MODERN EUROPEAN HISTORY SS6H3 Explain conflict and change in Europe. MODERN EUROPEAN HISTORY

Describe the aftermath of World War I: the rise of communism, the Treaty of Versailles, the rise of Nazism, and worldwide depression. Explain the rise of Nazism including preexisting prejudices, the use of propaganda, and events which resulted in the Holocaust. Explain how German reunification contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union and led to the end of the Cold War. ELEMENTS

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS Conflict and Change: The student will understand that when there is conflict between or within societies, change is the result. ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS

WORLD WAR I BEGINS IN EUROPE In 1914, World War I broke out in Europe after the death of Archduke Ferdinand The war pitted the Central Powers vs. the Allied Powers Central: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Allied: France, England, United States, Russia, Serbia, Belgium The war would last from 1914-1918, with both sides agreeing to a cease-fire WORLD WAR I BEGINS IN EUROPE

CAUSES OF WORLD WAR I Alliances in Europe Nationalism Militarism Countries would join forces to help if the other was attacked Nationalism Having pride for your own country Militarism Building up armies and navies to defend your country Imperialism Empire building led to rivalries as countries fought to claim land for their empires CAUSES OF WORLD WAR I

Europe was devastated after World War I with many dead and a lot of destruction for the land in Europe The Treaty of Versailles This treaty ended World War I, being signed in Versailles, France in 1919. Germany was placed as the reason for the war Had to give up their land they acquired Accept responsibility for the war Reduce its army and navy Pay reparations to different countries The treaty also created the League of Nations (now United Nations) A group of countries that made sure that other countries would not have a major world conflict POST WORLD WAR I EUROPE

THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION In 1917, Russian citizens were tired of starving, having no coal as a natural resource and were tired from war. The workers of Russia would overthrow the leader, Tsar Nicholas II, and kill him. A group of radicals called the Bolsheviks took power in Russia. They practiced Communism (system of government in which government owns and controls the economy) and were led by a man named Vladimir Lenin. Lenin and the Bolsheviks renamed Russia the Soviet Union and held power until the end of the 21st century. The Bolsheviks and Lenin were aggressive in retaining power in the Soviet Union THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

WORLD WIDE DEPRESSION IN EUROPE European economies after World War I fell into a depression, as money and property values dropped and people lost their jobs The economies experienced severe inflation, which is when prices rise and money is useless Depression issues Property damage Unpaid bank loans Lack of trade Poor industry WORLD WIDE DEPRESSION IN EUROPE

After World War I, Germany’s leaders, the Weimar Republic, faced issues of depression, no jobs for citizens, paying reparations and rioting Adolf Hitler, the leader of the National Socialist (Nazi) party, took power in 1933 He said Germany was wronged in the war and that Aryans were the master race of the world. Hitler became a dictator of Germany and he promised jobs, blamed Jews for the problems in Germany, organized private armies and removed anyone who spoke out against him THE RISE OF NAZISM

NAZI PREJUDICE AND PROPGANDA Throughout World War II, Nazi Germany practiced constant Anti-Semitism, or a hatred of Jewish people Citizens of Germany had long shown a strong prejudice towards the Jewish population Prejudice is a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. After Adolf Hitler took power in Germany, the Nazi Party began to paint Jewish people in a negative light thanks to Nazi propaganda Propaganda is information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view. The Nazis used posters, radio broadcasts, movies and other things to persuade Germans to hate the Jewish faith Many German citizens began to riot and destroy anything related to Jewish people One of the major events during World War II was the Holocaust in Europe Adolf Hitler rounded up over 6 million Jews in Europe and placed them in concentration camps Jews were blamed for Germany’s loss in World War I Jews were killed, tortured, experimented on, enslaved and beaten Many survivors of the Holocaust were afraid to return to Europe because of restrictions on Jews NAZI PREJUDICE AND PROPGANDA

PICTURES OF THE HOLOCAUST

After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union disagreed on dividing up the land. Western Europe was left alone, while Eastern Europe was controlled by the Soviet Union, who established Communist governments. The U.S. and Soviet Union became the two most powerful countries in the world, called superpowers The U.S. did not like the Soviet Union imposing Communism in the world, and both sides began to practice militarism, though no actual fighting happened. This is called a “cold war.” Both the U.S. and Soviet Union also fought over space technology and alliances in Africa and Asia. Because of the Soviets’ ways, their country lost money, had food issues, and constant mistrusting of the government THE RISE OF THE COLD WAR

THE END OF THE COLD WAR AND THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL In 1991, the Soviet President, Mikal Gorbachev, and Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, agreed to a break up of the Soviet Union Ukraine, Russia and Belarus agreed to end Communism The Soviet Union became the Russian Republic 15 other countries, such as Uzbekistan, Croatia, Bosnia, and Lithuania, were created In 1989, the Berlin Wall, which separated East Germany and West Germany, finally was taken down after Communism fell After WWII, East Germany was controlled by the Communists, while West Germany was controlled by the Allied Powers The wall was built to keep both sides from crossing into the other side Germany was reunited in 1990 and set up with a democratic government THE END OF THE COLD WAR AND THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL