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20th Century Wars WORLD WAR I LONG TERM CAUSES Imperalism Evidence: Imperial rivalries starting to form, Moroccan Crisis - France acquires especially under the colonial field. Many Morocco as a colony in 1904 but, since it nations wanted to expand through...

20th Century Wars WORLD WAR I LONG TERM CAUSES Imperalism Evidence: Imperial rivalries starting to form, Moroccan Crisis - France acquires especially under the colonial field. Many Morocco as a colony in 1904 but, since it nations wanted to expand through was one of the most important colonies, such as France, to have waterways of the world, Germany tries - Self sufficiency to convince the Moroccan people in - Strategic military positions 1905 and 1911 to revolt so that - Expansion of markets Germany could take control - More manpower This increased tensions and was one of teh first signals of possible conflict Alliances Militarism Submarines, drednoughts Armies growing larger, pushing and Schlieffen Plan (1905) Germany spreading military/martial values to the Plan 17 France younger generations, major military expansion before 1914 Arms race in early 20th century - development of new technologies such as submarines or dreadnought battleships or new artillery War Plans made by countries, Germany dveloped in 1905 the first version fo teh Sclieffen Plan, to attack France via Beglium and enter the English channel with hundreds of thousand sof troops to prevent british forces helping french France Plan 17 to regain teh territory of Alsace and Loraine SHORT TERM CAUSES Regional Instability in the Balkans Evidence: The balkans have been an area of great Bosnian Crisis 1908 - annexation of instability. The Bosnian Crisis of 1908 Bosnia by Austria Hungary exemplified this tension. Austria Balkan Wars 1912-13 Hungary was interested in Bosnia to Creation of independent nation ALbania grow and Russia was interested to gain to block Serbia’s access to the access to the Mediterranean. mediterranean Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina, a territory it had occupied since 1878 under the Treaty of Berlin. This move infuriated Serbia, which had ambitions of creating a "Greater Serbia" that included Bosnia, due to its significant Serb population. Russia, weakened after its defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, initially supported Serbia but was forced to back down when Germany firmly supported Austria-Hungary, threatening military action. After the successful Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, Serbia emerged more powerful, heightening Austria-Hungary's fears, particularly due to Serbia's aspirations for "Greater Serbia," which threatened Austria-Hungary's control over Bosnia, a region with a significant Serb population. To counter Serbia’s growing influence, Austria-Hungary supported the creation of the independent nation of Albania, effectively blocking Serbian access to the Adriatic Sea and further escalating tensions. Assassination of Archduke Franz Evidence: Ferdinand - Request of federal government by He was the next heriditor of the throne Franz Ferdinand in Austria Hungary and he was - Black Hand (1911) terrorist developing a more federal government organsiation for the nation, causing what Serbia - Gavrilo Prinicp June 28th 1914 wanted, discontent by the Serbians and other ethnicities within Austria Hungary. Many serbs wanted the Archduke to go so the Black Hand, a terrorist serbian organsiation formed in 1911, tried to kill Franz Ferdinand but failing but then a Serbian student, Gavrilo Princip, on June 28th 1914 found himself in the same room as the Archduke and killed him and his wife with a revolver July Crisis Evidence: Austria-Hungary was outraged by the - Fault attributed to Serbia for the assassination of Archduke Franz assassination Ferdinand and blamed Serbia, holding it - Investigation denied responsible for the actions of the Black - Blank check = Germany’s unconditional Hand. Austria demanded to send officials support into Serbia to investigate, but Serbia, - Ultimatum proposed to Serbia but not valuing its sovereignty and nationalism, fully accepted refused. Austria sought support from its - Austria Hungary declared war on ally Germany, which issued the "blank Serbia on June 28th 914 check," promising unconditional support - Russia mobilising troops on July 30th for any action Austria deemed necessary. - Germany declare war on Russia on Armed with German backing, August 1st Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with - Germany declare war on France on an ultimatum containing harsh terms August 3rd that Serbia largely accepted, except for - Britain, to defend Belgium’d neutrality, allowing Austrian officials to investigate declare war on Germany on August 4th within Serbia. When Serbia failed to fully comply, Austria-Hungary declared war on July 28, 1914. Russia, Serbia's ally, began