History: Key issues revision guide

Contents

1. Blame for the origins of the WWII lies in part with the great democratic power themselves. How far do you agree with this statement?
2. How far do you agree that economic nationalism was the key factor in the slide towards war in 1939?

#1. Blame for the origins of the WWII lies in part with the great democratic power themselves. How far do you agree with this statement?

Arguments For	Arguments Against
The role of Western democracies: - Failure to enforce clauses of the Treaty of Versailles peace settlement - Appeasement - Anglo-German Naval Agreement, 1935 and Munich Conference, 1938 - American isolationism - Weakness of the League of Nations and failure of collective security (Examples: Abyssinia and Manchuria Crisis) - Anti-war sentiment - Western democracies did not react fast enough, allowing dictators to increase in strength and confidence - Hitler’s opposition to communism was more popular than stopping Nazism	The role of dictators and totalitarianism: - Hitler’s foreign policy - Rise of totalitarianism - Worldwide Economic Depression (1930s) - Nazi-Soviet Pact - UK and France still recovering from WWI, Great Depression and their military were not strong enough to go against Hitler - Hitler took advantage of appeasement, viewing it as weakness and continued his expansionist policies - Appeasement gave time to rearm

Arguments For

Arguments Against

The role of Western democracies:
- Failure to enforce clauses of the Treaty of Versailles peace settlement
- Appeasement
- Anglo-German Naval Agreement, 1935 and Munich Conference, 1938
- American isolationism
- Weakness of the League of Nations and failure of collective security (Examples: Abyssinia and Manchuria Crisis)
- Anti-war sentiment
- Western democracies did not react fast enough, allowing dictators to increase in strength and confidence
- Hitler’s opposition to communism was more popular than stopping Nazism

The role of dictators and totalitarianism:
- Hitler’s foreign policy
- Rise of totalitarianism
- Worldwide Economic Depression (1930s)
- Nazi-Soviet Pact
- UK and France still recovering from WWI, Great Depression and their military were not strong enough to go against Hitler
- Hitler took advantage of appeasement, viewing it as weakness and continued his expansionist policies
- Appeasement gave time to rearm

#2. How far do you agree that economic nationalism was the key factor in the slide towards war in 1939?

Arguments For	Arguments Against
The role of economic nationalism: - Great Depression led to unemployment and poverty in many countries - Before Depression, many countries helped each other, such as the Dawes Plan, in which America loaned Germany to help spark their economy and pay reparations to France and the UK - Economic nationalism is state intervention of the economy with the goal to secure the strength and independence of the state which took shape once the Depression hit - Tough economic times made countries less willing to spend their budget on the military to enforce a tough foreign policy - Protectionism such as Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act, 1930, established high tariffs - Hyperinflation and economic hardship blamed on existing democratic governments, such as Weimar Republic which resulted in Germany to elect Nazi party members in the Reiuchstag, and appoint Hitler as a Vice-Chancellor - Nazi war economy used forced labor and conscription to ensure total war - Japan and Italy invasions for more resources	The role of other factors: - Collapse of global peace due to dictators and weak democracies - Hitler’s foreign policy - Appeasement and American isolationism - Discussion on the wording 'economic nationalism': ultranationalism is an ideology, not just a random economic policy

Arguments For

Arguments Against

The role of economic nationalism:
- Great Depression led to unemployment and poverty in many countries
- Before Depression, many countries helped each other, such as the Dawes Plan, in which America loaned Germany to help spark their economy and pay reparations to France and the UK
- Economic nationalism is state intervention of the economy with the goal to secure the strength and independence of the state which took shape once the Depression hit
- Tough economic times made countries less willing to spend their budget on the military to enforce a tough foreign policy
- Protectionism such as Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act, 1930, established high tariffs
- Hyperinflation and economic hardship blamed on existing democratic governments, such as Weimar Republic which resulted in Germany to elect Nazi party members in the Reiuchstag, and appoint Hitler as a Vice-Chancellor
- Nazi war economy used forced labor and conscription to ensure total war
- Japan and Italy invasions for more resources

The role of other factors:
- Collapse of global peace due to dictators and weak democracies
- Hitler’s foreign policy
- Appeasement and American isolationism
- Discussion on the wording 'economic nationalism': ultranationalism is an ideology, not just a random economic policy