Use this template and fill in the notes pasted below: Causes of WWI…
QuestionUse this template and fill in the notes pasted below: Causes of WWI…Image transcription textTopic/Unit Identifications Questions 7-1 Bolsheviks For Topic 7-1, you should just focus on RUSSIA and theorigins of the Shifting Communists Soviet Union. Don’t worry about the Ottoman Empire, China, or PowersMexico. They won’t be on the exam. What was the effect of World War I on the Russian Empire? … Show moreUse this template and fill in the notes pasted below: Causes of WWI MANIA Militarism Policy of building up strong military forces to prepare for warAlliances Agreements between nations stating that each country will assist the other if they are attacked. …. countries back each other up in times of need. Nationalism Extreme pride in one’s nations and when a country or group come together with the same desire and interestImperialism the search/acquisition of land for raw material to fuel industry and markets to buy goods in far flung corners of the world that led to countries competing. Assasination Murder of Archduke Franz FerdinandNations to want to be independentThe Serbs, one of those ethnic groups, had their own country of Serbia having achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire. But many Serbs still lived in the Habsburg province of Bosnia. Serbian nationalists, both in Serbia and Bosnia, plotted throughout the early twentieth century to get the Habsburgs out of Bosnia The successful plot to assassinate Franz Ferdinand on 28 June 1914 was part of a bigger plan.The plotters hoped that by killing Franz Ferdinand, they would provoke the Austro-Hungarian Empire to declare war on Serbia. That is when their supportive friend Russia, they hoped, would leap to the defense of Serbia, defeat the Habsburg armies, and help the Bosnian Serbs win their independence. The alliance system brought other nations into conflict and created a warAfter the devastation of the Napoleonic wars in the early nineteenth century, the large European powers wanted to avoid the devastation of big wars on the European continent. The result was a system of alliances that was supposed to keep a balance of power in Europe. It pitted two great alliances against each other. One was the Triple Entente, led by Russia and France, with Great Britain joining several years before the war. The other was the Triple Alliance, which included Austro-Hungary, Germany and Italy, and later the Ottoman Empire, eventually becoming known as the Central Powers. These opposing alliances pretty much guaranteed that if Russia and Austro-Hungary went to war, they could drag in their allies, making the conflict much larger than the two enemies that started itThe political change that occurs was that many countries became invaded and apart of larger empiresThe winners of World War I had inv added countries and remained an empire while the losers were invadedNationalismwhich had been growing rapidly in many areas of the worldadded fuel to the war. Of course, Serbian nationalism played a big part in the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. But with each of the big powers, nationalism also promoted the idea that national pride and glory were good enough reasons to go to war. For example, France hoped that by joining Russia in its war, they could defeat their German rivals and reclaim territoryand pridethey had lost to Germany in a previous war.Imperialism was another important trend that helped expand and accelerate the war. Many of the warring countries had imperial objectives in mind when they went to war. Their motives were partly about gaining strategic advantage. 4 Britain and France wanted control over parts of the Ottoman Empire. Japan joined the war on the side of the Entente (Britain, France, and Russia) because they hoped to seize some German colonies in the Pacific Ocean. This imperialism had an economic motive as well. Empires were looking to seize important trade routes and raw materials from their opponents as well as to gain strategic advantages.The big powers were so experienced at building empires that they were convinced war would be short and easy. They had used their military superiority in Africa and Asia often enough, and always won. These major European powers also believed themselves superior to the Pacific, Asian, and African people they had conquered. It was not a big stretch to claim superiority over other Europeans as well. Finally, the new technologies provided by industrialization meant that war preparations, once begun, made actual conflict inevitable. Everybody believed that with the new weapons and transportation available, the advantage would go to the first country that could mobilize (get their troops together and moving to their borders). Railroads could now transport large numbers of troops, weapons, and equipment to the borders quickly, but only along carefully prepared timetables. Once begun, they could not be halted without giving the enemy an advantage. So when Austro Hungary began to mobilize against Serbia, Russia and France had to hurry up and put their plans in motion. That meant Germany had to move quickly as well. All of this meant that once one power began moving troops or military machinery then the others would quickly follow. Then, there would be no going back and the war would begin. Yet, everyone also thought that the war would be over very quickly, but boy were they wrong!Several factors contributed to the