Question
- Junior Cert. History (Higher) 2011: 6 D
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Answer
(i)
Germany withdraws from the League of Nations
Remilitarisation of Rhineland
Rome-Berlin Axis
Anschluss with Austria
Munich Conference
Nazi-Soviet Pact
(ii) The Germans used a new tactic called “Blitzkrieg warfare”, which was very effective.
The Germans had a huge army and an air-force called the Luftwaffe.
(iii) The Maginot Line was the fortified defence system the French had created between France and Germany.
Vichy France was the south-western part of France, which was allowed to have a government of its own and was not under German occupation.
The Afrika Corps was the German tank unit led by Rommel and based in North Africa.
Lebensraum was the German aim of wishing to achieve more “living space” for their people in Eastern Europe.
(iv)
Topic 1 — The Rise of the Superpowers
(i) The USA and USSR became enemies after WWII because the USA was a capitalist system and the USSR was a communist one and each believed the other side was wrong. They also became enemies because the USSR was angry about the USA using the atomic bomb and not telling them and this led to a nuclear arms race. Another source of tension was the fact that the USSR began to take over countries in Eastern Europe.
(ii)
(a) The Berlin Blockade
After World War 2, Germany was divided into two parts. East Germany came under the control of the USSR. Britain, France and the USA controlled West Germany. The city of Berlin was in the USSR zone but it was also divided into East and West. In 1948, Stalin set up a blockade of all the roads and railways leading into West Berlin. His goal was to have all of the city of Berlin under USSR control and to drive the Allies out of the West Berlin. The USA and the other Allies decided that this should not be allowed. For a period of nearly 11 months, all the supplies needed by the people in West Berlin were airlifted into the area by the USA. Huge transport planes were used and everything from medicine to fuel was flown in. A very tense situation developed between the USA and the USSR. Eventually Stalin was forced to call off the blockade and the city of Berlin remained a divided city up until the late 1980s. As a result of the Blockade, a special military alliance was created by the USA and its allies called NATO. The USSR also set up a military alliance of countries from Eastern Europe called the Warsaw Pact.
(b) The Korean War
During WWII Korea had been invaded by the Japanese and when the war ended the country was divided into two parts. A communist government took control of North Korea and a pro-USA government was created in South Korea. In 1950 the North Koreans invaded the South and made rapid advances. The UN had an emergency meeting and agreed to send troops from a number of different countries but under the command of the USA. General MacArthur and his US troops arrived and drove the North Koreans out of the South. Both the USSR and China were sympathetic towards North Korea because all three were communist. Both countries sent military equipment and troops to help North Korea. Fierce fighting took place between both sides and at one stage General MacArthur wanted to use the atomic bomb against China. President Truman of the USA was totally opposed to this and he sacked MacArthur. The fighting continued until 1953 when a settlement was reached to accept the border created after WWII as the dividing line between North Korea and South Korea.
Topic 2 — Moves Towards European Unity
(i) There was support for European unity because a majority of people did not wish to see a repeat of the devastating two world wars that began among European countries. European leaders also realised that they needed a strong united voice as they faced the two great superpowers of the USA and the USSR.
(ii) After World War II ended in 1945, politicians in Europe realised the need for close co-operation between the different European nations. As a result of this the European Economic Community (EEC) was formed by the Treaty of Rome, which was signed in 1957. It was signed by the six member states of Italy, France, West Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg. The city of Brussels became the headquarters and the EEC Commission and the Council of Ministers were created. Britain, Ireland and Denmark joined the European Community in 1973. The next development was the creation of a European Parliament where representatives of the member countries would attend. A Court of Justice was also created and became very important. The EEC proved to be a great economic success. In the 1980s, Greece, Spain and Portugal joined. A very important treaty was signed at Maastricht in 1991 where it was decided to adopt a common currency called the Euro and the official name of the European Union was also adopted. The Maastricht Treaty also made it possible for the citizens of EU countries to travel freely as they were all given common citizenship.
Topic 3 — African and Asian Nationalism
(i) European countries gave up their colonies because of the growth of independence movements in the colonies. Also the United Nations Declaration signed after WWII supported the right of colonies to have independence.
(ii) Independence Movement in India
In the early 1900s, India was a huge country in Asia ruled by Britain. Many British politicians referred to India as “the jewel in the crown”. However, from the 1920s more and more people in India began to demand independence and a man called Gandhi led them. He believed that British rule was bad for India and this had made the country poor. He wanted to see all people in India live in peace and was completely against the use of any violence. He was a member of a political party in India called the Indian National Congress party and he began to organise strikes and peaceful demonstrations against British rule in India. He brought his protest right to the office of the British Prime Minister in London. In the 1930s, the British government was forced to give India a form of Home Rule but Gandhi and many others called for full independence. Gandhi organised more peaceful opposition to British rule. In 1947, Lord Mountbatten arrived in India and he was to be the last British leader of India and very soon the process of handing over complete power to Indian leaders began. In 1947 India finally became an independent country.
