Friday, April 16, 2010

acronym!

Aims of Japan included control of German parts in China

Italy demanded control of the Fiume Territory and Port City.

Main British objective was to secure territory in the middle east, leading to the mandate system's establishment.

Some of Wilson's goals included the reduction of armaments and freedom of the seas.

One of the goals of the three main powers, France, Britain and the United States, was to cripple germany to keep it from growing too powerful and instigating another war: "stripped of her wealth and all her armed forces"

Feeling entitled to former German possessions because it had captured them, Japan demanded these as payment for their contribution to the war.

Victors of the war all had varying degrees of punishment in their goals: America was lenient, Britain moderate, France demanding compensation for the suffering and loss France had endured over the war.

It was one of Britain's goals in being more lenient with Germany that the country would not have bitterness towards the allies and potentially might serve as a barrier against Bolshevism.

Clemanceau's main goal in the Treaty of Versailles was to make Germany suffer for what it had done to France.

The 14 Points Speech was a basis for Wilson's goals for the Treaty, promoting a number of protocols that would keep another World War from breaking out.

Oil in the middle east!

Reparations were demanded to be paid by Germany, but Britain wanted to take only enough so that Germany would be able to consistently pay without occupation of their armies to ensure collection.

Systems for keeping peace such as the League of Nations were established-- an aim of Wilson's designed to ensure that nations would rule themselves as "open, democratic societies".

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Quiz

3. Weakness of the Manchu Dynasty: The weakness of the Manchu Dynasty was a huge contributing factor to the beginning of the Civil War. China had been ruled by dynasties throughout its history, and (as with other imperialist regimes such as Russia and Germany's) the emperors of China towards the end of the 19th century. The Manchu Dynasty was already unpopular for allowing interference with other countries, such as the United States with the Open Door Policies, to impact life in China. After the Emperor, who wanted to give peasants more right for land, was overthrown by his aunt Empress Chianxi who nixed any hope of reform. This tension culminated in the Boxer Rebellion of 1901, in which martial arts warriors fought against European/Westerners and all Christians inhabiting China. Although the rebellion was muted with the help of other countries, the rebellion made a lasting impression upon the minds of the people. This was furthered when Chianxi was replaced by a 3 year old "emperor" upon her death.


People

Sun Yat-sen - Sun Yat-sen was a doctor and revolutionary who played an instrumental role in overthrowing the Manchu dynasty. He had been exiled for staging several failed coups, and in fact he was not directly involved in the October 10, 1911 Wuchang Rebellion that ousted the Manchus from power; upon hearing of the revolution he returned to China from the United States and was elected President of the Republic of China. Yat-sen was important because he was able to keep a large group of people with differing ideas for the republic united in its early years after the Manchu dynasty was overthrown.