mobilizing its troops on July 30, prompting Germany to declare war on Russia on August 1. Germany's Schlieffen Plan led it to declare war on France on August 3 and invade Belgium, aiming to defeat France quickly before turning east to confront Russia. Britain, committed to defending Belgium's neutrality, declared war on Germany on August 4. The July Crisis marked the escalation of localized tensions into a full-scale world war, as alliances triggered a chain reaction across Europe. What happened during the war? 1914 Schlieffen Plan carried out by Germans to block British supplies reaching France and attacking France via Belgium. Hundreds of thousands Germans were dumped to carry out this plan but many died as the English used for thr first time the machine guns, causing in the first 2 minutes of the Battle of Mons, the first conflcit in WWI, 500 dead Germans. The British and the French eventually couldn0t hold the Germans but so many Germans died. On the Eastern front, however, the Germans were winning. Especially in the Battle on tannenberg against the Russians as they used for the irst time planes in a war, reconnoisance planes, which could see from teh sky their enemies and could tell the Germans where and when the Russians were attacking. Back to the West, the war was ‘paused’, there was a stelmate due to the development of trenches, which slowed down the conflict as soldiers could rest and hide. On the Eastern, the Ottoman Emire was called upon by the Germans to attack teh Russians so that the russian focrs would divide and scatter, making life difficult. 1915 The definition of insanity takes place in the West where German generals kept repeating the same strategies again, getting out of teh trenches and running at the enemies to try and break the line, causing. All very sad until Italy is convinced by France and Britain to switch sides. And the war changes. Due to having one less lly, the Germans and the Austrian Hungarian forces decide to take war to a different level, using chemicals. Used for the first time in Second Battle of Ypres as makes enemies choke or get out of the trench and shot. So the Germans try to do this in the east as well, but in the Battle of Osoweic Fortress, also known as the Attack of the Dead Men, despite being alive for any living creature due to lack of oxygen, the Russian forces with their last breaths , about 10% of the remaining Russian forces, started bombrading the German lines, leading to a massive and mroal defeating loss for the Germans. th e Germans, aside form teh gas, also used reconnaissance planes, strapepd with machine guns and bombs, later called Zeppelins, taking war to the enemies homes. Zeppelings flying out from Berlin to the UK, bombarding enemies’ homes. On the East, the Russian forces were still destroying the Ottomans and Austria-Hungary, meaning Germany also had to solely aid its allies. 1916 Germany was starting to show gaps in its military as they had to aid their allies alone and started to take risky strategies, such as attacking cities. Like Verdun, in 1916, a morally vital city in France, which caused the French to give it all and protect the city (“they shall not pass”). The French destroyed the German forces. The Battle of Somme in south of France between British, French and German forces, where the Butcher of Somme, a British General, decided to not stop the troops despite the thousands of dead people. On the Eastern front, the Russians are taking vcotry after victory, destroying the Autro-Hungarian forces with the Brusilov offence. And although as the Austrian forces are formally still fighting, they did not pose a threat to any country, aslo beacuse the romanians get ivplved, temaed up wut the greece and russian forces to destroy Austria Hngarian, now only dependent on the German and Ottoman army to win the war, because they couldn0t recover anymore 1917 Huge shift in the war, the United States enter the war, after Mecico and German forces tried to ally against the US to overtake and occupy the country (Zimmerman telegram). Up ot now, the USA only sold guns, but now it was personal. Russia starts to go in deep turmoil, because the monarchy of the time, the Tsar, abused the troops. So Russia experiences 3 revolutions, teh Tsar leaves and the provisional government decides to continue the war. This still caused discontent so Lenin and the Bolshevik Party took over. Internal chaos in Russia. In the east the invention of tanks helped very much the British, French and Americans, first used in teh Battle of Cambrai, machines used to override trenches and used to shoot enemies. 