World Wars as Total Wars

Question 1

Elements of Total War (5)

Answer 1

1)technological and industrial advances - easier to kill more people quickly 2)mobilising national resources - world wars - belligerents donated 50% of national income to war - workforce part of war industries 3)expanding scope of war aims - outright victory - total surrender of country - defeat of army and replace political regime 4)global scope - 70 million mobilised for military - touch (6/7)continent 5)blurring of combatants and civilians - total war on homefront led to loss of freedom - civilians target for military operations - civilian deaths outnumbered military in ww2 - dreseden, tokyo

Question 2

Total war inevitable? (4)

Answer 2

no - ability to place limits 2) stems from political decision making - targetting mass populations 3) racist ideology - deliberate dehumainisation of eastern europe of germans - not tech advances 4) racism - japanese atrocities in china - usa dehumanised japan in war 5) ww1 globar war with global consequences - evolution of national movements

Question 3

Impossible to achieve total war? (3)

Answer 3

1) no beligerent can never put 100% into resources 2)totality relative as can never have total war - ww2 comes closest 3) total war analytic tool of measuring intensiveness of war

Question 4

WW1 and colonialism (3)

Answer 4

1) 4 million colonial subjects mobilised 2) racial hierachies on racist assumptions - sent to fight against German East Africa 3) Hierarchies - some labour and some frontline - West Indian doubted fighting ability but were created regiment when needed manpower

Question 5

Western front and races (2)

Answer 5

200,000 African American troops - believed would earn rights in us by enlisting - treated like servant class - 14 hr days without proper equipment - abuse and segregation 2) france seen as more welcoming - transfomed consciousness of colonial intellecutals

Question 6

Wilson and nationalists (3)

Answer 6

14 point plan -self determination - great enthusiasm by colonials 2) nationalists Ho Chi Minh and Du bois called for independence - ignored by wilson - only applied to Europe 3) led to chinese movements in 1919 - Gandhi looked to own past - Ho Chi Minh turned to socialism