Summary

World History Class 12

THE CLASS STARTED WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS TOPICS (05:07 PM)

IMPACT OF FIRST WORLD WAR, A TOTAL WAR (5:14 PM)

War is a total war not only for its political effects but also for social and economic.
Socially every aspect of human life got affected, for safety and security reasons large-scale migration started causing tremendous dislocation.
Family system got disturbed.
As survival turned difficult people have to go for new occupations.
Education system went completely out of gear and even after the war it took quite a long time to bring back the system into order.
War casualties were staggering, with nearly 21 Million casualties of which 8 Million were dead.
In some parts of Europe, every family lost at least one member of the family.
The war violence created trauma, particularly for children, It took a long time for them to recover.
The war violence was equally responsible for a change in the general behavioral pattern.
A European society witnessed violent aggression.
A strange sense of insecurity affected mankind for the first time.
The insecurity feeling created a new trend in literature called "Nihilism"
Positive outcomes of the war at the same time were:
(1) For the first time society realized the importance of the labour class as compulsory military training was introduced.
As men left for the battlefield, a Shortage of labour arose creating a great demand for the labour market.
This was why all over the world labour unions and trade unions were formed.
After the war International Labour Organization (ILO) was formed
(2) Human society realized the constructive role of women for the first time.
Women joined the workforce in the factory and also rendered medical services during the war.
Recognising the constructive role of women England became the first country to extend the Right to vote to women soon after the war.
Economic affairs:
Soon after the war every European country experienced famine conditions as people went for warfare and agriculture was affected.
Severe shortage of foodstuff caused man-made famine.
Every economy faced a financial crisis as the US could not recover its debts.
In 1929, the Great economic depression started, affecting the whole capitalist world.
With the war the US emerged as a major financer.
Center of Power shifted from Europe to America.
War expenses proved quite costly for not only the US all the participating countries.
At the peak of the war per day expenses were 81 Million dollars, thus every country's finances got affected.
Democracies collapsed and dictatorships were established (Germany, Italy, and Spain)

WORLD WAR II (05:48 PM)

Causes:
Nazism
Nazi party was actually called the National Socialist German Worker's Party.
Nazism may be defined as German extreme nationalism and a sense of racial superiority of the Germans that they were born to rule the world.
Essential aspects of Nazism were:
(1) Extreme Nationalism
For the Nazis the only country in the world which was most qualified to rule the world was Germany.
Nazism never recognizes the glory of any other country.
(2) It was anti-democracy and pro-dictatorship
For Nazis democracy was mobocracy.
All are not competent in decision-making.
(3) It was pro-war and anti-peace.
For Nazis war was the reality and solution to the problems.
Peace is the slogan of the weak.
For Nazis crisis is unavoidable and the individual is at his best when he faces the crisis.
Nazism was anti-communism and pro-capitalism.
For the Nazis equality is a myth and as such socialism is an invalid concept.
They were anti-communist because Russia promoted imperialism in the name of communism.
For Nazis, individuals exist for the state but the state doesn't exist for individuals.
State is above all and an end by itself.
In other words, Nazis believe in totalitarianism which means individuals are insubordinate to the state.
State has the power to control every aspect of an individual's life.
Nazism differs from Fascism in two regards:
(1) Nazis wanted world power, fascists never thought beyond Italy.
(2) For the Nazis, the Germans were the best race and most qualified.
They hated Jews.
In Fascism we don't find racial hatred.
Reasons for Nazi's Popularity:
(1) Problems created by the Versailles treaty.
(2) Great economic depression of 1929 virtually made Germany bankrupt.
It faced the worst financial crisis.
(3) The Republics of Germany called the Ebert Republic, and the Weimar Republic, both failed in solving the internal problems of Germany.
(4) Nazism promised everything for everyone and attracted the attention of not only workers but also capitalists and nationalists.
It emerged as the best alternative ideology for the people.
(5) It was believed in German Romanticism, particularly of Hegel that the most qualified races survive the struggle for capturing power and Germans are born to rule.
(6) Above all, Hitler's personality was a wonderful combination of dynamism, pragmatism, and exceptionally great oratory skills.
Nazi for the capture of power by contesting elections, getting 140 seats in 1930 and 230 seats in 1932.
In 1930, Hitler himself became the President cum Chancellor of Germany.

NAZI FOREIGN POLICY (05:55 PM)