outbreak of the Great WarAggressive nationalism became a source of tension in Europe intensifying already existing rivalriesGermany’s industrial capacity, population, and military power all increasedFrance wanted to regain powerful position in Europeas Ottoman Empire lost control of Balkans the peninsula became a powder keg of competing national interestsPan-Slavism movement sought cooperation among all Slavic people in Eastern Europe and supported independence from Ottoman Empire Austria-Hungary opposed Pan-Slavism (and all nationalist movements) while Russia supported Slavic people in Balkans (Serbia)(1908) Austria annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina (a Slavic region formerly under Ottoman control) angering the Serbsmilitarism (the glorification of military power) combined with war planning resulted in fear and distrust among nationsnations saw military strength (rather than diplomacy) as a way to gain national goalsan arms race (weapons buildups) occurred between powerful European nations (especially Britain and Germany)Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II began building up German navy (challenging Britain’s long-standing naval supremacy)increased tensions led to creation of mutual defense alliances (nations agreed to defend each other in case of attack)(1882) Bismarck formed a military alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy called the Triple AllianceBismarck created the Three Emperor’s League with Austria-Hungary and RussiaBismarck’s network of alliances surrounded Germany with allies while diplomatically isolating the recently defeated France(1890) Kaiser Wilhelm II forced Bismarck’s retirement and ended diplomatic relations with Russia (1894) France formed a military alliance with Russia (further dividing Europe into rival blocs)(1904) Britain abandoned policy of “splendid isolation” by signing deal with France called the Entente CordialeBritain then signed agreement with Russia thus forming the Triple Ententeimperialism (especially in Africa and the Pacific) further enflamed European rivalries and tested alliancesGermany was relatively late in joining global colonization efforts and competed with Britain and France for remaining possessions(1905) Germany challenged French claims to Morocco in Africa (Moroccan Crisis served to strengthen the Triple Entente against Germany)two rival alliances now confronted each other (a dispute between any two powers could escalate into a major war)(June 28, 1914) Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and wife killed in BosniaFerdinand killed by Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip (member of Black Hand terrorist group)The assassination set in motion a chain reaction of events that plunged Europe into warAustria-Hungary blamed Serbia for death of archduke and made harsh demands (hoping for war)(July 28) Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia who refused to meet demandsRussia mobilized army to border of Austria-Hungary in preparation of war (ready to defend Slavic ally Serbia)Germany declared war on Russia and France (hoping to defeat France before Russia mobilized and avoiding a two front war)(Aug. 3) Germany’s invasion of France took them through neutral Belgium (Britain declared war on Germany)From 1870 to 1914, the growth of militarism, alliances, imperialism, & nationalism increased tensions increased among European nationsNationalism among Slavs in the Balkans led to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914The conflict between Serbia & Austria-Hungary triggered alliances and started World War I When the war began in August 1914, Europeans were enthusiastic about fighting When the war began, Germany’s biggest problem was the potential of fighting on two fronts Germany’s solution was the Schlieffen Plan which involved quickly defeating France in the West……then sending troops to the East before Russia was fully mobilized for war The Schlieffen Plan seemed to be working when the German army marched through Belgium & France, within miles of ParisBut, English & French troops saved Paris at the Battle of the Marne……Meanwhile, Russia mobilized faster than expected, so Germany had to divert troops from FranceBecause the Schlieffen Plan failed, the Central Powers were forced to fight a two-front war The fighting between Germany & France was known as the Western Front By 1915, the war settled into a stalemate as each side fortified their positions with trenches The fighting between Germany & Russia was known as the Eastern Front The soldiers had very little decent food, and what food they had was often attacked by rats.These rats were the size of small rabbits and badgers because they had fed on the decomposing bodies of dead soldiers.New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage & win the war Machine gunsLong Range ArtileryTanksAirplanesZepplinsFlamethrowers Grenade launchers Poison GasSubmarinesNew weapons killed soldiers more effectively; During World War I, 8.5 million soldiers died & 21 million were wounded Fighting on the Western Front slowed to a stalemate as neither side could gain an advantage During the 10 month Battle of Verdun in 1916, 1 million soldiers were killed or wounded Another 1 million soldiers were killed or wounded at the Battle of Somme Despite the deaths, neither the Allies or Central Powers gained an advantage after these battlesOn the Eastern Front, the Russian army was struggling to hold on against the German military