Today is blog discussion day.
Cesar watched a movie that he said wasn't very good, and it was boring
Shelby watched WWII in HD, which was about Pearl Harbor and other events throughout WWII.
Derek watched a documentary on iTunes. It was about fighter planes and how they dropped off paratroupers and stuff like that and how difficult their jobs were.
Morgan watched Every Man's War. It was about a guy named Don Smith and he met a girl just before he got deployed, so he wrote her a letter. And it goes into detail about his expierences in the war. He gave her the letter when he got back from war.
Nic watched Age of Heroes. It was about British soldiers who were formed into a group called the cammandos and were supposed to go into a village to destroy a radio tower.
Hannah and Zach G. watched Schindler's List. It was about the Holocaust and the horrible things that were done to the Jews. A German Nazi named Schindler that was going to have Jews work in the factories. Then Schindler tries to save the Jews. Schindler buys some of the Jews and brings them back to his own camp and lets them work instead of killing them off completely.
I watched Saving Private Ryan.. if you really want to read what it was about, then check out my assigned blog!
Mr. Bruns presented his WWII Powerpoint too.
Leaders
Adolf Hitler - Germany
Benito Mussolini - Italy
Winston Churchill - Great Britain
Franklin D. Roosevelt - United States
Stalin - Soviet Union
Tojo - Japan
1917 - Russians and Germans are fighting in World War 1. Russia got out of World War 1 because of the Bolshevik Revolution, Communist Revolution. Became communist and changed name to Soviet Union. Vladimir Lenin became the first leader of Soviet Union.
Austria-Hungary lost a lot of land in World War 1, became two different countries. Germany and Russia were the only ones still around after World War 1, a lot of land was still lost. World War 2 - Soviet Union (Russia)
Treaty of Versailles - Great Britain, Italy, France, United States were called the Big Four, sometimes called the Big Three because Italy wasn't as strong. Paris Peace Conference was held outside of Paris in the Palace of Versailles in the Hall of Mirrors. 1919 - Treaty was passed to end World War 1. Wilson's 14 Points were aimed at changing everybody. All countries should disarm. All countries should be in the League of Nations. Etc. Punished Germany severely because it was all aimed at punishing Germany.
Germany's Consequences
Territorial
Germany lost a lot of land to countries that surrounded them. France, Belgium, Denmark, Czechoslovakia and Poland. All of the land lost, Hitler wanted to get back.
The League of Nations also took control of Germany's overseas colonies.
Military
Germany's army was reduced to 100,000 men. The army was not allowed tanks. Germany was not allowed an air force and allowed only 6 capital naval ships and no submarines. 100,000 men were trained and then sent home. They did this many times and then brought all men back when it was time for war.
The west of the Rhineland and 50 kms east of the River Rhine was made into a demilitarized zone (DMZ). No German soldier or weapon was allowed into this zone. The Allies were to keep an army of occupation on the west bank of the Rhine for 15 years.
Financial
The loss of vital industrial territory would be a severe blow to Germany's economy. Coal from the Saar and Upper Silesia in particular was a vital economic loss.
Combined witht he financial penalties linked to reparations ($33 billion), it seemed clar to Germany that the Allies wanted nothing else but to bankrupt them.
Germany was also forbidden to unite with Austria to form one superstate.
The effect this had on Germany was it put them into a big depression.
People turned to more radical ways like communism.
General
1. Germany had to admit full responsibility for starting World War 1. This was Clause 231 - the infamous "War Guilt Clause".
2. Germany, as it was responsible for starting the war as stated in clause 231, was therefore responsible for all the war damage caused the First World War. Therefore, they had to pay reparations, the bulk of which would go to France and Belgium to pay for the damage done to both countries by the war. The figure ended up being $33 billion.
3. A League of nations was set up to keep world peace.
The German Reaction to the Treaty of Versailles
There was anger throughout Germany when the terms were made public. The Treaty became known as a Diktat - as it was being forced on them and the Germans had no choice but to sign it. Many in Germany did not want the Treaty signed. German representatives there knew that they had no choice as Germany was incapable of restarting the war again.
Allies Reaction to the Treaty of Versailles
- At first, Treaty seemed to satisfy US, Britain, and France.
- Allies believed it was a just peace as it kept Germany weak yet strong enough to stop the spread of communism
- Kept the French border with Germany safe from another German attack and created the League of Nations that would end warfare throughout the world.
- When Wilson brought treaty back to the US Senate for ratification, the Senate refused to sign it. Why? Isolationism! Congress felt that treaty would pull US into the League of Nations
- Senate was controlled by Republicans
- Most countries ultimately were unhappy with the treaty and the results of WWI. Why? France thought the treaty should have been harsher. US was angry because countries didn't pay us back. Britain wanted to get Germany strong economically and kind of forgive and forget. Japan was an allie of the US.
Austria-Hungary lost a lot of land in World War 1, became two different countries. Germany and Russia were the only ones still around after World War 1, a lot of land was still lost. World War 2 - Soviet Union (Russia)
Weimar Republic
-is a new Democratic Republic set up in World War 1.
-Hitler tried to overthrow it and was imprisoned for only 9 months because he talked himself out of a worse sentence during his trial.
-It was the first Democratic government that was set up in Germany
-It failed because they had a bad economy, it came into effect after a failed war effort, and because of Adolf Hitler.
League of Nations
-it was worldwide peace keeping organization, US was not in League of Nations
-it could condemns actions, tells countries, "We don't like what you're doing, please stop."
-it could put economic sanctions on countries, which were restrictions on imports and exports, affecting their trade.
Weaknesses of the League of Nations
-US never joined League of Nations
-it did not have a military force.
-it required unanimous vote. all countries had to unaminously vote on an issue, which was highly unlikely to happen.
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