A)
1. By 1943, the time that this poster was made, all three of the nations represented in the chains were at war with Japan, and Japan seemed to be gaining the upper hand. On Feb. 15 1942, 140,000 British and American troops were taken by the Japanese when they captured Singapore. On March 9, 1942, the Dutch East Indies were taken over by the Japanese. Then in April and May, American troops in the Phillipines surrendered, and British colony Burma succumbed to attack.
2. The artist showed the relationships of the countries to Japan as a heavy chain because for so long these countries oppressed Japan. For example, the U.S. gave money and help to China in its war against Japan before America was even involved, cancelled all of its trading agreements with Japan, "stopped the sale of planes, chemicals, and iron to Japan", and later on even stopped the sale of oil. This was a blow to Japan, because 90% of its oil came from the U.S. Britain's similar colonial and military power had a similar effect.
3. The breaking of the chain by the soldier is meant to represent Japan finally becoming more powerful than The U.S. Britain, and the Dutch, and being able to throw off the chains of their oppression.
4. I think it was published with English rather than Japanese lettering because it was probably intended as a message to the U.S. and Britain and The Dutch that Japan was no longer subservient to them (however, I think that writing this in the language of the people that they are supposedly freeing themselves from defeats the purpose of this message, but I suppose then nobody would have known what it meant).
2)
1. 3 long term causes from the list are: Japan's lack of oil and supplies, US ban on oil supplies, and the formation of the UN (rather, the formation and the consequential lack of action). I think that the most important of these is Japan's lack of oil and supplies, because if Japan had had everything it needed then it likely wouldn't have invaded Manchuria, as Manchuria's resources were the biggest reason for invading.
2. 3 long term consequences were Japan becoming the greatest power in Asia, the collapse of British colonial power and the Tripartite Axis Pact. I think that the most important of these was Japan's becoming the most powerful Asian country, because it enabled the war to go on for longer. Ultimately, because of Japan's growth in power, the only way that the Western powers saw to stop Japan was to use the nuclear bombs, which killed and devastated millions and millions of people.
3.
1. Formation of the U.N.
2. Japan's lack of oil and supplies
3. US ban on oil supplies to Japan
4. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor
5. The Tripartite Axis Pact
6. Collapse of British colonial power
7. Japan becomes the most powerful country in the East
8. Co-Prosperity Sphere (? I don't know what this is)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
HW 10
Chapter 5: The Great Fatherland War
A)
1.The photograph of the Soviet citizens on page 11 shows people so enthusiastic to see the Nazis that they might have been Germans themselves. As the German soldiers drive through, there are smiling people crowded on the sides of the road, doing the Nazi salute and cheering like they were welcoming their own men.
2.Some Soviet citizens were not treated well under Stalin's reign. Anyone who didn't support communism, or was an “undesirable” – Jews, homosexuals, etc – lived horribly under Stalin. There were also others, such as peasants or farmers, who were forced into collectivization and essentially made no wages or reaped any benefits for their work because the government owned everything. These people probably thought that life under a dictator like Hitler was preferable to life under a dictator like Stalin; or perhaps they were only thinking of the immediate future and were willing to welcome anyone as long as it freed them from Stalin.
3.Based on sources A,C, and D, there are several reasons that the same Nazis the Russians welcomes might have been less welcome a year later. For one, there was the complications to daily life that being invaded by the Germans entailed: Everything that the Germans could use to their advantage had to be hidden or destroyed, which probably made life uncomfortable for the Russians, especially farmers and peasants who had to get rid of food. The invasion of the Nazis essentially forced the Russians to destroy their own country and resources so that the Nazis wouldn't benefit from them; however, then the Russians couldn't either. Source C shows that by a year later, the Nazis were looked at as “Fascist invaders” rather than liberators. The oath talks about “revenge” “for the burning of [their] cities and villages...the murder of [their] children...and the torture and atrocities committed against [their] people.”
B)
1.Stalin was essentially telling his people to destroy everything they had that might be of value to the Germans, even if it was something that the Russians themselves needed. Bread, wheat and petrol should all be destroyed, and the land occupied by enemies must be sabotaged – bridges and roads, telephone and telegraph lines, etc. Stalin basically told his people to destroy their own country.
2.I think that Stalin hoped that he might drive the Nazis out by making conditions unbearable to live in. With the lack of food and supplies, the Nazis would starve and freeze and be unable to move forward with their attack, and the ruination of communication lines and roads would make progression and coordination much harder. Stalin hoped that, given these difficulties, the Germans might give up.
3.a) I think that the lives of the Soviet people would be most negatively affected in the areas wher Stalin's commands were carried out. In addition to most likely being murdered and having their homes destroyed by the Germans, they had no food, no supplies, no methods of communication or transport.
b) I think that the lives of the German soldiers were probably not much better – they wouldn't be able to move easily across the country, and they weren't able to take things from the Russians because the Russians had nothing. However, they did have what Germany supplied them with. On the other hand, the weather made life very difficult, because the ground was either muddy or, when winter came, frozen over. The sub-zero temperatures caused a large number of deaths in the army, and automatic weapons could not be used because of the cold.
C)
1.
The German Invasion of Russia Similar to German Campaigns in Europe:
1.Method of Attack
– Invasion: Destroyed most of the airforce while it was still on the ground, took prisoners and supplies. Occupied major areas such as the Ukraine, the Crimea, all rich farming and industrial areas. Massacred Jews, people taken as slave labor.
2.Length of Campaign
– 1941-1942 until Germany was defeated.
3.Effects on Civilians
– Civilians were massacres, homes burned, villages ruined, people taken as slaves. The people also suffered because of Stalin's “scorched earth” methods.
4.Result of Campaign
– Germany failed, left.
A)
1.The photograph of the Soviet citizens on page 11 shows people so enthusiastic to see the Nazis that they might have been Germans themselves. As the German soldiers drive through, there are smiling people crowded on the sides of the road, doing the Nazi salute and cheering like they were welcoming their own men.
2.Some Soviet citizens were not treated well under Stalin's reign. Anyone who didn't support communism, or was an “undesirable” – Jews, homosexuals, etc – lived horribly under Stalin. There were also others, such as peasants or farmers, who were forced into collectivization and essentially made no wages or reaped any benefits for their work because the government owned everything. These people probably thought that life under a dictator like Hitler was preferable to life under a dictator like Stalin; or perhaps they were only thinking of the immediate future and were willing to welcome anyone as long as it freed them from Stalin.
3.Based on sources A,C, and D, there are several reasons that the same Nazis the Russians welcomes might have been less welcome a year later. For one, there was the complications to daily life that being invaded by the Germans entailed: Everything that the Germans could use to their advantage had to be hidden or destroyed, which probably made life uncomfortable for the Russians, especially farmers and peasants who had to get rid of food. The invasion of the Nazis essentially forced the Russians to destroy their own country and resources so that the Nazis wouldn't benefit from them; however, then the Russians couldn't either. Source C shows that by a year later, the Nazis were looked at as “Fascist invaders” rather than liberators. The oath talks about “revenge” “for the burning of [their] cities and villages...the murder of [their] children...and the torture and atrocities committed against [their] people.”
B)
1.Stalin was essentially telling his people to destroy everything they had that might be of value to the Germans, even if it was something that the Russians themselves needed. Bread, wheat and petrol should all be destroyed, and the land occupied by enemies must be sabotaged – bridges and roads, telephone and telegraph lines, etc. Stalin basically told his people to destroy their own country.
2.I think that Stalin hoped that he might drive the Nazis out by making conditions unbearable to live in. With the lack of food and supplies, the Nazis would starve and freeze and be unable to move forward with their attack, and the ruination of communication lines and roads would make progression and coordination much harder. Stalin hoped that, given these difficulties, the Germans might give up.
3.a) I think that the lives of the Soviet people would be most negatively affected in the areas wher Stalin's commands were carried out. In addition to most likely being murdered and having their homes destroyed by the Germans, they had no food, no supplies, no methods of communication or transport.
b) I think that the lives of the German soldiers were probably not much better – they wouldn't be able to move easily across the country, and they weren't able to take things from the Russians because the Russians had nothing. However, they did have what Germany supplied them with. On the other hand, the weather made life very difficult, because the ground was either muddy or, when winter came, frozen over. The sub-zero temperatures caused a large number of deaths in the army, and automatic weapons could not be used because of the cold.
C)
1.
The German Invasion of Russia Similar to German Campaigns in Europe:
1.Method of Attack
– Invasion: Destroyed most of the airforce while it was still on the ground, took prisoners and supplies. Occupied major areas such as the Ukraine, the Crimea, all rich farming and industrial areas. Massacred Jews, people taken as slave labor.
2.Length of Campaign
– 1941-1942 until Germany was defeated.
3.Effects on Civilians
– Civilians were massacres, homes burned, villages ruined, people taken as slaves. The people also suffered because of Stalin's “scorched earth” methods.
4.Result of Campaign
– Germany failed, left.
HW 12
Pearl Harbor (1941):
December 7, 1941, Japan attacked an American naval base in the Hawaiian Islands with an air raid bombing. 350 aircraft and 5 naval ships were destroyed, and 3700 men killed or wounded within two hours. The significance of this was that it was the catalyst which brought America into the war, and it furthered Japan's control of the Pacific.
Midway (1942):
This was significant because it allowed the allies to begin reclaiming the Pacific from the Japanese, who controlled it almost entirely at this point. The Japanese lost strike planes and carriers, weakening them greatly.
El Alamein (1942):
Important because it prevented Egypt and the Suez Canal into German hands -- the Suez Canal was important for access to Africa, so that was important. It led to the complete removal of Axis forces from North Africa. El Alamein also prevented the possible joining between the Axis Powers and Ukraine or the Middle East.
Stalingrad (1942):
The German defeat at Stalingrad had a psychological effect; it boosted Russian morale and showed that the Germans were invincible, showed Hitler's poor judgement.
The Battle of the Atlantic:
Important because, with Britain's losses sustained in March 1943 and stayed in the war, without winning the battle of the Atlantic. Also eliminated the fear of German U-Boat attacks, gave the allies sea power.
Allied Bombing of Germany and Japan:
Cut off fuel and armaments production for the Axis and destroyed their railway communications. Also functioned as a diversion of many aircraft from the eastern front, allowing the Russians to advance into Germany.
A.
Second Front: A war fought with enemies on both fronts. For example, when Hitler declared war on both of the Western Powers and the USSR, he started a two front war.
Area bombing: The practice of leveling everything in a target area, including the homes of civilians -- a practice of total war.
The Allies:The forces fighting against Germany, Japan and Italy, included Great Britain, France, USSR, Canada, France, Australia and the USA.
Operation Torch: Three British-American armies invaded the French colonies Morocco and Algeria.
B
a) Soldiers conditions similar to each other:
-Ended with their victories.
b) Soldiers conditions different from each other:
-Location
-Australian soldiers fighting Japan
-The German army fighting the Allies
December 7, 1941, Japan attacked an American naval base in the Hawaiian Islands with an air raid bombing. 350 aircraft and 5 naval ships were destroyed, and 3700 men killed or wounded within two hours. The significance of this was that it was the catalyst which brought America into the war, and it furthered Japan's control of the Pacific.
Midway (1942):
This was significant because it allowed the allies to begin reclaiming the Pacific from the Japanese, who controlled it almost entirely at this point. The Japanese lost strike planes and carriers, weakening them greatly.
El Alamein (1942):
Important because it prevented Egypt and the Suez Canal into German hands -- the Suez Canal was important for access to Africa, so that was important. It led to the complete removal of Axis forces from North Africa. El Alamein also prevented the possible joining between the Axis Powers and Ukraine or the Middle East.
Stalingrad (1942):
The German defeat at Stalingrad had a psychological effect; it boosted Russian morale and showed that the Germans were invincible, showed Hitler's poor judgement.
The Battle of the Atlantic:
Important because, with Britain's losses sustained in March 1943 and stayed in the war, without winning the battle of the Atlantic. Also eliminated the fear of German U-Boat attacks, gave the allies sea power.