1918 The Soviet Union decides to not be part of the war bcause it killed too many workers (it was now communist) signing the Treaty of Brest Litovsk, which meant their surrender. So the German forces fighting in the East could now shift and concentrate in the West. Germany used everything it had, rushed the lines with the new stormtroopers but this did not work. Losses were piling up, and the French and British knew that the Germans will eventually realsie they can’t keep u anymore. So the Frencha nd British finally rush and get through German lines. The war was over, the armistice was signed at 11am of the 11th of November. PRACTICES Technology Air: caused immense fear because it was so new, new style of warfare - Reconnaissance planes: canvas and wooden planes where 2 people on board could take pictures of enemy movements and be ready for them (Battle of Tannanberg 1914) the guns they had in 1914 couldn’t shoot them down - Zeppelins (1915) used to take teh war to the  enemy’s homes to bomb civilian targets - Fighter Planes (1915-18) Land: machine guns, tanks - Trenches - Gas Warfare, used constantly after 1915, used chlorine or mustard, through the use of wind, against the trenches technology, not effective in killing after the first months as t caused less than 1% of direct deaths but very effective to get sodliers out of trenches - Tanks (Battle of Somme and Battle of Cambrai), very limited - Machine guns, revolutionary for mass killings, artillery cuased 70% of total deaths - Grenades, against trenches Naval, naval warfare was just as new as aerial warfare - Dreadnoughts, fear of nothing because they carried so many supplies in artillery and munitions in huge quantities (Gallipoli Campaign - British vs Ottoman - 1915-16) - U-boats, boats that could fire and sink otehr ships Mobilisation of human resources Conscription was implemented by most participating nations (e.g., Britain’s conscription act of 1916), leading to millions of soldiers being drafted. Soldiers from colonies, such as Indian troops for Britain and African forces for France, provided significant manpower to the war effort.  Governments heavily relied on propaganda to encourage enlistment, increase morale, and demonize the enemy. Women played vital roles, filling traditionally male jobs in factories, serving as nurses on the frontlines, and performing administrative tasks to sustain the war. Civilians were directly involved in the war effort through activities such as war production, rationing, and volunteer support, with entire societies mobilized for total war. Mobilisation of economic resources National economies were transformed into war economies, redirecting industries to produce weapons, ammunition, and military supplies. Rationing systems controlled food, fuel, and other essential goods to prioritize military needs and prevent shortages (e.g., Britain’s ration books in 1918). Governments dramatically increased spending, relying on loans, war bonds, and higher taxes to fund the war. The Allies collaborated to pool economic resources, with the United States providing materials and financial aid after 1917. Naval blockades, such as Britain’s blockade of Germany, sought to starve opponents of resources and weaken their economies. Colonial raw materials, agricultural products, and financial contributions were extensively used to support the war effort. EFFECTS - Treaty of Versailles (1919) Political Short term - Germany: the Kaiser of Germany abdicated and the Monarchy failed, so they had to deal with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles while creating a new government, the Werimar Republic. This new government has to inherit so many problems, especially the betrayal and anger of the people due to the War Guilt clause and also the fact that the Kaiser just tood the people about the victories in teh world, casauing a massive shock when they lost the war. This caued many extremsit groups coming out, revolutions…making it very difficult for the Weimar Republic - Austria-Hungary: their country became tiny compared to they’re old land, losing access to access, factories, workers and territorially broken. This causes a struggle for survival, just like Germany, but Austria also lost more than 50% of people who were Austrian, they had broken internal system with little to no support as their neighbours are competing to gain from this weak moment. - Creation of the League of Nations, an organisation which aimed to establish collective security, to  prevent anything like WWI from happening again. - Asia: Japan, being par t of the Laggue of Nations and recognised as a European power, was mad that the organsiations always prevented them from expanding, and they start to not listen to the League anymore to rebuild their country. China was not regarded as a European Nation, the government was overthrown by the GMD and CCP and they later devolve in a civil war Economic 321 billion gold marks in reparations 321 billion gold marks Germany had to Ruhr Crisis (1923) pay as reparations of the countries’ 1 American dollar = 4.2 trillion German supplies, damages…leading to massive dollars debt. Germany could not pay this back, it didn’t have the economic ability, so although Britan and the us WANTED TO GIVE THEM SAME