World War I: Causes (MAIN)

• The MAIN causes of World War I included militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism (MAIN).

Militarism:

• European nations engaged in an arms race, building up large standing armies and advanced weaponry.
• Germany dramatically expanded its navy to compete with Britain, leading to heightened tensions.
• The belief in military strength made war seem inevitable.

Alliances:

• European countries formed the Triple Entente (France, Britain, Russia) and the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy).
• A conflict between two nations could quickly escalate into a world war.
• Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Russia mobilized, and Germany declared war on Russia and its allies.

Imperialism:

• European powers competed for colonies, leading to conflicts such as the Moroccan Crises (1905 and 1911).
• Rivalry deepened distrust between nations and increased tensions.

Nationalism:

• Nationalist movements, particularly in the Balkans, destabilized Austria-Hungary.
• Serbia sought to unite Slavic peoples, challenging Austrian authority.
• The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist triggered the war.

Industrial Revolution & Britain’s Early Leadership

• Britain industrialized first due to abundant natural resources, the agricultural revolution, political stability, capital investment, and a colonial empire.
• Britain had large deposits of coal and iron.
• Innovations such as crop rotation and the enclosure movement increased food production.
• Britain had a stable government that supported entrepreneurship and a strong banking system.
• Britain’s global empire provided access to raw materials and markets.
• These factors allowed Britain to dominate global trade and emerge as the world’s leading industrial power in the 19th century.

Effects of Industrialization on Society

Social Classes:

• The working class endured long hours, low wages, and poor living conditions.
• The middle class benefited the most, gaining wealth and social influence.

Urbanization:

• Industrialization led to rapid urban growth and overcrowded, unsanitary slums in cities.
• Poor living conditions contributed to disease outbreaks and high mortality rates.

Women’s Roles:

• Women entered factory work, especially in textiles, earning significantly less than men and faced dangerous conditions.
• Some middle-class women benefited from new educational and professional opportunities.

Consequences:

• Positive consequences: Economic growth, technological advancements, and improved transportation.
• Negative consequences: Exploitation of workers, child labor, and environmental pollution.

Imperialism & The Scramble for Africa:

Motivations:

• Economic motivations included the search for raw materials and new markets.
• Political motivations included national pride and competition between nations.
• Social and cultural motivations included the belief in the superiority of Western civilization (“White Man’s Burden”).

Berlin Conference (1884-85):

• European powers divided Africa without consulting Africans.
• Colonial boundaries ignored ethnic and cultural divisions, leading to long-term conflicts.

Contrasting Forms of Imperial Rule

Direct Rule:

• Used by France and Belgium.
• Colonies were ruled directly by European officials, suppressing local customs, as in French Algeria.

Indirect Rule:

• Used by Britain.
• Local leaders remained in place but followed British policies, as in British rule in Nigeria.

Effectiveness:

• Direct rule led to resistance but enforced strict control.
• Indirect rule was more cost-effective and faced less opposition but often created divisions.

World Zionist Organization & Balfour Declaration

• World Zionist Organization (1897): Founded by Theodor Herzl, aimed to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
• Balfour Declaration (1917): British government supported a Jewish homeland in Palestine, conflicting with promises made to Arabs.
• This sparked Jewish migration to Palestine, intensifying Arab-Jewish conflict.

Treaty of Versailles & Its Long-Term Effects

Key Terms Imposed on Germany:

• War Guilt Clause (Article 231): Germany was blamed for the war.
• Reparations: Germany was required to pay enormous sums to the Allies.
• Military Restrictions: Germany’s army was limited to 100,000 soldiers.
• Territorial Losses: Germany lost colonies and territory, including Alsace-Lorraine.

Consequences:

• Economic crisis in Germany (hyperinflation).
• Rise of nationalism and Hitler’s appeal.
• Directly contributed to World War II.

Causes & Consequences of the Great Depression

Causes:

• Stock Market Crash (1929): Wiped out investments.
• Bank Failures: Led to lost savings and decreased lending.
• Overproduction: Industries produced more goods than people could afford.
• Global Trade Decline: Tariffs like the Smoot-Hawley Tariff worsened the depression.

FDR’s Response:

• New Deal Programs: Social Security, job programs (WPA, CCC).
• Short-term: Relief for the unemployed.
• Long-term: Expanded government role in the economy.

Rise of Fascism in Europe

Why did fascism appeal in Italy & Germany?

• Economic Crisis: Unemployment and inflation after WWI created desperation.
• Weak Governments: People lost faith in democracy due to instability.
• Nationalism: Promised to restore national pride (e.g., Mussolini’s promise of a new Roman Empire).
• Lebensraum (“Living Space”) – Hitler’s policy of territorial expansion justified war and genocide.

The Holocaust & Nazi Racial Policies

Nuremberg Laws (1935):

• Stripped Jews of citizenship.
• Banned marriage between Jews and non-Jews.
• Restricted Jewish businesses.

Final Solution:

• Systematic genocide of Jews through extermination camps.
• Auschwitz, Treblinka: Gas chambers, forced labor.
• 6 million Jews murdered.

International Response:

• Weak at first—many countries refused Jewish refugees.
• Nuremberg Trials (1945-46): Held Nazis accountable.

Mussolini’s Rise to Power (1922)

Circumstances:

• Italy was dissatisfied with its gains from the Treaty of Versailles.
• Economic struggles and fear of communism led people to support a strong leader.
• Mussolini’s March on Rome (1922) forced the king to appoint him as Prime Minister.

Why did loss of national pride help Mussolini?

• Italians wanted a leader who promised strength, expansion, and stability.
• Mussolini’s rhetoric of restoring the “Glory of Rome” appealed to the masses.