UGT
- PSOE: Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party
- UGT: General Union of Workers
The Disaster of 1898
The Spanish-American War, which resulted in Spain losing its remaining overseas colonies (Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines).
The USS Maine
An American battleship that exploded in Havana Harbor, leading to the Spanish-American War.
The Aftermath of the Treaty of Paris
- Cuba gained independence.
- Puerto Rico and the Philippines became U.S. territories.
- Spain sold its remaining Pacific islands to Germany.