Allied Bombing of Germany and Japan:
Cut off fuel and armaments production for the Axis and destroyed their railway communications. Also functioned as a diversion of many aircraft from the eastern front, allowing the Russians to advance into Germany.
A.
Second Front: A war fought with enemies on both fronts. For example, when Hitler declared war on both of the Western Powers and the USSR, he started a two front war.
Area bombing: The practice of leveling everything in a target area, including the homes of civilians -- a practice of total war.
The Allies:The forces fighting against Germany, Japan and Italy, included Great Britain, France, USSR, Canada, France, Australia and the USA.
Operation Torch: Three British-American armies invaded the French colonies Morocco and Algeria.
B
a) Soldiers conditions similar to each other:
-Ended with their victories.
b) Soldiers conditions different from each other:
-Location
-Australian soldiers fighting Japan
-The German army fighting the Allies
HW 15
Chapter 10
A.
Total War: A war in which not only the armed forces of a country are involved, but its civilians in their daily lives.
Forced Labor: Self explanatory; people are essentially captured and forced to work as slaves in labor camps. In Europe, over 5 million people were taken to do forced labor in Germany; many died because of long hours and poor conditions.
Concentration Camp: Run by the Germans, "factories dealing in death" that were used as a way for the German to kill their enemies: they used starvation, sadism, "inadequate clothing", medical neglect, disease, beatings, hangings, etc. Millions of Europeans were forced into these camps over the course of the war.
"The Final Solution": This was the Nazi's plan for how to deal with the Jews in Europe. In 1942, the Nazis decided that the final solution was to exterminate all of the Jews in Europe, and to achieve this they built 5 concentration camps in Poland with gas chambers. More than 5 million people were killed in them between 1942 and 1945; before, Jews were mainly forced to live in ghettoes and/or were kept on starvation ratios, but at this point the Nazis had decided to just murder all the Jews, straight out.
Ghettoes: Walled off areas of towns which the Jews were not allowed to leave by Nazi orders. An example of a ghetto was the one at Warsaw, in which half a million Jews were trapped in a small area of the city and kept of starvation rations.
Extermination Camps: The concentration camps in Poland, in which more than 5 million people were killed between 1942 and 1945. They were equipped with gas chambers in which thousands of people could be killed at a time with poison gas.
Partisans: Bands of civilians that formed armed groups to resist invaders; known in France as the Resistance.
Guerilla War: "Unorthodox" war tactics were used to take advantage of a more powerful nation. Partisans and the Resistance used guerilla tactics by blowing up railways, roads and telephone lines, ambushing convoys, setting supply dumps on fire, and killing soldiers.
B.
1. A Chinese family in Sunkiang would have been affected by the war in at least the loss of their home. The city was in ashes by 1937, and most of the residents had evacuated. If the family was unlucky they might not have even survived.
2. A French family in Northeastern France would likely have been forced to flee the approaching German troops, losing their homes.
3. A Soviet aircraft factory worker would have been forced to move past the Ural mountains with the rest of the factory equipment in Russia.
4. A Jewish person anywhere in Germany in 1942 would have been affected by the "final solution", which basically entailed the extermination of all European Jews. The person would either have been sent to a concentration camp or would be in hiding.
5. The son of a Yugoslav partisan in 1943 likely would have been sent to Germany. When the Germans raided villages suspected of partisan activity, the child hostages were sent to Germany. The son could also be killed as well, depending really on the mood of the Germans at the time.
A.
Total War: A war in which not only the armed forces of a country are involved, but its civilians in their daily lives.
Forced Labor: Self explanatory; people are essentially captured and forced to work as slaves in labor camps. In Europe, over 5 million people were taken to do forced labor in Germany; many died because of long hours and poor conditions.
Concentration Camp: Run by the Germans, "factories dealing in death" that were used as a way for the German to kill their enemies: they used starvation, sadism, "inadequate clothing", medical neglect, disease, beatings, hangings, etc. Millions of Europeans were forced into these camps over the course of the war.
"The Final Solution": This was the Nazi's plan for how to deal with the Jews in Europe. In 1942, the Nazis decided that the final solution was to exterminate all of the Jews in Europe, and to achieve this they built 5 concentration camps in Poland with gas chambers. More than 5 million people were killed in them between 1942 and 1945; before, Jews were mainly forced to live in ghettoes and/or were kept on starvation ratios, but at this point the Nazis had decided to just murder all the Jews, straight out.
Ghettoes: Walled off areas of towns which the Jews were not allowed to leave by Nazi orders. An example of a ghetto was the one at Warsaw, in which half a million Jews were trapped in a small area of the city and kept of starvation rations.
Extermination Camps: The concentration camps in Poland, in which more than 5 million people were killed between 1942 and 1945. They were equipped with gas chambers in which thousands of people could be killed at a time with poison gas.
Partisans: Bands of civilians that formed armed groups to resist invaders; known in France as the Resistance.
Guerilla War: "Unorthodox" war tactics were used to take advantage of a more powerful nation. Partisans and the Resistance used guerilla tactics by blowing up railways, roads and telephone lines, ambushing convoys, setting supply dumps on fire, and killing soldiers.
B.
1. A Chinese family in Sunkiang would have been affected by the war in at least the loss of their home. The city was in ashes by 1937, and most of the residents had evacuated. If the family was unlucky they might not have even survived.
2. A French family in Northeastern France would likely have been forced to flee the approaching German troops, losing their homes.
3. A Soviet aircraft factory worker would have been forced to move past the Ural mountains with the rest of the factory equipment in Russia.
4. A Jewish person anywhere in Germany in 1942 would have been affected by the "final solution", which basically entailed the extermination of all European Jews. The person would either have been sent to a concentration camp or would be in hiding.
5. The son of a Yugoslav partisan in 1943 likely would have been sent to Germany. When the Germans raided villages suspected of partisan activity, the child hostages were sent to Germany. The son could also be killed as well, depending really on the mood of the Germans at the time.
HW 17
Japan's Defeat:
1. The Allied tactic of Island Hopping was a strategic plan that gradually took Japan's power away and assisting in the Allied victory. The American forces were divided under 3 different commanders who planned together and drove the Japanese slowly out of the area, towards the Phillipines and Japan. This caused the loss of land, supplies and strategic stations for the Japanese. Japan's control of the Pacific was one of their most enabling tools, and as they lost that power they became weaker and weaker.
2. Japan's severe and growing economic problems throughout the war was another major factor in its defeat. Throughout the 1930s Japan lacked food and materials to supports its exponentially growing population; "their conquests in 1941-42 gave them vast stocks of oil, rubber, metal and other materials", their capacity for making weapons did not match that of America's. America took advantage of this in their submarine raids against Japanese merchant ships.
3. The immense bravery of the Japanese in battle could be seen as either a reason they were defeated, or as a reason that they managed to keep fighting for so long. The further the Allies drove the Japanese back, the harder they fought: on Tawara Atoll only 17 of the 4700 Japanese defenders survived; on Enitwetok none of the 2000 survived; in Saipan the death toll was 2700 with men women and children committing suicide rather than surrender. Japanese soldiers saw death in battle as a way to guarantee a spot in heaven, so their fighting tactics were ruthless, as they were more than willing to die. They didn't have any limits to what they would do, but rather fought to the death. This is a reason that Japan was able to stay fighting for so long, but at the same time, the massive loss of men to kamikaze tactics, and then the suicides of survivors, greatly impacted Japan's manpower.
1. The Allied tactic of Island Hopping was a strategic plan that gradually took Japan's power away and assisting in the Allied victory. The American forces were divided under 3 different commanders who planned together and drove the Japanese slowly out of the area, towards the Phillipines and Japan. This caused the loss of land, supplies and strategic stations for the Japanese. Japan's control of the Pacific was one of their most enabling tools, and as they lost that power they became weaker and weaker.
2. Japan's severe and growing economic problems throughout the war was another major factor in its defeat. Throughout the 1930s Japan lacked food and materials to supports its exponentially growing population; "their conquests in 1941-42 gave them vast stocks of oil, rubber, metal and other materials", their capacity for making weapons did not match that of America's. America took advantage of this in their submarine raids against Japanese merchant ships.
3. The immense bravery of the Japanese in battle could be seen as either a reason they were defeated, or as a reason that they managed to keep fighting for so long. The further the Allies drove the Japanese back, the harder they fought: on Tawara Atoll only 17 of the 4700 Japanese defenders survived; on Enitwetok none of the 2000 survived; in Saipan the death toll was 2700 with men women and children committing suicide rather than surrender. Japanese soldiers saw death in battle as a way to guarantee a spot in heaven, so their fighting tactics were ruthless, as they were more than willing to die. They didn't have any limits to what they would do, but rather fought to the death. This is a reason that Japan was able to stay fighting for so long, but at the same time, the massive loss of men to kamikaze tactics, and then the suicides of survivors, greatly impacted Japan's manpower.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
HW 16
1. One reason that Germany was defeated was that, despite the fact that the Italy campaign was not successful in terms of winning the war, the Allied captured or Monte Cassino and the resulting battles on the Gothic Line kept German troops tied up. This was helpful because the allies' Operation Overlord.
2. The success of Operation Overlord (D-Day) was also a major factor in the defeat of Germany. Meticulously planned, "an assault force of 4000 ships and landing craft carried 176,000 soldiers...escorted by 600 warships and 7000 fighter planes". After 5 battles the Allies managed to break through the coastal defenses. Consequently 2.1 million allied soldiers were able to get into northern France. The following invasion of southern France (Operation Anvil) allowed the allies to drive the Germans out of France by September.
3. Poor Leadership -- Hitler refused to admit defeat, not allowing the German army to retreat or surrender, instead launching a new bombing campaign against Britain. This was effective, but caused the Allies to launch a new bombing raid of their own. Long-range fighting technology was also a factor in the success of this, managing to cripple Germany's fuel supplies. destroying railways, etc.
2. The success of Operation Overlord (D-Day) was also a major factor in the defeat of Germany. Meticulously planned, "an assault force of 4000 ships and landing craft carried 176,000 soldiers...escorted by 600 warships and 7000 fighter planes". After 5 battles the Allies managed to break through the coastal defenses. Consequently 2.1 million allied soldiers were able to get into northern France. The following invasion of southern France (Operation Anvil) allowed the allies to drive the Germans out of France by September.
3. Poor Leadership -- Hitler refused to admit defeat, not allowing the German army to retreat or surrender, instead launching a new bombing campaign against Britain. This was effective, but caused the Allies to launch a new bombing raid of their own. Long-range fighting technology was also a factor in the success of this, managing to cripple Germany's fuel supplies. destroying railways, etc.
Monday, December 7, 2009
HW #11
A.
1.
a) The white cliffs probably represent the Fjords of Norway when the Bismarck destroyed the HMS Hood, a devastating blow to Britain.
b) The sinking boat represents Britain's loss of naval power.
c) The lion holding the boat is the weakened Britain (and its power as a nation) going down with the ship of its naval power.
d) The captain of the boat represents Churchill.
e) The sharks are the German U-Boats (and German power).
2. The sharks are eating the lion alive, the symbolism of which is pretty obvious: Germany is feeding off of Britain's weakening strength and emerging the victor.
3. I think the point that the cartoonist is trying to make is that Britain's day is over, and it is clinging desperately to the last vestiges of its power but ultimately the Germans are always waiting for the chance to strike.
4. Based on what I've read in this chapter, I think that the cartoonist's viewpoint is a little overzealous,but partly accurate. It is definitely true that Germany was rising as a power on the seas -- the U Boats managed to sink many British naval ships, enough that Britain felt threatened enough to declare a "Battle of the Atlantic", as well as the other victories such as the Bismarck blowing up the Hood and other major naval wins. However, by 1943 new technology such as the Huff-Duff that allowed radio signals from U Boats to be detected for aerial strikes. Consequently, the advantage of the u-boat was eliminated by new technology. However, the allies were still losing the battle
B)
Nazi-Soviet Pact: A pact between the USSR and Germany that they would not attack each other, and that they would secretly conquer Poland and divide it between themselves.
