History Final Essay

At the end of World War one the Allies (France, U.S, and Great Britain among others) decided that Germany was the Primary aggressor in this war and made it pay sharp reparations. Among these were the removal of Germanys U-boat Fleet, the surrender by the German armies of 5,000 guns, 25,000 machine guns, 3,000 minenwerfer and1,700 airplanes and many more. In my opinion Germany’s aggression was somewhat responsible for the war. First of all since the early twentieth century Germany’s militarism exploded. They were trying to match Great Britain in its Navy’s size commissioning U-boats (submarines).If you tell me Germany was looking for a fight directly challenging Great Britain.

In addition, after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Germany as an ally of Austria/Hungary pushed Austria to take action. The German Kaiser Wilhelm II response to a telegram sent by Baron Tschirschky   “It is for Austria alone to decide what she considers it necessary to do.  If things go wrong later, they will say: Germany opposed!  Let Tschirschky do me the favour to drop such foolishness.  The Serbs must be settled with as soon as possible.  That is self-evident.  It is something that requires no argument”(http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/julycrisis_kaiserscomments.htm)

This shows that Germany’s impatience to have Austria/Hungary respond to the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, and Germanys support of Austria/ Hungary.            

Also in Germany’s declaration of War with Russia Germany says “Russia, without waiting for any result, proceeded to a general mobilization of her forces both on land and sea( http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/germandeclarationofwar_russia.htm)

. Just because of the mobilization of Russia’s troops doesn’t mean that Russia wants to attack Germany. Also “On July 27th the Russian Secretary of War, M. Suchomlinof, gave the German military attaché his word of honour that no order to mobilize had been issued, merely preparations were being made, but not a horse mustered, nor reserves called in”. (http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/officialgermanstatement.htm)In my opinion Germany knew about Serbia’s alliance with Russia and needed to act fast and declare War on Russia before they came down with their vast army. Russia was only mobilizing because Austria/Hungary was mobilizing its troops. Then Gemany suddenly declared War on France saying that “The German administrative and military authorities have established a certain number of flagrantly hostile acts committed on German territory by French military aviators”(http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/germandeclarationofwar_france.htm). How are we sure that French aviators really did commit hostile acts against Germany.

Also Germany without any good reason violated Belgium’s neutrality and invaded Belgium to use her as a bridge to attack France. Germany sent a telegram saying “Reliable information has been received by the German Government to the effect that French forces intend to march on the line of the Meuse by Givet and Namur.  This information leaves no doubt as to the intention of France to march through Belgian territory against Germany”(http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/belgium_germanrequest.htm). For this reason Germany invaded Belgium, but no evidence of a French attack was ever reported by France. German aggression was directed towards France even before France new Germany declared war against it.  As a result of this invasion Great Britain declared War on Germany on August 4^th 1914. It seems to me Germany was largely responsible for spreading the war to many countries in Europe (France, Belgium, Great Britain and Russia and Japan.). Japan also entered the war because of Germany. They sent Germany two ultimatums where they said “To deliver on a date not later than September 15th, to the Imperial Japanese authorities, without condition or compensation, the entire leased territory of Kiao-chau, with a view to the eventual restoration of the same to China”( http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/tsingtau_kato.htm). Japan was interested in having peace in the Far East and also because of her alliance with Great Britain she declared war on Germany who having a base in the Far East threatened the peace and the interests of Japan.

About the same time Germany launched the First land battle of the war the Battle of Liege. This was the first step in the Schlieffen Plan. The largely outnumbered Belgian army was annihilated by the German offensive trying to seize Liege. General Leman was there when the Germans attacked, he experienced firsthand the German aggression against Neutral Belgium. In a letter to King Albert I of Belgium he states “Your Majesty is not ignorant that I was at Fort Loncin on August 6th at noon, you will learn with grief that the fort was blown up yesterday at 5.20 p.m., the greater part of the garrison being buried under the ruins” (http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/lemanletter.htm). Thus Germany began its attack to France thought Belgium.

