Page 96
“How did the experience of the young people in the countryside affect their attitude towards Mao and the Cultural Revolution?”
1. Their experience in poor living conditions made them begin to question the wisdom of Mao. They saw the connection between language and reality, and saw that Mao was using them through propaganda.
“”
2.
Page 97
“How much blame attaches to Mao for the horrors of the Cultural Revolution?”
3. The blame for the horrors is completely attached to Mao. Although he did not command the atrocities, he allowed them to continue. Furthermore, he started the Cultural Revolution in the first place.
Page 98
“In what sense was the Lin Bao affair a turning point in the Cultural Revolution?”
4. It was a turning point in the sense that after the affair, people lost faith in the governmental system. If a man was a leader and a hero one day and a traitor the next, who could they trust?
“What form did the plot take?”
5. When Lin realized he was going to be removed, he reluctantly agreed to join an assassination attempt lead by his brother. However, his sister let the news slip and Mao was rushed away. Desperate, Lin attempted to fly away to the USSR. The plane crashed on the way. After this event, Mao seemed disheartened because he realized he needed people for protection.
Page 100
“What consequences followed from Lin Bao's disgrace?”
6. People realized that the government couldn't always be right if things like this happened. Everything they knew seemed to come crashing down when an important figure such as this one was discredited.
Page 101
“Why did the intensity of the Cultural Revolution lessen after 1972?”
7. First of all, the party was unsure of Mao's intentions. The Lin Bao affair also affect the party members' thinking. They recognized the points of critics about the horrors of the Cultural Revolution, and wished to impress the president of the US, Richard Nixon, during his visit.
“How did Lin Bao's fall benefit Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping??”
8. Lin's fall opened up higher positions for Zhou. Deng had earlier been dismissed for being a “capitalist roader,” but because of Lin's fall this worked to his advantage.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
IRL 9
http://www.pbs.org/redfiles/bios/all_bio_joseph_stalin.htm
This source is a biography of Joseph Stalin. It relates to our work in class on Stalin. It adds to our background knowledge of him so that we can better understand why he did the things he did. It discusses his childhood and his deformed arm, which led to his desire for respect. It then transitions this into the life of Stalin that we have already studied, and is consist with what we have learned. PBS is a reputable source and the extension is .org, which means it is not for profit. However, as a television station funded by the government its views may be more biased than most American views on the subject.
This source is a biography of Joseph Stalin. It relates to our work in class on Stalin. It adds to our background knowledge of him so that we can better understand why he did the things he did. It discusses his childhood and his deformed arm, which led to his desire for respect. It then transitions this into the life of Stalin that we have already studied, and is consist with what we have learned. PBS is a reputable source and the extension is .org, which means it is not for profit. However, as a television station funded by the government its views may be more biased than most American views on the subject.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
SGQ8
IBSL2 SGQ8
Guiding questions:
Examine the status of women in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
MWH p.415-420
a. Problems facing Mao
1. Food shortages
2. Destruction of railways, roads, dykes and dams
3. Bad economy
b. the constitution of 1950
1. who/what had authority for all the main decisions?
The Politburo, a Bureau chosen by the State Council.
2. who was eligible to be elected?
Communist party members.
c. Agricultural changes - what were the two steps taken to collectivize Chinese peasants?
1. Land was taken from large landowners and divided among the peasants.
2. The peasants were encouraged to join collective farms.
d. Industrial changes
1. who helped and was the model?
The Russians helped, and the model was a plan for increase in heavy industry.
2. what evidence of success was there?
i. Communications had been restored.
ii. Inflation was under control.
e. the Hundred Flowers campaign
i. what was a cadre?
A group that organized the masses politically and economically.
ii. why might the cadres be threatened by technicians and engineers?
They would question the cadres' authority.
iii. what was the solution?
An open discussion of the issue between the cadres and the experts/intellectuals.
iv. how did that work out for the government?
The Communist party and its tactics were criticized, and Mao quickly ended the campaign.
f. Summarize the two main features of the Great Leap Forward:
1. Communes, collective farms containing a variety of workers, were introduced.
2. Industry was changed to emphasize the production of farm tools.
3. what was the short term effect of the Great Leap Forward?
i. The withdrawal of Russian aide.
ii. Hardship from 1959-1963.
iii. Mao's resignation as Chairman of People's Congress.
4. what was the long term effect of the Great Leap Forward?
i. Agriculture and industry increased.
ii. Communes worked well as miniature governments, made running of the country possible.
iii. Spread of education and welfare, improvement in women's role in society.
g. the Cultural Revolution
1. briefly summarize the differences between the right wing and left wing views within the Party:
RIGHT- They thought that incentives were necessary for the commune to function effectively, and that an expert class should exist instead of the cadres
LEFT- A privileged class must be avoided because it was vital to keep in touch with the masses.
2. who carried out the Cultural Revolution?
The young people of China and the Red Guard.
3. briefly describe the activities which made up the Cultural Revolution:
All authority figures were denounced and physically attacked, disgracing and ruining millions.
4. what was the impact of the Cultural Revolution?
It ruined millions of lives and held up economic development by ten years.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
IRL 8
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8124735.stm
This is an article from the BBC about censorship of the Internet in modern China. It relates to our talks on how modern China is still affected by the Communist Revolution. It adds to our disscussion by providing details on a key moment in time: when the censorship moved from the Internet to the computers themselves. It also describes how the internet bloggers and other users think that the software is a joke, and more a nuisance then an actual threat. The BBC is very reputable, but the people who contribute to the article are not even named, taking away from the value.
Monday, November 23, 2009
SGQ 7
IBSL2 SGQ7
QWs:
Examine the status of women in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
In what ways did one ruler of a single-party state try to use education to support his regime?
MWH 369-378
3. How successful was Stalin in solving Russia's political problems?
a. What were Russia's political problems?
i. The government was unpopular with the public.
ii. Stalin and the Communists did not have complete control of the country.
iii. The non-Russian parts of the country wanted to be become independent.
b. The Purges and Great Terror
i. What were the "purges"?
The mass killing and/or expulsion of Stalin's political enemies.
ii. How were the purges justified?
1. Through Kirov's murder by a Communist Party member, which Stalin said was the beginning of assassination attempts against him.
2. Victims were accused of cooperating with Trotsky or plotting against Stalin.
iii. What was the Great Terror? How was it carried out?
The Great Terror was a series of mass expulsions and killings. Victims were put to work in labor camps for apparent treason, and "show trials" were held against former party officials.
c. What was the purpose of the 1936 constitution? How did it work in practice?