Operation Barbarossa: Germany's 1941 invasion of Russia; supposed to be the final assault on the USSR, but ended very badly for Germany due to under-preparation and underestimation of the USSR's ability to use guerilla tactics.
Scorched Earth Policy: Stalin's policy of ruining the German attack -- anything that was not absolutely necessary that the Germans could use was destroyed (any extra food, clothes, equipment), and factories were moved beyond the Ural Mountains where Germany couldn't reach them.
Neutrality: The policy of not taking a side, not helping either or getting involved in conflicts before; for example, Switzerland was proclaimedly neutral to the conflict, although it has been argued that they were helpful to the Nazis with money.
Lend-Lease aid: Program under which the United States supplied the UK, USSR, France, and other Allied nations with vast amounts of supplies between 1941-45 in the war against the Axis.
Tripartite Axis Pact: Established who the Axis Powers in the war were (1941). The pact was signed by representatives of Germany, Italy and Japan.
United Nations: The "revamped" League of Nations, started in 1945 to maintain international peace and cooperation in solving international economic, social and humanitarian problems rather than resorting to war.
Global War: A war heavily involving the major nations of the world; WWI and WWII were the first global wars, because it was the first time that so many prominent (and small as well) nations were involved in one war.
U-Boats: "Underseeboten", the submarines used for ambushing Germany's naval enemies.
Convoys: Used to protect boats from the U-Boats, a pack of ships that would accompany merchant or war ships for security.
1.
a) The white cliffs probably represent the Fjords of Norway when the Bismarck destroyed the HMS Hood, a devastating blow to Britain.
b) The sinking boat represents Britain's loss of naval power.
c) The lion holding the boat is the weakened Britain (and its power as a nation) going down with the ship of its naval power.
d) The captain of the boat represents Churchill.
e) The sharks are the German U-Boats (and German power).
2. The sharks are eating the lion alive, the symbolism of which is pretty obvious: Germany is feeding off of Britain's weakening strength and emerging the victor.
3. I think the point that the cartoonist is trying to make is that Britain's day is over, and it is clinging desperately to the last vestiges of its power but ultimately the Germans are always waiting for the chance to strike.
4. Based on what I've read in this chapter, I think that the cartoonist's viewpoint is a little overzealous,but partly accurate. It is definitely true that Germany was rising as a power on the seas -- the U Boats managed to sink many British naval ships, enough that Britain felt threatened enough to declare a "Battle of the Atlantic", as well as the other victories such as the Bismarck blowing up the Hood and other major naval wins. However, by 1943 new technology such as the Huff-Duff that allowed radio signals from U Boats to be detected for aerial strikes. Consequently, the advantage of the u-boat was eliminated by new technology. However, the allies were still losing the battle
B)
Nazi-Soviet Pact: A pact between the USSR and Germany that they would not attack each other, and that they would secretly conquer Poland and divide it between themselves.
Operation Barbarossa: Germany's 1941 invasion of Russia; supposed to be the final assault on the USSR, but ended very badly for Germany due to under-preparation and underestimation of the USSR's ability to use guerilla tactics.
Scorched Earth Policy: Stalin's policy of ruining the German attack -- anything that was not absolutely necessary that the Germans could use was destroyed (any extra food, clothes, equipment), and factories were moved beyond the Ural Mountains where Germany couldn't reach them.
Neutrality: The policy of not taking a side, not helping either or getting involved in conflicts before; for example, Switzerland was proclaimedly neutral to the conflict, although it has been argued that they were helpful to the Nazis with money.
Lend-Lease aid: Program under which the United States supplied the UK, USSR, France, and other Allied nations with vast amounts of supplies between 1941-45 in the war against the Axis.
Tripartite Axis Pact: Established who the Axis Powers in the war were (1941). The pact was signed by representatives of Germany, Italy and Japan.
United Nations: The "revamped" League of Nations, started in 1945 to maintain international peace and cooperation in solving international economic, social and humanitarian problems rather than resorting to war.
Global War: A war heavily involving the major nations of the world; WWI and WWII were the first global wars, because it was the first time that so many prominent (and small as well) nations were involved in one war.
U-Boats: "Underseeboten", the submarines used for ambushing Germany's naval enemies.
Convoys: Used to protect boats from the U-Boats, a pack of ships that would accompany merchant or war ships for security.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Chapter 6
A)
1. By 1943, the time that this poster was made, all three of the nations represented in the chains were at war with Japan, and Japan seemed to be gaining the upper hand. On Feb. 15 1942, 140,000 British and American troops were taken by the Japanese when they captured Singapore. On March 9, 1942, the Dutch East Indies were taken over by the Japanese. Then in April and May, American troops in the Phillipines surrendered, and British colony Burma succumbed to attack.
2. The artist showed the relationships of the countries to Japan as a heavy chain because for so long these countries oppressed Japan. For example, the U.S. gave money and help to China in its war against Japan before America was even involved, cancelled all of its trading agreements with Japan, "stopped the sale of planes, chemicals, and iron to Japan", and later on even stopped the sale of oil. This was a blow to Japan, because 90% of its oil came from the U.S. Britain's similar colonial and military power had a similar effect.
3. The breaking of the chain by the soldier is meant to represent Japan finally becoming more powerful than The U.S. Britain, and the Dutch, and being able to throw off the chains of their oppression.
4. I think it was published with English rather than Japanese lettering because it was probably intended as a message to the U.S. and Britain and The Dutch that Japan was no longer subservient to them (however, I think that writing this in the language of the people that they are supposedly freeing themselves from defeats the purpose of this message, but I suppose then nobody would have known what it meant).
2)
1. 3 long term causes from the list are: Japan's lack of oil and supplies, US ban on oil supplies, and the formation of the UN (rather, the formation and the consequential lack of action). I think that the most important of these is Japan's lack of oil and supplies, because if Japan had had everything it needed then it likely wouldn't have invaded Manchuria, as Manchuria's resources were the biggest reason for invading.
2. 3 long term consequences were Japan becoming the greatest power in Asia, the collapse of British colonial power and the Tripartite Axis Pact. I think that the most important of these was Japan's becoming the most powerful Asian country, because it enabled the war to go on for longer. Ultimately, because of Japan's growth in power, the only way that the Western powers saw to stop Japan was to use the nuclear bombs, which killed and devastated millions and millions of people.
3.
1. Formation of the U.N.
2. Japan's lack of oil and supplies
3. US ban on oil supplies to Japan
4. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor
5. The Tripartite Axis Pact
6. Collapse of British colonial power
7. Japan becomes the most powerful country in the East
8. Co-Prosperity Sphere (? I don't know what this is)
1. By 1943, the time that this poster was made, all three of the nations represented in the chains were at war with Japan, and Japan seemed to be gaining the upper hand. On Feb. 15 1942, 140,000 British and American troops were taken by the Japanese when they captured Singapore. On March 9, 1942, the Dutch East Indies were taken over by the Japanese. Then in April and May, American troops in the Phillipines surrendered, and British colony Burma succumbed to attack.
2. The artist showed the relationships of the countries to Japan as a heavy chain because for so long these countries oppressed Japan. For example, the U.S. gave money and help to China in its war against Japan before America was even involved, cancelled all of its trading agreements with Japan, "stopped the sale of planes, chemicals, and iron to Japan", and later on even stopped the sale of oil. This was a blow to Japan, because 90% of its oil came from the U.S. Britain's similar colonial and military power had a similar effect.
3. The breaking of the chain by the soldier is meant to represent Japan finally becoming more powerful than The U.S. Britain, and the Dutch, and being able to throw off the chains of their oppression.
4. I think it was published with English rather than Japanese lettering because it was probably intended as a message to the U.S. and Britain and The Dutch that Japan was no longer subservient to them (however, I think that writing this in the language of the people that they are supposedly freeing themselves from defeats the purpose of this message, but I suppose then nobody would have known what it meant).
2)
1. 3 long term causes from the list are: Japan's lack of oil and supplies, US ban on oil supplies, and the formation of the UN (rather, the formation and the consequential lack of action). I think that the most important of these is Japan's lack of oil and supplies, because if Japan had had everything it needed then it likely wouldn't have invaded Manchuria, as Manchuria's resources were the biggest reason for invading.
2. 3 long term consequences were Japan becoming the greatest power in Asia, the collapse of British colonial power and the Tripartite Axis Pact. I think that the most important of these was Japan's becoming the most powerful Asian country, because it enabled the war to go on for longer. Ultimately, because of Japan's growth in power, the only way that the Western powers saw to stop Japan was to use the nuclear bombs, which killed and devastated millions and millions of people.
3.
1. Formation of the U.N.
2. Japan's lack of oil and supplies
3. US ban on oil supplies to Japan
4. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor
5. The Tripartite Axis Pact
6. Collapse of British colonial power
7. Japan becomes the most powerful country in the East
8. Co-Prosperity Sphere (? I don't know what this is)
Paper 1 OPVL
1)
Source 1, Chapter 5: "The Great Fatherland War" from the Longman "Global War" book is a brief chapter from a British textbook meant for high school history students. Its purpose is to give a thorough overview of the German attack of Russia in World War II -- What Hitler's motivation for attack was; the details of Operation Barbarossa, Germany's plan for attacking Russia; and the Russian defense and how Russia ultimately drove Germany out. The source has value for learning about the invasion of Russia because it is from a reliable source; it is a textbook that is used in a number of schools, so it can be assumed that it is accurate. It was written from a British perspective, which could be a value because Britain was directly involved in World War II; America was involved, but in a far more disconnected way than European countries whose lands were threatened and people entrenched in the effects of war, so a British text might be more "real" than an American one. However, the British origin could also be a limitation, as Britain was fighting against Germany in WWII. Leftover resentment from the war might have colored the depiction of German actions more than if it were an American text; it certainly seems to present the story in a way that favors the USSR more than Germany. Another limitation is that the text doesn't really offer any different interpretations of why Germany had to back out. It gives a fairly balances view, citing Stalin's "scorched earth" methods and the weather and conditions; but there are probably many more things that affected Germany's failure too, such as leadership and the planning of Operation Barbarossa. Altogether, it is a fairly reliable text that gives very good basics of the situation, but it is only meant to give an overview, not a complete understanding of the situation.
Why Nations Go to War is a book on the major wars of the 20th century, analyzing how and why they happened, by historian John Stoessinger. Its purpose is to analyze different interpretations of why certain nations went to war with each other and educate the reader about these things, analyze why the wars took the courses they did, and even to question modern history through the spectrum of the past. Of course, the purpose of any book is also to sell copies, and to present the author's opinion on the subject. This source has value because Stoessinger, its author, is a highly respected historian. It also has value because it very thoroughly goes through what happened, with dates and events and names, so that the reader gets a very accurate view of the events as they happened. It also goes into more detail with the prelude to the attack, and how Stalin allowed the invasion to happen when he has fair warning. However, the chapter is written from a more psychological viewpoint, and so it represents a certain view -- the author's view, which is only an interpretation. Positivist historians would say that this is not history at all, because it isn't just the straight presentation of historical facts -- rather it attempts to give the motivations that can only be speculated about. Because this chapter focuses on what Hitler's personal motivations and psychology might have been, it doesn't present the most balanced viewpoint of the situation because the truth might be that Hitler's personal motivations (the desire to completely crush Russia, not just to continue building his Reich) might not have been as big a factor as Stoessinger speculates.
2)
Both sources claim that inclement weather was certainly a reason that Hitler's armies failed to win the war in Russia. Both of them detail the circumstances -- Hitler's army was unprepared for the harsh Russian winters. The torrential rain that turned the fields to mud and slowed the army down, the freezing temperatures dropped to -40 degress Farenheit, and the failure of the German army's weapons to work in the frigid climate were all factors that inhibited them, and caused Hitler to lose many men. Both sources also claim that the USSR was saved in part by its manpower and the peoples' resistance. The cruelty of the German soldiers compelled the Russian people to become Partisans, or members of resistance groups, which made fighting for the Germans significantly more difficult. Both sources also seem to both imply that Stalin's awareness that by signing the Soviet-Nazi Treaty was only buying him time might have at least been helpful. He didn't expect Germany not to attack, and he also didn't heed the warnings of Britain and the U.S. While this was also a reason that Hitler was able to attack, Stalin was at least aware that attack might be coming.
