Download Key Terms and Events in 20th Century European History and more Quizzes Cultural History of Europe in PDF only on Docsity!
Triple Entente
o Origins of WWI o Alliance made up of France, Great Britain, and Russia o Great Britain and Russia are able to solve their conflict concerning Asia through this alliance TERM 2
Schlieffen Plan
DEFINITION 2 o WWI o German military plan that required Germany attack France first and win quickly before having to fight the Russians to the east o This was put into place to avoid another war on two fronts TERM 3
trench warfare
DEFINITION 3 o WWI o A new warfare in which barbed wire and machine guns are used which lead to longer battles and new entrenching strategies o This changed how wars were fought, as a result there were more casualties and psychological trauma TERM 4
total
war
DEFINITION 4 o Starts in WWI and carries into WWII o Defines a link between the battlefield and the home nation in which the people back home are much more involved in the war efforts by making goods to support troops o This led to a massive entry of women in the work force, thus helping them receive the right to vote. It also ended laissez-faire economic policies because the government had to structure economy for common goal TERM 5
Paris Peace Conference
DEFINITION 5 o End of WWI o Established the terms to end the First World War. France, Great Britain, US, and Italy signed five treaties with the defeated nations. o As a result, Germany had to give up a lot of territory and Germany was disarmed
Treaty of Versailles
o End of WWI o German agreement that ended WWI and required Germany to pay reparations, give up territories, and demilitarize the Rhineland o This leads to the nicknamed war guilt clause in which Germany is blamed for WWI, when it wasnt actually its fault. Also, the reparations send Germany into crippling debt. TERM 7
The Lateran Pacts
DEFINITION 7 o Collapse of Democracy in Europe and rise of Dictatorship o Agreement between Mussolini and the Pope where the Pope finally accepts the legitimacy of Italy o Ended the Roman Question TERM 8
The "Duce"
DEFINITION 8 o Collapse of Democracy and rise of Dictatorship in Europe o Nickname meaning the Duke that Italian dictator, Mussolini, gave himself o Further establishes himself as an authoritarian figure in Italy TERM 9
The Ethiopian War
DEFINITION 9 o Collapse of Democracy and rise of Dictatorship in Europe o Mussolini uses the Italian military to invade Ehtiopia, one of the few remaining independent states in Africa. The League of Nations tried to stop it but was unsuccessful. o This showed how ineffective the League of Nations was without support from great powers. This war also created tensions between the fascist states and the Western democracies and influenced the start of WWII TERM 10
Kristallnacht
DEFINITION 10 o The Holocaust o Means Night of Broken Glass and is the name given to an organized attack by Nazis on the Jews of Germany after a Jewish man assassinated a German embassy official. Dozens of Jews were killed and thousands more arrested that night and taken to concentration camps to later die. o This was a moment of no return and Nazi policies became only more radicalized.
Spanish Civil War
o Path to WWII o Ended with victory of totalitarian right of military in Spain o This war brought together Hitler and Mussolini in a coordinated effort TERM 17
Rome-Berlin Axis
DEFINITION 17 o Path to WWII o Coalition formed in 1936 between Italy and Germany. An agreement formulated by Italys foreign minister Galeazzo Ciano. o This informally linked the two fascist countries was reached on October 25, 1936. TERM 18
Pact of Steel
DEFINITION 18 o Path to WWII o Military alliance between Italy and Germany. Signed by Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini on May 22, 1939. o It formalized the 1936 Rome-Berlin Axis agreement, linking the two countries politically and militarily TERM 19
Anschluss
DEFINITION 19 o Path to WWII o The annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in March 1938. o The Anschluss was among the first major steps of Adolf Hitler's creation of a Greater German Reich, which was to include all ethnic German, and all the lands and territories, which the German Empire had lost after World War I. TERM 20
Sudetenland
DEFINITION 20 o Path to WWII o Because of its German majority, the Sudetenland later became a major source of contention between Germany and Czechoslovakia, and in 1938 participants at the Munich Conference, yielding to Adolf Hitler, transferred it to Germany o Hitler accomplished this on the principle of self-determination therefore other powers couldnt tell him no. This was one major component in the period of appeasement since nobody wanted to declare war on Germany
Molotov-Ribbentop Pact
o Path to WWII o Nonaggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union (Hitler and Stalin) that was concluded only a few days before the beginning of World War II and which divided eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence. o This prevented a war on two fronts and was also the end of total appeasement for Hitler. As a result of this pact, Germany invades Poland and WWII begins. TERM 22