The purpose was to have the people choose candidates who we be part of new sections of the government. In practice, those elected had no power and consistently voted almost 100% in favor of Stalin's policies.
d. What was Stalin's two part approach for holding the union together?
a. What were Russia's political problems?
i. The government was unpopular with the public.
ii. Stalin and the Communists did not have complete control of the country.
iii. The non-Russian parts of the country wanted to be become independent.
b. The Purges and Great Terror
i. What were the "purges"?
The mass killing and/or expulsion of Stalin's political enemies.
ii. How were the purges justified?
1. Through Kirov's murder by a Communist Party member, which Stalin said was the beginning of assassination attempts against him.
2. Victims were accused of cooperating with Trotsky or plotting against Stalin.
iii. What was the Great Terror? How was it carried out?
The Great Terror was a series of mass expulsions and killings. Victims were put to work in labor camps for apparent treason, and "show trials" were held against former party officials.
c. What was the purpose of the 1936 constitution? How did it work in practice?
The purpose was to have the people choose candidates who we be part of new sections of the government. In practice, those elected had no power and consistently voted almost 100% in favor of Stalin's policies.
d. What was Stalin's two part approach for holding the union together?
i. He encouraged international cultures and languages.
ii. Moscow was given the ultimate power in all decisions, and discrepancies would be resolved by force.
ii. Moscow was given the ultimate power in all decisions, and discrepancies would be resolved by force.
4. What was everyday life and culture like under Stalin?
a. Why was life hard? i. food: Famine due to bad harvests
ii. housing: Rapid increase in urban population led to bad living conditions
iii. the nomenklatura: Special elite party members that were allowed privileges not available to the general public.
b. What signs of improvement were there?
i. Food supplies improved.
ii. Cheap meals and free clothing at factories.
iii. Free education and health care.
iv. More facilities for leisure.
c. The state, women, and the family
i. Why was life hard for women?
1. There was a high divorce and desertion rate.
2. They still had to manage the family.
ii. What two goals did the government have for women?
1. To be a part of the workforce.
2. To strengthen the family.
iii. What policies did the government adopt towards women?
1. More daycare centers were built.
2. Abortions were made illegal unless dangerous.
3. Maternal leave was allowed.
iv. What was life like for upper-class or well-educated women?
They were masters of th household only, and later learned some of the arts of war in case they needed to take over for men.
d. Education
i. What improvements were made to education?
1. Literacy was improved.
2. More schools were created and a law was passed requiring attendance.
ii. What were some of the goals of education?
1. To improve literacy.
2. To turn the young into perfect Soviet citizens.
e. Religion
i. Was was the Communist view of religion?
It was a way to control the masses.
ii. What actions did the government take towards religious organizations?
They slaughtered thousands of priests and rabbis.
iii. What was the people's reaction to those policies/actions?
They rebelled and eventually religion was allowed because Stalin thought it would be good for patriotism.
f. Literature and theater
Literature was not allowed if it portrayed the Soviet union in a bad light, and Stalin himself sometimes made corrections to books. A similar rule was made for theatre, where those who did not comply were killed.
g. Art, architecture, and music
Art was expected to portray happy workers. Permitted music was determined by Stalin's taste; he once ruined a very popular play with a bad review.
h. The cinema
Film was supposed to be simple but powerful, and incorporate Soviet values. Films that did not find favor with Stalin pushed him to write his own scripts.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
SGQ 6
IBSL2 SGQ6
QWs:
Compare and contrast the economic and social policies of one left wing and one right wing single-party ruler.
Examine the status of women in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
In what ways did one ruler of a single-party state try to use education to support his regime?
MWH 361-368
1. How successful was Stalin in solving Russia's economic problems?
a. What were Russia's economic problems?
Production of heavy industry was low, and the primitive agriculture system could not provide enough food.
b. What were the Five Year Plans?
QWs:
Compare and contrast the economic and social policies of one left wing and one right wing single-party ruler.
Examine the status of women in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
In what ways did one ruler of a single-party state try to use education to support his regime?
MWH 361-368
1. How successful was Stalin in solving Russia's economic problems?
a. What were Russia's economic problems?
Production of heavy industry was low, and the primitive agriculture system could not provide enough food.
b. What were the Five Year Plans?
Production goals set up to be reached within five years by Stalin.
i. How were they carried out?
Industry and agriculture were both taken over by the government. Old capitalist methods were used to encourage worker productivity, such as benefits for better output. Collectivization was utilized for greater agricultural efficiency.
ii. How successful were they? (Provide hard facts as evidence!)
i. How were they carried out?
Industry and agriculture were both taken over by the government. Old capitalist methods were used to encourage worker productivity, such as benefits for better output. Collectivization was utilized for greater agricultural efficiency.
ii. How successful were they? (Provide hard facts as evidence!)
The targets for the plans were consistently reached one year ahead of time. By 1940 they had surpassed Britain in pig-iron (USSR 14.9M tons, Britain 6.7, Germany 18.3) and in steel (USSR 18.4M tons, Britain 10.3, Germany 22.7), and had almost caught to Germany in coal (USSR 164.6M tons, Germany 186, Britain 227).
c. What does collectivization mean?
c. What does collectivization mean?
Collectivization is the process of moving all of the peasants to "collective" farms, where the peasants own the land collectively.
i. How was it carried out?
It was carried out through brute force in the countryside, and forceful collection of all grain harvests.
ii. How successful was it? (Provide hard facts as evidence!)
It was successful in the sense that agriculture became "mechanized." However, in reality total grain production went down from 73.3 million tons in 1928, to 67.6 in 1934. Afterwards it rose to 97.4 in 1937, but the initial plan was a failure. The elimination of the kulaks, who were the best workers, as well as migration to cities and a lack of cooperation by peasants was the cause of the famine in 1932-3 in the Ukraine.
2. How successful was Stalin in solving Russia's political problems?
a. What were Russia's political problems?
i. The government was unpopular with the public.
ii. Stalin and the Communists did not have complete control of the country.
iii. The non-Russian parts of the country wanted to be become independent.
b. The Purges and Great Terror
i. What were the "purges"?
The mass killing and/or expulsion of Stalin's political enemies.
ii. How were the purges justified?
1. Through Kirov's murder by a Communist Party member, which Stalin said was the beginning of assassination attempts against him.
2. Victims were accused of cooperating with Trotsky or plotting against Stalin.
iii. What was the Great Terror? How was it carried out?
The Great Terror was a series of mass expulsions and killings. Victims were put to work in labor camps for apparent treason, and "show trials" were held against former party officials.
c. What was the purpose of the 1936 constitution? How did it work in practice?
