CAUSES, EFFECTS AND PRACTICES

Question 1

Outcomes of the Franco-Prussian War?

Answer 1

• France forced to surrender its 80,000 men
• Lost Alsace-Lorraine
• Had to pay an idemnity of 5 billion marks and suffered Prussian occupation until this had been paid
• Steel production declined by 25%
• Textile industry unemployment fell by 40%
• Lost 20% of its industrial output due to Alsace Lorraine

Question 2

What did France want to do after Alscae-Lorraine?

Answer 2

Poet Victor Hugo 1871 - “From tommorow, France will have only one thought:. gather it energy…regain Lorraine, recapture Alsace”

Question 3

What were Fritz Fischer’s books on the causes of the Great War

Answer 3

Book 1: Germany’s aims in the First World War

• Fischer blamed Germany

Question 4

Why did Fischer blame Germany for the War?

Answer 4

• Found a document called the “September Programme”
• *Written by the German chancellor, Bethman-Hollweg

September 9 1914

• “Our country needs colonies in Africa and Asia, where our people can settle and build new homes.”
• Document proved that Ger had expansionist aims –> War would allow them to fulfill these
• War Council of 1912 - informal conference of the highest army commanders in Deutschland at the Stadtschloss in Berlin

Moltke commented “in my opinion, war is inevitable and the sooner the better”

Question 5

Criticisms of Fischer’s arguments blaming Germany for WW1?

Answer 5

• Fischer focuses too much on Germany
• Fischer holds the domestic crisis in Germany as central to why war was triggered in 1914. However, Bethman Hollweg dismissed war as a solution to the rise of socialism

Socialism: 1912 –> 34% of the seats in the Reichstag

Question 6

The July Crisis?

Answer 6

28 June 1914 –> Assasination of Franz Ferdinand

• Assasin Gavrilo Princip
• Working with a group called the Serbian Black Hand movement

Question 7

How did the July Crisis cause WW1?

Answer 7

The prince was symbolic of the Austro-Hungarian regime.

• Served as a chance for Austria to crush Serbia
• 5th July 1914 –> Kaiser issued Austria a ‘blank cheque’
• ‘Blank cheque’ was the German guarantee of unconditional support
• Crisis took a whole month to manifest itself
• Ultimatum was issued to Serbia but was so severe that Serbia would never agree to them

Question 8

John Keegan on the causes of WW1?

Answer 8

• July Crisis
• Not inevitable
• This is because every country was interdependent
• Lack of communication during July crisis
• Kaiser had 50 people advising him –> “The Kaiser… in the crisis of 1914… found that he did not understand the machinery he was supposed to control, panicked and let a piece of paper determine his events”
• Austrias unwillingness to act alone and its alliance with Germany escalated it.

-

Ger + GB - value of British imports from Germany exceeding £112 mil 1913

Question 9

Ideology as a cause of WW1?

Answer 9

Ideology caused WW1

Example: The pre-eminence of nationalism, which can be seen in the Balkans

The collapse of the Ottoman Empire that began in 1908 + increasing threats to the A-H

–> Increase in Nationalism

Question 10

How did the Balkan Wars lead to WW1 (Ideology)?

Answer 10

1st and 2nd Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913 –> Serbia wanted to become Independent

This led to the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in 1914

It was the expression of Pan-Slavism that allowed this to happen

Question 11

How did Ideology cause WW2?

Answer 11

Hitler’s Nazm was an ideology that prioritised war as a key element, as best evidenced by the foreign policy pursued by the German state through the 1930s in Austria and eventually Poland.

Hitler’s Nazm was based as it was on the expressed desire for Lebernsraum in the East, was a belief system that met its ideological match in both liberal democracy and communism

The ideological underpinning of each war, however, was closely linked to the need for imperial expansion

Question 12

Failures of the Schlieffen Plan

Answer 12

German Unification wars –> quick

WW1: quite the opposite

His plan required German armies to sweep through into northern France via Belgium

German troops would then be free to move to the Eastern front to confront the Russian army

Question 13

Key reasons for the failure of the Schlieffen Plan:

Answer 13

• Belgian resistance unexpectedly strong and it took two weeks to capture Brussels.
• Germany had planned to invade France within 42 days but it took them 18 days.
• Attack on Belgium brought Britain into war –> 1839 Treaty of London
• Russians deployed far quicker than had expected

Question 14

What happened in 1915

Answer 14

Stalemate

Both sides tried to do something about it

• Brits tried at Neuve Chapelle and Loos
• French losts thousands of men in an unsuccesful offensive in Champagne
• German driven back at Ypres in April

Question 15

What happened in 1916?

