Unit Readings:

Chapter 26

Chapters 28-29

Due Monday, March 25

1. The New Imperialism: Explain how "the new imperialism" of the late 19^th century differed from previous imperialisms, and discuss at least five different motives that historians have identified for the new "scramble" for colonies. (pp. 956-965)

Terms: New Imperialism, J.A. Hobson

2. Bismarck Undone: Discuss the main goals of Bismarck's diplomacy following German unification and then, in ID form, identify and explain how each of the following served to promote OR undo his plan. (pp. 965-971)

a) The Three Emperors' League

3. Outbreak of War

Read the discussion of the outbreak of World War I on pp. 973-978 and then rank the following countries in the order in which they deserve blame for the outbreak of the war, giving with each a brief assessment of their responsibility: Serbia, Austria-Hungary, Russia, France, Germany, and England

Terms: Francis Ferdinand, Black Hand, the "Blank Check," the Schlieffen Plan

Due Wednesday, March 27

1. The War - Nothing to write - just read!

ALLIES: Great Britain, France, Russia, and little Serbia (and Italy after 1915)

CENTRAL POWERS: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and little Romania (and Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria after 1915)

Western Front: Quickly bogs down in stalemate and trench warfare, moving only a few miles in either direction -- Defense proved superior to offense, and massive attacks incurred enormous casualties without achieving breakthroughs in the enemy lines (as depicted in All Quiet on the Western Front)

Eastern Front: Germans enjoy considerable success against the Russians and capture huge amounts of territory before the war ends

New Powers Enter War in 1915

- Italy joins Allied Powers (after being promised Italia Irredenta, and parts of Africa and Ottoman Empire)

New Methods of Warfare

- Machine guns

- Heavily fortified trenches

- Poison gas

- Tanks (introduced late in war to little effect)

- Airplanes

War at Sea -- British imposed strict naval blockade to prevent supplies from reaching Central Powers -- Germans respond with U-boat (submarine) campaign to destroy British shipping and prevent any goods, even those carried on neutral ships, from reaching England (starve them out!)

US Intervention -- - In response to unrestricted submarine warfare of Germans, US declared war on Central Powers and entered war on side of Allies

1917 Russian Revolution

- March 1917: Uprisings of Russian workers and soldiers in Russia force abdication of Tsar Nicholas II

- November 1917: Bolsheviks (communists) led by Lenin seize control of Russian government and establish a communist dictatorship

- March 1918: Treaty of Brest-Litovsk - Russia signs separate peace treaty with Germany surrendering tremendous amounts of territory (including Poland, the Baltic States, and the Ukraine)

The End

Despite victory in East, Germans were in a race to win the war before the impact of the American forces could be felt -- By November 1918, Germany was exhausted and out of men, and were therefore forced to surrender

1. Why did Germany surrender in 1918? Why did many Germans believe that they had not actually lost the war, but had been "stabbed" in the back?

2. Discuss at least three problems that the peacemakers at Versailles faced in 1919 that the diplomats at the Congress of Vienna in 1815 did not have.

3. Why did the European public first treat Woodrow Wilson like a hero and then become disillusioned with him?

Terms: Fourteen Points (p. 989)

4. Explain what the League of Nations was and discuss at least four features that made it unlikely to be effective.

5. List 5 provisions that the Versailles conference made regarding Germany in the West to ease French fears.

6. What were the fates of Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire?

7. What was the mandate system, and how effective was it in practice?

8. What was the notorious "Clause 231" of the Versailles Treaty, and what action was it used to justify?

9. What did John Maynard Keynes mean when he attacked the Treaty of Versailles as a "Carthaginian Peace"? Why does Kagan (the textbook author) disagree w/ Keynes?

10. List 4 legitimate criticisms that Kagan believes may be made against the Versailles settlement.

11. What, in your own words, was the main reason that Kagan regards the Treaty of Versailles as a tragedy?