The purpose was to have the people choose candidates who we be part of new sections of the government. In practice, those elected had no power and consistently voted almost 100% in favor of Stalin's policies.
d. What was Stalin's two part approach for holding the union together?
i. How was it carried out?
It was carried out through brute force in the countryside, and forceful collection of all grain harvests.
ii. How successful was it? (Provide hard facts as evidence!)
It was successful in the sense that agriculture became "mechanized." However, in reality total grain production went down from 73.3 million tons in 1928, to 67.6 in 1934. Afterwards it rose to 97.4 in 1937, but the initial plan was a failure. The elimination of the kulaks, who were the best workers, as well as migration to cities and a lack of cooperation by peasants was the cause of the famine in 1932-3 in the Ukraine.
2. How successful was Stalin in solving Russia's political problems?
a. What were Russia's political problems?
i. The government was unpopular with the public.
ii. Stalin and the Communists did not have complete control of the country.
iii. The non-Russian parts of the country wanted to be become independent.
b. The Purges and Great Terror
i. What were the "purges"?
The mass killing and/or expulsion of Stalin's political enemies.
ii. How were the purges justified?
1. Through Kirov's murder by a Communist Party member, which Stalin said was the beginning of assassination attempts against him.
2. Victims were accused of cooperating with Trotsky or plotting against Stalin.
iii. What was the Great Terror? How was it carried out?
The Great Terror was a series of mass expulsions and killings. Victims were put to work in labor camps for apparent treason, and "show trials" were held against former party officials.
c. What was the purpose of the 1936 constitution? How did it work in practice?
The purpose was to have the people choose candidates who we be part of new sections of the government. In practice, those elected had no power and consistently voted almost 100% in favor of Stalin's policies.
d. What was Stalin's two part approach for holding the union together?
i. He encouraged international cultures and languages.
ii. Moscow was given the ultimate power in all decisions, and discrepancies would be resolved by force.
ii. Moscow was given the ultimate power in all decisions, and discrepancies would be resolved by force.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
IRL 7
http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1934/12/kirov.htm
This is a re-distribution of phamplet written by Leon Trotsky in December of 1934, shortly after Kirov was shot. It relates to our investigation of Kirov's murder, adding the viewpoint of one of the most well known leaders of all time, and one who would soon be defeated by Stalin. Trotsky goes into everything that was linked to the assassination, touching base with major political leaders and historical events. The source seems reliable, with no advertisements, and is well cited. The web page was updated fairly recently considering it's a copy of a 75 year old document. However this source is based on a copy of an un-copyrighted publication of the original, whose meaning may have been altered since. The .org extension is also a sign of a good source but the website is called marxist.org so it may have a particular bias in favor or against Stalin.
11/12/09 Activity
I believe that the murder was ordered by Stalin, arranged by the NKVD and carried out by Nikolayev. The evidence is plain to see. Nikolayev was nervous and his health was poor, but he was a good supporter of the party. The NKVD just needed one little favor. Kirov's ideas would reduce the status of the NKVD; desperate, they turned to Stalin, a man with little power but a great need for it. A man is seen with Leonid, practicing use of a revolver, the weapon used against Kirov. Stalin played the part of sad party secretary well. The bodyguard was also mysteriously killed. Although there is no direct evidence to show that Stalin was the one who gave the order, but a suggestion is made by the evidence.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
IRL 6
http://www.barnstable.k12.ma.us/bhs/SocStud/documents/documentsStalindemandsindustrialization.pdf
This is a document that presents Stalin's view on ongoing industrialization during 1931. It relates to our talks on industrialization and the five year plans, and adds Stalin's view on the 1931 output as well as projected output at that time. It only provides the view of Stalin, however, who created these plans and made orders but played no part in the actual collection or the counting of materials. He may have been given false numbers, or he may have even made up the numbers himself. The document comes from a reputable book used in a public school system which shows reliability, but the book was published in 1955. This is before the downfall of the USSR, only a short while after Stalin's rise to power and is during the Cold War.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
SGQ5
QW's:
1. “The aims and policies of single-party state rulers rarely followed their declared ideology.” To what extent do you agree with this assertion?
2. Compare and contrast the rise to power of two rulers of single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
MWH 349-358
How successfully did Lenin and the Bolsheviks deal with their problems (1917-1924?)
I. How much support did the Bolsheviks have from the people?
a. the elections of November 1917
i. Bolshevik seats - 175
ii. Social Revolutionary seats - 370
iii. Mensheviks seats - 15
iv. "left wing" groups - 40
v. nationality groups - 80
vi. Kadets - 17
b. How did Lenin respond to the election results?
He broke up the Constituent assembly with the Red Guards and created the
Sovnarkam (Council of People's Commissars)with himself as chairman and 15
Bolsheviks members.
II. What was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and what were its conditions?
a. It was a treaty between...
Russia and Germany
b. Russia gave up
i. 1/3 of her framing land and 2/3 of her coal mines
ii. 1/3 of her population
iii. 1/2 her heavy industry
III. Why did the Bolsheviks resort to violence?
a. Violence from others
i. Petrograd and Moscow - Severe food shortages occurred. Lenin blamed the kulaks who horded food and used the Cheka to deal with them.
ii. Ukraine - The loss of the Ukraine added to the food shortages.
iii. Social Revolutionaries - Did their best to wreck the treaty, assassinated German ambassador and Bolshevik government official.
iv. violence aimed at Bolshevik leaders - Head of Cheka assassinated, Lenin shot (but survived)
b. Lenin's flawed reasoning
i. Marx's predictions
1. Middle class would overthrow autocracy and create parliamentary democracy
2. Industrialization, industry workers become new majority, overthrow and create classless system
ii. Russia's reality
1. Lenin thought these two revolutions could be combined
2. Small government came to power without industrial majority, instead had to cater to the peasants
iii. Lenin's expectations for the rest of Europe
Thought that Soviets would be supported by neighboring European communist countries
c. Liberal historical interpretation
Lenin and Trotsky were always committed to use of violence, Cheka set up while Soviets were only government, wanted the death penalty
IV. The Red Terror
a. against peasants - over 6000 executed, against those with "surplus"
b. against political opponents - Round up and shot like the peasants
c. against the former Tsar - Entire royal family killed
V. Civil War
a. Which groups made up the "Whites"? Social Revolutinaries, Mensheviks, tsarist officers and any other opponents of the Bolsheviks.
b. What was the Whites' main goal? To set up a democratic government on Western ideals.
c. What was the role of other nations? Russia's WWI allies intervened to help the Whites.
d. What was the result of the Civil War? The Bolsheviks defeated the Whites.
e. How were the communists able to win the Civil War?
i. The Whites were unorganized.
ii. The Red armies outnumbered the Whites by about 10 to one, and were better armed.
iii. Lenin implemented War Communism, which was successful in providing food and materials for the armies.
iv. Lenin was able to link the Reds with "nationalism" and mark the Whites as foreign in people's minds.
