Question 1

Talk about:
-the Unknown Soldier(s)

Accepted Answer

The Unknown Soldier(s) refers to a fallen soldier whose identity is unknown. This concept is often used to honor and commemorate all the unidentified soldiers who have died in war. The idea of the Unknown Soldier is a symbol of the sacrifices made by countless individuals who have given their lives in service to their country, without recognition or remembrance.

The tradition of honoring an Unknown Soldier began after World War I, when many soldiers were buried in unmarked graves. In 1921, the United States interred an unidentified American soldier from World War I at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. This monument has since become a place of solemn reverence and remembrance for all unknown soldiers.

The concept of the Unknown Soldier is not limited to the United States, as many other countries have similar memorials and traditions to honor their unidentified fallen soldiers. These monuments serve as a reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, even if their names are not known.

The Unknown Soldier represents the collective loss and grief experienced by nations during times of conflict. It is a powerful symbol of the universal impact of war and the need to remember and honor those who have given their lives in service, regardless of their individual identities. The Unknown Soldier(s) will forever stand as a reminder of the human toll of war and the importance of never forgetting the sacrifices made by so many.

Question 2

What were Hitler's core ideas or assumptions? What were the methods used to implement them once he and the Nazis had established the Nazi state in Germany?

Accepted Answer

Adolf Hitler's core ideas and assumptions were primarily based on his extreme nationalist, racist, and anti-Semitic beliefs. These ideas were outlined in his book "Mein Kampf" and were further developed in the ideology of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), commonly known as the Nazi Party. Some of the key elements of Hitler's ideology included:

1. **Lebensraum (Living Space):** Hitler believed that the German people needed more living space to thrive and that this space should be acquired in Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia. This concept justified aggressive expansionist policies.

2. **Racial Purity:** Central to Nazi ideology was the belief in the superiority of the "Aryan" race. Hitler considered Germans to be part of this superior race and believed in maintaining its purity by eliminating those he deemed "racially inferior" or "degenerate," including Jews, Romani people, disabled individuals, and others.

3. **Anti-Semitism:** Hitler's virulent anti-Semitism led to the belief that Jews were responsible for many of the world's problems, including communism and capitalism, and that they were an existential threat to the Aryan race and Germany.

4. **Führerprinzip (Leader Principle):** This principle asserted that a single leader with complete authority was necessary to enforce the collective will of the Aryan people. Hitler positioned himself as this leader, the Führer, with unquestioned authority.

5. **Militarism:** Hitler placed a strong emphasis on rearming Germany and building a powerful military to achieve his expansionist goals and to overturn the Treaty of Versailles, which had imposed severe restrictions on the German military after World War I.

6. **Nationalism:** Hitler's extreme nationalism promoted the idea of German national unity and the rejection of democracy, which he saw as a weak and ineffective form of government.

Once Hitler and the Nazis established the Nazi state in Germany, they used a variety of methods to implement these ideas:

1. **Propaganda:** The Nazi regime used propaganda extensively to control public opinion and to promote their ideology. This was facilitated by the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, led by Joseph Goebbels.

2. **Elimination of Opposition:** The Nazis quickly moved to eliminate political opposition through the use of the Gestapo (secret police) and the SS (Schutzstaffel). The Enabling Act of 1933 gave Hitler dictatorial powers, and the Night of the Long Knives in 1934 purged the Nazi Party of potential rivals.

3. **Racial Laws:** The Nuremberg Laws of 1935 stripped Jews of their citizenship and prohibited marriage between Jews and non-Jews. These laws were the beginning of a systematic campaign to isolate, disenfranchise, and eventually exterminate Jews.

4. **Eugenics:** The T-4 Program and other eugenic policies aimed to sterilize and euthanize those deemed "unfit" or "undesirable," including the mentally and physically disabled.

5. **Concentration and Extermination Camps:** The Nazis established a network of concentration camps, labor camps, and extermination camps to imprison and kill millions of Jews, political prisoners, and others considered enemies of the state.

6. **Military Aggression:** Hitler's aggressive foreign policy led to the annexation of Austria (the Anschluss) in 1938, the occupation of the Sudetenland, and eventually the invasion of Poland in 1939, which triggered World War II.

7. **Education and Youth Programs:** The Nazis controlled education and used the Hitler Youth organization to indoctrinate young Germans with their ideology.

Through these methods, Hitler and the Nazi regime sought to reshape German society to align with their ideological goals, leading to one of the darkest chapters in human history.