Germany also was the first country to use poison gas on a large scale. Although the French initially developed the use tear gas the Germans brought it to a whole new level. Anthony Hossack was there when the Germans launched their first Gas Attack. He says “the sun was beginning to sink, this peaceful atmosphere was shattered by the noise of heavy shell-fire coming from the north-west, which increased every minute in volume, while a mile away on our right a 42-cm shell burst in the heart of the stricken city of Ypres, Plainly something terrible was happening.  What was it?  Officers, and Staff officers too, stood gazing at the scene, awestruck and dumbfounded; for in the northerly breeze there came a pungent nauseating smell that tickled the throat and made our eyes smart” the effects were “frothing at the mouth, eyes started from their sockets and then sudden death. (http://www.firstworldwar.com/diaries/firstgasattack.htm).The Gas used by the German was Chlorine Gas which is very deadly and shows  the horrible actions Germany  did and their responsibility for the war.      

In addition Germany in January 1917 issued a policy that stated to all Neutral ships to stay away from the waters surrounding Britain and Ireland because of unlimited U- Boat activity in that Area. The U.S government warned Germany by saying

“The Government of the United State views those possibilities with such grave concern that it feels it to be its privilege, and, indeed, its duty, in the circumstances, to request the Imperial German Government to consider, before action is taken, the critical situation in respect of the relation between this country and Germany – which might arise were the German naval force, in carrying out the policy foreshadowed in the Admiralty’s proclamation, to destroy any merchant vessel of the United States or cause the death of American citizens”{ http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/wilsonwarningfeb1915.htm)

Ignoring this warning the German Navy sunk the steamer Falaba where one American life was lost, the Gulfight where two American lives where lost and finally the steamship Lusitania. These repeated attacks from Germany were a factor in getting the U.S in the war. For these reasons Germany was largely responsible for the war. German aggression toward other countries spread the war to all the countries that it engulfed. It even up the ante by using Poison gas, a weapon “Considered uncivilized prior to World War One”(http://www.firstworldwar.com/weaponry/gas.htm). Practically the whole world declared war on Germany because of their unbelievable aggression against all the Allies.

 

 

 

Pg.710 #1,2,4

#1. Propaganda- is information used both true and false to get people to back their country’s war effort.This is significant because Propaganda was used to talk bad about the enemy by exaggerating or even making up horrible stories about them to get people to participate in the war effort, It was also used to try to get Allies.

War of Attrition- Is a slow wearing down process in which each side is trying to outlast the other.This is significant because this was the way the Western Front was, both the French and the Germans were stuck in the trenches with heavy losses on both sides until the Americans arrive and declare wr on Germany on 1917.

Contraband-is war materials supplied by a neutral nation to a belligerent one.This is significant because thanks to the unrestricted submarine warfare by the Germans, many American ships carrying contraband were attacked and many American lives were lost.

Atrocotoes- Brutal acts against defenseless civilians. This is significant because such stories were old to the Americans to try to get them to fight the Germans.

#2.

Central Powers- Consisted of 4 countries Germany, Austria-Hungary,Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire.These were the countries that eventually lost the war.They had the experienced and well trained German Army.

Allied Powers- Consisted of 3 major counreies Great Britain, Russia, France and their Allies.They had more men and a greater industrial capacity than the Central Powers.The Allied Powers had one advantage the British Navy (the biggest and strongest Navy at the time). Eventually 32 countries made up the Allies.

U-Boats- Were German Submarines short for “Underseebooten” or under wate boat.Germany was the first nation to effectively use submarines in naval warfare.Thy were used to blockade Great Britain

Woodrow Wilson-The U.S President during the time.He decided that that America should not get in the war, saying that the war was a European War.

Arthur Zimmemann- Was a high ofocial in the German Foreign ministry. He sent a telegram to the German embassador in Mexico proposing an Alliance between Germany and Mexico saying that Germany ould help Mexico regain Arizona and Texas if they fought on Germany’ side.The English intercepted the message and gave it to the Americans which enraged them.

#4

A. The new Technology changed the way the war was fought because new inventions like the machine gun and long range artillery ,poison gas and tanks made casualties very high. One machine gun was as valuable as 13 riflemen, because of this WWI was a trench war.Also airplanes brought a new form of warfare arial warfare, for the first time arial battles called dogfights were fought.Tanks were big metal vehicles able withstand gunfire and ran on a track so could go over rugged terrain.