VI. What were the effects of the Civil War?
a. civilian deaths - 8 million from war or disease, four times the amount of WWI
b. economic changes - The state was now more centralized
VII. What was done about economic problems?
a. effects of war communism
i. Put the NEP into effect
ii. Brought back old managers and foriegn trade
b. reforms of the New Economic Policy
i. Sale of surplus was allowed
ii. Small industries restored to state ownership
iii. Foreign investment encouraged
c. successes of the NEP
i. Production levels improved
ii. Industrial workers paid real wages
iii. Peasants enjoyed a higher standard of living
1. “The aims and policies of single-party state rulers rarely followed their declared ideology.” To what extent do you agree with this assertion?
2. Compare and contrast the rise to power of two rulers of single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
MWH 349-358
How successfully did Lenin and the Bolsheviks deal with their problems (1917-1924?)
I. How much support did the Bolsheviks have from the people?
a. the elections of November 1917
i. Bolshevik seats - 175
ii. Social Revolutionary seats - 370
iii. Mensheviks seats - 15
iv. "left wing" groups - 40
v. nationality groups - 80
vi. Kadets - 17
b. How did Lenin respond to the election results?
He broke up the Constituent assembly with the Red Guards and created the
Sovnarkam (Council of People's Commissars)with himself as chairman and 15
Bolsheviks members.
II. What was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and what were its conditions?
a. It was a treaty between...
Russia and Germany
b. Russia gave up
i. 1/3 of her framing land and 2/3 of her coal mines
ii. 1/3 of her population
iii. 1/2 her heavy industry
III. Why did the Bolsheviks resort to violence?
a. Violence from others
i. Petrograd and Moscow - Severe food shortages occurred. Lenin blamed the kulaks who horded food and used the Cheka to deal with them.
ii. Ukraine - The loss of the Ukraine added to the food shortages.
iii. Social Revolutionaries - Did their best to wreck the treaty, assassinated German ambassador and Bolshevik government official.
iv. violence aimed at Bolshevik leaders - Head of Cheka assassinated, Lenin shot (but survived)
b. Lenin's flawed reasoning
i. Marx's predictions
1. Middle class would overthrow autocracy and create parliamentary democracy
2. Industrialization, industry workers become new majority, overthrow and create classless system
ii. Russia's reality
1. Lenin thought these two revolutions could be combined
2. Small government came to power without industrial majority, instead had to cater to the peasants
iii. Lenin's expectations for the rest of Europe
Thought that Soviets would be supported by neighboring European communist countries
c. Liberal historical interpretation
Lenin and Trotsky were always committed to use of violence, Cheka set up while Soviets were only government, wanted the death penalty
IV. The Red Terror
a. against peasants - over 6000 executed, against those with "surplus"
b. against political opponents - Round up and shot like the peasants
c. against the former Tsar - Entire royal family killed
V. Civil War
a. Which groups made up the "Whites"? Social Revolutinaries, Mensheviks, tsarist officers and any other opponents of the Bolsheviks.
b. What was the Whites' main goal? To set up a democratic government on Western ideals.
c. What was the role of other nations? Russia's WWI allies intervened to help the Whites.
d. What was the result of the Civil War? The Bolsheviks defeated the Whites.
e. How were the communists able to win the Civil War?
i. The Whites were unorganized.
ii. The Red armies outnumbered the Whites by about 10 to one, and were better armed.
iii. Lenin implemented War Communism, which was successful in providing food and materials for the armies.
iv. Lenin was able to link the Reds with "nationalism" and mark the Whites as foreign in people's minds.
VI. What were the effects of the Civil War?
a. civilian deaths - 8 million from war or disease, four times the amount of WWI
b. economic changes - The state was now more centralized
VII. What was done about economic problems?
a. effects of war communism
i. Put the NEP into effect
ii. Brought back old managers and foriegn trade
b. reforms of the New Economic Policy
i. Sale of surplus was allowed
ii. Small industries restored to state ownership
iii. Foreign investment encouraged
c. successes of the NEP
i. Production levels improved
ii. Industrial workers paid real wages
iii. Peasants enjoyed a higher standard of living
Monday, October 26, 2009
IRL 5
http://www.schoolshistory.org.uk/gcse/germany/economy.htm
This a commercial academic resource that details the Nazi economic policy. It connects to the ideas we had in class about the goals of the German economy, as well as the effects. It adds more detail by saying what was successful and unsuccessful about the economy, and compares the stated goals with actual outcome. The source is heavily influenced by the author's view and is not written "factually" at all, which provides an insight but also bias. The top of the page is filled with advertisements and the links at the bottom seem to be commercial as well. However, the site is generally education-based and the ending is .org, so it is still a viable source.
This a commercial academic resource that details the Nazi economic policy. It connects to the ideas we had in class about the goals of the German economy, as well as the effects. It adds more detail by saying what was successful and unsuccessful about the economy, and compares the stated goals with actual outcome. The source is heavily influenced by the author's view and is not written "factually" at all, which provides an insight but also bias. The top of the page is filled with advertisements and the links at the bottom seem to be commercial as well. However, the site is generally education-based and the ending is .org, so it is still a viable source.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
IRL4
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/war_communism.htm
This is an article concerning the history, details and effects of War Communism. It connects to our discussions about War Communism during the Civil War. It adds more details for some of the points of War Communism, as well as a detailed description of the effects and reaction from the people of it. The source seems reputable and has mostly the same ideas as what we had in class, but it is a ".co.uk" site, which means it is difficult to tell whether or not it is for profit. Advertisements also line the border.
This is an article concerning the history, details and effects of War Communism. It connects to our discussions about War Communism during the Civil War. It adds more details for some of the points of War Communism, as well as a detailed description of the effects and reaction from the people of it. The source seems reputable and has mostly the same ideas as what we had in class, but it is a ".co.uk" site, which means it is difficult to tell whether or not it is for profit. Advertisements also line the border.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
IRL 3
http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/bios/b3chiangkaishek.htm
This a biography of Chiang Kaishek. It helps add to the history of an important figure that we have discussed in class. One especially important detail is the fact that Chiang went to Japan and actually went to a military college there, possibly showing some reason for his unwillingness to fight them. It also discusses his childhood and how he got to be Sun Yatsen's protege. The material in consistent with what we have learned in class, from various books. However the caption for the website header is "Hyperlinked World History with Biblical Perspective," showing an obviously biased view.