It was determined by the ideas:
(1) To avenge the humiliation of Germany in the Paris Peace Conference.
(2) Hitler believed in the concept of 'Lebensraum.'
It believes in United Germany & Greater Germany are bound to rule the world.
This concept was introduced by the German philosopher Carl Haushofer.
As per the theory England and France were no more powerful nations and it is time for Germany to rule Central Europe.
Keynote of Hitler's foreign policy was South East of Germany with countries Austria, Romania, and Hungary.
Austria with rich coal mines and foreign reserves worth 10 Million Pounds, Romania with rich oil mines, and Hungary with fertile lands.
The Southern part of Sudetenland, part of Czechoslovakia.
In 1934, he signed a 'No war pact' with Poland for 10 years just to convince the world that he was for peace.
He tried to bring Austria under the control of Germany with a massive campaign against the Nazi party.
When questioned by European powers he disowned his responsibility.
The major turning point was Hitler winning the plebiscite in the Saure Valley in 1935.
In 1935, he convinced England that his fight was against communist Russia and secured the support of England for the militarization of Germany.
He went on violating the conditions of the Paris Peace Conference.
Rhineland was militarized.
Compulsory military training was ordered-
An army of 6.5 laks was recruited.
In 1936, in the Spanish civil war both Hitler and Mussolini dictator General Franco came to power.
In 1936, Hitler signed a pact anti-communist or anti-Comintern pact with Japan against Russia.
Italy joined the pact in 1937 and that was how Berlin, Tokyo, and Rome axis was formed called Grand Axis.
In 1937, Hitler encouraged the Nazi party of Austria to create disturbances under the leadership of Arthur Seyss.
He himself invited Hitler to take over Austria.
With the Austrian occupation, Hitler got 10 crores worth of foreign reserves from the Austrian bank and the rich coal mines.
Hitler instigated Germans of Sudetenland for the 'Right of Self-determination.'
England's PM Chamberlin mediated between Hitler and Czechoslovakia when Hitler threatened to attack Czechoslovakia.
Finally Munich Pact was signed in 1938 accepting all the conditions of Hitler.
In 1939, Hitler encouraged the Germans in Poland,
He neutralized Russia and attacked Poland.
With the Polish crisis Hitler started World War II.
In Hitler's occupying Austria, threatening to attack Czechoslovakia, and occupying Poland, all three instances, the League of Nations miserably failed.
'Principle of Collective Responsibility' was blatantly violated.

FASCISM IN ITALY (07:32 PM)

Fascism is derived from the word 'Fascio' which means a bundle of sticks, a symbolic expression of unity and strength.
Reasons for Fascism were:
(1) Italy was humiliated at Paris Peace Conference.
For all the sacrifices she made she got only parts of Flum.
(2) Italy had the worst financial crisis.
Production got affected mainly because of frequent strikes and working-class unrest due to socialism and communism.
Her population continued to explode and there was no corresponding growth in agricultural production.
Unemployment reigned supreme.
Elected governments failed to satisfy the expectations of the people.
Foreign policy of Mussolini:
The main purpose was to righten the wrong of the Versailles Treaty, strengthen the Italian economy, and make Italy a strong power.
In 1922, he made Greece surrender the Dadacani islands.
He entered into an understanding with Yugoslavia and got the whole of Flum under his control.
In 1923, he signed a treaty with Albania and virtually made it dependent on Italy.
He targeted Ethiopia or Abyssinia for the reason of raw materials and foodstuff.
In 1937, Italy occupied Abyssinia.
Mussolini never cared for international opinion and the League of Nations.
Before that he signed an 'anti-Comintern' pact with Germany and Japan against Russia.
Thus, with the Abyssinian crisis, Mussolini created a situation for World War II.

JAPANESE IMPERIALISM AND MANCHURIA CRISIS (07:43 PM)

Japan was the only industrialized country in Asia.
Her problems were a lack of agricultural lands, a shortage of raw materials, and markets.
Her multinational companies shaped her foreign policy.
Her militarism was motivated by her economic interest.
When America meant for Americans, Japan decided to make Asia for Asians.
In 1936, Japan occupied Manchuria, and a war started between China & Japan.
When the League of Nations condemned it, Japan left the league.
Other factors for war were:
(1) Ideological differences between democracies and dictatorships and haves vs have-nots.
For Mussolini, clashes were unavoidable between the two contrasting ideologies.
Haves were England, France, and the USA, which already had colonies.
Have nots were Germany, Japan, and Italy.
(2) The problem of national minorities continued to be a matter of serious concern.
Right of self-determination could not effectively be implemented in the case of any national minority as they are scattered all over.
Problems started For that matter problems started with Germans who were divided between Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, and Czechoslovakia.

RESULTS OF WORLD WAR II (7:51 PM)

(1) Germany was divided into East and West.
East with the capital city Berlin came under the influence of communist Russia.
West remained under the influence of the USA, France, and England with Bonn as the capital city.
Berlin Wall that divided Germany was finally destroyed in 1989.
Same was the case with Italy and Japan.
(2) During the war ''Cold War started between communist Russia and the USA.''
It was a war of everything except weapons.
(It may be defined as a war of exchange of words, a war of strategy vs counter strategy, a war of sanctions vs counter-sanctions, and a war of propaganda vs anti-propaganda.)
(3) War very badly affected the European colonial powers, particularly England and France.
Financially battered and economically ruined European countries were no longer in a position to rule their colonies.
Thus, the decolonization process started for African and Asian colonies
The countries liberated after World War II were called Third World countries.
They were caught in between the communist bloc of Russia and Capitalist America for maintaining their own identity, they met in Algiers in 1973 and formed a policy called Non-Alignment Movement.
It doesn't mean remaining without stand.
Rather it means taking a stand based on the merit of the issue and in taking such a stand they remain independent.
With World War II European powers completely lost their hold on international politics.
The center of power shifted from Europe to America and Russia.
In other words a bipolar world with two major powers appeared.
UNO as an international agency was the result of the war.

THE TOPIC FOR THE NEXT CLASS: DECOLONISATION.