The Stoessinger source is different from the textbook source in that it also offers more in-depth psychological insights to why Hitler's invasion of Russia failed. One of these is a sort of miscalculation theory, that Hitler didn't know what he was getting himself into. This is seen in his failure to equip his troops properly, assuming he would have a quick summer victory. Because of this miscalculations, when the Russian winter came, the men were much more succeptible to the elements. Although the Russian winter theory was explored in the other source, it didn't discuss why it was that the men were so ill-prepared for Russian war, and does not attribute it to Hitler's miscalculation. A general view explored in the Stoessinger source that was not even mentioned in Chapter 5 of the Global War text was that the reason for Hitler's failure is that his deep desire to destroy Russia blinded him to the reality of situations. He thought that Russia was far more of a threat than it was, or than it could realistically be, so he did not consult with people who knew better, or listen to them, and charged into war with a fear disproportionate to the actual threat. An aspect of Hitler's failure that has great significance attributed to it in the Chapter 5 source and is not even mentioned in the Stoessinger source is Stalin's "scorched-earth" method. One of the most important effects of this was that the Soviet weapons factories were outside of German reach, as well as other important factories such as textiles for clothing, ammunition, and transport. Because of the removal of factories to far-away places, the Germans weren't able to take supplies from the Russians, and only had what they were supplied -- clearly not enough for a victory.
Source 1, Chapter 5: "The Great Fatherland War" from the Longman "Global War" book is a brief chapter from a British textbook meant for high school history students. Its purpose is to give a thorough overview of the German attack of Russia in World War II -- What Hitler's motivation for attack was; the details of Operation Barbarossa, Germany's plan for attacking Russia; and the Russian defense and how Russia ultimately drove Germany out. The source has value for learning about the invasion of Russia because it is from a reliable source; it is a textbook that is used in a number of schools, so it can be assumed that it is accurate. It was written from a British perspective, which could be a value because Britain was directly involved in World War II; America was involved, but in a far more disconnected way than European countries whose lands were threatened and people entrenched in the effects of war, so a British text might be more "real" than an American one. However, the British origin could also be a limitation, as Britain was fighting against Germany in WWII. Leftover resentment from the war might have colored the depiction of German actions more than if it were an American text; it certainly seems to present the story in a way that favors the USSR more than Germany. Another limitation is that the text doesn't really offer any different interpretations of why Germany had to back out. It gives a fairly balances view, citing Stalin's "scorched earth" methods and the weather and conditions; but there are probably many more things that affected Germany's failure too, such as leadership and the planning of Operation Barbarossa. Altogether, it is a fairly reliable text that gives very good basics of the situation, but it is only meant to give an overview, not a complete understanding of the situation.
Why Nations Go to War is a book on the major wars of the 20th century, analyzing how and why they happened, by historian John Stoessinger. Its purpose is to analyze different interpretations of why certain nations went to war with each other and educate the reader about these things, analyze why the wars took the courses they did, and even to question modern history through the spectrum of the past. Of course, the purpose of any book is also to sell copies, and to present the author's opinion on the subject. This source has value because Stoessinger, its author, is a highly respected historian. It also has value because it very thoroughly goes through what happened, with dates and events and names, so that the reader gets a very accurate view of the events as they happened. It also goes into more detail with the prelude to the attack, and how Stalin allowed the invasion to happen when he has fair warning. However, the chapter is written from a more psychological viewpoint, and so it represents a certain view -- the author's view, which is only an interpretation. Positivist historians would say that this is not history at all, because it isn't just the straight presentation of historical facts -- rather it attempts to give the motivations that can only be speculated about. Because this chapter focuses on what Hitler's personal motivations and psychology might have been, it doesn't present the most balanced viewpoint of the situation because the truth might be that Hitler's personal motivations (the desire to completely crush Russia, not just to continue building his Reich) might not have been as big a factor as Stoessinger speculates.
2)
Both sources claim that inclement weather was certainly a reason that Hitler's armies failed to win the war in Russia. Both of them detail the circumstances -- Hitler's army was unprepared for the harsh Russian winters. The torrential rain that turned the fields to mud and slowed the army down, the freezing temperatures dropped to -40 degress Farenheit, and the failure of the German army's weapons to work in the frigid climate were all factors that inhibited them, and caused Hitler to lose many men. Both sources also claim that the USSR was saved in part by its manpower and the peoples' resistance. The cruelty of the German soldiers compelled the Russian people to become Partisans, or members of resistance groups, which made fighting for the Germans significantly more difficult. Both sources also seem to both imply that Stalin's awareness that by signing the Soviet-Nazi Treaty was only buying him time might have at least been helpful. He didn't expect Germany not to attack, and he also didn't heed the warnings of Britain and the U.S. While this was also a reason that Hitler was able to attack, Stalin was at least aware that attack might be coming.
The Stoessinger source is different from the textbook source in that it also offers more in-depth psychological insights to why Hitler's invasion of Russia failed. One of these is a sort of miscalculation theory, that Hitler didn't know what he was getting himself into. This is seen in his failure to equip his troops properly, assuming he would have a quick summer victory. Because of this miscalculations, when the Russian winter came, the men were much more succeptible to the elements. Although the Russian winter theory was explored in the other source, it didn't discuss why it was that the men were so ill-prepared for Russian war, and does not attribute it to Hitler's miscalculation. A general view explored in the Stoessinger source that was not even mentioned in Chapter 5 of the Global War text was that the reason for Hitler's failure is that his deep desire to destroy Russia blinded him to the reality of situations. He thought that Russia was far more of a threat than it was, or than it could realistically be, so he did not consult with people who knew better, or listen to them, and charged into war with a fear disproportionate to the actual threat. An aspect of Hitler's failure that has great significance attributed to it in the Chapter 5 source and is not even mentioned in the Stoessinger source is Stalin's "scorched-earth" method. One of the most important effects of this was that the Soviet weapons factories were outside of German reach, as well as other important factories such as textiles for clothing, ammunition, and transport. Because of the removal of factories to far-away places, the Germans weren't able to take supplies from the Russians, and only had what they were supplied -- clearly not enough for a victory.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
HW #4
For Wed, Nov. 18. Please read Chapters 1 and 2 Handouts "From Lightning to Phoney War" and "The Fall of Western Europe" and answer questions A-C from Ch. 1 and A-B in CH. 2.
Chapter 1.
A)
1. Based on sources A-D, the effects of the war on the Polish people were devastating. Germany said that the war would be "humane", but right away, innocent civilians were targets. One of the first attacks on Poland killed 80 women and children out of 120 dead. Beyond the immediate effects of death, houses and villages were destroyed, and people were left starving. Dead bodies were piling up in the streets, and bombs were going off. Source D shows the utter devastation of a city attacked by the Germans -- the buildings are torn apart, the whole place is reduced nearly to rubble with only the foundations left standings.
2.
a) I think that sources A-C were anonymous probably because whoever was speaking out against the German occupation didn't want to be caught, because that could mean punishment for them and their families. This does affect their credibility somewhat, because for all the reader knows, these might not have been written by a Polish person after all -- it could be propaganda written by a British politician, or it could be exaggerated to evoke sympathy.
b) Source D helps use sources A-C because it helps the reader visualize what they are reading about in Sources A-C. Actually seeing the skeletons of buildings that the Germans bombed makes it much more real to the reader.
c) The Polish Black Book was published in Britain in 1940 probably as a kind if propaganda. This was just when Britain was entering the war, and Britain entered the war in the first place because of Britain's invasion of Poland. If this book was just coming out then, it would have been read by a number of British people who would have been moved to support the war and make an effort in it.
d) Its kind of hard to tell the usefulness of The Polish Black Book as a source after only having read 3 excerpts from it, but it seems as if it might be a little exaggerated for the sake of making people angry so that they wanted to fight the Germans, in which case it might not be the most reliable source.
B)
1. I think it's hard to argue that any methods of war are "humane", when the purpose of war is to kill as many people as you can on the other side. I don't think that any of the things listed in sources A-D are "humane", as they show the killing of civilians, the burning of houses and the destruction of cities.
2. Sources A-D suggest that the Germans weren't "humane" by listing all the things they did -- they bombed cities, systematically burned homes, destroyed villages, killed women and children, and left the people starving. This sounds like an example of total war to me.
3. This is the same question as the last two. I just answered this. "They bombed cities, systematically burned homes, destroyed villages, killed women and children, and left the people starving".
C)
1. According to Source E, the lives of the people in the "Big House" only really changed in that they did have arrangements made in case of an air raid. However, the lifestyle was still luxurious -- the description of the place the owner and her guests would stay sounds more like a luxury hotel than a bunker, and even the female servants' quarter sounds far better than whatever conditions the Poles were living in.
2. Source F suggests that daily life in London seems like it was affected, but that people did continue to lead their lives as normally as possible while incorporating precautions for what could come -- for example, the two gentlemen chatting while wearing gas masks by a pool of water for putting out fires. Still living life somewhat normally, but also being cautious of what could happen.
3. Based on Sources E and F, I would say that the British called WWII "The Phony War" because life was still going on in its normal fashion, without any interference from fighting that one would normally expect from war. Yes, people had bunkers set up and wore gas masks just in case, but behind these superficial precautions, life was unchanged.
Chapter 2
A.
1. In Source A, Churchill was offering the British a long, hard battle, but the only other option was defeat. Churchill recognized that the people would have to suffer throughout the war, and that it would be long and cruel, but to fight was the only real option.
2. I think that the "Blood, Sweat, and Tears" speech was so popular because it used strong language to evoke a feeling of national pride in the British people. Churchill's word choice made the suffering that was inevitably ahead for the British people sound heroic, and this attitude fortified them for battle.
B)
1. An 'armada' is a military term for a large fleet of ships, usually rescuing something/something. This word was probably used because it sounds grand and heroic, like the British were executing a daring rescue. Words like these build national pride and makes the reader feel like their government is doing something wonderful for the Poles.
2. I don't know that a French paper might have written this much differently. It might use less grandiose language and have less a search for breathless superlatives, but ultimately the depiction of the British as heros would have stayed the same. A German paper would have made the incident sound as if the British were unfair -- perhaps that they used unfair tactics, or had too large a fleet. Obviously it wouldn't be so complimentary to the British.
Chapter 1.
A)
1. Based on sources A-D, the effects of the war on the Polish people were devastating. Germany said that the war would be "humane", but right away, innocent civilians were targets. One of the first attacks on Poland killed 80 women and children out of 120 dead. Beyond the immediate effects of death, houses and villages were destroyed, and people were left starving. Dead bodies were piling up in the streets, and bombs were going off. Source D shows the utter devastation of a city attacked by the Germans -- the buildings are torn apart, the whole place is reduced nearly to rubble with only the foundations left standings.
2.
a) I think that sources A-C were anonymous probably because whoever was speaking out against the German occupation didn't want to be caught, because that could mean punishment for them and their families. This does affect their credibility somewhat, because for all the reader knows, these might not have been written by a Polish person after all -- it could be propaganda written by a British politician, or it could be exaggerated to evoke sympathy.
b) Source D helps use sources A-C because it helps the reader visualize what they are reading about in Sources A-C. Actually seeing the skeletons of buildings that the Germans bombed makes it much more real to the reader.
c) The Polish Black Book was published in Britain in 1940 probably as a kind if propaganda. This was just when Britain was entering the war, and Britain entered the war in the first place because of Britain's invasion of Poland. If this book was just coming out then, it would have been read by a number of British people who would have been moved to support the war and make an effort in it.
d) Its kind of hard to tell the usefulness of The Polish Black Book as a source after only having read 3 excerpts from it, but it seems as if it might be a little exaggerated for the sake of making people angry so that they wanted to fight the Germans, in which case it might not be the most reliable source.
B)
1. I think it's hard to argue that any methods of war are "humane", when the purpose of war is to kill as many people as you can on the other side. I don't think that any of the things listed in sources A-D are "humane", as they show the killing of civilians, the burning of houses and the destruction of cities.