Katyn Forest Massacre
DEFINITION 22 o WWII o Mass execution of Polish military officers by the Soviet Union during World War II. o Ruined Soviet Union and Polish relationship TERM 23
Maginot Line
DEFINITION 23 o Beginning of WWII o Elaborate defensive barrier in northeast France constructed in the 1930s o France waited fro Germany behind this line, but Italy attacked them from the South on the flank side TERM 24
Battle of Britain
DEFINITION 24 o WWIIo The successful defense of Great Britain against unremitting and destructive air raids conducted by the German air force o Hitlers inability to beat Britain forced him to turn his attentions to the Soviet Union. Also showed that Nazi Germany was not invincible. TERM 25
Lebensraum
DEFINITION 25 o WWII o Literally means living space this was the motive behind Nazis foreign policy o This resulted in the relocation and deportation of Jews and the German invasion of Russia
Orthodox Interpretation
o Cold War o Interpretation that placed the blame of the Cold War on the Soviet Union. This was the dominant interpretation throughout the Cold War. o This accused them of engaging in a program of worldwide expansion in communism which raised tensions between Russia and the rest of the powerful nations TERM 32
Revisionist Interpretation
DEFINITION 32 o Cold War o Claims US carries most of the blame for the US vs. Soviet Union rivalry o Claimed America had an expansionist economic policy which would threaten other nations by attempting to eliminate free trade TERM 33
Post-Revisionist interpretation
DEFINITION 33 o Post Cold War o Interpretation that says the blame rests on both sides and that even Great Britain played a role in the tensions. o Shows how the history of the Cold War is being rewritten since the collapse of communist regimes TERM 34
Truman Doctrine
DEFINITION 34 o Cold War o Declaration promising US economic and military intervention to counter any attempt by the Soviet Union to expand its influence. o Key moment in the origins of the Cold War and the manifestation of Americas political position in context of the Cold War TERM 35
Marshall Plan
DEFINITION 35 o Post WWII o Economic aid package given to Europe by the United States after the Second World War to promote reconstruction and economic development and to secure the countries from a feared communist takeover. o This was a strategy to prevent recession in US and was fundamental in recovery of Western Europe. This was important because the less economic distress mean the less favor for communism
Yalta Conference
o WWII o Major World War II conference of the three chief Allied leaders to plan the final defeat and occupation of Nazi Germany. o Stalin did not keep his word that was agreed upon at the conference so Soviet Union relations and US were greatly and negatively affected. TERM 37
Nato
DEFINITION 37 o Cold War o Military alliance established by the North Atlantic Treaty of April 4, 1949, which sought to create a counterweight to Soviet armies stationed in central and eastern Europe after World War II. It was also put together to keep countries from going to war. o Because NATO helped keep European countries and US interdependent, war was avoided. By 1950, most of WE was tied with US militarily and economically. TERM 38
European Recovery Program
DEFINITION 38 o Reconstruction in Western Europe o Program through which the funds of the Marshall Plan were distributed o This helped improve the economy of Western Europe which resulted in the people being less likely to be influenced to like communism TERM 39
WIlliam Beveridge
DEFINITION 39 o Reconstruction in Western Europe o Former head of the London School of Economics who helped shape welfare state policies and institutions o Well known for his 5 giant evils that need to be kept in check to prevent huge wars: want, disease, ignorance, squalor, and idleness TERM 40
Bosnian Crisis
DEFINITION 40 o Origins of WWI o State of severe international tension caused by the annexation by Austria-Hungary of the Balkan provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. o Although the crisis was resolved without immediate warfare, the resulting embittered relations between Serbia and Austria-Hungary and Russias resentment at having been deceived and humiliated contributed to the outbreak of World War I.
Social Citizenship
o Reconstruction in Western Europe o Ideal citizenship experience entails access to political, civil and social rights in a state and it is the states responsibility to ensure these rights are met o By doing this, governments won back the trust of their citizens after losing it in WWII. Also, this started the government taking interventionist approach to economics. TERM 47
Consumer Boom
DEFINITION 47 o Reconstruction in Western Europe o Golden age of European productivity: end of the postwar period o Many goods came from United States so there was a growing weariness of becoming Americanized or more materialistic from standardized new products