This a biography of Chiang Kaishek. It helps add to the history of an important figure that we have discussed in class. One especially important detail is the fact that Chiang went to Japan and actually went to a military college there, possibly showing some reason for his unwillingness to fight them. It also discusses his childhood and how he got to be Sun Yatsen's protege. The material in consistent with what we have learned in class, from various books. However the caption for the website header is "Hyperlinked World History with Biblical Perspective," showing an obviously biased view.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
SGQ3
How did the Communists come to power in China?
1. Revolution and the warlord era
a. Explain the three major crises of this era?
i. Europeans began to forcefully move into China
ii. The Taiping Rebellion
iii. The defeat at the hands of the Japanese/The Boxer Rebellion
b. What was the immediate cause of the 1911 revolution?
The soldiers began the revolution and were quickly followed by the rest of the population.
c. What were the two important positive developments that took place during the Warlord Era?
i. The May the Fourth movement against the warlords began.
ii. The Guomindang gained power, eventually having enough to defeat the Warlords by 1928.
2. The Kuomintang, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and Chiang Kai-shek
a. What were Sun Yat-sen's three goals for China?
i. Nationalism: to make China a respected power and rid her of foreign influence.
ii. Democracy: China should be ruled by the people, once educated.
iii. Land reform: Sun wanted land to be given among the peasants, but also did not want landlords' property to be confiscated.
b. What three steps did Chiang take to consolidate power?
i. He removed all left-wingers from high positions in the GMD.
ii. He set out on the Northern march to destroy the warlords.
iii. He launched an extermination campaign against the Communists.
3. Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party
a. How did the Communists survive the extermination campaigns?
They ran into the mountains and, when surrounded, broke through the lines of the GMD, hiking 6k miles in a little over one year, passing through mountains, capturing cities and eluding governmental armies.
b. Why did Mao and the Communists gain support?
i. The GMD was was corrupted and looked after the interests of the wealthy rather than the peasants.
ii. The factory conditions barely improved
iii. The peasants remained poor, due to the hoarding of food in cities and high taxes. By contrast, the Communists gave even the poorest peasants land and restricted rents.
iv. The GMD put up no resistance the Japanese. Chiang would rather destroy the Communists than the Japanese, although nobody else agreed. He was eventually forced to ally with the Communists against Japan, bringing them great honor and resources.
4. Briefly summarize how the CCP won their struggle with the KMT, and give 2 reasons
At first, it appeared as if the the GMD would win, with foreign support and more occupied land. However, the CCP was able to avoid their armies until their force was sufficient for a head-on attack, which they executed immediately. They were able to defeat the GMD due to a better organized party system, as well as the possession of leaders who were more dedicated to their cause and were able to exploit the weaknesses of the GMD.
1. Revolution and the warlord era
a. Explain the three major crises of this era?
i. Europeans began to forcefully move into China
ii. The Taiping Rebellion
iii. The defeat at the hands of the Japanese/The Boxer Rebellion
b. What was the immediate cause of the 1911 revolution?
The soldiers began the revolution and were quickly followed by the rest of the population.
c. What were the two important positive developments that took place during the Warlord Era?
i. The May the Fourth movement against the warlords began.
ii. The Guomindang gained power, eventually having enough to defeat the Warlords by 1928.
2. The Kuomintang, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and Chiang Kai-shek
a. What were Sun Yat-sen's three goals for China?
i. Nationalism: to make China a respected power and rid her of foreign influence.
ii. Democracy: China should be ruled by the people, once educated.
iii. Land reform: Sun wanted land to be given among the peasants, but also did not want landlords' property to be confiscated.
b. What three steps did Chiang take to consolidate power?
i. He removed all left-wingers from high positions in the GMD.
ii. He set out on the Northern march to destroy the warlords.
iii. He launched an extermination campaign against the Communists.
3. Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party
a. How did the Communists survive the extermination campaigns?
They ran into the mountains and, when surrounded, broke through the lines of the GMD, hiking 6k miles in a little over one year, passing through mountains, capturing cities and eluding governmental armies.
b. Why did Mao and the Communists gain support?
i. The GMD was was corrupted and looked after the interests of the wealthy rather than the peasants.
ii. The factory conditions barely improved
iii. The peasants remained poor, due to the hoarding of food in cities and high taxes. By contrast, the Communists gave even the poorest peasants land and restricted rents.
iv. The GMD put up no resistance the Japanese. Chiang would rather destroy the Communists than the Japanese, although nobody else agreed. He was eventually forced to ally with the Communists against Japan, bringing them great honor and resources.
4. Briefly summarize how the CCP won their struggle with the KMT, and give 2 reasons
At first, it appeared as if the the GMD would win, with foreign support and more occupied land. However, the CCP was able to avoid their armies until their force was sufficient for a head-on attack, which they executed immediately. They were able to defeat the GMD due to a better organized party system, as well as the possession of leaders who were more dedicated to their cause and were able to exploit the weaknesses of the GMD.
SGQ2
A. Reforms under Nicholas II
1. How was Nicholas able to survive the 1905 revolution?
i. His opponents were not united
ii. There was no main leadership, the uprising had happened spontaneously
iii. He compromised with the October Manifesto at a critical moment
iv. Most of the Russian Army were still loyal to him.
2. What reforms did Nicholas institute?
i. Improvement in pay and conditions for industrial workers
ii. The cancellation of payments made by peasants for freedom and land
iii. More liberties for the media
iv. True democracy in the form of the Duma
3. What happened to the Dumas?
The first Duma had too many rights for Nicholas to bear, and was henceforth dismissed after 10 weeks. The same fate befell the second Duma, at which point Nicholas changed the voting system so that peasants and factory workers could not vote. The next two Dumas were much more conservative and lasted longer, although they had no real power.
B. Strengths of the regime
1. how did Stolypin gain support of some peasants?
i. He did away with redemption payments.
ii. He encouraged peasants to buy their own payments.
iii. what is a kulak?
A wealthy peasant who owned his own farm.
2. how did the regime gain support among industrial workers?
Improved working conditions in the industries.
3. other positive signs for the regime
i. Universal education within 10 years, 50k more primary schools by 1914
ii. The revolutionary parties had little cash, were ripped apart by disagreements, and party heads were in exile.
C. Weaknesses of the regime
1. why were Stolypin's land reforms failing?
i. The amount of peasants was rising too fast.
ii. His methods weren't efficient enough to support the rise in population.
2. what was the trend with industrial strikes in the years leading to WWI?
The amount of strikes rose from 1912 through July 1914.