GRACE, FRANCE AND BELGIUM SAID ABSOLUTELY NOT, we are dying and we cannot wait for them to pay. So this lead to the Ruhr Crisis (1923), France and Belgium invading Germany’s Ruhr region, a crucial manufacturing region, causing Germany’s inflationw was so high that 1 American dollar was equal to 4.2 trillion in German currency. One of the worst economic crisis to ever happen in Europe. Between 1912 and 1917, the United States was the main supplier for the Triple Entente, making money out of the war. However, with the war not stopping, in 1916 Britain and France could not afford the US war goods (guns, supplies..) and they owed monet to the US. So after the Ruhr Crisis of 1923, the US makes a loan (Dawes Plan 1924) to Germany, which they could use to pay back the reparations to the allies, and the allies could use to pay back the United States. The world economy was dependent on the US stock markets, this is why the Great Depression was so impactful. Territorial Changes Europe: Creation of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova Germany significant smaller Romania gets bigger Serbia and montenegro unite to form Yugoslavia Austria-Hungary gets broken down into Yugoslavia, Hungary, Austria, Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia rminds of old Austria-Hungary, very big and with various ethnicities Middle East: The Ottoman Empire was massive but towards the end of the war there was a fracture of the Empire, and in the Sykes-Picot agreement France and Britain (later also Russia but for that moment just these two) split up the land of the Ottoman Empire, ignoring the cultures existing in that region, just drawing borders on the map. Turkey is granted independence and all the territories of the old Ottoman Empire become either French or British mandates WORLD WAR II LONG TERM CAUSES The Great Depression / Economic Evidence Instability 132 billion goldmarks of reparations With the Treaty of Versailles, Germany owed Ruhr Crisis 1923 to the Allies 132 billion goldmarks worth of Hyperinflation: 1 German dollar = 4.2 trillion reparations. Germany, after the war, didn’t US dollars have that kind of money so it asked for Dawes Plan (1924) mercy, which was ok for the Us and Britain 1924-1929 = Industrial production in but for France no, so, with Begium, they germany +50% invaded in 1923 the Ruhr industrial region of Outset of the Great Depression 1929 Germany, leading to hyperinflation, where 1 1932: 30%/6 million Germans unemployed German dollar was equal to 4.2 trillion US June 1932 elections - Nazi Party 37.3% dollars. What tried to alleviate this situation votes was the Dawes Plan (1924) by the US which loaned money to Germany both to help them and both so that they could pay their reparations to the allies and the allies could consequently pay their war loans (guns, supplies..) back to the US, and between 1924 and 1929 the German industrial production increased by 50%. The economy of all of these countries was strictly dependent of the US stock market and with the ouset of the Great Depression in 1929 things got catastrophical. The US asked France, Britain and Germany to pay their loans back but they couldn’t. By 1932, the unemployment in Germany rose to 30%, meaning 6million Germans were unemployed. Hitler used this disconent to gain support for his Nazi Party and be the most voted party in the Reichstag with 37.3 of the votes in June 1932, as he promised to stop paying the reparations of the Treaty and become a stronger and more unified Germany. Apart from being a vital cause in giving Adolf Hitler power in Germany, which gave space to his military and anti-Semitic views, consequently speaking WWII, the economic instability after WWI was also a direct cause of the outbreak of the second war as Hitler wanted to expand to give not only ideologically Lebensraum to the Germans but also economically, acquiring industrial regions and supplies. Rise of Totalitarian regimes - Ideological Evidence Hitler’s Germany - In Germany, the Argument revolves around the glorification Nazi ideology of Adolf Hitler and necessary view of war revolved around the concepts of - Annihilation of Slavs and Jews and racial purity and Lebensraum. The Lebensarum for the Aryan race Nazis rejected the liberal democratic - Rejection of democratic values of the values of the Weimar Republic, Weimar Republic instead advocating for an - Authoritarism as a mean to reach authoritarian state that could national rebirth mobilize all facets of society toward - Conscription 1936: from 100,000 to the goals of national rebirth and 500,000 men territorial expansion. Hitler's vision - War as a mean to assert the of Lebensraum, rooted in social dominance of the old Roman Empire Darwinism, framed war not as a - Against pacifism and international failure of diplomacy but as a natural cooperation process of the strong overtaking the - Invasion of Ethiopia (Abyssinian weak. This ideology