Question 3

What were the causes of the Great Depression? How did the European states respond to the Great Depression?

Accepted Answer

The Great Depression was caused by a combination of factors, including the stock market crash of 1929, overproduction, and a decrease in consumer spending. The collapse of the stock market led to a loss of confidence in the economy, causing businesses to cut back on production and lay off workers. This, in turn, led to a decrease in consumer spending, further exacerbating the economic downturn.

In response to the Great Depression, European states implemented various measures to try to mitigate its effects. Many countries, such as Germany and the United Kingdom, adopted protectionist policies to shield their domestic industries from foreign competition. They also implemented public works programs to create jobs and stimulate economic growth. Additionally, some European countries, such as the United Kingdom, also introduced social welfare programs to provide assistance to those most affected by the economic crisis.

Overall, the European states responded to the Great Depression by implementing a combination of protectionist policies, public works programs, and social welfare initiatives in an attempt to address the economic challenges they were facing.

Question 4

Talk about:
-Great Depression

Accepted Answer

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-Great Depression...

Question 5

Compare and contrast the Stalinist with the Bolshevik state established after the Russian Revolution in 1917. How and why did economic, social, and political policies change over time?

Accepted Answer

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Question 6

Talk about:
-fascism

Accepted Answer

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-fascism...

Question 7

How do the cultural and intellectual trends of the 1920s and 1930s reflect a crisis of confidence in Western civilization?

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

What explains the collapse of Weimar Germany? What does the Weimar Republic's failure suggest about the fragility of democracy in western Europe after World War I?

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Question 9

Talk about:
-Treaty of Locarno

Accepted Answer

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-Treaty of Locarno...

Question 10

Other than the Great War having ended, about what was there to be hopeful as the 1920s dawned?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Other than the Great War having ended,...

Question 11

Talk about:
-Little Entente

Accepted Answer

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-Little Entente...

Question 12

Talk about:
-Kellogg-Briand pact

Accepted Answer

The answer of Talk about:
-Kellogg-Briand pact...

Question 13

What crises and changes did the democratic states in Europe and the United States face during the interwar years? How successful were they in resolving their challenges?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What crises and changes did the democratic...

Question 14

Talk about:
-League of Nations

Accepted Answer

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-League of Nations...

Question 15

Talk about:
-the Popular Front

Accepted Answer

The answer of Talk about:
-the Popular Front...

Question 16

What impact did the growth of mass culture and mass leisure have upon European society in the 1920s and 1930s?

Accepted Answer

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Question 17

What are the chief characteristics of totalitarianism? Compare and contrast totalitarianism in Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany, and Fascist Italy. Were all successful at fulfilling the goals of totalitarianism?

Accepted Answer

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Question 18

Talk about:
-John Maynard Keynes

Accepted Answer

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-John Maynard Keynes...

Question 19

Talk about:
-Dawes Plan

Accepted Answer

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-Dawes Plan...

Question 20

Using Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia as the models, what were the philosophical and practical differences between communism and fascism?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Using Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia as...

Quiz 26: The Futile Search for Stability: Europe Between the Wars, 1919-1939

Talk about: -the Unknown Soldier(s)

What were Hitler's core ideas or assumptions? What were the methods used to implement them once he and the Nazis had established the Nazi state in Germany?

What were the causes of the Great Depression? How did the European states respond to the Great Depression?

Talk about: -Great Depression

Compare and contrast the Stalinist with the Bolshevik state established after the Russian Revolution in 1917. How and why did economic, social, and political policies change over time?

Talk about: -fascism

How do the cultural and intellectual trends of the 1920s and 1930s reflect a crisis of confidence in Western civilization?

What explains the collapse of Weimar Germany? What does the Weimar Republic's failure suggest about the fragility of democracy in western Europe after World War I?

Talk about: -Treaty of Locarno

Other than the Great War having ended, about what was there to be hopeful as the 1920s dawned?

Talk about: -Little Entente

Talk about: -Kellogg-Briand pact

What crises and changes did the democratic states in Europe and the United States face during the interwar years? How successful were they in resolving their challenges?

Talk about: -League of Nations

Talk about: -the Popular Front

What impact did the growth of mass culture and mass leisure have upon European society in the 1920s and 1930s?

What are the chief characteristics of totalitarianism? Compare and contrast totalitarianism in Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany, and Fascist Italy. Were all successful at fulfilling the goals of totalitarianism?

Talk about: -John Maynard Keynes

Talk about: -Dawes Plan

Using Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia as the models, what were the philosophical and practical differences between communism and fascism?