Russia was not as industrialized as the rest of Europe & failed to produce enough weapons or foodMillions of Russian soldiers & civilians died during the war By 1917, Russia was on the brink of collapseThe stalemate on the Western & Eastern Fronts turned World War I into a war of attrition where each side tried to out-produce & outlast the enemy Nations committed to total war to win World War IFactories were converted to make war equipment Industrial resources were rationed in order to prioritize military needsGovernments used conscription to draft civilians into the military Propaganda was used to maintain civilian support for the warOverseas colonies were used to gain resources or additional soldiers To keep Germany from trading with other nations, Britain used its navy to blockade EuropeGerman u-boat attacks played a role in bringing the USA into World War I Germany responded by using unrestricted submarine warfare to attack the British navy & any merchant ships supplying the Allies When World War I began in 1914, the United States remained neutral but, the USA was pulled into the war by 1917 As a neutral nation, the USA was trading with the Allies during the war Germany’s policy of unrestricted submarine warfare led to attacks on U.S. merchant ships & British passenger shipsPresident Woodrow Wilson demanded “freedom of the seas” but Germany refused Americans were outraged in May 1915 when a German u-boat sank the British ship Lusitania killing 1,200 people including 128 AmericansAmerica’s anger with Germany increased in 1917 after the discovery of the Zimmerman TelegramGermany knew that u-boat attacks would eventually bring the USA into war Germany proposed that Mexico attack the USA in exchange for the return of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona Americans were outraged On April 2, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany & entered the warThe arrival of millions of American soldiers in 1918 gave a boost the AlliesBut in November 1917, Russia signed a peace & exited the warDuring World War I, fighting the war from home became as important as fighting in the trenches. Allied and Central Powers used “total war” to win this war of attrition.Rotate through each of the six stations Answer the questions that relate to the images and placard information When finished, be prepared to share your answers & match a series of WWI placards as either “homefront” or “battle front” During World War I, both the Allies & Central Powers committed to total war:To produce necessary war equipment, governments took greater control of the economy, converted factories to wartime production, & set production quotas All available citizens were put to work; Unemployment in Europe nearly ended Neutral countries like the USA were able to profit by trading with countries at warIn order to supply to front lines with enough soldiers, governments used conscription, a military draft that required men to fightAt first men volunteered for the war, but by 1916, people began to realize how “bad” the war was & volunteers decreased Governments had to draft soldiers because there were not enough troopsMen 18-50 had to register and there was a lottery for soldiers that would have to report for dutyDuring World War I, nations used one-sided information called propaganda to maintain civilian support for the warPropaganda played an important role in maintaining the support of the public for the war effort & helped recruit soldiersPropaganda posters & slogans asked that civilians “do their part” by participating in conscription, rationing, & war bonds sales In addition, most governments censored the media to control war information Throughout the war, resources became scarce so governments began using rationing Rationing programs allowed people to use only small amounts of essential resources, like food & fuelGovernments directed supplies & resources to the soldiers on the front and controlled prices of goods at homeCivilians needed tickets to be able to buy goods; Many people grew victory gardens to support rationing programsWomen’s roles changed during World War IDuring the war, women replaced men in heavy industry & munitions factoriesThis type of work was not seen as “proper” for women, but was a temporary solution to ensure that enough weapons were madeIn addition, women served as nurses, drivers, clerks for the military & were encouraged to support their husbands if they were drafted or volunteered Fighting in WWI required governments to raise billions of dollarsNew government agencies were created to manage the war, soldiers were drafted, military contracts were made with factories These programs were expensive & required creative ways to pay for war expenses Governments sold war bonds that offered citizens investments that would be paid back at a later timeWorld War I was fought between the Allies & Central Powers from 1914 to 1918 On November 11, 1918, the Germany government agreed to an armistice & World War I came to an endWorld War I was the largest, most deadly, & most destructive war the world had yet seen 8.5 million soldiers & 13 million civilians died as a result of the war World War I was the largest, most deadly, & most destructive war the world had yet seen 21 million soldiers were wounded during the warWorld War I was the largest, most deadly, & most destructive war the world had yet seen Homes, farms, towns were destroyed; The war cost $338 billion & most national reasuries were empty In 