Chapter 5 History - Part I Flashcards
1
Q
- Takeover by the USSR
A
- 1917 - Communists took control of Russia, Joseph Stalin leader of Communist Party in 1924 of what was now USSR, gaining total control by 1928 and began implementing “5 year-plans” to industrialize and give govt complete control of economy.
- Stalin’s plan first seized privately owned land before building coal/steel mills, roads and railways, focusing on building industry/military and ignoring population.
2
Q
- Conditions in the USSR
A
- Govt controlled media and imposed censorship and travel restrictions. Secret police arrested deemed threats and govt controlled courts.
- Great Purge of 1930’s → Stalin eliminated perceived opponents of communist govt.
- Millions convicted of crimes against the state and hundreds of thousands executed, more dying of exhaustion in Gulags (labor camps in Siberia)
3
Q
- Beginning of Italian Fascism
A
- After WW1 Italy suffered chaotic economic and political conditions. Benito Mussolini established “Fascist Party’’ emphasizing nationalism, promising to revitalize Italian Pride and challenged Italian democracy.
- Mussolini found support in govt and middle class, before creating Blackshirts, gangs of fascists that attacked communists and socialists in streets.
- Favorite tactic was forcing castor oil (laxative) down victim’s throat.
4
Q
- Italian Fascism Wins Power
A
- Increasing militaristic National Fascist Party won 35 seats in 1921. Mussolini used totalitarianism of USSR as blueprint of own plans for Italian rule.
- 1922 → Mussolini lead March on Rome, gathering 26,000 Blackshirts and demanded government be given to him, before going under name “Il Duce” (the leader) and controlling all communications, industry, agriculture and labour.
5
Q
- Foundations of Nazism
A
- Kaiser of Germany renounced throne and Weimar Republic, democratic govt, set up, but Germans distrusted govt after signature of Treaty of Versailles.
- In 1920, Adolf Hitler joined National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazis), becoming leader of party by 1921.
- Nazis and Hitler gathered support through 1920’s by criticizing Weimar Republic and TofV and claiming they would revive Germany from Depression.
6
Q
- Growth of the Nazis
A
- In 1932, Nazis became largest party in “Reichstag” (German Parliament) and Hitler became chancellor by 1933.
- Hitler (called “Führer” or the leader) banned all other parties and used Gestapo (secret police) to enforce law.
- German govt defied TofV by stopping reparation payments and rebuilding German military, and subsidized agriculture and public projects, dropping unemployment and improving economy.
7
Q
- The “Undesirables” in Germany
A
- Nazi party believed Germans were “master race” of Aryans “pure” race of north Europe. Non-Aryans (including Jews), Roma “Gypsies” and Slavs were inferior.
- Mentally/physically disabled destroyed image of master race. Communists and homosexuals undesirables.
- Nazis banned undesirables from teaching/attending school/university, holding govt office or writing books, and set concentration camps to isolate undesirables from German society by 1933.
8
Q
- Persecution Against Jews
A
- Regime passed Nuremberg laws forcing Jews to wear Star of David at all times, banned marriages between Jews and Aryans and banned Jews as doctors or lawyers.
- Nazis encouraged violence against Jews, like “Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass/Crystal Night since glass left from broken windows on street)”.
9
Q
- Anti-Semitic Violence Continues
A
- Nazi mobs attacked Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues across Germany, leading many Jews to be beaten, terrorized and imprisoned w/out cause.
- More laws banned Jewish businesses and restricted their travel, before Hitler and Heinrich Himmler (head of Hitler’s elite police) instituted “Final Solution”.
10
Q
- Spanish Fascists and Civil War
A
- Spain’s democratic govt unable to prevent widespread poverty. Led by General Franciso Franco, fascist rebels (Nationalists) tried to overthrow socialist govt in 1936, resulting in 3 year civil war.
- Democratic govts not involved, but socialists from several countries went to Spain, including +1,200 Canadian volunteers (Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion/Mac Paps).
11
Q
- Fighters in the War and Spain
A
- “Mac Paps” ignored govt when it prohibited Canadians from fighting, one volunteer being Dr. Norman Bethune, Canadian surgeon and activist.
- Franco w/ military support from Hitler and Mussolini won war and became ruler of Spain. Franco ruled by intimidation and violence.
- Thousands of people imprisoned or executed, many others forced to build infastructure.
12
Q
- Beginning of the Japanese Imperialists
A
- Country’s parliament (Diet) had little power as much of it rested w/ emperor, military and Zaibatsu (large family-run corporations).
- In wake of political problems from Depression, took many aspects of European Fascism, such as Gestapo-like Kempeitai police force, which arrested, tortured or killed percieved enemies of state.
13
Q
- Japanese Seizure of Resources
A
- Japanese empire strengthened by conquering other countries and seizing resources.
- During attack on Chinese city Nanjing, Japanese soldiers killed 300,000 and looted extensively.
14
Q
- Uniting the Master Race
A
- Part of Hitler’s plan uniting master race of Germanic peoples and taking territory belonging to Germany, putting plan in action years before WW2.
- 1936 - Hitler orders troops into Rhineland along Germany’s western border placed for French under TofV.
- 1938 - Germany took Austria, breach of TofV yet Britain and France still didn’t act, preferring concessions.
- Hitler seeked Sudetenland, territory populated by Germans given to Czechoslovakia at Paris PC.
15
Q
- Appeasement before the War
A
- British and French leaders met w/ Hitler in Munich when he threatened invasion.
- In exchange for Sudetenland, Hitler promised not to invade rest of Czechoslovakia, to which British PM Neville Chamberlain announced Munich Agreement and appeasement secured “peace for our time”.
- 6 months later in March 1939, Germany invaded entire Czechoslovakia.
