Worksheet from RJ Tarr at www.activehistory.co.uk / 1

"Compare and Contrast the Causes of 20th Century Wars"

Task 1: Gathering evidence

The class will be divided into three groups to focus on three wars (HL only will focus on Russian Civil War).

Work individually for 20 minutes on your column.

Then feedback with findings after 25 minutes or so – first in small groups, then as a class.

World War One
AGGRESSION / Russian Civil War / Chinese Civil War / Spanish Civil War / World War Two
WEAKNESS / Vietnam
DIVISION
Political / Diplomatic / Dangerous Ideology / "Aggressive Nationalism" / Communism / Bolshevism / Defensive Nationalism / Communism/Socialism v. Fascism/Nationalism / "The Fascist Threat" / "The Communist Threat"
Failure of Control / ▪ Alliance System – too divisive / ▪ Collective Security – too passive / Peaceful Co-Existence – too unrealistic
Details / ▪ Austria v. Serbia (re. Bosnia)
▪ Triple Alliance v. Triple Entente
▪ Assassination / July Crisis
▪ Willy-Nicky Telegrams / ▪ USA: Isolationism – weak League;
▪ Britain / Germany: Appeasement
(a) A-G Naval Ag. offends France / Italy
(b) Munich Ag. offends USSR / ▪ Vietnam divided (just like Korea, Germany, Berlin, Europe)
▪ Hanoi v. Saigon
▪ Ho Chi Minh v. Ngo Dinh Diem
▪ But nationalism strives for unity…
Social / Economic / Who? / ▪ Britain v. Germany / ▪ Democracies v. Dictatorships / ▪ USA v. USSR
What? / ▪ International economy fragmented / ▪ International economy tangled / ▪ International economy divided
Details / ▪ Colonial Rivalry in Morocco
(a) Tangiers 1905 = Algeciras
(b) Agadir 1911 = Panther
▪ Trade Rivalry between G / B (Iron, Steel, Electrics, Chemicals) / ▪ Reparations Bill – Germany = Dawes Plan = US Depression sucks down G.
▪ Democracies = defensive (tariffs)
▪ Dictatorships = aggressive (takeovers)
(a) Japan = Manch = Lytton Report
(b) Italy = Abys = Hoare-Laval Pact
(c) Germany = Sudtenland = Munich / ▪ Marshall Aid
▪ Comecon
= divides world between "Eastern" and "Western" blocs.
Military / What? / ▪ Balance of Power
▪ War Plans = much too rigid
▪ Both sides are ignorant that "total war" will result / ▪ Imbalance of Power
▪ War Plans = ill considered
▪ One side too aware that "total war" will result / ▪ Balance of Power
▪ War Plans = "limited" / "guerilla" war
▪ Both sides too aware that "total war" will result
Details / ▪ Naval Rivalry
▪ Schlieffen Plan, Plan 17
▪ First "industrialised" and "total" war / ▪ Germany = only country disarmed after WW1
▪ So Hitler re-arms massively, creating imbalance the other way
▪ Democracies – fear another war
▪ Hitler – wants another war (Blitzkrieg) / ▪ Development of nuclear warheads – fear of armageddon, M.A.D.
▪ So both sides unwilling to commit to "total war"
▪ Guerilla, localised, prolonged war and massive civilian casualties the result.

Task 2: Drawing conclusions

Complete a table like this.

Main areas of comparison / Main areas of contrast
Politics
Economics
Military

Task 3: Extending with reference to Arab-Israeli Wars

The grid does NOT include reference to the Arab-Israeli wars – this would be a good addition during the study leave period.