1919, representatives from 32 nations attended the Paris Peace Conference to write a treaty to end the war The conference was led by the “Big Four”: Britain, France, Italy, & the United States Neither Germany nor any of the Central Powers were allowed to attend…Russia could not attend because they already quit World War I Creating a treaty would not be easy because the major powers had different agendas Britain & France wanted to weaken Germany so it could never go to war again Britain & France wanted Germany to accept full blame, pay reparations, & lose all overseas coloniesU.S. President Woodrow Wilson disagreed the these harsh punishments for GermanyPresident Wilson presented his own peace proposal known as the Fourteen Points President Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points, 1918Points 1-5: Wilson hoped to eliminate the causes of WWI & called for an end to secret treaties (alliances), freedom of the seas, eliminating imperial colonies, & reducing national militaries Points 6-13: Wilson suggested changing nationa lboundaries, creating new nations, & allowing self-determination so that the people of each nation could decide their own form of government Point 14: Wilson wanted a League of Nations……that would give all nations an opportunity to work out their grievances without resorting to warWilson hoped that a League of Nations could peacefully negotiate solutions to future conflictsBritain & France disagreed with many of the Fourteen Points so Woodrow Wilson had to compromiseThese compromises led to an agreement known as the Treaty of VersaillesThe major provisions of the Versailles Treaty included: A League of Nations that would serve as an international organization to keep peace among nations The League also included an Court of International Justice to settle disagreementsThe League covenant included an agreement that all member nations would work together to stop future acts of aggressionIn addition, the Treaty of Versailles redrew the map of Europe & the Middle East New nations were created from territories that Russia gave up when it left the war earlyLand was taken from Germany to create Poland; The German-French border was demilitarized to avoid a future invasionOttoman Empire was divided; Britain & France gained mandates in the Middle East The mandates gave Britain & France control over oil resources in the Middle EastOn June 28, 1919, Germany & the major Allied Powers signed the Treaty of Versailles and World War I officially came to an end Most nations celebrated the official end of World War I But, Germans protested the harsh terms & resented their gov’t for signing the treaty As a result, the USA never signed the treaty or joined the League of Nations World War I was the largest war the world had yet seen & it changed the way future wars were foughtNations used total war tactics to commit all their resources to winning, drafted soldiers, rationed, used propaganda New war technologies increased the rates of death & destruction to unprecedented levels The war changed expectations for women & led to voting rights for women in many nations World War I was the largest war the world had yet seen & it changed the way future wars were fought22 million soldiers & civilians died in the war; An entire generation of Europeans was killed Many places in Europe were destroyed The war devastated the economies of European nations who had little money to rebuild & few jobs to offer citizens The terms of the Versailles Treaty caused problems & bitterness in many nations, especially Germany The Treaty of Versailles was said to be a “peace built on quicksand” The treaty did not address the M.A.I.N. causes of WWIThe League of Nations did not include the USA & its leaders would do anything to avoid another war High unemployment & desire for revenge would lead to aggressive dictators in the 1920s & 1930s Britain and World War IWhy did Britain have the world’s largest navy?Due to its location and trading empire, they needed to protect their powerWhy did Britain and Germany get into an arms race and why did Britain win?The German expansion was an existential threat that Germany lost as Britain only focused on their navy instead of the army as wellWhat type of person served on the Guards Regiments?Elite soldiers whose job was war. They ruled the palace. These people were a cross section of the entire societyHow did Belgium pull Britain into the war?They were tied together through the treaty of London. The Germans could not access Belgian ports. When Germany attacked France through Belgium. Britain war outraged and went into warWhy is the poppy a symbol of the war?It was placed on the graves of dead soldiers as it could grow at that time Southeast Asia and World War IWhat was Southeast Asia like in 1914?Complicated place. Much Colonized by European powers. Concerned about middle east and Ottoman EmpireWhy were people living in Southeast Asia interested in what was happening in the Middle East?More and more people made the Haj, were very wealthy, and Chinese were interested Why was the Russo-Japanese War important?Set shockwaves around the world, impacted those who opposed colonialism, and broke stereotypesWhy was Singapore a strategic city?Diverse population, well situated for trade.Why was the German submarine crew able to convince the Indian soldiers to revolt against the British?Because the Germans were talking to the Sepoys by guaranteeing a boat and safety/escape The Middle East and World War IWhat was