Germany withdraws from the League of Nations
Remilitarisation of Rhineland
Rome-Berlin Axis
Anschluss with Austria
Munich Conference
Nazi-Soviet Pact
(ii) The Germans used a new tactic called “Blitzkrieg warfare”, which was very effective.
The Germans had a huge army and an air-force called the Luftwaffe.
(iii) The Maginot Line was the fortified defence system the French had created between France and Germany.
Vichy France was the south-western part of France, which was allowed to have a government of its own and was not under German occupation.
The Afrika Corps was the German tank unit led by Rommel and based in North Africa.
Lebensraum was the German aim of wishing to achieve more “living space” for their people in Eastern Europe.
(iv)
Topic 1 — The Rise of the Superpowers
(i) The USA and USSR became enemies after WWII because the USA was a capitalist system and the USSR was a communist one and each believed the other side was wrong. They also became enemies because the USSR was angry about the USA using the atomic bomb and not telling them and this led to a nuclear arms race. Another source of tension was the fact that the USSR began to take over countries in Eastern Europe.
(ii)
(a) The Berlin Blockade
After World War 2, Germany was divided into two parts. East Germany came under the control of the USSR. Britain, France and the USA controlled West Germany. The city of Berlin was in the USSR zone but it was also divided into East and West. In 1948, Stalin set up a blockade of all the roads and railways leading into West Berlin. His goal was to have all of the city of Berlin under USSR control and to drive the Allies out of the West Berlin. The USA and the other Allies decided that this should not be allowed. For a period of nearly 11 months, all the supplies needed by the people in West Berlin were airlifted into the area by the USA. Huge transport planes were used and everything from medicine to fuel was flown in. A very tense situation developed between the USA and the USSR. Eventually Stalin was forced to call off the blockade and the city of Berlin remained a divided city up until the late 1980s. As a result of the Blockade, a special military alliance was created by the USA and its allies called NATO. The USSR also set up a military alliance of countries from Eastern Europe called the Warsaw Pact.
(b) The Korean War
During WWII Korea had been invaded by the Japanese and when the war ended the country was divided into two parts. A communist government took control of North Korea and a pro-USA government was created in South Korea. In 1950 the North Koreans invaded the South and made rapid advances. The UN had an emergency meeting and agreed to send troops from a number of different countries but under the command of the USA. General MacArthur and his US troops arrived and drove the North Koreans out of the South. Both the USSR and China were sympathetic towards North Korea because all three were communist. Both countries sent military equipment and troops to help North Korea. Fierce fighting took place between both sides and at one stage General MacArthur wanted to use the atomic bomb against China. President Truman of the USA was totally opposed to this and he sacked MacArthur. The fighting continued until 1953 when a settlement was reached to accept the border created after WWII as the dividing line between North Korea and South Korea.
Topic 2 — Moves Towards European Unity
(i) There was support for European unity because a majority of people did not wish to see a repeat of the devastating two world wars that began among European countries. European leaders also realised that they needed a strong united voice as they faced the two great superpowers of the USA and the USSR.
(ii) After World War II ended in 1945, politicians in Europe realised the need for close co-operation between the different European nations. As a result of this the European Economic Community (EEC) was formed by the Treaty of Rome, which was signed in 1957. It was signed by the six member states of Italy, France, West Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg. The city of Brussels became the headquarters and the EEC Commission and the Council of Ministers were created. Britain, Ireland and Denmark joined the European Community in 1973. The next development was the creation of a European Parliament where representatives of the member countries would attend. A Court of Justice was also created and became very important. The EEC proved to be a great economic success. In the 1980s, Greece, Spain and Portugal joined. A very important treaty was signed at Maastricht in 1991 where it was decided to adopt a common currency called the Euro and the official name of the European Union was also adopted. The Maastricht Treaty also made it possible for the citizens of EU countries to travel freely as they were all given common citizenship.
Topic 3 — African and Asian Nationalism
(i) European countries gave up their colonies because of the growth of independence movements in the colonies. Also the United Nations Declaration signed after WWII supported the right of colonies to have independence.
(ii) Independence Movement in India
In the early 1900s, India was a huge country in Asia ruled by Britain. Many British politicians referred to India as “the jewel in the crown”. However, from the 1920s more and more people in India began to demand independence and a man called Gandhi led them. He believed that British rule was bad for India and this had made the country poor. He wanted to see all people in India live in peace and was completely against the use of any violence. He was a member of a political party in India called the Indian National Congress party and he began to organise strikes and peaceful demonstrations against British rule in India. He brought his protest right to the office of the British Prime Minister in London. In the 1930s, the British government was forced to give India a form of Home Rule but Gandhi and many others called for full independence. Gandhi organised more peaceful opposition to British rule. In 1947, Lord Mountbatten arrived in India and he was to be the last British leader of India and very soon the process of handing over complete power to Indian leaders began. In 1947 India finally became an independent country.