2. Sources A-D suggest that the Germans weren't "humane" by listing all the things they did -- they bombed cities, systematically burned homes, destroyed villages, killed women and children, and left the people starving. This sounds like an example of total war to me.
3. This is the same question as the last two. I just answered this. "They bombed cities, systematically burned homes, destroyed villages, killed women and children, and left the people starving".
C)
1. According to Source E, the lives of the people in the "Big House" only really changed in that they did have arrangements made in case of an air raid. However, the lifestyle was still luxurious -- the description of the place the owner and her guests would stay sounds more like a luxury hotel than a bunker, and even the female servants' quarter sounds far better than whatever conditions the Poles were living in.
2. Source F suggests that daily life in London seems like it was affected, but that people did continue to lead their lives as normally as possible while incorporating precautions for what could come -- for example, the two gentlemen chatting while wearing gas masks by a pool of water for putting out fires. Still living life somewhat normally, but also being cautious of what could happen.
3. Based on Sources E and F, I would say that the British called WWII "The Phony War" because life was still going on in its normal fashion, without any interference from fighting that one would normally expect from war. Yes, people had bunkers set up and wore gas masks just in case, but behind these superficial precautions, life was unchanged.
Chapter 2
A.
1. In Source A, Churchill was offering the British a long, hard battle, but the only other option was defeat. Churchill recognized that the people would have to suffer throughout the war, and that it would be long and cruel, but to fight was the only real option.
2. I think that the "Blood, Sweat, and Tears" speech was so popular because it used strong language to evoke a feeling of national pride in the British people. Churchill's word choice made the suffering that was inevitably ahead for the British people sound heroic, and this attitude fortified them for battle.
B)
1. An 'armada' is a military term for a large fleet of ships, usually rescuing something/something. This word was probably used because it sounds grand and heroic, like the British were executing a daring rescue. Words like these build national pride and makes the reader feel like their government is doing something wonderful for the Poles.
2. I don't know that a French paper might have written this much differently. It might use less grandiose language and have less a search for breathless superlatives, but ultimately the depiction of the British as heros would have stayed the same. A German paper would have made the incident sound as if the British were unfair -- perhaps that they used unfair tactics, or had too large a fleet. Obviously it wouldn't be so complimentary to the British.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Chapter 5
Chapter 5: The Great Fatherland War
A)
1.The photograph of the Soviet citizens on page 11 shows people so enthusiastic to see the Nazis that they might have been Germans themselves. As the German soldiers drive through, there are smiling people crowded on the sides of the road, doing the Nazi salute and cheering like they were welcoming their own men.
2.Some Soviet citizens were not treated well under Stalin's reign. Anyone who didn't support communism, or was an “undesirable” – Jews, homosexuals, etc – lived horribly under Stalin. There were also others, such as peasants or farmers, who were forced into collectivization and essentially made no wages or reaped any benefits for their work because the government owned everything. These people probably thought that life under a dictator like Hitler was preferable to life under a dictator like Stalin; or perhaps they were only thinking of the immediate future and were willing to welcome anyone as long as it freed them from Stalin.
3.Based on sources A,C, and D, there are several reasons that the same Nazis the Russians welcomes might have been less welcome a year later. For one, there was the complications to daily life that being invaded by the Germans entailed: Everything that the Germans could use to their advantage had to be hidden or destroyed, which probably made life uncomfortable for the Russians, especially farmers and peasants who had to get rid of food. The invasion of the Nazis essentially forced the Russians to destroy their own country and resources so that the Nazis wouldn't benefit from them; however, then the Russians couldn't either. Source C shows that by a year later, the Nazis were looked at as “Fascist invaders” rather than liberators. The oath talks about “revenge” “for the burning of [their] cities and villages...the murder of [their] children...and the torture and atrocities committed against [their] people.”
B)
1.Stalin was essentially telling his people to destroy everything they had that might be of value to the Germans, even if it was something that the Russians themselves needed. Bread, wheat and petrol should all be destroyed, and the land occupied by enemies must be sabotaged – bridges and roads, telephone and telegraph lines, etc. Stalin basically told his people to destroy their own country.
2.I think that Stalin hoped that he might drive the Nazis out by making conditions unbearable to live in. With the lack of food and supplies, the Nazis would starve and freeze and be unable to move forward with their attack, and the ruination of communication lines and roads would make progression and coordination much harder. Stalin hoped that, given these difficulties, the Germans might give up.
3.a) I think that the lives of the Soviet people would be most negatively affected in the areas wher Stalin's commands were carried out. In addition to most likely being murdered and having their homes destroyed by the Germans, they had no food, no supplies, no methods of communication or transport.
b) I think that the lives of the German soldiers were probably not much better – they wouldn't be able to move easily across the country, and they weren't able to take things from the Russians because the Russians had nothing. However, they did have what Germany supplied them with. On the other hand, the weather made life very difficult, because the ground was either muddy or, when winter came, frozen over. The sub-zero temperatures caused a large number of deaths in the army, and automatic weapons could not be used because of the cold.
C)
1.
The German Invasion of Russia Similar to German Campaigns in Europe:
1.Method of Attack
– Invasion: Destroyed most of the airforce while it was still on the ground, took prisoners and supplies. Occupied major areas such as the Ukraine, the Crimea, all rich farming and industrial areas. Massacred Jews, people taken as slave labor.
2.Length of Campaign
– 1941-1942 until Germany was defeated.
3.Effects on Civilians
– Civilians were massacres, homes burned, villages ruined, people taken as slaves. The people also suffered because of Stalin's “scorched earth” methods.
4.Result of Campaign
– Germany failed, left.
A)
1.The photograph of the Soviet citizens on page 11 shows people so enthusiastic to see the Nazis that they might have been Germans themselves. As the German soldiers drive through, there are smiling people crowded on the sides of the road, doing the Nazi salute and cheering like they were welcoming their own men.
2.Some Soviet citizens were not treated well under Stalin's reign. Anyone who didn't support communism, or was an “undesirable” – Jews, homosexuals, etc – lived horribly under Stalin. There were also others, such as peasants or farmers, who were forced into collectivization and essentially made no wages or reaped any benefits for their work because the government owned everything. These people probably thought that life under a dictator like Hitler was preferable to life under a dictator like Stalin; or perhaps they were only thinking of the immediate future and were willing to welcome anyone as long as it freed them from Stalin.
3.Based on sources A,C, and D, there are several reasons that the same Nazis the Russians welcomes might have been less welcome a year later. For one, there was the complications to daily life that being invaded by the Germans entailed: Everything that the Germans could use to their advantage had to be hidden or destroyed, which probably made life uncomfortable for the Russians, especially farmers and peasants who had to get rid of food. The invasion of the Nazis essentially forced the Russians to destroy their own country and resources so that the Nazis wouldn't benefit from them; however, then the Russians couldn't either. Source C shows that by a year later, the Nazis were looked at as “Fascist invaders” rather than liberators. The oath talks about “revenge” “for the burning of [their] cities and villages...the murder of [their] children...and the torture and atrocities committed against [their] people.”
B)
1.Stalin was essentially telling his people to destroy everything they had that might be of value to the Germans, even if it was something that the Russians themselves needed. Bread, wheat and petrol should all be destroyed, and the land occupied by enemies must be sabotaged – bridges and roads, telephone and telegraph lines, etc. Stalin basically told his people to destroy their own country.
2.I think that Stalin hoped that he might drive the Nazis out by making conditions unbearable to live in. With the lack of food and supplies, the Nazis would starve and freeze and be unable to move forward with their attack, and the ruination of communication lines and roads would make progression and coordination much harder. Stalin hoped that, given these difficulties, the Germans might give up.
3.a) I think that the lives of the Soviet people would be most negatively affected in the areas wher Stalin's commands were carried out. In addition to most likely being murdered and having their homes destroyed by the Germans, they had no food, no supplies, no methods of communication or transport.
b) I think that the lives of the German soldiers were probably not much better – they wouldn't be able to move easily across the country, and they weren't able to take things from the Russians because the Russians had nothing. However, they did have what Germany supplied them with. On the other hand, the weather made life very difficult, because the ground was either muddy or, when winter came, frozen over. The sub-zero temperatures caused a large number of deaths in the army, and automatic weapons could not be used because of the cold.
C)
1.
The German Invasion of Russia Similar to German Campaigns in Europe:
1.Method of Attack
– Invasion: Destroyed most of the airforce while it was still on the ground, took prisoners and supplies. Occupied major areas such as the Ukraine, the Crimea, all rich farming and industrial areas. Massacred Jews, people taken as slave labor.
2.Length of Campaign
– 1941-1942 until Germany was defeated.
3.Effects on Civilians
– Civilians were massacres, homes burned, villages ruined, people taken as slaves. The people also suffered because of Stalin's “scorched earth” methods.
4.Result of Campaign
– Germany failed, left.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
HW #3
1. Discuss a political cause of WWII that could be related to the reading.
A political cause of WWII related to this reading could be Japan's land-hunger and the weakness of the LN. The invasion of Manchuria shows, for one, the weakness of the League of Nations: Japan was a leading member of the LN, but that didn't stop it from invading one of the other leading members, China. Furthermore, it shows the desire for land that was also a problem with Germany. There wasn't enough genuine desire for peace, and apparently there wasn't enough threat of retribution. All of these things are political problems. No member of the LN wanted to take economic or military sanctions against Japan, so the LN had to try to use persuasion; however, before anything could be done, Japan resigned from the League, rendering it powerless in the situation.
2. Discuss an economic cause of WWII that could be related the the reading.
An economic cause of WWII related to this reading could be Japan's invasion of Manchuria and the LN's inaction. Japan invaded Manchuria in part because of economic things: The "territory is more than three times as large [as Japan]...but [was] inhabited by only one third as many people...its wealth of forestry, minerals and agricultural products [was] also unrivaled elsewhere in the world". Japan had a lot to gain in the long run if it had Manchuria. Britain, one of several nations that essentially "controlled" the LN, would not enforce an economic boycott because Japan would declare war and seize Hong Kong and Singapore, Britain's major ports in Asia. So the LN was unable to do anything because it wasn't truly looking out for world's best interests; it was too controlled by several nations.
3. Discuss an ideological cause of WWII that could be related to the reading.
An ideological cause of WWII that could be related to the reading is Japan, Germany and Italy's hatred of communism. In 1936 the Comintern ordered communists the world over to join with other political parties to help stop the spread of fascism. In response, Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact that said they would oppose Communism and "consult with each other if either was attacked or threatened by the USSR." Italy joined in 1937, which made it so that the 3 most aggressive countries in the 1930s were allied with each other.
4. Answer question A from Chapter 8.
A)
1. I think that the rising sun represents Japan.
2. The dark clouds in the foreground represent the looming threat of Japan's power. Japan claims that their rise is a good thing, with "Asia for the Asians", etc., but for Western powers it is a threat to their sovereignty.
3. I think that the point the cartoonist is trying to make it that Japan's rise, though supposedly a rising sun and a new day, is really bringing war and death and destruction to the world. It begins with the invasion of China, but the dark clouds over the rest of the world and the rays convey that it will spread.
5. Answer question B from Chapter 8.
B)
1. I cannot tell from the picture what is on the family's sled, so I don't know what kind of a family it is.
2. The family was probably leaving Shanghai because of the effects of Japan's Chinese invasion. The living conditions were terrible, because the "looting, rape, torture, murder and pointless destruction", so obviously the family would be trying to get away - perhaps to the countryside where the Chinese Communists were still in power, for the most part. The family would be carrying their possessions because it might be all that was left of what they owned. They probably weren't planning to go back, so they would of course bring what they had left to them.
A political cause of WWII related to this reading could be Japan's land-hunger and the weakness of the LN. The invasion of Manchuria shows, for one, the weakness of the League of Nations: Japan was a leading member of the LN, but that didn't stop it from invading one of the other leading members, China. Furthermore, it shows the desire for land that was also a problem with Germany. There wasn't enough genuine desire for peace, and apparently there wasn't enough threat of retribution. All of these things are political problems. No member of the LN wanted to take economic or military sanctions against Japan, so the LN had to try to use persuasion; however, before anything could be done, Japan resigned from the League, rendering it powerless in the situation.