B. The principles proclaimed by the United States t Declare war were that German U-boats kept destroying their ships carrying contraband to the Allies, Arthur  Zimmemann’s Telegram which proposed a an Alliance between Germany and Mexico and finally the fact that all the Central Powers were not Democratic.President Wilson said “the world must be made safe for Democracy and on April 6 1917 the U.S declared war on Germany.

French Factory Worker

If I was a French Factory worker in the year 1910 I would not be in favor of a war with Germany becasue its the working class men like me that will be drafted in the military to fight against the Germans and thanks to the industrial Revolution new inventions like the Maxim Gun and the improved cannons Millions of people will be killed and I would not like to be one of those caught in the blood shed between two Countries. Remember the French Revolution during Napoleons time he used the Draft to build his Grand Armee. Young men from all of France were sent to the front line against Eurpean powers like Austria, Prussa, and Russia. Even if you are not drafted a war would cause more work for the factory workers since war materials would be in great demand.

Pg.769#3,#4

#3 A. Some the factors that led to the fall of the Qing dynasty were the Diffrent Imperial powers in China, the Boxer Rebellion,and the rise of Chinese Nationalism that resulted from the rebellion which caused the Kuomintang or (Chinese Nationalist Party) by Sun Yixian.

B. Under the Leadership of Chiang Kai-Shek the Nationalist movement gtrew and becasme stronger because under him The Nationalist Army grew and he fought a Military Campaign against the Warlords called the Northern Expedition. He also attacked the part’s left wing by attacking the communist Stronghold in Shanghai.

C.The Factors that led to the rise of Communism in China were that the Nanjing government under Chiang did little to to eliminate the suffering and discontent of Chinese peasents.Also the Russian Revolution and the Ideas of Marx and Lenin helped spread Communism.INaddition  Mao Zedong’s ideas contributed to the rise of Communism in China.

#4 . Being a member of the Chinese Communist Party we are fighting for our own society.I myself as a member of the party hope to free our country from foreign domination and economic backwardness. To increase Communism’s popularity, our leaders would form invulnerable organizations and labor unity ceremonies in the cities.Then, we started the Long March which showed our endurance and hardships and helped to gain our respect.

 

Pg.416#4, Pg.421#2

#4The changes that the growth of cities brought to China were that China became more into trade despite Government Disapproval.Also the growth of cities started the planting of more crops and also there was a lot of peace in China during this time because the people werent fighting.

B.The attitudes that Chinese rulers might have had during the Ming and Quing dynasties regarding foreigners were probably that of unimportant. They rejected western culture and foreigners.

#2Opium War= A war fought by the British and the Chinese because Britain refused to stop the Opium Trade.The war lasted from 1839 to1842.This resulted in a British voctory that gave Britain Hong Kong.

Treaty of Nanjing=Treaty that ended the Opium Wars in 1842. It gave the island of Hong Kong to Britain and it opened five ports to Britain and gave people living there extraterritoriality.

Taiping Rebellion=It lasted from 1850 to 1864. It caused terrible destruction in Southern China.These rebellions seriously weakened the Quing Dynasty and the nation as a whole, and let westerners to come in because of the problems going on.

Pg.681#1,3

#1Meiji Restoration = Is when a group of samurai in the 1868’s overthrew the Tokugawa shogunate in Japan, and put the emperor back to power.This was important because ths changed the social System to make it more western like so that the same thing that happened to India would not happen to Japan.

Diet= Was a two-house national assembly in Japan. One house of the Diet was made up of people who were elected.

Sino-Japanese War= A war between China and Japan in Korea. This was important because Japan won and against a bigger army.Proved their industrializd nation was better than China.

Treaty of Shimonoseki = This ended the Sino-Japanese War and gave Korea its independance.It gave Japan the island of Taiwan,and an area along the coast of Manchuria.Also gave Japan the right to trade with China. This was important because it established Japan as a world power.

Mongkut= The King of Siam who ascended to power in 1851. He was able to play British interests against French interests and was able to maintain Siam free from western rule.

Liliuokalani= A Hawaiian Queen during the late 1800’s. She was the first woman to control the Hawaiian Islands.She did not want the Westeners to rule Hawaii but failed when the U.S took over Hawaii.

