Causes and Conduction of World War II
Group 1
Algemeen Handelsblad, Dutch liberal newspaper, editorial on the Treaty of Versailles, June 1919“The peace conditions imposed upon Germany are so hard, so humiliating, that those who had even the tiniest hope for a ‘just peace’ are bound to be deeply disappointed. Our condemnation of the lust of power and conquest that Germany displayed during the war is strong and unwavering. But a condemnation of wartime actions must not amount to a lasting condemnation of an entire nation. The question is not whether the Germans have been led astray by their leaders, or whether they have been willing accomplices in the misdeeds of those leaders—the question is, whether it is in the interest of mankind to punish the German people as the Entente governments seem to have decided to do. The Entente evidently desires the complete annihilation of Germany. Not only will its whole commercial fleet be confiscated, but its shipbuilding yards will be obliged to work for the foreigner for some time to come. Whole regions of Germany will be entirely deprived of their liberty; they will be under a committee of foreign domination, without adequate representation. The financial burden is so heavy that it is no exaggeration to say that Germany is reduced to economic bondage. The Germans will have to work hard and incessantly for foreign masters, without any chance of personal gain, or any prospect of regaining liberty or economic independence. This ‘peace’ offered to Germany is a mockery of President Wilson’s principles. Trusting in these, Germany surrendered and accepted peace. That confidence has been betrayed in such a manner that all Germans must now feel that they wish to shake off the heavy yoke imposed on them by the cajoling Entente. And we fear very much that they will soon find the opportunity to do so. Chained and enslaved, Germany will always remain a menace to Europe.”
Question 1a
The mention of “President Wilson’s principles” is most directly significant to understanding the editorial’s point of view about the Treaty of Versailles because of the United States president’s commitment to
establish an international organization to prevent future conflicts
work to create nation-states for ethnic minorities that had been under imperial control
broker a peace agreement on liberal principles that would not be motivated by revenge
resist the spread of Bolshevism following the Russian Revolution
Question 1b
Which of the following accurately explains the historical significance of the harsh conditions imposed on Germany that the editorial describes?
They led to a successful communist revolution in Germany.
They triggered a massive wave of emigration from Germany.
They resulted in the virtual deindustrialization of Germany.
They encouraged the rise of political extremism in Germany.
Question 1c
Which of the following true statements about the Netherlands best explains how the newspaper’s national origin likely influenced the view of Germany expressed in the editorial?
The Netherlands, by remaining neutral during the war, profited significantly from helping Germany evade the Entente’s naval blockade.
The Netherlands, like Germany before the war, had a significant overseas empire.
The Netherlands, like Germany, had a large merchant fleet.
The Netherlands, like Germany until 1918, was a constitutional monarchy, although the Dutch monarchs had less effective power than the German kaiser.
Group 2
In your response, be sure to address all parts of the question. Use complete sentences; an outline or bulleted list alone is not acceptable.
John E. Moser, United States historian, book published in 2015“When the [crisis] struck, nationalists were quick to identify the cause in [liberalism]. . . . As the crisis spread from country to country, global commerce and the gold standard increasingly came under attack. Once praised as the engine of economic progress and prosperity, international trade was now viewed as a source of foreign contagion. More than ever before, the nation’s economy had to be protected from cheap goods from abroad, and saved from reliance on foreign materials. [Governments raised tariffs] and each time a government [did so], it increased the pressure on others to do likewise. This generated considerable hostility. . . . The failure to cooperate in the face of the economic threat of the early 1930s was a harbinger of the inability of the powers to work together to deal with the threat of aggressive nationalism in the latter part of the decade.”
Question 2a
Use the passage to answer all parts of the question that follows. a) Identify ONE piece of evidence that Moser uses in the passage to support his claim regarding nationalist perceptions of liberal economic policies.
Question 2b
b) Explain ONE development in the late 1930s and early 1940s that could be used to support Moser’s argument in the last sentence of the passage.
Question 2c
c) Explain ONE economic policy, other than those mentioned in the passage, that governments in Western Europe and North America adopted in the 1930s to address the economic crisis referred to in the passage.
Question 3a
Answer all parts of the question that follows. a) Identify ONE new state that emerged in Europe in the period before 1939.
Question 3b
b) Explain ONE development in Europe that led to the creation of new states in the period 1914–1939.
Question 3c
c) Explain ONE way in which the circumstances that led to the creation of new states in Europe in the period 1914–1939 contributed to conflict in Europe in the period 1939–1945.
Group 4
James Franck, German-born scientist developing nuclear weapons technology for the United States, report to the United States government, 1945“The way in which the nuclear weapons that we are now developing are first used will be of fateful importance. Our primary objective once the war is over should be to reach an international agreement on the total prevention of nuclear warfare. From this perspective, using nuclear weapons against Japan may easily destroy all our chances of success. A demonstration of the new weapon might best be made, before the eyes of representatives of all nations, in a desert or on a barren island. Then America could argue, ‘We are ready to renounce the use of these weapons in the future if other nations join us in this renunciation and agree to the establishment of an efficient system of international control.’ If an international agreement is not concluded immediately after the first use of nuclear weapons, this will mean a flying start toward an unlimited armaments race. However, once an international peace agreement is achieved, then the technology and materials accumulated in the process of developing the weapon can be used for important peacetime developments, including power generation and mass production of radioactive materials. In this way, the money spent on wartime development of nuclear technology may benefit the peacetime development of the national economy.”
Question 4a
Which of the following developments during the Second World War would Franck most likely have cited as evidence to support his arguments in the passage?
Nazi scientists were working frantically to develop nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction that could save the Nazi regime from defeat.
Allied firebombing in Germany and Japan had caused massive devastation and civilian casualties, and atomic weapons were vastly more powerful than those used in firebombing.
German scientists such as Franck were critical to helping the United States develop nuclear weapons, and some of those scientists wanted the weapons used on Germany rather than Japan.
Some United States allies were largely unaware of the United States attempt to develop nuclear weapons.
Question 4b
Which of the following arguments would a supporter of using nuclear weapons against Japan have most likely cited to explain the limitations of Franck’s arguments in the first and second paragraphs?
The United States use of nuclear weapons against Japan might provoke the Soviet Union into becoming Japan’s ally.
Japanese government propaganda instilled fierce, suicidal nationalism in the Japanese population, making Japan unlikely to surrender unconditionally without experiencing the effects of nuclear weapons.
The United States use of nuclear weapons against Japan would likely force the United States into a prolonged occupation of Japan in order to ensure the economic redevelopment of the country.
Japanese military actions in the Pacific, though often brutal, did not justify the use of nuclear weapons against Japanese cities with large civilian populations.
Question 4c
Contemporaries who agreed with Franck’s argument in the second and third paragraphs regarding the need for an international agreement would most likely have made which of the following arguments to support their position?
New international organizations could have only a limited effect in restraining the actions of the great powers.
The peace agreements should ensure that Germany could never threaten the stability of Europe again.
The end of the war would probably lead to a new rivalry between the victorious states.
Mass atrocities committed during the war required that states possess sufficient armaments to defend themselves in future conflicts.
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