2. Discuss an economic cause of WWII that could be related the the reading.
An economic cause of WWII related to this reading could be Japan's invasion of Manchuria and the LN's inaction. Japan invaded Manchuria in part because of economic things: The "territory is more than three times as large [as Japan]...but [was] inhabited by only one third as many people...its wealth of forestry, minerals and agricultural products [was] also unrivaled elsewhere in the world". Japan had a lot to gain in the long run if it had Manchuria. Britain, one of several nations that essentially "controlled" the LN, would not enforce an economic boycott because Japan would declare war and seize Hong Kong and Singapore, Britain's major ports in Asia. So the LN was unable to do anything because it wasn't truly looking out for world's best interests; it was too controlled by several nations.
3. Discuss an ideological cause of WWII that could be related to the reading.
An ideological cause of WWII that could be related to the reading is Japan, Germany and Italy's hatred of communism. In 1936 the Comintern ordered communists the world over to join with other political parties to help stop the spread of fascism. In response, Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact that said they would oppose Communism and "consult with each other if either was attacked or threatened by the USSR." Italy joined in 1937, which made it so that the 3 most aggressive countries in the 1930s were allied with each other.
4. Answer question A from Chapter 8.
A)
1. I think that the rising sun represents Japan.
2. The dark clouds in the foreground represent the looming threat of Japan's power. Japan claims that their rise is a good thing, with "Asia for the Asians", etc., but for Western powers it is a threat to their sovereignty.
3. I think that the point the cartoonist is trying to make it that Japan's rise, though supposedly a rising sun and a new day, is really bringing war and death and destruction to the world. It begins with the invasion of China, but the dark clouds over the rest of the world and the rays convey that it will spread.
5. Answer question B from Chapter 8.
B)
1. I cannot tell from the picture what is on the family's sled, so I don't know what kind of a family it is.
2. The family was probably leaving Shanghai because of the effects of Japan's Chinese invasion. The living conditions were terrible, because the "looting, rape, torture, murder and pointless destruction", so obviously the family would be trying to get away - perhaps to the countryside where the Chinese Communists were still in power, for the most part. The family would be carrying their possessions because it might be all that was left of what they owned. They probably weren't planning to go back, so they would of course bring what they had left to them.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
HW 24
Handout 13:
A)
1. There is good evidence that Hoss was "evil" presented in this chapter. Most persuasive to this argument is his ruthless and coldblooded examination of exterminating the Jews. He talks about more "efficient" ways to kill people, brags about the short time in which they die, and is proud of the fact that his gas chambers can kill up to 2,000 people at a time, rather than only 200. In general, he has a methodical look at genocide that suggests a certain inhumanity.
2. Despite the things he did at Auschwitz, Hoss could be considered not evil because of the indoctrination and propaganda the Nazis used. Jews were dehumanized; it doesn't make it acceptable, but the fact is that Hoss probably truly saw the Jews as less than human and as an actual threat. It's hard to call a person "evil", because if they are doing something it is most likely because they feel it's truly justified. Hoss probably thought he was doing something heroic, something that would save Germany and even the world. Indoctrination and propaganda may be more to blame here than simple "evil".
B)
I don't think I am either an intentionalist or a functionalist, and I think the answer lies somewhere between the two beliefs. I don't think that Hitler was a "weak dictator", but I do believe that he had a lot of his work done by his underlings. He dictated the bigger things (i.e. the extermination of the Jews), but didn't attend to the details. He was in charge, though. I don't know that I believe that Hitler didn't have the intention to kill the Jewish people of Germany. He did use them as scapegoats and breed a lot of hatred for them, but the concentration camps were mostly kept a secret from the public. So this means that HItler either started out with the intention of doing this and with the sincere belief that it was for the better, or he was pushed into it by circumstances, or he was taking some kind of strange psychological vengeance (self hatred complex). IN the end, its hard to answer without knowing Hitler's personal motives.
A)
1. There is good evidence that Hoss was "evil" presented in this chapter. Most persuasive to this argument is his ruthless and coldblooded examination of exterminating the Jews. He talks about more "efficient" ways to kill people, brags about the short time in which they die, and is proud of the fact that his gas chambers can kill up to 2,000 people at a time, rather than only 200. In general, he has a methodical look at genocide that suggests a certain inhumanity.
2. Despite the things he did at Auschwitz, Hoss could be considered not evil because of the indoctrination and propaganda the Nazis used. Jews were dehumanized; it doesn't make it acceptable, but the fact is that Hoss probably truly saw the Jews as less than human and as an actual threat. It's hard to call a person "evil", because if they are doing something it is most likely because they feel it's truly justified. Hoss probably thought he was doing something heroic, something that would save Germany and even the world. Indoctrination and propaganda may be more to blame here than simple "evil".
B)
I don't think I am either an intentionalist or a functionalist, and I think the answer lies somewhere between the two beliefs. I don't think that Hitler was a "weak dictator", but I do believe that he had a lot of his work done by his underlings. He dictated the bigger things (i.e. the extermination of the Jews), but didn't attend to the details. He was in charge, though. I don't know that I believe that Hitler didn't have the intention to kill the Jewish people of Germany. He did use them as scapegoats and breed a lot of hatred for them, but the concentration camps were mostly kept a secret from the public. So this means that HItler either started out with the intention of doing this and with the sincere belief that it was for the better, or he was pushed into it by circumstances, or he was taking some kind of strange psychological vengeance (self hatred complex). IN the end, its hard to answer without knowing Hitler's personal motives.
HW 25
Here's HW 25, pretty simple: Complete questions A-B from Chapter 14.
A)
1. America was a rich, strong nation that could assist Germany's enemies hugely. America had a huge army to deploy against Germany and Japan, and could also assist Britain and Russia, which were both fighting Germany as well. The assistance of America, Russia was able to form a new army that defeated the German army in the battle of Stalingrad, for example. America also joined forces with Britain on D-Day, making raids with bomber plains on German cities.
2. I do think that had Germany not declared war on America, the outcome of WWII might have been significantly different. Up until 1941, when Hitler declared war upon America, he was in control of most of Europe and Germany was doing very well in the war. However, after he declared war on America, he gave his other enemies the means to defeat him. Britain and Russia couldn't have done it themselves, but with America's power and assistance, the three teamed up into a far stronger unit. Without America's contribution, it is plausible that Germany could have defeated Britain and Russia.
B)
I find it hard to argue that NOT killing Hitler would be the "right" thing to do. From the perspective of Stauffenberg, I think it was the right thing to do as well. From the perspective of somebody who would have wanted Germany to win WWII, it would be a tough choice to make, because Hitler was the charismatic leader that glued the country together (on most accounts); however, he was making poor military decisions. It was obvious that at this point he could not win the war, yet he insisted on sending what remained of his men into battle only to be slaughtered. If Hitler could not be reasoned with, it might have been that the only option was to take him out before he doomed the entire German army, and possibly nation. I think that if the plot succeeded Germany probably would have surrendered sooner and perhaps would have gotten slightly better treatment at the hands of the Allies. I don't think that it would have been possible for Germany to regroup at that point, though, so ultimately in both situations Germany probably would not have won the war.
A)
1. America was a rich, strong nation that could assist Germany's enemies hugely. America had a huge army to deploy against Germany and Japan, and could also assist Britain and Russia, which were both fighting Germany as well. The assistance of America, Russia was able to form a new army that defeated the German army in the battle of Stalingrad, for example. America also joined forces with Britain on D-Day, making raids with bomber plains on German cities.
2. I do think that had Germany not declared war on America, the outcome of WWII might have been significantly different. Up until 1941, when Hitler declared war upon America, he was in control of most of Europe and Germany was doing very well in the war. However, after he declared war on America, he gave his other enemies the means to defeat him. Britain and Russia couldn't have done it themselves, but with America's power and assistance, the three teamed up into a far stronger unit. Without America's contribution, it is plausible that Germany could have defeated Britain and Russia.
B)
I find it hard to argue that NOT killing Hitler would be the "right" thing to do. From the perspective of Stauffenberg, I think it was the right thing to do as well. From the perspective of somebody who would have wanted Germany to win WWII, it would be a tough choice to make, because Hitler was the charismatic leader that glued the country together (on most accounts); however, he was making poor military decisions. It was obvious that at this point he could not win the war, yet he insisted on sending what remained of his men into battle only to be slaughtered. If Hitler could not be reasoned with, it might have been that the only option was to take him out before he doomed the entire German army, and possibly nation. I think that if the plot succeeded Germany probably would have surrendered sooner and perhaps would have gotten slightly better treatment at the hands of the Allies. I don't think that it would have been possible for Germany to regroup at that point, though, so ultimately in both situations Germany probably would not have won the war.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
HW 21
HW 21 -
1. Read Hitler's Germany Chapter 10 and answer questions A-B.
1.
Rearmament: The process of expanding the armed forces of a country; in the case of Germany, building it back up after the Treaty of Versailles ruined Germany's armed forces. The army expanded from 100,000 to 300,000 men, the navy built new ships and submarines, and an air force was supposed to be built.
Remilitarization: Hitler's process of rebuilding his military into something powerful enough to attack another country (i.e., the Rhineland).
Anschluss: The union of Germany and Austria as a single, large country.
B)
1934: Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles by rearming Germany, expanding the armed forces, starting and air force, and building new naval ships and submarines.
1935: Hitler publicly announced that there would be a compulsory military service and that the army would be built up to 550,000, causing panic amongst Germany's neighbors.
1936: Hitler ordered his army to march into the Rhineland, which violated the part of the V.T. that said Germany's armies were not to go within 50 KM of the River Rhine.
1938: Hitler began planning Anschluss, which was forbidden by the Versailles Treaty.
1. Read Hitler's Germany Chapter 10 and answer questions A-B.
1.
Rearmament: The process of expanding the armed forces of a country; in the case of Germany, building it back up after the Treaty of Versailles ruined Germany's armed forces. The army expanded from 100,000 to 300,000 men, the navy built new ships and submarines, and an air force was supposed to be built.
Remilitarization: Hitler's process of rebuilding his military into something powerful enough to attack another country (i.e., the Rhineland).
Anschluss: The union of Germany and Austria as a single, large country.
B)
1934: Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles by rearming Germany, expanding the armed forces, starting and air force, and building new naval ships and submarines.
1935: Hitler publicly announced that there would be a compulsory military service and that the army would be built up to 550,000, causing panic amongst Germany's neighbors.
1936: Hitler ordered his army to march into the Rhineland, which violated the part of the V.T. that said Germany's armies were not to go within 50 KM of the River Rhine.
1938: Hitler began planning Anschluss, which was forbidden by the Versailles Treaty.
HW 22
HW 22 -
1. Read Hitler's Germany Chapter 11 and answer questions A-C.
2. Read Modern World History pages 77-87 and be prepared to answer the following questions in class:
1. Define "Appeasement"
2. How could appeasement be justified? Put it in historical context!
3. To what extent did appeasement help cause WWII?
4. How did Hitler use propoganda to justify his invasion of Czechoslovakia?
A)
Dearest Friend,
I write to inform you of the terrible things that are happening in Czechoslovakia; you have been gone a long time, and you do not know what suffering we are going through here. I am sorry to say that I believe Czechoslovakia is being slowly taken over by the despicable Germans and Hitler, and France and England do nothing about it! It started when the riots did; Hitler was planning to invade to stop all the riots in Sudetenland, but I believe he purposely riled up the Germans who were living there. At any rate, when we found out that the German army was gathering on the borders, of course we Czechs got ready to fight, and he backed off. I thought perhaps then we were safe; but then only months later, Hitler was practically given permission to take Sudetenland by Neville Chamberlain of Britain. The filthy appeaser! He was so frightened of what Hitler might do, that he forgot his duty to protect the sovereignty of people all over the world. He agreed with France that Hitler should indeed have our land, and our representative was never so much as consulted! I cannot describe the rage and sorrow that our country feels right now, my friend. I fear that the future hold more of this; Hitler knows now that Chamberlain will not stop him, and the greedy man already has his eyes on the rest of Czechoslovakia. I can only watch and wait and hope. I wish sincerely that things might not be so bleak for you where you are now: and for the first time, I hope that you don't come home to this ruined shadow of your beloved homeland.
