International Relations in the 20th Century Flashcards
How many people died during WWI?
30 million
Name some changes the Fascists and Mussolini made to Italy
○Built autostrada
○Reclaimed Pontine Marshes
○Built new railways
○Began the ‘Battle for Grain’ and the ‘Battle for Births’
During WWI, who were the Central Powers?
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey
What were the Fascist Party known as?
The Blackshirts
What are the 4 main reasons Mussolini rose to power?
- Italy after WWI was in difficulty
- Fear of communism
- The Fascist’s use of violence against communists
- The March on Rome
What were Mussolini’s aims?
To make Italy great again. He wanted to create a new Italian empire (just like Roman Empire)
What were the problem as with the Treaty of Versailles?
- Germany, Austria, Hungary etc were not invited to the talks. This left them feeling resentful
- Despite being on the winning side Italy didn’t get most of the land they were promised
By what year had Mussolini become a dictator? What was he known as at this time?
By 1926 he had become a dictator. He became known as ‘Il Duce’ (the leader)
Where was the HQ of the League of Nations?
Geneva
What was the name of Mussolini’s secret police?
OVRA
What kind of political system was the Weimar Republic?
Democracy
Where and how is it believed Hitler got his anti-Semitism views?
As a young man, Hitler lived in Vienna where he failed to get into art college. He lived as a down-and-out. His anti-Semitism seems to has begun at this point
What were the opinions of the Fascist Party?
They were opposed to democracy, they were anti-communist and pro-dictatorship
What did the propaganda posters portray Mussolini as?
Posters depicted him as strong, capable leader, caring man, genius, athlete and a man of the people
Where and when was Mussolini born?
He was born in Romagna, Italy in 1883
What was the League of Nations set up for?
To keep world peace
Which army did Hiltler fight for during WWI and what medal did he win?
Fought as a soldier in the German army during WWI and attained the iron cross for bravery
What did Mussolini work as before he became a politician?
A journalist, teacher and soldier
What did the Acerbo law state?
That the Party to win the most votes in the next election would win 2/3 of seats in parliament
Who was the leader of the Bolshevik Party around the time of 1917?
Vladimir Lenin
Why did the League of Nations fail?
- USA didn’t join
- Had no army
- Only punishment was economic embargo
What was the name of the treaty Mussolini signed with the pope (at the time) in 1929? What was this pope’s name and what did the treaty say?
He signed the Lateran Treaty in 1929 with Pope Pius XI. This recognised the Vatican as an independent state. They also received financial compensation for land that had been taken from them by the state
What was the last Tsar of Russia called?
Tsar Nicholas II
What did Mussolini found in 1919?
Fascio di Combattimento (Fascist Party)
How was the march on Rome one of the reasons Mussolini rose to power?
○In 1922, Mussolini threatened to march on Rome to take over the government by force
○Prime Minister, Facta, appealed to King Victor Emmanuel III to use the Italian army against the Blackshirts
○However, the King supported Mussolini. He forced Facta to resign and he appointed Mussolini as Prime Minister of Italy
What law did Mussolini introduce in 1923
The Acerbo Law
Where and when was Hitler born?
He was born in Austria in 1889
How was the fact that Italy was in difficulty after WWI one of the reasons Mussolini rose to power?
○Didn’t receive the land promised to them
○Economy was weak, inflation was high and unemployment rose
○These things caused strikes and riots
○All this led to people loosing faith in democracy
During WWI, who were the Allies?
Britain, France, Russia, Italy and the USA
What kind of things do communists believe in?
- Pro-working class
- Anti-private property
- Anti-capitalist
- Anti-church
- Anti democracy
What movement did young Italians have to join?
The Balilla movement
Why did Mussolini set up a secret pilice?
To root out any opposition to the Fascists
When was the October Revolution in Russia?
1917
How was the Fascist’s use of violence against communists one of the reasons Mussolini rose to power?
○Blackshirts often attacked communists and put a stop to strikes and riots
○Led to a surge in popularity for the Fascists and Mussolini
What pact was made between Italy and Germany in 1939?
Pact of Steel
What kind of things do fascists believe in?
- Extreme pride in their country ( extreme nationalists)
- Pro-capitalists
- Pro-army
- Racist
- Anti-democracy
What Italian politician spoke out against Mussolini and openly criticised him?
Giacomo Matteoti
In what year did Italy invade Abyssinia?
1935
Under whose leadership did Fascism begin in Italy?
Benito Mussolini
Name three terms the Big Three forced Germany to accept after WWI
- Pay reparations
- They lost land
- Rhineland demilitarised
- Germany had to reduce its army
- Germany had to accept that they caused WWI
What are the three types of dictatorship?
Communist
Fascist
Military
When did WWI begin and end?
1914 - 1918
Dictatorship
In a dictatorship, the country is led by a single ruler or party
How was the fear of communism one of the reasons Mussolini rose to power?
○During the time of unrest in Italy after WWI, communism grew rapidly
○Many people (rich etc) began to fear communism
○So they turned to the Fascist Party (Because the Fascist Party said they would destroy communism in Italy)
Who was the Treaty of Versailles negotiated by?
‘The Big Three’ -> Woodrow Wilson (USA), David Lloyd George (UK), Georges Clemenceau (Fr)
What happened in the world in 1929?
The world plunged into the Great Depression because of the Wall Street Crash
What are the three different types of political systems?
- Monarchies
- Democracy
- Dictatorship
What happened after the war that led to the Weimar government being so unpopular?
In 1919 the Weimar government accepted the humiliating terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Many Germans blames the democratic government for the loss of the war and accepting the harsh terms of the peace treaty
Which German leader abdicated in 1918? What happened to Germany after this?
Kaiser Wilhem abdicated in 1918 and the Weimer Republic was established
Where did Hitler go after the war?
Munich
What group was Hitler employed to spy on after the war?
German Worker’s Party
What did Hitler rename the German Worker’s Party as?
National Socialist German Worker’s Party (NSDAP) - Nazi Party
What two groups did Hitler set up for protection against Communists?
The SA (stormtroopers) and SS (schutzstaffel)
What ideas for Germany were contained in Mein Kampf?
- Create a master race
- Anti-Semitism
- Lebensraum
- Destroy Treaty of Versailles
- Anti-coommunism
What was lebensraum?
Hitler’s plan to conquer countries in Eastern Europe to give his master race ‘living space’
What happened to Germany after the Wallstreet Crash?
○Caused America to call back their loans and, as Germany was borrowing money from America, it plunged Germany into a serious economic recession
○Unemployment soared
○Hyperinflation
○The support for the government declined and people began supporting the extreme parties Nazis and Communists
In what year did the president of Germany appoint Hitler as Chancellor? Who was this President?
The president of Germany Von Hindenberg appointed Hitler as chancellor in 1933