History Australia In The Modern World

Question 1

What is The Treaty of Versailles

Answer 1

The treaty of Versailles is a peace document that was signed by the allies at the end of World War 2

Question 2

When was the Treaty of Versailles Signed

Answer 2

Signed: June 28th 1919
Took Force: January 10th 1920

Question 3

Who are the Big Four in the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 3

US President: Woodrow Wilsom
French Prime Minister: Georges Clemenceau
Italian Prime Minister:Victorio Orlando
United Kingdom:LLoyd George

Question 4

Impacts for Germany

Answer 4

Harsh Terms: Germany had to accept Harsh Terms, in which Germany was not allowed to negotiate.

War Guilt Cause: Germany was humiliated, by taking the blame for Starting the War.

Loss of Territory: Germany ceded significant territories to France, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Lithuania.

Military Restrictions: The German military was severely limited in size and capabilities.

Question 5

What was the Great Depression

Answer 5

The Great Depression was economic downturn that started in 1929 and lasted until 1939.

Question 6

What Impacts Did the Great Depression have on Australia

Answer 6

Soaring Unemployment: Australia unemployment rate skyrocketed, reaching a crippling 32% in 1932. This meant hundreds of thousands of Australians were jobless, leaving families struggling to survive.

Economic Collapse: The Wall Street Crash sent shockwaves through Australia’s economy, heavily reliant on exports like wool and wheat. As global demand plummeted, prices crashed, crippling businesses and national income.

Question 7

What was the Susso?

Answer 7

The Susso, short for “sustenance payments,” was a critical, but minimal, form of government aid during the Great Depression in Australia (1929-1939)

Question 8

What is the Kokoda Campaign

Answer 8

The Kokoda Track campaign (1942) was a brutal battle fought in Papua New Guinea during World War II.

Question 9

Context of the Kokoda trail

Answer 9

Goal of the Japanese: Capture Port Moresby, the capital of Papua, to cut off Allied supply lines and threaten northern Australia.

Australian Response: Defend Port Moresby by stopping the Japanese advance along the Kokoda Track, a treacherous mountain path.

Question 10

What was the aim of the Kokoda trail

Answer 10

Goal of the Japanese: Capture Port Moresby, the capital of Papua, to cut off Allied supply lines and threaten northern Australia.

Australian Response: Defend Port Moresby by stopping the Japanese advance along the Kokoda Track, a treacherous mountain path.

Question 11

Outcome of the Kokoda Trail

Answer 11

Stalemate: The Australians forced the Japanese to retreat, but at a significant cost.
Australian Losses: Over 600 killed, 1600 wounded, and over 4000 sick. Many Papuan porters also died supporting the campaign.

Significance: The Kokoda Campaign is remembered for Australian courage and resilience in desperate conditions. It prevented the capture of Port Moresby and boosted morale for the Allies.

Question 12

The Kokoda Campain experience

Answer 12

Terrain: The Kokoda Track was a nightmare for soldiers. Dense jungle, steep inclines, and constant rain made movement and fighting incredibly difficult.
Illness: Disease, especially malaria and dysentery, was a major enemy for both sides. Casualties from illness often outnumbered those from combat.
Australian disadvantage: Inexperienced in jungle warfare, the Australians were outnumbered and poorly equipped at the beginning.
Tactics: The Australians fought a series of delaying actions, inflicting losses on the Japanese while retreating to more defensible positions.
Turning Point: After fierce fighting, the Australians finally stopped the Japanese advance at Imita Ridge near Port Moresby in September 1942.

Question 13

Repriations For Germany After World War One.

Answer 13

Financial Crippling: Germany was saddled with enormous reparations, essentially payments to the Allies for war damages.

Economic Strain: The vast sum, initially set at $33 billion (equivalent to hundreds of billions today), crippled the German economy and fuelled resentment.

Hyperinflation: Germany’s struggle to pay reparations led to hyperinflation in the 1920s, causing widespread economic hardship.