Sincerely,
Rabushnygiva Vodianova
B)
1. The Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939 - An agreement between Germany and Russia that they would not fight each other, and that they would secretly attack Poland and divide it amongst themselves. This meant that Hitler could invade the Polish Corridor without fear of attack from Russia.
2. People were likely surprised by this political maneuver because the Nazis and Communists hated each other. Hitler had spent years trying to eradicate Communists entirely from Germany, and surely the Soviet Union could not have taken kindly to this. I do not think that any country would have suspected the two to team up to work around their inability to attack Poland without retaliation from England and France; the handout describes Russia as Hitler's "hated enemy".
1. Read Hitler's Germany Chapter 11 and answer questions A-C.
2. Read Modern World History pages 77-87 and be prepared to answer the following questions in class:
1. Define "Appeasement"
2. How could appeasement be justified? Put it in historical context!
3. To what extent did appeasement help cause WWII?
4. How did Hitler use propoganda to justify his invasion of Czechoslovakia?
A)
Dearest Friend,
I write to inform you of the terrible things that are happening in Czechoslovakia; you have been gone a long time, and you do not know what suffering we are going through here. I am sorry to say that I believe Czechoslovakia is being slowly taken over by the despicable Germans and Hitler, and France and England do nothing about it! It started when the riots did; Hitler was planning to invade to stop all the riots in Sudetenland, but I believe he purposely riled up the Germans who were living there. At any rate, when we found out that the German army was gathering on the borders, of course we Czechs got ready to fight, and he backed off. I thought perhaps then we were safe; but then only months later, Hitler was practically given permission to take Sudetenland by Neville Chamberlain of Britain. The filthy appeaser! He was so frightened of what Hitler might do, that he forgot his duty to protect the sovereignty of people all over the world. He agreed with France that Hitler should indeed have our land, and our representative was never so much as consulted! I cannot describe the rage and sorrow that our country feels right now, my friend. I fear that the future hold more of this; Hitler knows now that Chamberlain will not stop him, and the greedy man already has his eyes on the rest of Czechoslovakia. I can only watch and wait and hope. I wish sincerely that things might not be so bleak for you where you are now: and for the first time, I hope that you don't come home to this ruined shadow of your beloved homeland.
Sincerely,
Rabushnygiva Vodianova
B)
1. The Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939 - An agreement between Germany and Russia that they would not fight each other, and that they would secretly attack Poland and divide it amongst themselves. This meant that Hitler could invade the Polish Corridor without fear of attack from Russia.
2. People were likely surprised by this political maneuver because the Nazis and Communists hated each other. Hitler had spent years trying to eradicate Communists entirely from Germany, and surely the Soviet Union could not have taken kindly to this. I do not think that any country would have suspected the two to team up to work around their inability to attack Poland without retaliation from England and France; the handout describes Russia as Hitler's "hated enemy".
Monday, October 19, 2009
HW 19
HW 20 - For Tuesday, read Chapters 8 and 9 and complete questions A-B for Ch. 8 and A-C for Chapter 9.
Please bring Modern World History textbooks to class.
Chapter 8:
A)
1. This liner might have been going to the Canary Islands, one of the locations that the Nazi cruise lines went (for a price of 62 marks).
2. The people on this liner were all likely regular workers, but also very loyal, dedicated members of the Nazi party.
3. Generally these trips were inexpensive so that the average worker could afford to go, at a cost that was similar to two weeks' wages.
4. The reason that Hitler was spending money on liners when Germany had been at war for 4 years was probably that he felt one of the best ways to keep himself in power was making sure the people were happy. He had his fear tactics, which he used, but using fear exclusively to rule the people would likely mean having to constantly struggle against resistance for control. By making the workers happy, he made them more willing to serve the Nazi machine and made Germany a stronger, more unified country.
5. This picture was probably taken as propaganda, to encourage workers to put in more effort so that they could enjoy a similar cruise experience.
B)
1. This joke means that the Volkswagon company was not truly for making cars, or for the people; it was merely a front for spending more money on the military, while making it seem as if the government was doing something for the people. In fact, workers contributed the money, but not a single person got a car as the Volkswagon company was converted into a weapons company at the start of WWII.
2. This joke shows that the Germans were not ignorant of the unscrupulous things that were going on in the government, as a person might assume since they were willing to allow such terrible things to happen right under their noses. The attitude seems almost nonchalant, as if the problem is recognized but also acknowledged as unchangeable.
Chapter 9:
1.
Propaganda: A form of advertisement, the aim of which is to persuade large numbers of people to think what one wants them to think, and believe what one wants them to believe.
Rally: Gatherings that could hole up to 400,000 people, had army parades, gymnastics, choirs, brass bands, fireworks, etc. A from of propaganda to ensnare people.
Censorship: The banning of information or entertainment which the government perceives as dangerous or harmful to their cause.
2. I would think that the joke that would not be permitted would be the first joke. The second two jokes might seem slightly hostile towards the Nazis and what they did; however, the first one blatantly casts Hitler as being cruel, which the Fuhrer would not allow.
3. The pictures from chapter 4, which portray Nazi officers trying to keep people from shopping in a Jewish store, and two small Jewish children being forced to stand in front of a classroom with slander about Jews written on the board. Although surely a good number of Nazis were in favor of purification and Hitler did a good job of turning the Jews into scapegoats, some people might feel uncomfortable seeing images of innocent children being persecuted.
Please bring Modern World History textbooks to class.
Chapter 8:
A)
1. This liner might have been going to the Canary Islands, one of the locations that the Nazi cruise lines went (for a price of 62 marks).
2. The people on this liner were all likely regular workers, but also very loyal, dedicated members of the Nazi party.
3. Generally these trips were inexpensive so that the average worker could afford to go, at a cost that was similar to two weeks' wages.
4. The reason that Hitler was spending money on liners when Germany had been at war for 4 years was probably that he felt one of the best ways to keep himself in power was making sure the people were happy. He had his fear tactics, which he used, but using fear exclusively to rule the people would likely mean having to constantly struggle against resistance for control. By making the workers happy, he made them more willing to serve the Nazi machine and made Germany a stronger, more unified country.
5. This picture was probably taken as propaganda, to encourage workers to put in more effort so that they could enjoy a similar cruise experience.
B)
1. This joke means that the Volkswagon company was not truly for making cars, or for the people; it was merely a front for spending more money on the military, while making it seem as if the government was doing something for the people. In fact, workers contributed the money, but not a single person got a car as the Volkswagon company was converted into a weapons company at the start of WWII.
2. This joke shows that the Germans were not ignorant of the unscrupulous things that were going on in the government, as a person might assume since they were willing to allow such terrible things to happen right under their noses. The attitude seems almost nonchalant, as if the problem is recognized but also acknowledged as unchangeable.
Chapter 9:
1.
Propaganda: A form of advertisement, the aim of which is to persuade large numbers of people to think what one wants them to think, and believe what one wants them to believe.
Rally: Gatherings that could hole up to 400,000 people, had army parades, gymnastics, choirs, brass bands, fireworks, etc. A from of propaganda to ensnare people.
Censorship: The banning of information or entertainment which the government perceives as dangerous or harmful to their cause.
2. I would think that the joke that would not be permitted would be the first joke. The second two jokes might seem slightly hostile towards the Nazis and what they did; however, the first one blatantly casts Hitler as being cruel, which the Fuhrer would not allow.
3. The pictures from chapter 4, which portray Nazi officers trying to keep people from shopping in a Jewish store, and two small Jewish children being forced to stand in front of a classroom with slander about Jews written on the board. Although surely a good number of Nazis were in favor of purification and Hitler did a good job of turning the Jews into scapegoats, some people might feel uncomfortable seeing images of innocent children being persecuted.
Nazi Domestic Policy Chart
Nazi Policy: Hitler Youth - Young people belonged to youth groups that taught them loyalty to Hitler and trained them in military skills
Year: 1934
Effect: Indoctrination of youth; helps prevent any future uprisings because children are raised to worship and support the Nazi party. Effects were physical and psychological; they were trained in military
Nazi Policy: Adolf Hitler Schools - Took boys from the Jungvolk (Hitler youth organization of children 10-14) at 12 and gave them 6 years of training and then sent them either to university or the army; the best students were sent on to Order Castles where they were put through rigorous training and pushed to the limits of endurance. Those who survived graduated to become the model for ideal Hitler Youth.
Year: Entirety of regime.
Effect: Again, indoctrination of the youth, crushing all opposition before it starts and therefore ensuring Hitler's dominance. Also found Hitler the most loyal and talented young people in Germany; worked as a talent discovery.
Year: 1934
Effect: Indoctrination of youth; helps prevent any future uprisings because children are raised to worship and support the Nazi party. Effects were physical and psychological; they were trained in military
Nazi Policy: Adolf Hitler Schools - Took boys from the Jungvolk (Hitler youth organization of children 10-14) at 12 and gave them 6 years of training and then sent them either to university or the army; the best students were sent on to Order Castles where they were put through rigorous training and pushed to the limits of endurance. Those who survived graduated to become the model for ideal Hitler Youth.
Year: Entirety of regime.
Effect: Again, indoctrination of the youth, crushing all opposition before it starts and therefore ensuring Hitler's dominance. Also found Hitler the most loyal and talented young people in Germany; worked as a talent discovery.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
HW # 18
As of today, it seems that I will never be able to go outside showing my true self; all freedom is lost here, I can see now that it is undeniable. As a Communist, a working man trying to make a living for his family and get what he deserves, I am naturally not loved by our so-called Chancellor, Hitler. I have seen the way he changed the country over the past couple years, and from the beginning I knew it was no good that he could be appointed to the position of Chancellor. He won his seat with violence and used fear as a weapon -- his Storm Troopers frightened Hindenburg into allowing it to happen, the president was too afraid of civil war to take a stand. Perhaps Hindenberg thought he could control the monster, but it is clearer every day that it was not so. Soon he convinced the Reichstag to give him authority to do what he wanted without its consent; then he outlawed other political parties in Germany, took away our human rights! And all I could do was watch in horror as Germany as I knew her crumbled around me, turning quickly into a dangerous machine operated by a more dangerous criminal. I held on to the hope that things might be turned around, and that Hindenberg might reclaim control -- a foolish hope, but I had nothing else to cling to -- but once word that President Hindenberg was dead, I knew it was over. And soon after, Hitler named himself Fuhrer and President over Germany. I am so angry that such a thing was allowed to happen; surely the people saw it coming, but nobody stopped it, and the Nazis silenced my party. Now everyone is too afraid to try to dissent. I myself have not had dealings with the SA or the SS, thankfully, but they have touched my life. In the election of 1933, when we still held on to the illusion of democracy in this country, I knew several people who were beaten by the Storm Troopers, in an effort to keep them from voting. One of them died. All this, when Hitler was not so firmly in power! How could this happen? I have been hiding, ever since Hitler became our Fuhrer; I have heard many stories, and I know that as long as I am visible, I will be a target for the Gestapo. I am determined that my life will not end in Hitler's concentration camp, even if it means that I must keep myself hidden in an old barn, coming out only at nights. I try to have secret meetings with my friends who feel similarly, but we have no chance of changing things now; and besides, it is dangerous enough to be a communist without having meetings. The rise of the Nazi party has ruined me. I have lost my job, my home, my family, and my freedom. I am reduced to crouching in the dark, waiting for the end to come, of either the Nazis or of myself. I am trying to hold onto hope, but it is slipping away like a ghost.
Chapter 2: The Road to Dictatorship
A.
Chancellor - Prime Minister.
Reichstag - The German parliament.
Enabling Law - Law that Hitler persuaded the Reichstag to pass in 1933; allowed Hitler to make laws without asking for Reichstag consent, essentially making him Dictator of Germany.
