Transcript Europe: Modern History

EUROPE: MODERN HISTORY
World War I, World War II, and the Cold War
WHAT IS WORLD WAR I?
1914-1918
 2nd largest conflict in
human history
 70 million
participants
 9 million killed

CAUSES OF WWI: MAIN
 Militarism
 Alliances
 Imperialism
 Nationalism
CAUSES OF WWI: MILITARISM
 World
powers built large
militaries.
Germany and France double the size of
their militaries between 1870 and 1914
 Germany and Britain build battleships.

CAUSES OF WWI: ALLIANCES
CAUSES OF WWI: IMPERIALISM

European Colonization by 1914 (WWI)
CAUSES OF WWI: NATIONALISM
 Nationalism:
strong support of the
interests of one’s own country even at
the expense of others.
Reunification of Italy and Germany
 France had lost territory in Franco-Prussian
War
 Different nationalist groups in AustriaHungary and Serbia

CHARACTERISTICS OF WWI
Trench warfare
 Stalemate
 New technology, old
doctrine

RESULTS OF ALLIED VICTORY
Economic depression,
especially Germany
(war reparations)
 Fear of more war in
much of Europe
 New boundaries-9
new nations; break up
of old empires


What differences can
you see in the
countries of Europe
before and after 1914?

What differences can
you see comparing the
map of Europe in 1914
to the map today?
WWII
1939-1945
WWII (1939-45)
100 million military participants
 40-70 million fatalities
 Holocaust
 Total war


Allies before pearl harbor in dark green; light
green after
WHY DO THE ALLIES WIN THE WAR?

Axis powers are not unified


Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo never meet to discuss strategy
German mistakes
Hitler invades Russia (two front war)
 Declares war on the US after Pearl Harbor, bringing
the US into the war


Allied war production
US
 Russia

SOME RESULTS

New technology
Microwaves
 Nuclear technology
 Weapons

New powers: US and Soviet Union (USSR)
 Old powers diminished: British, French,
Germany
 Creation of United Nations

International organization to promote peace
 Initially 50 member countries with big 5 having veto
power (US, USSR, China, France, Britain)

COLD WAR
1945-1991
COLD WAR
Definition: Struggle between US and Soviets for
power and influence
 Characteristics:

Political conflict
 Economic conflict
 Military tension

SOME RESULTS OF WWII
The US and Russia emerge as the two world
super powers.
 Conflicting postwar goals

United States
USSR
Bring democracy and
economic opportunity
Protection (lost 20 million
in war)
New markets for trade
Establish satellite nations
Spread Communism
NATO V. WARSAW
Disagreements over postwar Europe
 Soviets gain control over much former Nazi
territory and want to keep control

NATO V. WARSAW PACT

NATO (North Atlantic
Trade Organization)
UN ineffective- Soviet
and Chinese veto
power
 Collective security
 “An attack on one is
an attack on all”


Warsaw Pact
Formed as a reaction
to NATO
 Collective security of
Soviet satellite nations

COLD WAR EVENTS
Division of Germany
(Berlin Wall)
 Korean War (50-53)
 Arms race (including
Sputnik and space
race)
 Vietnam War (55-75)
 Cuban Missile Crisis
(62)