3. what three groups did the government especially target for repression?
i. Peasants
ii. Industrial Workers
iii. Intelligentsia (educated classes)
4. revolutionary parties - what did each hope for?
i. Bolsheviks - A small party of educated revolutionaries to bring the revolution.
ii. Mensheviks - Anybody and everybody to help them take over the country.
iii. Social Revolutionaries - A society based on peasant communities working together.
5. How was the royal family tainted by scandal?
i. Stolypin's death - People believed Nicholas was one of those who wanted Stolypin dead.
ii. Rasputin - Rasputin's drunkness and affairs with ladies of the court were noted by the people, but Alexandra refused to believe them.
D. World War I
What were considered failures in Russia's effort in WWI?
i. Nicholas made himself Supreme Commander
ii. Poor transportation organization
iii. Scarcity and high price of food
iv. Shortage of supplies
v. Corrupt legal system lead to havoc on the home front
1. How was Nicholas able to survive the 1905 revolution?
i. His opponents were not united
ii. There was no main leadership, the uprising had happened spontaneously
iii. He compromised with the October Manifesto at a critical moment
iv. Most of the Russian Army were still loyal to him.
2. What reforms did Nicholas institute?
i. Improvement in pay and conditions for industrial workers
ii. The cancellation of payments made by peasants for freedom and land
iii. More liberties for the media
iv. True democracy in the form of the Duma
3. What happened to the Dumas?
The first Duma had too many rights for Nicholas to bear, and was henceforth dismissed after 10 weeks. The same fate befell the second Duma, at which point Nicholas changed the voting system so that peasants and factory workers could not vote. The next two Dumas were much more conservative and lasted longer, although they had no real power.
B. Strengths of the regime
1. how did Stolypin gain support of some peasants?
i. He did away with redemption payments.
ii. He encouraged peasants to buy their own payments.
iii. what is a kulak?
A wealthy peasant who owned his own farm.
2. how did the regime gain support among industrial workers?
Improved working conditions in the industries.
3. other positive signs for the regime
i. Universal education within 10 years, 50k more primary schools by 1914
ii. The revolutionary parties had little cash, were ripped apart by disagreements, and party heads were in exile.
C. Weaknesses of the regime
1. why were Stolypin's land reforms failing?
i. The amount of peasants was rising too fast.
ii. His methods weren't efficient enough to support the rise in population.
2. what was the trend with industrial strikes in the years leading to WWI?
The amount of strikes rose from 1912 through July 1914.
3. what three groups did the government especially target for repression?
i. Peasants
ii. Industrial Workers
iii. Intelligentsia (educated classes)
4. revolutionary parties - what did each hope for?
i. Bolsheviks - A small party of educated revolutionaries to bring the revolution.
ii. Mensheviks - Anybody and everybody to help them take over the country.
iii. Social Revolutionaries - A society based on peasant communities working together.
5. How was the royal family tainted by scandal?
i. Stolypin's death - People believed Nicholas was one of those who wanted Stolypin dead.
ii. Rasputin - Rasputin's drunkness and affairs with ladies of the court were noted by the people, but Alexandra refused to believe them.
D. World War I
What were considered failures in Russia's effort in WWI?
i. Nicholas made himself Supreme Commander
ii. Poor transportation organization
iii. Scarcity and high price of food
iv. Shortage of supplies
v. Corrupt legal system lead to havoc on the home front
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
SGQ4
QW's:
1. “The aims and policies of single-party state rulers rarely followed their declared ideology.” To what extent do you agree with this assertion?
2. Compare and contrast the rise to power of two rulers of single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
MWH 309-318
1. What did National Socialism stand for?
A. What were the movements four general principles?
i. The re-birth of the nation as a "national community"
ii. The organization of the masses under the social government.
iii. The state being organized with military in mind
iv. The race theory, that Aryans were superior to all other races.
B. What evidence suggests Nazism was a "natural development of German history"?
i. The same terror was seen in the 18th century with Prussian militarism.
ii.
C . What evidence suggests Nazism was a "distortion of normal development" of German history?
The ideals that made it possible for Hitler to gain power were created about 20 years before the First World War.
D . What evidence suggests Nazism was a bit of both?
Hitler was able to exploit the circumstances in which he was put.
2. How did Hitler consolidate his power?
A. Actions leading up to the March election of 1933
i. They used media such as the radio and the press.
ii. Senior policemen were replaced with reliable Nazis
iii. Meetings of all parties except the Nazis were wrecked.
B. The Reichstag fire
i. what happened?
A young Dutch anarchist burned and badly damaged the Reichstag building.
ii. what did it mean?
Hitler was able to use this to stir up support for the Nazis and against the Communists.
3. How was Hitler able to stay in power?
A. What was the Enabling Law?
A law allowing the government to pass laws without the Reichstag, sign agreements with foreign countries, and disregard the constitution in general.
B. How did the Enabling Law pass?
The Nazis planted the SS and SA outside the hall, chanting, "We want the bill, or fire and murder."
C. What was Gleichschaltung?
A policy that turned Germany into a Facist state.
D. What were the characteristics of gleichschaltung?
i. Germany became a single-party state.
ii. The power of the seperate state parties was replaced by a Nazi Special Commissioner.
iii. The civil service was purged of enemies of the state.
iv. Trade unions replaced by German Labour Front, no strikes allowed.
v. The education system was completely controlled by the government, resulting in an education with Hitler as the predominant subject.
vi. Pure Arayns awarded medals for breeding, Jews, gypsies and others forcefully sterilized.
vii. Minister of Propaganda appointed, all aspects of art, music and media controlled by government.
viii. How was the economic life of the country organized?
a. Industry success based on need, unneeded factories closed down.
b. Moving workers to where jobs were available
c. Encouraged farmers to increase grain output
d. Controlled food prices and rent
e. Manipulated foreign rates to avoid inflation
f. Introduced public works: Slum clearance, land drainage, motorway building
g. Forced exports on foreign countries
h. Manufacturing synthetics (rubber, wool)
i. Increased spending on armaments
ix. How was religion handled?
a. Catholics
Initially, it was accepted, but when parallels were run between the Hitler Youths and the Catholic Youth league, the Pope sent out the word that the Nazis
b. Protestants
Hitler tried to organize them into a Reich church, but they disagreed, becoming one of the few active resistances against Hitler.
x.
xi. Antisemitism
a. how was it legalized?
