History - World War II Midterm Fall 2015

Hist- World War II Mid-Term Fall 2015

Part 1. Identifications- Identify and state the significance of 10 (ten) of the following twenty IDs. (5 points each)

1. Operation Barbarossa: Operation Barbarossa was Nazi Germany's code name for the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. It marked a pivotal turning point in WWII, expanding the conflict into the Eastern Front and ultimately leading to significant German military setbacks that contributed to Hitler’s defeat.

2. League of Nations: The League of Nations was an international organization formed after World War I to promote peace and prevent future conflicts. Despite its noble intentions, it lacked enforcement power and was ultimately ineffective in stopping aggression from countries like Japan, Italy, and Germany in the 1930s.

3. New Deal: The New Deal was a series of programs and policies implemented by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression to promote economic recovery and social reform. It reshaped the American federal government’s role in the economy and provided relief to millions suffering from economic hardship.

4. Dunkirk: Dunkirk refers to the evacuation of Allied soldiers from France in May-June 1940 as German forces advanced. The successful evacuation saved hundreds of thousands of troops, allowing Britain to rebuild its military efforts and continue fighting in WWII.

5. Kellogg-Briand Pact: Signed in 1928, this international treaty condemned war as a means of resolving disputes, seeking to promote peaceful diplomacy. However, it lacked enforcement mechanisms, rendering it ineffective when nations like Japan and Italy engaged in aggressive territorial expansions.

6. Battle of Britain: The Battle of Britain in 1940 was the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces. The British Royal Air Force successfully defended Britain from Nazi aerial assault, marking a critical turning point that prevented a German invasion and boosted Allied morale.

7. Gleichschaltung: This was Nazi Germany's process of consolidating power, transforming German society into a totalitarian state through propaganda, suppression of opposition, and coordination of all institutions under Nazi control.

8. Stakhanovite Movement: Originating in the Soviet Union under Stalin, this movement encouraged workers to surpass production targets, promoting productivity through propaganda and illustrating the Communist commitment to rapid industrialization.

9. Benito Mussolini: Mussolini was the fascist dictator of Italy who established a totalitarian regime, aggressive expansionist policies, and aligned Italy with Nazi Germany, playing a significant role in the onset of WWII.

10. Winter War: The Winter War (1939-1940) was fought between the Soviet Union and Finland. Despite being outnumbered, Finland’s fierce resistance and tactical ingenuity resulted in favorable terms and exposed weaknesses in Soviet military doctrine.

Part 2. Essays-Write complete answers to 2 (two) of the following. (25 points each)

1. Peacemaking efforts between WWI and the 1930s failed to prevent WWII: motivations behind efforts, and reasons they proved ineffective against Germany, Italy, and Japan

In the aftermath of World War I, world leaders sought to prevent future conflicts through various diplomatic measures, including the Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations, the Washington Conference, the Dawes Plan, the Locarno Agreements, and the Kellogg-Briand Pact. These initiatives were motivated by a shared desire to foster peace, stabilize international relations, and avert another devastating war. The Treaty of Versailles aimed to punish Germany and curb its military power, while the League of Nations was envisioned as a forum for resolving disputes peacefully. The Washington Conference sought naval disarmament, and the Dawes Plan aimed to stabilize the German economy, reducing tensions. The Kellogg-Briand Pact explicitly renounced war as a tool of diplomacy, reflecting a moral ideal rooted in the desire to eliminate war altogether.

Despite these efforts’ noble intentions, several fundamental flaws limited their effectiveness. The League's lack of enforcement mechanisms meant it could not stop aggressive actions by Axis powers. Moreover, key powers such as the United States never ratified the League, weakening its authority. The peace treaties also failed to address underlying grievances, particularly in Germany and Italy, whose populations felt humiliated and eager to reclaim lost prestige. Japan, seeking resources and influence in China and Manchuria, was also disappointed by the limited international response.

As the 1930s progressed, the aggressive expansionism of Germany under Hitler, Italy under Mussolini, and Japan in Asia demonstrated the failure of these diplomatic and disarmament efforts. Hitler’s blatant violation of the Treaty of Versailles, remilitarization of the Rhineland, and annexation of Austria, along with Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia and Japan’s invasion of Manchuria, showed that the international community’s peace mechanisms were inadequate. These countries exploited the flaws of diplomatic agreements, assuming that the lack of collective action would allow them to pursue their goals unchallenged. The policy of appeasement adopted by Britain and France, which prioritized avoiding another war, further emboldened aggressors, illustrating the inability of the post-WWI peace efforts to contain the rising totalitarian threats.

2. Totalitarian Movements: Similarities and Dissimilarities Between Fascism, Nazism, and Stalinism

The totalitarian political movements of Italian Fascism, Nazism in Germany, and Stalinism in the Soviet Union shared several key characteristics but also exhibited distinct differences. All three sought total control over their populations, utilizing propaganda, censorship, and secret police to suppress opposition and eliminate dissent. They aimed to mobilize the entire society towards state goals, emphasizing the importance of a centralized, authoritarian leadership—Mussolini’s Duce, Hitler’s Führer, and Stalin’s General Secretary as the ultimate authority.

Ideologically, Fascism emphasized nationalism, militarism, and the creation of a unified national community based on traditional values. Nazi ideology incorporated extreme racial theories, anti-Semitism, and Lebensraum (living space), which fueled aggressive expansionism. Stalinism was rooted in Marxist-Leninist ideology, emphasizing proletarian revolution, collectivization, and rapid industrialization under a dictatorial regime that sought to reshape Soviet society entirely.

Methodologically, all three movements utilized mass rallies, propaganda, and violence to sustain their regimes. They also manipulated legal systems to legitimize their authority, with show trials and purges in Stalinist Russia, and concerted propaganda campaigns by Fascist and Nazi regimes. Their methods of gaining power involved exploiting economic hardships, harnessing nationalist sentiments, and dismantling democratic institutions—Mussolini taking power legally through the Acerbo Law, Hitler ascending via electoral success and political manipulation, and Stalin consolidating power through purges and terror.

Governance in these regimes was characterized by repression, intense ideological indoctrination, and the suppression of civil liberties. While the main aim was total societal control, their governing styles diverged in emphasis; Fascism and Nazism emphasized nationalism and racial ideology, respectively, while Stalinism prioritized class struggle and communism. Nonetheless, their totalitarian nature was evident in their reliance on mass propaganda, secret police, and restriction of political pluralism, making these regimes the most oppressive in history.

References

• Evans, R. J. (2003). The Coming of the Third Reich. Penguin Books.
• Hobsbawm, E. (1994). The Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century. Pantheon Books.
• Murray, G. (2006). The Politics of Disarmament. Cambridge University Press.
• Carroll, C. (2007). The Rise and Fall of Fascism. Routledge.
• Winston, G. (2012). The Soviet Union: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
• Kershaw, I. (2004). Hitler: A Biography. W.W. Norton & Company.
• Figl, J. (2010). The League of Nations: Its History and Legacy. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Rees, E. (2004). The Nazis: A Warning from History. Modern Library.
• Mazower, M. (2008). Hitler’s Empire: How the Nazis Weaponized the State. The Penguin Press.
• Davidson, J. (1998). Modernity and the Holocaust. University of California Press.