The 20th Century Flashcards
Global Superpower
Term used to refer to Britain during the 20th century (a period which ushered in a wave of optimism in Britain that was abruptly stopped by World War I)
28 June 1914
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated setting off a chain of events that led to the First World War
What other factors, apart from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggered WW1
Growing nationalism in many European states
Increasing militarism
Imperialism
The division of major European poers into 2 camps
Why is it known as a world war
Though it was centred in Europe it was a global war involving nations from around the world
Who were the Allied Powers
Britain
France
Russia
Poland
Australia
New Zealand
Canada
The Union of South Africa
later
Greece
Italy
Romania
USA
Who were the Axis Powers
Nazi Germany
Italy
the Empire of Japan
Bulgaria
Croatia
Hungary
Romania
Slovakia
1913
The British Government promised ‘Home Rule’ for Ireland but WW1 pauses the process to give Ireland self-governing powers
1916
The Easter Rising (/Rebellion) in Dublin by Irish Nationalists who were not willing to wait for the promised ‘Home Rule’ (the leaders of this uprising were executed under military law)
What followed the Easter Rising
A guerilla war against the British army and the police in Ireland
A peace treaty signed in 1921
Ireland becomes two countries in 1922
Northern Ireland
6 counties in the North of Ireland, which were mainly Protestant, who remained part of the UK
The Irish Free State
Had its own government (separate from the North of Ireland) and became a republic in 1949
The Troubles
The years of conflict, following the signing of the peace treaty in 1921 that split Ireland, between those wishing for full Irish independence and those wishing to remain loyal to the British government
When did WW1 end
At 11:00am on the 11th of November 1918
1929
The world entered the ‘Great Depression’
1930-1939
Car ownership doubled in the UK from 1 to 2 million, though the shipbuilding industry was badly affected by the depression
The BBC
1922 = starts radio broadcasts
1936 = began the world’s first regular television service
1933
Adolf Hitler comes to power in Germany, he believe the condition imposed on the country after WW1 were unfair + he wanted to gain more land for Germany
1939
WW2 Starts after Germany invades Poland and Britain and France declare war to stop Hitler’s aggression
Dunkirk evacuation
1940 naval operation
Involved the evacuation of over 300 000 Allied soldiers (aided by small pleasure and fishing boats from Britain) during WW2, from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk in the North of France
Same year that Winston Churchill becomes prime minster
The Battle of Britain
1940 Air campaign waged against Britain by Nazi Germany where Britain defends itself against Nazi invasion using important planes like the Spitfire and the Hurricane
Fought at the same time that the British army was fighting the Axis on many other fronts
When did America join World War 2
After the Japanese bombed its naval base at Pearl Harbour in December 1941
What was the largest invasion attempted in history
Nazi Germany’s attempted invasion of the Soviet Union
D-Day
6 June 1944 when allied forces landed in Normandy and repelled the German troops throughout Western Europe while the Russians pushed the German troops back across Eastern Europe
When are the Nazis defeated in Europe
May 1945
When does WW2 end
after Japan surrenders in August 1945
Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Became Prime Minister in May 1940
He refused to surrender to the Nazis and was an inspirational leader
He lost the General Election in 1945 but returned as Prime Minister in 1951
Voted in 2002 as the greatest Briton of all time