Emilio Aguinaldo= Led the Filipinos in a fight for Independance against the U.S. In the end the United States won and gave the U.S. a chain of Islands in the Pacific.

3.  a. The British Rule affected India because the British built roads, bridges, and railroads.They established Western style schools where Insians learned Ideas like democracy and socialism.They also affected India because tey established  like a high class for the Europeans and the low class for the Indians.

B. The Japanese were able to reform and industrialize so quickly because of the Meiji Restoration and the changing of their government to make it more western like.Also they bought new factory machinery from western countries and sent their students to the United States to study Wstern Ideas.

C.The U.S expansion in Hawaii was diffrent from their expansion in the Philippines because in Hawaii they used buisness leaders to establish treaties in Hawaii and were soon able to control the Government, while in the Phillipenes hey U.S simply went to war with Spain the country ruling the  Phillipenes and won gaining control over the Phillipenes.  

 

Pg. 558 #1 and Pg.563#1,2

Pg.558 #1

Capitalism- is an economic system where individuals or corporations rather than governments control the factors of production.This is important because this changed the way buisness was done. 

Commecial Capitalism- Where Merchants bought and sold goods. This is significant because this system was not very effective and productive.

Industrial Capitalism-When capitalists got involved in the producing and manufacturing of goods.This greatly inproved productivety in factories and such.

Interchangeable parts- Identical partsfor the same thing that could be quickly fixed. This greatly increased the speed of inexpensive products.

Mass Production- The system of producing large numbers of identical items. Division of labor te assembly line and interchangeable parts are needed for mass production.Lowered he cost of Production and as a result lowered the prices for the consumer.

CorporationS -Buisnesses that allow people to buy stocks n their company. his is significant because it made it easier to raise the money to expand the buisness. Also allowed stock holders to share in its profits.

Monopoly- When a corporation gained almost complete control of the production or sale of a single good or service. This is significant because this reduced the amount of individual corporations.

Cartel- Corporate combinations that control whole industrys. This was significat because it gave more money to the investors and enlarged corporations.

Buisness cycle- A pattern that brings alternate periods of prosprity and decline. This important because the economy would always bounce back and rise from the decline.

Depression- A period where the decreased demand for goods can cause th ecom\nomy to sink. In the end it was all good.

Pg. 563#1,2

1. Free Enerprise- A system where economic forces work automatically and naturally.This was significant because the result of this was that the owners would make profits, the laborors would have jobs and the consumers would save money.

laissez-faire- means “leave it alone”.It says that he government should meddle in operations of buisness.

Humanitarians- People who work to improve the conditions of others. These people are significant because they wanted reforms against the living conditions of th factory workers.

utilitarianism- Th belief that a law was usefulif it led to the greatest hppines of the greatest number of people. It was put forth by Jeremy Bentham. This was significant because these people wanted to educate people so they could decide what things were good for them.

strike- When a larghe group of workers stop working and protest. This was importnt because the workers fought bak against the man and demanded better conditions.

Union- Organized protests that collected dues from workers and pay them went they went on strike. This was significant because they where a step toward the workers rights.

Colletive bargaining- When Managment and Union representatves agreed upon wages and working conditions and wrote contracts. This was important to settle disagreements between workers and the factories.

2. Adam Smith- Was a scottish economist who wrote a book called the wealth of Nations in 1776. He stated that two laws the first supply and demand and the second Free enterprise.He is considered the founder of classic economics.

Thomas Malthus- An Anglican Clergyman that became professor of economics. Malthus said that human Misery and Poverty are inevitable. He also said that Humans reproduce faster than the food supply.

David Ricardo- a British Economist that said working-class poverty is invitable.He stated that Supply and Demand determine wages, when labor is plentiful th wags are low. When labor is scarce then wages increase.His idea became known as the Iron Law of Wages.

Charles Dickens- A British writer used his novels to attack greedy employers.

Jeremy Bentham-a British Philosopher who put forth the Idea of utilitarianism. Bentham argued that ”a law was usefulif it led to the greatest hppines of the greatest number of people.”

John Stuart Mill- An English Philosopher who believed that the governmnt shold work for the good of the citizens, he wanted the governmnt to protect the working children and improve factory conditions.H also called for equal rights among men and women regardless of their social class.