demanded the Crisis of1935) annihilation of perceived enemies, - Bushido - Emperor’s divine authority including Jews and Slavs, and framed - Militarist ideology, expansion territorial expansion into Eastern necessary to be more powerful and Europe as both an existential be the leader of ‘Asia for Asians’ necessity and a historical right. The - Invasion of Manchuria 1931 totalitarian control of German society allowed the Nazi Party to indoctrinate the population with these ideas, ensuring widespread support for militarization and eventual war. Evidence of this long-term drive toward conflict is seen in the remilitarization of the Rhineland in 1936, in direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles, and in the introduction of conscription that same year, which expanded the German army from 100,000 to over 500,000 troops. These actions, years before the outbreak of war, were the direct application of Nazi ideology, destabilizing Europe and paving the way for World War II. Italy: In Fascist Italy, Mussolini's ideology also glorified war as a means of asserting national strength and restoring the perceived greatness of the Roman Empire. Fascism rejected pacifism and international cooperation, instead promoting a worldview where conflict was the ultimate test of a nation's vitality. Mussolini’s emphasis on a corporatist state, where all  societal institutions served the goals of the regime, enabled the militarization of Italy’s economy and society. The invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, a brutal campaign that violated international norms, showcased Fascism's disregard for the League of Nations and its pursuit of imperial ambitions. Italy’s alignment with Germany in the Rome-Berlin Axis of 1936 and its intervention in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) to support Francisco Franco further demonstrate how Fascist Italy's ideology contributed to growing tensions in Europe. By promoting an aggressive, expansionist vision, Mussolini not only set the stage for conflict but also solidified an alliance with Germany, a critical factor in the outbreak of World War II. Japan: Japan’s militarist ideology, heavily influenced by the concept of Bushido and the Emperor’s divine authority, similarly framed conflict as a moral and national imperative. The Japanese government believed that territorial expansion was essential to secure resources and ensure national survival in the face of Western dominance. This belief was underpinned by a sense of racial superiority, where Japan saw itself as the leader of an "Asia for Asians," justifying aggression as a means of liberating the region from Western imperialism. Evidence of this ideology in action includes Japan's invasion of Manchuria in 1931, establishing the puppet state of Manchukuo, and the subsequent invasion of China in 1937, leading to the Second Sino-Japanese War. These actions not only destabilized the Asia-Pacific region but also drew Western powers into a growing conflict, particularly after Japan's alliance with Germany and Italy in the Tripartite Pact of 1940. Japan’s militarist ideology created a long-term framework for conflict,  ensuring that its expansionist goals would clash with Western interests, contributing significantly to the conditions that led to World War II Treaty of Versailles - Territorial / Social Evidence The ToV of 1919 was the agreement that Germany lost: completely shifted the German’s people - Alsace-Lorraine to France views about what was necessary to revitilise - Saar region to the League of Nations the country. In the Treaty, Germany lost and its coal output to France Alsace-Lorraine, a region ceded back to - Polish corridor and Danzig to Poland France, as well as the Saar Basin, which was - Togo and Cameroon to Frande and placed under League of Nations Britain administration for 15 years, with its coal Article 231 output allocated to France. Additionally, Germany lost the Polish Corridor and the city of Danzig (Gdańsk), which were given to the newly independent Poland, severing East Prussia from the rest of Germany. Former colonies such as Togoland and Cameroon were distributed between Britain and France, German South-West Africa was handed to South Africa, and German East Africa was given to Britain. All of these territorial losses made the Germans view expansion as the only way to make up for them and to recover from the economic and moral damages. Most importantly, though, what caused resentment among the Germans was the War Guilt Clause,Article 231, which gave the entire fault of WWI to Germany. This clause not only justified the severe reparations but also deeply insulted German national honor. Many Germans saw this as an unjust and humiliating verdict, creating widespread anger and a collective desire to overturn the Treaty. This combination of territorial and social grievances laid the foundation for the aggressive expansionism and nationalist