the Middle East like in 1914?Diverse place, multiconfesional, multiethnic, in a position of weakness due to BritishAccording to Dr. Genell, what was the purpose of the Ottoman Declaration of Jihad?Called among Muslims to rise up against colonial overlords, created to put terror in British HeartsWho was Sharif Hussein, and how did the British convince him to join the war?He was the king of Arabs and the British promised him land/ an independent kingdomWhy did Sharif Hussein not get what he wanted after the war?British signed a treaty with Ibn Saud for modern Saudi Arabia, and Saud turned on Hussein due to British What were mandates? An authorization granted by the League of Nations to a member nation to govern a former German or Turkish colony. These territories were called mandatesWhat identities became important after the war? Why?Regional Nationalism, Pan Arabism, and Pan Islamism. These became important because they help in holding/ organizing political powers Shifting Power After 1900 in Russia attempts at modernization and reform in Russia were met with conservative reactions and an unwillingness of leaders to accept less powerRussian leaders resisted calls to westernize and industrializeCzar Nicholas I saw opportunity to defeat Ottomans and secure access to the Mediterranean through the Turkish Straitsin the Crimean War, France and Britain opposed Russian expansion and helped Ottomans defeat RussiaRussia’s humiliating defeat forced Czar Alexander II to launch an ambitious program called the Great ReformsAlexander II issued an Emancipation Edict freeing the serfs but not giving them landAlexander introduced a system of local and regional self-government through elected assemblies called zemstvosthe zemstvos provided opportunity for public discussion but didn’t lead to creation of a national assembly or limit the czar’s powerthe assassination of Alexander II ended Russia’s brief period of reformCzars Alexander III (r. 1881-1894) and Nicholas II (r. 1894-1917) were committed to traditional autocratic ruleRussia attempted to industrialize by building railroads (Trans-Siberian Railroad) and expanding coal and steel productionthe unwillingness of 19th century czars to enact genuine political reform set Russia up for revolutionary changes in early 20th centuryRussia’s lack of authentic political reform led to emergence of various political movementsthe Constitutional Democrats (or Kadets) wanted a constitutional monarchythe Social Democrats (working for economic and political revolution) split into two groups (the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks)the Mensheviks favored gradual socialist reformthe Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin favored a communist revolution led by a small elite of professional revolutionariesRussian losses in the Russo-Japanese War exposed the weaknesses of government and led to increased unrest Cossacks opened fire on a peaceful crowd outside the czar’s Winter Palace in St. Petersburg”Bloody Sunday” led to the Revolution of 1905 with waves of strikes and demands for change across RussiaCzar Nicholas II reluctantly approved the October Manifesto including the election of the DumaNicholas refused to work with the Duma and largely ignored the new constitution Russian armies suffered from a lack of supplies and equipment in World War IRussia’s political system (weak Duma and powerful, but inept czar) was not conducive to total war mobilization(1915) czar took command of armies at the front leaving his wife (Alexandra) and her advisor Rasputin in control of governmentfood shortages in Petrograd (St. Petersburg) led to massive demonstrations and strikes against czarNicholas ordered troops to restore order(March 1917) Nicholas II abdicated (ending 3 centuries of Romanov rule)the Duma formed a provisional (temporary) government led by Alexander Kerensky (first democracy in Russian history)the Provisional Government shared power with the Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ DeputiesKerensky authorized a new offensive on Eastern FrontArmy Order No. 1 put groups of soldiers in charge of army (officers were dismissed) but Russian offensive failed miserablyVladimir Lenin (leader of revolutionary Bolsheviks) saw World War I as opportunity for communists to seize power in RussiaLenin (unlike Karl Marx) believed a communist revolution was possible even in a backwards nation like RussiaLenin believed Russia’s small working class would embrace communism if a disciplined group of intellects led the revolution(April 1917) Germans smuggled Lenin out of exile in Switzerland back to Russia (Lenin promised to surrender if he came to power)Lenin’s slogan of “Peace, Land and Bread” captured popular imagination and Bolsheviks won some support in PetrogradLeon Trotsky organized forces preparing to seize power in the name of the Soviet24. (Nov. 1917) Trotsky seized power from the Provisional Government (seized abandoned government buildings)(March 1918) the Bolsheviks agreed to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (Russia lost ¼ of European territory and a third of population)Russia later repudiated the treaty and the Allies declared it null and void after the war the Bolsheviks immediately legalized peasant seizures of land(Jan. 1918) Lenin promised free elections but when communists lost across Russia Lenin and the Bolsheviks decided to seize power(Summer 1918) the Bolshevik destruction of democracy led to civil war as several “White” armies