 

 

pg.550 #1,2

#1

Enclosure movement- Is the movement where in England they began to enclose or fence off their land.This led to the Industrial revolution.

Crop Rotation-Planting diffrent crops in the field each year.This helped farmers produce more crops using the same amount of land.

Industrial Revolution-Is the era of rapid Industrial development that followed the Agricaultural Revolutio. This led to the any inventions of modern technologies and the increase transportation.

Factors of Production- Factors needed for the Revolution to begin.These are important because without them the Industrial revolution would not have started.

Mechanization- The making ofautomatic machinery used to increase production.This is impotant because without them making things by hand would b a long and slow process.

Factory System- The numbe of hours that a worker put in a day for a certain pay. This is important because without it workers would not work efficiently together.

Vulcanization- A way Charles Goodyear dic\scovered to mke rubber cheaper.This is important because it is the basis of the modern rubber industry.

#2 Jethro Tull – Invented a seed drill and a horse drawn hoe to dig up weees and break up the soil.This minimizes the loss off seeds when you hand- scttering.

Richard Arkwright- invented a way to drive th spinning Jenny by waterpower.He brought workers and waterpower together and opened a spinning mill.

Eli Whitney- invented the cotton gin.This allowed for much faster cotton cleaning than hand laorors.

James Watt- Improved Newcomens tam engine.This is important because he patented the modern steam engine.

Henry Bessemer- Created whats called the Bessemer process a cheaper way to make steel.

Robert Fulton- Was the first to build a profitable steam engine.Thats important because these ships moved goods all over the world quickly and cheaply.

Samuel Morse-Invented a system of dots and dashes called Morse code.He also later invented the telegraph this revolutionized communication making it way faster to send messages.

 

Pr.632-642 #2 and 4

#2

Carbonari- A secret society of Nationalists in Italy.Its important because groups like these spread nationalist Ideas throughout Italy, which resulted in revolts in different Italian states.

Guiseppe Mazzini- was the most famous Carbonari. He is important because he led revolts in many other Italian states to make Italy a republic.

Young Italy Movement-A movement in Italy intent on spreading risorgimento.

King Victor Emmanuel II- King of Sardinia. He wanted to expand his kingdoms territory.

Camillo Benso di Cavour- The chief minister of king Victor Emmanuel.He was a republican who sided with the liberals, who wanted a republic.He fought the Austrians and managed to drive them out of italy.

Napoleon III- Napoleons nephew who came to power after the Bourbon king Louis XVIII.He sided with Italy when they wanted Independence.

Guiseppe Garibaldi- An Italian devoted to Italian freedom who led his army down to Southern Italy and captured Sicily and Naples.

#4

A.The two events that led to new nationalist movements for unification of Italy were the King of Sardinia’s war with Austria and the Young Italy Movement.

B. Important leaders in the fight for Italian Unification were Cavour, Victor Emmanuel II, Guiseppe Garibaldi ,  Guiseppe Mazzini, and Napoleon III.

C. The Kingdom of Sardinia took the lead because King Victor wanted to expand his empire and he supported the liberals.

p.642 #4

4. Prussia replaced Austria as the leading German State because of king William I and Otto von Bismarck’s three wars the Danish wars, the seven weeks war, and the Franco Prussian War.

B. The Italian unification is different from the German because there was only one Italian state but Germany had both Prussia and Austria.The German unification resulted in the German Empire, but the Italians didn’t.

C. The makeup of the German  Government  was  there was one emperor, one chief minister . The Legislative branch consisted of two houses the Bundesrat or upper house and the Reichstag, or the lower house. It consisted of almost 400 members elected by universal manhood suffrage.

Simon Bolivar

In my opinion Simon Bolivars quote “We have achieved our independence at the expense of everything else” means that through all the fighting Simon was able to liberate the northern half of South America from the Spanish and the African Slaves.However, his plan of uniting Northern South America into one big Columbia backfired, Nationalism went to far and the people  broke it up into several different countries. Even after Bolivar had abolished slavery  in a lot of the new countries th the Criollos treated the Africans and Indians badly.So the quote means they became independent but it cost them unity and unjust treatment.