One Party State - A state in which the ruling party is the only political party allowed (for example, Russia under Communism, Germany under Naziism, etc)
Gaulteirs - District leaders in the Nazi party; got orders from Hitler, and reported to him.
Block Leaders - Lowest member of the Nazi party structure, but very important. They were in charge of one "block" of flats or houses. They listened to local gossip and found out who the critics of the Nazis were, and got them arrested.
B)
23 March 1933 - Hitler gets the Reichstag to pass the Enabling Law --> Essentially makes him dictator of Germany.
7 April 1933 - Put Nazi officials in charge of the local governments that ran Germany's provinces --> Gives more power to the federal government, eliminates possible competition for leadership.
2 May 1933 - Closed down the trade unions, took away their funds and put their leaders in prison --> Got rid of more potential dissenters, weakened the workers making them dependent on the goodwill of the government.
14 July 1933 - Made a Law Against the Formation of New Parties, made Nazis the only party allowed in Germany -->
Nobody could break the law, because they could be sentenced to 3 years in a prison labor camp. Got rid of any dissenters legally.
30 June 1934 - Ernst Roehm and the SA leaders were arrested, taken to prison, and shot; over the next few days, 400 people met the same fate, at the hands of Hitler's SS (protection squad) --> Hitler eliminates any groups that might pose a threat from within the Nazi party.
C)
1. The authority of Hitler, who was able to pass laws without the consent of the Reichstag at this point, so if he commanded that the communists be rounded up, it was legal.
2. Obviously this is unfair, because it is a restriction of free speech.
Chancellor - Prime Minister.
Reichstag - The German parliament.
Enabling Law - Law that Hitler persuaded the Reichstag to pass in 1933; allowed Hitler to make laws without asking for Reichstag consent, essentially making him Dictator of Germany.
One Party State - A state in which the ruling party is the only political party allowed (for example, Russia under Communism, Germany under Naziism, etc)
Gaulteirs - District leaders in the Nazi party; got orders from Hitler, and reported to him.
Block Leaders - Lowest member of the Nazi party structure, but very important. They were in charge of one "block" of flats or houses. They listened to local gossip and found out who the critics of the Nazis were, and got them arrested.
B)
23 March 1933 - Hitler gets the Reichstag to pass the Enabling Law --> Essentially makes him dictator of Germany.
7 April 1933 - Put Nazi officials in charge of the local governments that ran Germany's provinces --> Gives more power to the federal government, eliminates possible competition for leadership.
2 May 1933 - Closed down the trade unions, took away their funds and put their leaders in prison --> Got rid of more potential dissenters, weakened the workers making them dependent on the goodwill of the government.
14 July 1933 - Made a Law Against the Formation of New Parties, made Nazis the only party allowed in Germany -->
Nobody could break the law, because they could be sentenced to 3 years in a prison labor camp. Got rid of any dissenters legally.
30 June 1934 - Ernst Roehm and the SA leaders were arrested, taken to prison, and shot; over the next few days, 400 people met the same fate, at the hands of Hitler's SS (protection squad) --> Hitler eliminates any groups that might pose a threat from within the Nazi party.
C)
1. The authority of Hitler, who was able to pass laws without the consent of the Reichstag at this point, so if he commanded that the communists be rounded up, it was legal.
2. Obviously this is unfair, because it is a restriction of free speech.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Homework 17
A)
Gestapo:Hitler's secret State Police, a branch of the SS. It had the authority to do whatever it wanted, dealt with potential "enemies of the state".
Protective Custody: A Nazi codeword for prison; people who were arrested under suspicion of being enemies of the state were forced to sign an Order of Protective Custody, and would be brought to prison.
Concentration Camps: Where potential enemies of the state were brought, until the Gestapo felt like releasing them.
Death Head Units: Branch of the SS, , who wore skull and crossbones on their uniforms.
B)
People likely to be in the concentration camps:
-"Politicals": Communists, geunuine political prisoners, people who had spoken against Hitler.
-"Work-Shy": People who lost jobs and then applied for unemployment benefits, but might have turned down a job they were offered.
-"Bibelforscher": Religious sect that refused military service
-Homosexuals
- 'Professional Criminals"
C)
1. Judging by the evidence of Part B, I would say that the purpose of these camps was to start Hitler's process of weeding out the "undesirables" from German society, and start his master race. Here he gets rid of the "lazy" people - those who aren't working, those who aren't willing to fight; he gets rid of the homosexuals; he gets rid of the criminals; and he gets rid of those who oppose him politically. Ideally, if Hitler were to get every person fitting this description into the concentration camps, he would practically have his perfected Aryan race.
2. I think that the prisoners were treaty so poorly because these were Hitler's undesirables. He didn't want these people infecting his Aryan race anyways, and probably would consider it a bonus that they died while in the camps. It also gave him an excuse for murdering people, because if somebody dies due to punishment for not working, it sounds like they weren't completely undeserving of that fate. Also, the harshness of the treatment in the prison camps probably kept people who weren't in concentration camps in line, out of fear.
Gestapo:Hitler's secret State Police, a branch of the SS. It had the authority to do whatever it wanted, dealt with potential "enemies of the state".
Protective Custody: A Nazi codeword for prison; people who were arrested under suspicion of being enemies of the state were forced to sign an Order of Protective Custody, and would be brought to prison.
Concentration Camps: Where potential enemies of the state were brought, until the Gestapo felt like releasing them.
Death Head Units: Branch of the SS, , who wore skull and crossbones on their uniforms.
B)
People likely to be in the concentration camps:
-"Politicals": Communists, geunuine political prisoners, people who had spoken against Hitler.
-"Work-Shy": People who lost jobs and then applied for unemployment benefits, but might have turned down a job they were offered.
-"Bibelforscher": Religious sect that refused military service
-Homosexuals
- 'Professional Criminals"
C)
1. Judging by the evidence of Part B, I would say that the purpose of these camps was to start Hitler's process of weeding out the "undesirables" from German society, and start his master race. Here he gets rid of the "lazy" people - those who aren't working, those who aren't willing to fight; he gets rid of the homosexuals; he gets rid of the criminals; and he gets rid of those who oppose him politically. Ideally, if Hitler were to get every person fitting this description into the concentration camps, he would practically have his perfected Aryan race.
2. I think that the prisoners were treaty so poorly because these were Hitler's undesirables. He didn't want these people infecting his Aryan race anyways, and probably would consider it a bonus that they died while in the camps. It also gave him an excuse for murdering people, because if somebody dies due to punishment for not working, it sounds like they weren't completely undeserving of that fate. Also, the harshness of the treatment in the prison camps probably kept people who weren't in concentration camps in line, out of fear.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
HW #11
The film "Downfall" is one of the first German-made movies about the Nazi regime and Hitler, made in 2005. The script was based off of several accounts of Germans in Hitler's inner circle or high in the Nazi command - for example, Hitler's secretary Traudl Junge, and the Nazi Doctor Schenck. This gives the film value for several reasons: for one, it shows the more human side of the Nazi regime. What they did was terrible, but it isn't just a caricature of them. It shows the bad but also some of their more compassionate side, which makes a more rounded portrait. Another value is that because these people were the insiders of the Nazi regime, the viewer gets a firsthand, unimagined account of what the regime and even Hitler himself were really like. The film is very historical and doesn't take liberties with the story. However the purpose of those memoirs were very likely to distance the survivors from the Nazi regime so that they would be looked upon more kindly after Germany lost the war. As a consequence, the documents the film was based off of might be more sympathetic towards the Nazis, and maybe even not always true because the writers wanted to escape the judgement of the world.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
HW 10
I missed the film today in class, so I will list some of the other things I saw in previous viewings.
1) The unwillingness of Hitler's circle and his subject to live without National Socialism; a woman refuses to leave the bunker with her children, not wanting them to live a life without National Socialism, a man kills his family with a grenaide rather than face life not under the Nazi regime, etc. It shows how persuasive the indoctrination the Nazis used was, how that cemented their power.
2) Another example of indoctrination was how soldiers were killing civilians in the streets for surrendering; shows their dedication and passion to a lost cause.
3) The Hitler Youth boy's toy German soldiers showed how the Nazis indoctrinated the children from a young age, and instilled them with a strong sense of nationalist pride (the adults as well).
4) There is reference to Social Darwinism, that the Germans had proven themselves too weak and did not deserve to live past the war since they had "failed".
1) The unwillingness of Hitler's circle and his subject to live without National Socialism; a woman refuses to leave the bunker with her children, not wanting them to live a life without National Socialism, a man kills his family with a grenaide rather than face life not under the Nazi regime, etc. It shows how persuasive the indoctrination the Nazis used was, how that cemented their power.
2) Another example of indoctrination was how soldiers were killing civilians in the streets for surrendering; shows their dedication and passion to a lost cause.
3) The Hitler Youth boy's toy German soldiers showed how the Nazis indoctrinated the children from a young age, and instilled them with a strong sense of nationalist pride (the adults as well).
4) There is reference to Social Darwinism, that the Germans had proven themselves too weak and did not deserve to live past the war since they had "failed".
Thursday, September 10, 2009
HW #7
1) In this clip of the film, the viewer sees how Hitler used propaganda to maintain power. A group of small children who had grown up with him as their leader are depicted faithfully fighting in the "Hitler Youth", despite the fact that they had essentially lost the war and they would die if they stayed. Hitler was revered as a God by them; indoctrination is a tool many dictators use.
2) Hitler's use of force is seen when he orders one of his top generals shot because he had supposedly moved his command post and men away from the front line. The man denied moving his troops and claimed he was at the front, which leads too-
3) Although the general hadn't done anything wrong that would warrant his being shot, he goes dutifully to the Nazi command center where Hitler is, to be executed. He doesn't try to run away at all, because Hitler's totalitarianism is so complete, and because he has a similar mindset to the Hitler Youth.
4) Hitler's cold reasoning shown in this film shows how some dictators stay in power by making ruthless decisions. In the film, Hitler does not make any attempt to help the civilians, saying that they were too weak to survive anyways and they were all part of the failed Germany, and so should perish.
2) Hitler's use of force is seen when he orders one of his top generals shot because he had supposedly moved his command post and men away from the front line. The man denied moving his troops and claimed he was at the front, which leads too-
3) Although the general hadn't done anything wrong that would warrant his being shot, he goes dutifully to the Nazi command center where Hitler is, to be executed. He doesn't try to run away at all, because Hitler's totalitarianism is so complete, and because he has a similar mindset to the Hitler Youth.
4) Hitler's cold reasoning shown in this film shows how some dictators stay in power by making ruthless decisions. In the film, Hitler does not make any attempt to help the civilians, saying that they were too weak to survive anyways and they were all part of the failed Germany, and so should perish.
"Downfall" Connection HW #6
1) In the film, the viewer sees how charismatic Hitler was, and how kind he seemed to the girl who hoped to become his secretary. This relates to the topic of how dictators stay in power- charisma is important to gaining support.
2) It is shown how Hitler was good at twisting things to fit his perspective- when discussing the bombing of Berlin, he states it is better that the city is being destroyed, because it makes it that much easier to rebuild. This is another example of how dictators stay in power using their powers of persuasion.
3) The movie shows that the totalitarianism of Hitler's regime was very complete: just days before his downfall, when everybody knew it was happening, officers were still rushing to carry out Hitler's bidding.
4) Hitler's use of force to maintain control was seen in the film when he had generals shot (and implied that the air force would be hanged) for not carrying out his orders as he wished. He had such a firm grip on the people because he used fear as a tool.
2) It is shown how Hitler was good at twisting things to fit his perspective- when discussing the bombing of Berlin, he states it is better that the city is being destroyed, because it makes it that much easier to rebuild. This is another example of how dictators stay in power using their powers of persuasion.
3) The movie shows that the totalitarianism of Hitler's regime was very complete: just days before his downfall, when everybody knew it was happening, officers were still rushing to carry out Hitler's bidding.
4) Hitler's use of force to maintain control was seen in the film when he had generals shot (and implied that the air force would be hanged) for not carrying out his orders as he wished. He had such a firm grip on the people because he used fear as a tool.
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