Study Notes: Global Conflict & Power Shifts (1900–1945)

Collapse of Land-Based Empires

The failure of empires such as the Qing Dynasty, Ottoman Empire, and Russian Empire due to internal decay and external pressures.

Qing Dynasty

China's last imperial dynasty, which collapsed due to ethnic tensions and revolutions.

Sun Yat-sen

Leader of the 1911 revolution in China who ended over 2,000 years of imperial rule.

Ottoman Empire

An empire that faced internal issues like failed modernization and rising nationalism, leading to its collapse after WWI.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

The founder of the Republic of Turkey, which replaced the Ottoman Empire.

Russian Empire

An empire that collapsed due to slow industrialization and internal strife, leading to the Bolshevik Revolution.

Bolshevik Revolution

The 1917 revolution in Russia that established a communist government led by Vladimir Lenin.

Mexican Revolution

A major political upheaval from 1910-1920, challenging the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz.

Porfirio Díaz

The Mexican dictator whose regime was characterized by extreme wealth inequality and foreign control of resources.

The New Deal

Franklin D. Roosevelt's response to the Great Depression in the US, focused on economic recovery.

Five-Year Plans

Stalin's framework for economic planning in the Soviet Union, aimed at rapid industrialization.

Fascism

An authoritarian political ideology characterized by dictatorial power, suppression of opposition, and strong nationalist sentiment.

Benito Mussolini

The Italian dictator who established a fascist regime in the early 20th century.

Adolf Hitler

Leader of the Nazi Party who rose to power in Germany and instigated WWII.

Appeasement

The policy of giving in to aggressor nations to avoid conflict, notably used by Britain and France with Hitler.

Blitzkrieg

German military strategy of rapid, coordinated attacks using air and ground forces during WWII.

Total War

A type of warfare that involves the complete mobilization of society's resources to win a conflict.

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 peace treaty that ended WWI, imposing heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany.

League of Nations

An international organization established after WWI to promote peace, which the US refused to join.

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

A treaty between Germany and the Soviet Union that allowed both to invade Poland simultaneously.

Mass Atrocities

Violent acts intended to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.

Armenian Genocide

The mass slaughter of Armenians by the Ottoman government during World War I.

The Holocaust

The systematic extermination of six million Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators.

Ukrainian Holodomor

A man-made famine in 1932-1933 caused by Stalin's policies, resulting in millions of deaths.

Rwanda Genocide

A mass slaughter of Tutsi by the Hutu majority in 1994, characterized by widespread violence.

February Revolution

The 1917 uprising that led to the abdication of Czar Nicholas II and the end of imperial rule in Russia.

Czar Nicholas II

The last Emperor of Russia who was overthrown during the February Revolution.

Vladimir Lenin

Leader of the Bolsheviks who led the October Revolution in Russia and established a communist state.

Totalitarian Control

A political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and seeks to regulate every aspect of public and private life.

Gavrilo Princip

The Serbian nationalist who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, sparking the outbreak of WWI.

Triple Entente

Alliance during WWI consisting of Britain, France, and Russia.

Triple Alliance

Alliance during WWI consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.

Militarism

The belief in building up strong armed forces to prepare for war, contributing to tensions before WWI.

Imperialism

The policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization or military force, intensifying global conflicts.

Nationalism

A strong sense of pride in one's nation, often leading to the desire for self-determination or independence.

Propaganda

Information designed to promote a particular political cause or viewpoint, heavily used during WWI and WWII.

Zimmermann Telegram

A secret diplomatic communication from Germany to Mexico proposing an alliance against the US, prompting US entry into WWI.

Atom Bomb

A powerful weapon developed during WWII that uses nuclear reactions to create massive explosions, used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Mandate System

A legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one nation to another after WWI, instead of granting independence.

The Bolsheviks

A radical faction of the Russian socialist movement that seized power during the October Revolution.

Collectivization

Stalin's policy of consolidating individual landholdings into collective farms to increase agricultural efficiency.

Isolationism

The foreign policy of remaining apart from the political affairs of other countries, practiced by the US prior to WWII.

Rationing

The controlled distribution of scarce resources, a practice common during wartime to ensure sufficient supply for the military.

Civilian Mobilization

The process of preparing and employing the civilian population for war efforts, particularly during total war scenarios.