fervor that would later be harnessed by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. SHORT TERM CAUSES Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939 The Nazi-Soviet Pact, signed on August 23, 1939, was a non-aggression agreement between Germany and the Soviet Union saying that neither nation would attack the other, but the secret protocol of the pact divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence. Under this agreement, the Soviet Union secured control over Finland, the Baltic states, and eastern Poland, while Germany was granted the western part of Poland. This pact gave Hitler the confidence to invade Poland on September 1, 1939, as it secured his eastern front and eliminated the threat of Soviet interference. Simultaneously, Stalin saw the pact as an opportunity to reclaim territories lost after World War I and to buy time to strengthen Soviet defenses. The pact’s immediate impact was Germany’s invasion of Poland, which directly triggered World War II. Britain and France, bound by guarantees of Polish independence, declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. The agreement between two ideologically opposed regimes demonstrated the pragmatism of totalitarian leaders when their territorial ambitions aligned. By ensuring Soviet neutrality, the pact removed a significant obstacle for Hitler’s aggressive expansionism and allowed the war in Europe to erupt. This is the most important cause because Germany clearly didn’t fear Britain or France but did fear the Soviet Union, so signing a pact that would prevent the Communists attacking the Germans truly sparked WWII, by invading Poland Failure of the League of Nations Evidence The League of Nations, created in 1920 to - Created in 1920 to maintain global maintain global peace, proved ineffective in peace addressing the growing tensions of the - Weakened by absence of powers like interwar period. It lacked enforcement USA mechanisms and was weakened from the - Failed to respond to Manchrian start by the absence of major powers like the Crisis in 1931 United States. The League’s failure to - Failed to respond to the Abyssinian respond to acts of aggression eroded its Crisis of 1935 credibility. In the Manchurian Crisis of 1931, - Failed to respond to the Japan invaded Manchuria, and despite remilitarisation of Rhineland in 1936 China’s appeals for help, the League merely condemned the action without imposing meaningful sanctions. Similarly, in the Abyssinian Crisis of 1935, Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) highlighted the League’s inability to enforce its principles, as weak sanctions were imposed while Britain and France prioritized maintaining good relations with Mussolini. When Germany remilitarized the Rhineland in 1936, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact, the League once again failed to act. This pattern of inaction emboldened totalitarian regimes, signaling that they could expand aggressively without facing serious consequences. The League’s ineffectiveness in deterring such actions undermined collective security and allowed the international order to unravel. By failing to prevent early acts of aggression, the League directly contributed to the conditions that made World War II inevitable. Policy of Appeasement Evidence: The policy of appeasement, pursued When did Britain and France appease Hitler? primarily by Britain and France, sought to - Remilitarisation of Rhineland in 1936 avoid another devastating conflict by violating the ToV and Locarno Pact conceding to some of Hitler’s demands. - Anschluss in 1938 Motivated by the trauma of World War I, - Munich Agreement 1938, France and economic challenges, and fear of the growing Britain giving to Hitler Sudetenland Soviet threat, leaders like Neville region of Czechoslovakia - “peace for Chamberlain believed that accommodating our time” Hitler’s territorial ambitions would preserve - Total invasion of Czechoslovakia in peace. This approach, however, allowed March 1939 Germany to expand unchecked. In 1936, Britain and France chose not to act when Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland, a clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact. Two years later, Germany annexed Austria in the Anschluss of 1938 without facing resistance. The Munich Agreement of the same year saw Britain and France cede the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia, to Germany in the hope of satisfying Hitler’s ambitions. Chamberlain famously declared “peace for our time,” yet Germany invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939, proving that appeasement had only emboldened Hitler. This policy not only destabilized Europe but also convinced Hitler that Britain and France lacked the resolve to confront him militarily. When they finally guaranteed Poland’s independence in March 1939, it was too late to deter Hitler, who remained convinced of their weakness. The policy of appeasement, by failing to curb Germany’s aggression, directly contributed to the outbreak of World War II. What happended in WWII? PRACTICES OF WWII Military Strategies Evidence Blitzkrieg The military strategies employed during - Luftwaffe, Germany’s aerial forces, World War II were pivotal in shaping its targeting key infrastructures outcome, with two major approaches - Effective in the Invasion of Poland in standing out: Blitzkrieg and Island Hopping. 