Question 14

How did the treaty of Versailles lead to World War 2?

Answer 14

1) The treaty of Versailles was harsh for Germany as the treaty required Germany to pay a large sum of Money as required by the treaty.

2) The failure of the treaty of Versailles led to World War two as this caused German Aggression which triggered the start of World War 2.

Question 15

The Bombing of Darwin?

Answer 15

The bombing of Darwin took place on 19th February 1942, by Japanese Aircrafts that wanted to destroy the Allies Base.

Question 16

What was the Biggest Victory in 1944

Answer 16

The D-day Operation took place in June 6th 1944 in Normandy France. This was the largest Military Command. This brought the Army, Navy and the Air Force.

Question 17

Roles of the Women in the Home Front

Answer 17

Early in the War, men were enlisted to fight overseas, and those that stayed found jobs such as Coast Guards, or becoming members of the Defence Corps.

Women were still finding their place, but as the War progressed, women were given more opportunities to enter the workforce.

This included:
-Assembling munitions.
-Ship building.
-Aircraft maintenance and construction.
-Driving buses.
-Delivering goods.
Many also then went home and looked after their families.

Question 18

What were the responsibilities of the Coast Watchers in the Home Front.

Answer 18

When an attack on Australia by Japanese forces seemed imminent, the Australian Government decided to station soldiers at key points of the Coast.

“If the Japanese invaded, their task was to travel alongside the enemy, undetected, and monitor their movements.”

Coastwatchers lacked specific skills to support themselves so far from their homes, so they learnt skills of the local Indigenous population. They were taught how to live off the land and cook their own food.

Question 19

What was the Curtin Government and how did he play a part in the Home Front?

Answer 19

John Curtin was the PM during WWII and led a Labor Government.
Curtin led Australia through one of its greatest struggles and attempted to support all Australians during a tumultuous time.

WWII generally helped to unite the Australian people, and the Curtin Government encouraged people to accept the War effort.

This was a difficult time for all, but especially children.

Curtin had opposed conscription during WWI, but quickly realised it was needed to save Australia in WWII.

Question 20

What was the Wall Street Crash

Answer 20

The wall street crash took place in 1929 which was a sharp decline in the US stock market which led to the Great Depression

Question 21

What is Imperalism

Answer 21

Imperialism is basically the policy or practice of a powerful country extending its control over weaker territories

Question 22

What is the Fall Of Singapore

Answer 22

Surprise Attack: The British base in Singapore, considered impregnable, fell quickly due to a focus on seaward defenses and Japanese advances through Malaya.

Largest British Surrender: Over 90,000 British, Australian, and Indian troops surrendered in February 1942, a major blow to Allied morale.
Strategic Shift for

Australia: This event exposed Australia’s vulnerability and highlighted the limitations of relying solely on Britain for Défense.

Loss of Trust: The fall of Singapore led to a reevaluation of Australian foreign policy, with a growing sense of needing to look beyond Britain for security.

Question 23

Ratioing Home Front

Answer 23

In 1942, rationing was introduced in order to maintain supplies at home and for the troops.

However, ration tickets were useless without money.

Because supply of so many items was restricted, people had to put their name down on a list for common household goods like lamps, irons and radios.

Question 24

The Volunteer Défense Corps

Answer 24

As the War continued, many Australians on the home front were concerned about the idea of sabotage from within.

The Government set up the Defence Corps to “preserve law and order, protect public utilities and prevent subversive activities by aliens or disaffected persons.”

“Enemy Aliens” were individuals living in Australia who originated from a country now at War with Australia, and they were “interned” based on the thought they could be spies.

Question 25

Highlights of Japanese Expansion

Answer 25

Motivations for Expansion:

Resource Scarcity: Japan lacked natural resources needed for its growing industries, especially oil and rubber.

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere: This ideology aimed to create a Japanese-dominated regional bloc with access to resources.