The Nuremberg Laws, which took away the Jews' citizenship, and did not allow them to marry a non-Jew
b. examples of the law being carried out
1. The Night of Broken Glass
2. The "Final Solution"
3. The Nuremberg Laws
E. How popular were Hitler's policies?
i. personal appeal - He organized huge rallies to help the idea of a new Germany.
ii. unemployment - Hitler managed to eliminate unemployment by creating posts with his new party, as well as the vacancies left by those purged.
iii. working people - Hitler made sure to give the working people benefits and keep them happy.
iv. upper class - Because of Hitler, there were no more trade unions to bother with. They could also buy back shares sold the state, and now felt safe from a communist revolution.
v. farmers - Farmers were held in a special place because of the focus on self-sufficiency and food production.
vi. the Army -
a. officers - Hitler made clear that one of his aims was to set aside the restrictions of the Versailles treaty by rearmament.
b. lower ranks - National Socialist were beginning to filter into the lower officer classes
c. Night of Long Knives - The army leaders were impressed by how Hitler handled the Night of Long Knives.
vii. foreign policy - His foreign policy was a complete success, and more and more Germans began to think that he couldn't be stopped.
1. “The aims and policies of single-party state rulers rarely followed their declared ideology.” To what extent do you agree with this assertion?
2. Compare and contrast the rise to power of two rulers of single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
MWH 309-318
1. What did National Socialism stand for?
A. What were the movements four general principles?
i. The re-birth of the nation as a "national community"
ii. The organization of the masses under the social government.
iii. The state being organized with military in mind
iv. The race theory, that Aryans were superior to all other races.
B. What evidence suggests Nazism was a "natural development of German history"?
i. The same terror was seen in the 18th century with Prussian militarism.
ii.
C . What evidence suggests Nazism was a "distortion of normal development" of German history?
The ideals that made it possible for Hitler to gain power were created about 20 years before the First World War.
D . What evidence suggests Nazism was a bit of both?
Hitler was able to exploit the circumstances in which he was put.
2. How did Hitler consolidate his power?
A. Actions leading up to the March election of 1933
i. They used media such as the radio and the press.
ii. Senior policemen were replaced with reliable Nazis
iii. Meetings of all parties except the Nazis were wrecked.
B. The Reichstag fire
i. what happened?
A young Dutch anarchist burned and badly damaged the Reichstag building.
ii. what did it mean?
Hitler was able to use this to stir up support for the Nazis and against the Communists.
3. How was Hitler able to stay in power?
A. What was the Enabling Law?
A law allowing the government to pass laws without the Reichstag, sign agreements with foreign countries, and disregard the constitution in general.
B. How did the Enabling Law pass?
The Nazis planted the SS and SA outside the hall, chanting, "We want the bill, or fire and murder."
C. What was Gleichschaltung?
A policy that turned Germany into a Facist state.
D. What were the characteristics of gleichschaltung?
i. Germany became a single-party state.
ii. The power of the seperate state parties was replaced by a Nazi Special Commissioner.
iii. The civil service was purged of enemies of the state.
iv. Trade unions replaced by German Labour Front, no strikes allowed.
v. The education system was completely controlled by the government, resulting in an education with Hitler as the predominant subject.
vi. Pure Arayns awarded medals for breeding, Jews, gypsies and others forcefully sterilized.
vii. Minister of Propaganda appointed, all aspects of art, music and media controlled by government.
viii. How was the economic life of the country organized?
a. Industry success based on need, unneeded factories closed down.
b. Moving workers to where jobs were available
c. Encouraged farmers to increase grain output
d. Controlled food prices and rent
e. Manipulated foreign rates to avoid inflation
f. Introduced public works: Slum clearance, land drainage, motorway building
g. Forced exports on foreign countries
h. Manufacturing synthetics (rubber, wool)
i. Increased spending on armaments
ix. How was religion handled?
a. Catholics
Initially, it was accepted, but when parallels were run between the Hitler Youths and the Catholic Youth league, the Pope sent out the word that the Nazis
b. Protestants
Hitler tried to organize them into a Reich church, but they disagreed, becoming one of the few active resistances against Hitler.
x.
xi. Antisemitism
a. how was it legalized?
The Nuremberg Laws, which took away the Jews' citizenship, and did not allow them to marry a non-Jew
b. examples of the law being carried out
1. The Night of Broken Glass
2. The "Final Solution"
3. The Nuremberg Laws
E. How popular were Hitler's policies?
i. personal appeal - He organized huge rallies to help the idea of a new Germany.
ii. unemployment - Hitler managed to eliminate unemployment by creating posts with his new party, as well as the vacancies left by those purged.
iii. working people - Hitler made sure to give the working people benefits and keep them happy.
iv. upper class - Because of Hitler, there were no more trade unions to bother with. They could also buy back shares sold the state, and now felt safe from a communist revolution.
v. farmers - Farmers were held in a special place because of the focus on self-sufficiency and food production.
vi. the Army -
a. officers - Hitler made clear that one of his aims was to set aside the restrictions of the Versailles treaty by rearmament.
b. lower ranks - National Socialist were beginning to filter into the lower officer classes
c. Night of Long Knives - The army leaders were impressed by how Hitler handled the Night of Long Knives.
vii. foreign policy - His foreign policy was a complete success, and more and more Germans began to think that he couldn't be stopped.
IRL 2
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/129104/communism
This is a link to an online article from the Britannica Online Encyclopedia. It relates to our class studies on the ideas of Marxism and Russian communism. It adds value by distinguishing between socialism and communism, as well as providing a history of Communist societies, before, after and during the time of Soviet Russia. The Encyclopedia Britannica is one of the most reputable encyclopedias in the world. It is limited due to the fact that it actually provides judgment on the cause of the Russian revolution(s), instead of just giving pure facts.
This is a link to an online article from the Britannica Online Encyclopedia. It relates to our class studies on the ideas of Marxism and Russian communism. It adds value by distinguishing between socialism and communism, as well as providing a history of Communist societies, before, after and during the time of Soviet Russia. The Encyclopedia Britannica is one of the most reputable encyclopedias in the world. It is limited due to the fact that it actually provides judgment on the cause of the Russian revolution(s), instead of just giving pure facts.
Monday, September 14, 2009
IRL1
http://www.notablebiographies.com/St-Tr/Sun-Yat-Sen.html
This link is a biography of Sun Yatsen, a Chinese revolutionary communist. He was mentioned in our text both in class and for homework. However, this article greatly expands upon the details of the multiple failed takeovers by Sun and his men, as well as providing context for Sun's actions, including his childhood education (western and eastern). The facts are backed up by university-published books and the site seems generally ad-free. However, just like any other .com site, it must be assumed that the intention is profit, thus limiting the value of this source.