Answer 15

Two key battles:

Verdun and Somme

Question 16

Battle of Verdun

Answer 16

Feb 1916 - German launched a massive attack

Question 17

Sentence opener to the essay:

Did Women see benefits from the effects of WW1 and WW2?

Answer 17

Both wars saw an increase in benefits, however, WW1 had greater benefits to the economic status of women.

Question 18

Evidence: women economically gain from the effects of WW1?

Answer 18

William Kelly: “new roles for women”

Germany - percentage of women in white collar jobs rose by 6% from 1913 to 1925

Britiain - Number of women in administrative positions doubled from 1911 - 1921

Question 19

Evidence: women economically gain from the effects of WW2?

Answer 19

Susan Pharr: “female participation grew” - before WW2 only 25% worked at home but by 1946 it was 60%

In Britain, the number of women in industrial jobs increased from 1.5 million in 1939 to 5 million by 1945.

Women who entered the workforce during the war typically earned higher wages than they would have in traditionally female-dominated occupations. For example, the average weekly wage for women working in manufacturing in the U.S. was $31.21 in 1944,

Question 20

Counter arguments to the claim that women benefitted economically from WW1?

Answer 20

In WW1, as Sally notes: before WWII wage gap was 50%, by 1970 it was 30%

This shows that WW1 did not have a long term effect.

Hastings argues that it was detrimental to women as they were forced to work lower skilled jobs, which reinforced traditional gender roles

Question 21

Opening statement as to how women benefitted from the wars by gaining politically from WW1 and WW2?

Answer 21

Both WW1 and WW2 beneffited women politically though it was more in WW1 than in WW2, because there were no lasting effects in Japan

Question 22

Evidence to the claim that women gained politically in WW1?

Answer 22

AJP Taylor “voice their opinion”

• Gained suffrage in the US 1920s with the passing of the 19th Ammendment of the constiution
• Full suffrage in 1920 following partial suffrage in 1918 (Great Britain)
• 1920s - 22% of political workers were female

Question 23

Evidence to the claim that women gained politically from WW2?

Answer 23

Susan Pharr: “elevated status of women”

• In 1945, the number of female workers was higher than male workers in some areas
• In 1946, record number of female legislators voted in

–> However, this number was not surpassed until 1989 thus supporting the daughter of Yoshida (PM daughters) view that change was “radically undigested”

Question 24

Criticism and Counter arguments as to how women did not benefit from WW1 politically?

Answer 24

In WW1, suffrage was granted in 1918

James Joll suggests WW1 hinderd suffrage as the government focused on the war efffort

Perspective reamins unconvincing as the contribution of women forced traditional gender roles to be challenged

Question 25

Opening statement as to how women socially benefitted from WW1 and WW2?

Answer 25

Both WW1 and WW2 brought social change for women

WW1 was beneficial as it liberated women

Question 26

Evidence to suggest that women gained socially from WW1?

Answer 26

Richard Evans “appreciation for women”

• First mothers day in May 1920
• 1920 UK - women granted allowances:
• Auxillary services of law (1916) –> and Sheppard Tower Maternity and Infant protection act (USA 1921) improved healthcare for women

Question 27

Evidence to suggest that women gained socially from WW2?

Answer 27

Sally Hastings: “Great Leap forward for girls education”

introduction of compulsory education for girls (22.7% in 1913 to 33.5%)

–> However, girls had limited opportunity in higher education

Question 28

Counter arguments to the idea that WW1 was socially beneficial for women?

Answer 28

WW1 Hastings: countries “sought to glamorise” contributions of owmen during the war suggesting the advancedments made were exaggerated

However, disregards social liberation of women as seen by “flappers” movement which challenged traditional expectations

Question 29

Counter arguments to the idea that WW2 was socially beneficial for women?

Answer 29

Revisionist historians: treatment of women during the pacific

• Comfort girls and women (200K) exploited by Japanese army thus conveyng regressive change in social status

Question 30

How did naval tech help the outcome of the 1st and 2nd World War?

Answer 30

In WW1 and WW2 naval tech played a crucial role

Both Britain and Germany were in possession of a substantial number of submarines

British response to German production of Naval boats (that they were producing rapidly) helped British win

• Introduction of the Q ship
• Deployment of depth charges

This allowed them to counter the clear German threat provided by U boat warfare