1939 and conquest of France in 1940 Blitzkrieg, or "lightning war," was a strategy - Not effective in longer battles, like in perfected by Nazi Germany to achieve swift the Soviet Union victories through the coordinated use of air Island Hopping and ground forces. This approach relied on - Used by Allies in the Pacific disrupting enemy defenses by targeting key - Capturing islands and bypassing infrastructure such as airfields, railroads, and others to isolate the Japanese and communication centers with the Luftwaffe, cut supply lines followed by rapid armored and infantry - Effective in Guadalcanal 1942-43 advances. Its effectiveness was - Allowed capture of Iwo Jima and demonstrated in the invasion of Poland in Okinawa in 1945 September 1939, where Germany defeated Polish forces in just over a month, and in the swift conquest of France in 1940. However, Blitzkrieg’s reliance on surprise and speed made it less effective in prolonged engagements, as seen in the Soviet Union, where logistical challenges and harsh winters stalled German advances. Island Hopping, employed by the Allies in the Pacific Theater, focused on capturing strategically significant islands while bypassing others, isolating Japanese forces, and cutting off supply lines. This strategy proved essential in battles such as Guadalcanal (1942–1943), where the Allies turned the tide of the Pacific War. Island Hopping allowed the Allies to gradually close in on Japan, culminating in the capture of Iwo Jima and Okinawa in 1945, which provided bases for launching attacks on the Japanese mainland. These strategies were crucial for their respective theaters, with Blitzkrieg reshaping European conflict in its early years and Island Hopping enabling the eventual defeat of Japan. Technology World War II saw groundbreaking technological advancements that redefined warfare and played decisive roles in determining the conflict's outcome. Radar technology, developed independently by nations like Britain, the United States, and Germany, revolutionized military strategy by detecting enemy aircraft and ships early. For example, during the Battle of Britain in 1940, Britain’s Chain Home radar network gave the Royal Air Force (RAF) critical early warnings, enabling them to intercept German bombing raids effectively and maintain control of British airspace. Radar also improved naval operations, allowing Allied convoys to evade German U-boats in the Atlantic. Equally transformative was the development of the atomic bomb by the United States under the Manhattan Project. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 brought the Pacific War to a sudden and devastating end, forcing Japan's surrender. The atomic bomb’s unparalleled destructive power not only ensured an Allied victory but also ushered in the nuclear age, reshaping global politics and military strategies for decades. These advancements underscored the increasing reliance on science and technology in modern warfare, with radar ensuring survival in key battles and the atomic bomb decisively ending the war. Socio-Political Changes The concept of total war during World War II blurred the lines between civilian and military involvement, making the mobilization of entire societies crucial to the war effort. Governments rationed food and materials, conscripted large portions of the population, and used propaganda to maintain morale. For instance, the British "Home Front" saw significant societal changes, with women entering the workforce in large numbers to replace men who had gone to fight. Iconic campaigns like "Dig for Victory" encouraged citizens to grow their own food, while women took on roles in factories producing munitions and aircraft, such as the Spitfires that proved decisive in the Battle of Britain. In the United States, the industrial mobilization led to the "Arsenal of Democracy," where factories churned out tanks, planes, and ships on an unprecedented scale, giving the Allies a material edge. The socio-political changes extended beyond the war's end, with the founding of the United Nations in 1945 to promote global peace and cooperation and the onset of the Cold War due to ideological divides between the United States and the Soviet Union. These changes not only sustained the war effort but also laid the foundation for the geopolitical landscape of the 20th century. CHINESE CIVIL WAR SPANISH CIVIL WAR Authoritarian States Hitler’s Germany Mussolini’s Italy Mao’s China