This link is a biography of Sun Yatsen, a Chinese revolutionary communist. He was mentioned in our text both in class and for homework. However, this article greatly expands upon the details of the multiple failed takeovers by Sun and his men, as well as providing context for Sun's actions, including his childhood education (western and eastern). The facts are backed up by university-published books and the site seems generally ad-free. However, just like any other .com site, it must be assumed that the intention is profit, thus limiting the value of this source.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
SGQ1
Why did the Weimar Republic fail?
A. Disadvantages
1. why was Versailles "humiliating" and "unpopular"?
i. It had arms limitations.
ii. It had reparations.
iii. It had the "war guilt clause".
2. who did people generally believe should run the country?
i. The "officer class," members of the army.
were the German people justified in the view? why/why not?
ii. They were not justified in this view because it was the general of the German Army himself who asked for an agreement.
3. what weaknesses existed in the Weimar parliamentary system?
i. It relied on proportional representation, so that no party was able to gain a majority and carry out its agenda.
ii. The parties of the lower house of Parliament, the Reichstag, now had the final say. However, they had little experience and were not good at compromising, so decisions were difficult to make.
4. why did the political parties have no experience?
i. Because prior to the Weimar parliamentary system, they were not in control; The chancellor had the final say.
how did the political parties deal with their bitter rivalries?
ii. The communists refused to work with the Democrats, who in turn built up private armies to defend themselves.
B. Outbreaks of Violence
1. Sparticists
i. who was behind it?
The communists.
ii. how bad was it?
They occupied every major city, and besieged the President.
iii. how was it defeated?
The government enlisted the Freikorps, an independent army, to help them defeat the Sparticists.
2. Kapp Putsch
i. who was behind it?
The right-wing groups, including the Freikorps.
ii. how bad was it?
The Freikorps had one of their men appointed Chancellor, and the German army didn't stop them.
iii. how was it defeated?
The workers went on strike, paralyzing the capital and allowing the weak governmet to take control.
3. assassinations
i. who was behind it?
The ex-Freikorps members.
ii. how bad was it?
The Jewish Foreign Minister and the leader of the armistice delegation were both killed, and the government was powerless to stop them.
4. Beer Hall Putsch
i. who was behind it?
Hitler and General Lunderdorff.
ii. how bad was it?
Hitler didn't manage to do much before his arrest.
iii. how was it defeated?
His band was broken up by the police, and he was sentenced to five years in prison (although he only served nine months).
5. private armies
i. who was behind it?
The Nazis and the Communists.
ii. how bad was it?
The government was powerless to stop the opposing armies from attacking each other.
iii. how was it defeated?
It wasn't.
C. Economic problems
1. why was Germany facing bankruptcy?
The huge cost of the war.
2. what was the problem with the reparations payments?
Germany didn't have enough money to continually pay the payments.
3. how did France attempt to deal with the reparations issue?
They occupied the Ruhr to get goods from factories and mines.
E. Nazi popularity
1. how did the Nazis propose to fulfill their promises?
i. Getting rid of the "real problems": Marxists, "November criminals," Jesuits, Freemasons and Jews.
ii. They promised to overthrow the Versailles settlement.
2. i.What was the SA?
Hitler's private army.
ii. Why was the SA so popular?
It gave young men a small wage and a uniform.
3. Where did the fear of communism come from?
From the Russian's Communism failure.
4. What were Hitler's political abilities?
i. Tremmendous energy.
ii.Will-power.
iii. A gift for public speaking.
iv. Use of modern communication: rallies, parades, radio, and film.
5. What kinds of people supported the Nazis?
The lower middle class, those most harmed by the economic crisis.
A. Disadvantages
1. why was Versailles "humiliating" and "unpopular"?
i. It had arms limitations.
ii. It had reparations.
iii. It had the "war guilt clause".
2. who did people generally believe should run the country?
i. The "officer class," members of the army.
were the German people justified in the view? why/why not?
ii. They were not justified in this view because it was the general of the German Army himself who asked for an agreement.
3. what weaknesses existed in the Weimar parliamentary system?
i. It relied on proportional representation, so that no party was able to gain a majority and carry out its agenda.
ii. The parties of the lower house of Parliament, the Reichstag, now had the final say. However, they had little experience and were not good at compromising, so decisions were difficult to make.
4. why did the political parties have no experience?
i. Because prior to the Weimar parliamentary system, they were not in control; The chancellor had the final say.
how did the political parties deal with their bitter rivalries?
ii. The communists refused to work with the Democrats, who in turn built up private armies to defend themselves.
B. Outbreaks of Violence
1. Sparticists
i. who was behind it?
The communists.
ii. how bad was it?
They occupied every major city, and besieged the President.
iii. how was it defeated?
The government enlisted the Freikorps, an independent army, to help them defeat the Sparticists.
2. Kapp Putsch
i. who was behind it?
The right-wing groups, including the Freikorps.
ii. how bad was it?
The Freikorps had one of their men appointed Chancellor, and the German army didn't stop them.
iii. how was it defeated?
The workers went on strike, paralyzing the capital and allowing the weak governmet to take control.
3. assassinations
i. who was behind it?
The ex-Freikorps members.
ii. how bad was it?
The Jewish Foreign Minister and the leader of the armistice delegation were both killed, and the government was powerless to stop them.
4. Beer Hall Putsch
i. who was behind it?
Hitler and General Lunderdorff.
ii. how bad was it?
Hitler didn't manage to do much before his arrest.
iii. how was it defeated?
His band was broken up by the police, and he was sentenced to five years in prison (although he only served nine months).
5. private armies
i. who was behind it?
The Nazis and the Communists.
ii. how bad was it?
The government was powerless to stop the opposing armies from attacking each other.
iii. how was it defeated?
It wasn't.
C. Economic problems
1. why was Germany facing bankruptcy?
The huge cost of the war.
2. what was the problem with the reparations payments?
Germany didn't have enough money to continually pay the payments.
3. how did France attempt to deal with the reparations issue?
They occupied the Ruhr to get goods from factories and mines.
E. Nazi popularity
1. how did the Nazis propose to fulfill their promises?
i. Getting rid of the "real problems": Marxists, "November criminals," Jesuits, Freemasons and Jews.
ii. They promised to overthrow the Versailles settlement.
2. i.What was the SA?
Hitler's private army.
ii. Why was the SA so popular?
It gave young men a small wage and a uniform.
3. Where did the fear of communism come from?
From the Russian's Communism failure.
4. What were Hitler's political abilities?
i. Tremmendous energy.
ii.Will-power.
iii. A gift for public speaking.
iv. Use of modern communication: rallies, parades, radio, and film.
5. What kinds of people supported the Nazis?
The lower middle class, those most harmed by the economic crisis.
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