Nationalistic Ambitions: Military leaders and some civilians desired to restore Japan’s past glory and create a vast empire.

Key Events:
1931: Japan invades Manchuria, a resource-rich region in China, sparking the Second Sino-Japanese War.

1937: The full-scale invasion of China begins, leading to brutal warfare and atrocities.

1940: Japan signs the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy, formally joining the Axis powers.

1941: Aiming to cripple the US Pacific Fleet and secure Southeast Asian resources, Japan launches a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This brings the United States into World War II.

Early Successes: Japan quickly conquers vast swathes of territory in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, including Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, and Dutch East Indies.

Turning Points and Defeat:

Midway (1942): The US Navy scores a decisive victory at the Battle of Midway, halting Japanese expansion and marking a turning point in the war.

Island Hopping Campaign (1943-1945): The US and its allies gradually retake Pacific islands, inflicting heavy losses on Japan.

Atomic Bombs (1945): The US drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing Japan’s unconditional surrender.

Question 26

Overall of the Great Depression and Impacts On Aus

Answer 26

What it was: The Treaty of Versailles was the main peace treaty ending World War I. Signed on June 28, 1919, at the Palace of Versailles in France.

Who was involved: The victorious Allied Powers (mainly France, Britain, and the US) dictated the terms to a defeated Germany.

Impact on Germany:

Territorial losses: Germany lost Alsace-Lorraine to France, territories to Poland, and its overseas colonies.

Military restrictions: German armed forces were drastically reduced, and production of weapons was limited.

War guilt clause: Germany was forced to accept full blame for the war’s damages.

Reparations: Germany was burdened with huge payments to compensate Allied countries. (Note: Germany didn’t actually receive reparations, they had to pay them.)
Significance:

Controversial: The treaty’s harsh terms, especially reparations, are blamed for fueling resentment in Germany and contributing to the rise of Hitler and World War II.

League of Nations: The treaty established the League of Nations, an attempt to prevent future wars (ultimately unsuccessful).
Reshaping Europe: The treaty redrew the map of Europe, creating new countries and tensions.
Further Notes:

The treaty was criticized for being too harsh, potentially planting the seeds for another war.
John Maynard Keynes, a famous economist, called it a “Carthaginian peace,” referring to an excessively punitive peace settlement.

Question 27

Overall, Of the Great Depression

Answer 27

Hitting Hard:

Wall Street Crash (1929): Though originating in the US, the crash triggered a domino effect, impacting Australia’s trade-reliant economy.
Unemployment

Skyrocketed: Pre-existing high unemployment worsened, reaching a staggering 32% at its peak (1932).

Commodities Crash: Australia’s main exports, wool and wheat, plummeted in price, crippling farmers and rural communities.
Deflation & Bank

Failures: Prices fell, hurting businesses and worsening debt. Banks, already shaky, struggled with defaults.
Social & Political Upheaval:

Hardship & Social Unrest: Many Australians faced poverty, hunger, and homelessness. Strikes and protests demanding government action became frequent.

“Susso” & Charity: The government dole (“sustenance payments”) became a lifeline, but charities were overwhelmed by the sheer number of those needing help.

Shifting Political Landscape: The crisis fueled a search for solutions. Labor parties gained support with promises of increased government intervention.

A Long Road to Recovery:

New Economic Policies: Australia experimented with protectionism, tariffs, and some public works programs to stimulate the economy.

Shifting Focus: Manufacturing gained importance as reliance on exports lessened.

Lessons Learned: The Depression led to a rethinking of economic policies, with a greater emphasis on government involvement in social welfare and economic stability.

Significance for Australia:

Long-Term Effects: The Depression’s scars lasted for decades, shaping social attitudes towards government support and economic security.
End of an Era: Australia’s pre-Depression economic optimism waned, replaced by a more cautious approach.
Social Cohesion Tested: The crisis highlighted the importance of social safety nets and a more equitable distribution of wealth.