sought to overthrow LeninTrotsky formed a highly disciplined Red Army and won the civil war in 1920the Reds won civil war for many reasons including controlling the strategic center of the countrythe Bolsheviks’ “White” opponents were divided and lacked a single, clear political program (return of czar?, democracy?)the Reds mobilized the home front (used forced labor, grain rationing) and used terror to maintain discipline and subdue oppositionAllied military intervention against the Reds led to Russian resentment against Whites and their foreign supportersNicholas II and his family were murdered by the Reds in order to prevent their return to power(1922) the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was formed (world’s first communist country) WWII Causes of WWIIGermany attempted democracy after World War I but resentment against the Treaty of Versailles and Great Depression derailed it(1921) Germany made its first annual reparation payment to the Allies (Germany’s war-torn economy made payments difficult)(1922) Germany’s Weimar Republic refused to pay (led to Franco-Belgian occupation of the Ruhr Valley)Weimar leaders printed money to help stabilize the economy (led to hyperinflation that further weakened German economy)the Dawes Plan stabilized the economy, cutting reparations and providing private American loans to pay for what remained(after 1923) Germany’s economy and new democracy began to stabilize(early 1930s) the Great Depression devastated German economy (millions began questioning Weimar Republic) the Great Depression and frustrations over Treaty of Versailles and Weimar Republic gave Adolf Hitler a path to powerservice in German army in WWI gave Hitler’s life meaning (blamed Jews and Marxists for Germany’s loss)(1921) Hitler took over small party known as the National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazis) advocating “national socialism”Hitler was a gifted orator who denounced the Weimar Republic and Versailles Treaty (vowed to avenge Germany’s national honor)Hitler considered Germans a master race who needed land in Eastern Europe (lebensraum) Hitler saw Jews as an inferior race responsible for Germany’s problemsHitler argued communists were responsible for creating labor unrest which threatened national unityHitler argued communists were responsible for creating labor unrest which threatened national unityHitler believed democracy was weak and called for an absolute ruler (führer)(1923) Hitler attempted to seize power through a coup d’état (the Beer Hall Putsch failed and Hitler imprisoned)his trial made him a national figure (wrote Mein Kampf in prison outlining his core beliefs)(early 1930s) the Great Depression allowed Nazi party to gain widespread support (Hitler offered government programs to end crisis)(Jan. 1933) conservative and nationalist Germans supported Paul von Hindenburg’s appointment of Hitler as chancellor(Feb. 1933) fire damaged Reichstag building (Hitler blamed communists and the Enabling Act gave him temporary dictatorial powers)Nazis took over the German government, professional organizations, newspapers, and universitiesspecial secret police called the Gestapo arrested those opposing Nazi ruleNazis persecuted Jews (removing them from state jobs, destroying property, and denying them German citizenship)military and public works spending improved German economy by mid-1930s (increasing Hitler’s popularity)(1933) Hitler proclaimed his peaceful intentions but withdrew from the League of Nations(1935) Hitler openly began a program of rearmament (re-militarization) to facilitate Germany’s imperial ambitions.(1936) German troops entered the demilitarized Rhineland (Britain refused to support French action against them)(1935) Italy invaded Ethiopia (Hitler offered support and an alliance between Italy and Germany was created)Italy’s invasion tested League of Nations’ system of collective security (League members did nothing hoping to appease Mussolini)(late 1930s) the Allies failed to confront Germany and Italy (instead they followed a policy of appeasement)many British conservatives saw Hitler as a positive force against communismthe US, Britain, and France focused on domestic issues during Great Depression (appeased and ignored threats)the horrific losses of WWI created a deep desire for peace (through appeasement)the democracies repeatedly under-estimated Hitler’s thirst for power and conquest(1936) in the Spanish Civil War Francesco Franco (a fascist) rebelled against the Spanish government (a democracy)Hitler and Mussolini sent men and materials to help Franco (a squadron of German planes bombed village of Guernica in Spain)(1939) the Republic collapsed and Franco established a fascist regime (stayed in power until 1975)(1938) Hitler annexed Austria into Germany (Anschluss) (1938) Hitler focused on acquiring the Sudetenland (part of Czechoslovakia with 3 million German-speaking people)(1938) Britain’s Neville Chamberlain, Mussolini, Hitler and France’s Édouard Daladier held emergency conference in Munichthe goal was to negotiate Hitler’s demands that Czechoslovakia give up the SudetenlandChamberlain believed he could preserve the peace by appeasing Hitler and giving in to his demandsthe Munich Conference marked a turning point in European history (Hitler more confident than ever before)(1939) after annexing the Sudetenland Hitler took all of Czechoslovakia and then demanded territory from Poland Britain and France promised to fight should he invade P
