World War II : Primary Source
Matthew Roberson
Primary Source Document Exercise: World War II
1. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Infamy Speech
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt
3. President of the United States of America
4. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor because they wanted to have control over the Pacific Ocean. They also wanted to deplete U.S. Pacific Fleet so it would be more difficult for America to fight back. Japan’s aggression towards the U.S. triggered them to launch the attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor.
5. This speech from President Roosevelt came one day after the Japanese executed their attack on Pearl Harbor. Roosevelt details everything that Japan did, including launching other attacks on Guam, Hong Kong and the Philippines. He famously said that December 7, 1941 is a “date that will live in infamy.” In this speech Roosevelt also declared that the US and Japan were in a state of war.
6. Politically, Roosevelt had to take a stand as the President of the United States and address the horrible attack. He also made the political decision to declare war on the Empire of Japan. Economically, the damage caused by the attack cost lots of money to repair and replace. Culturally the U.S. had a whole different view of Japan and Japanese people after they raided Pearl Harbor. For American society there was lots of fear after Pearl Harbor because no one knew when and if Japan would strike again. Also the Japanese society felt proud of their country and displayed great nationalism after the attack. Looking at the attack from a geographical perspective, it made perfect sense for Japan to attack Pearl Harbor because of the short distance between Japan and Hawaii. Lastly, the psychological state of America was changed completely and many people felt scared and sad that thousands of people died. In Japan, it was now embedded in their minds that they were a very powerful country that was capable of causing massive damage.
Sydney Smith
Treaty of Versailles
1. Modern History Sourcebook: Treaty of Versailles, Jun 28, 1919
2. Allied Forces
3. Officals of the governments
4. The cause of the conflict that this document relates to is Germany was being defeated at war. Germany was the main instigator for the conflict. This treaty forced Germany to expand their land to other parts of Europe. Germany at first thought that the treaty was unfair because the country was only given three weeks to make comments about the peace clauses. This treaty was a peace settlement that was signed after World War I.
5. This treaty relates to Germany being defeated in war because if the Treaty of Versialles was not signed, then peace would not of happened so quickly. This document helped put the country back into normal state. The German population became a Free City. In Article 231, it states that Germany and the allies have the responsibility for causing loss and damage to other governments and nations.
6. This document could be looked at politically by the government of Germany, they had only a short amount of time to comment on the peace clauses and could not make that many changes. This could also be economic because before the Treaty of Versailles was ever put into place, Germany had great economic troubles. Sociological this also relates because this affected the people and governments of Germany.
Rachel Steinmetz
The name of this document is “Peace in Our Time.” The author of this document is Neville Chamberlain, and it was written in 1938. The position held by Neville Chamberlain when this speech was given was Prime Minister of Britain. The cause of World War II that this document relates to is the policy of appeasement. “Peace in Our Time” relates to appeasement because Neville Chamberlain because Chamberlain’s strategy to avoid war was to have Britain “continue to remove possible sources of difference.” Appeasement was a major cause of World War II because it allowed Hitler’s power to increase, while Britain stood by and tried to assure peace in Europe. This document can be seen from a political perspective because it is Chamberlain’s opinion of the so-called agreements between the leaders of two major powers, Britain and Germany. An economic view of this document is that Chamberlain gave the speech in order to avoid war, which would have costed alot for both countries. Geographically, Chamberlain must have felt this speech was necessary because of the location of Germany and Britain, being neighboring countries and always at the risk of war. Psychologically, “Peace in Our Time” was a way for Britain to keep peace by giving in to Hitler’s demands, so he would not result to fighting with them.
Sami Leyde
Hitler’s “Oberselzberg Speech”: Attacking Poland –
1) Adolf Hitler: The Obersalzberg Speech
2) Adolf Hitler
3) German Chancellor
4) The original cause of the Oberselzberg speech was the decision to attack Poland. Also, fear that because of politcal constellations Germany would have to strike at the same time as England, France, Russia, and Poland
5) This document relates to the cause because in his speech, Hitler talks about the steps he will take to invade Poland and depopulate it. Then, after he breaks the Soviet Union, he will begin the ‘dawn of the German rule of the earth’.
6) Political- Hitler wanted to take down all the leaders of the world. He talked about how some countries are ruled by half-idiots, while others are ruled by leaders who are just plain weak.
Economic- In the Speech Hitler talks about how countires like Beligium and Norway are spending too much money on their people and their food, while Hitler would try to spend money to inhance his ways of taking over other countries.
Sociological- German blood is very important to Hitler, and he clearly states it in theis speech. He shares how he is depopulated countries that don’t have German blood and take away all that have polish origin. All to spread the blood of Germans.
Geogrpahical- In the Obersalzberg Speech Hitler preeches about how he can take over each individual country, and how he can make Germany expand into other parts of the world.
Pyschological- Hitler said that he can take over and control people by fear.
Colin Anderson and Austin Beahan
British Debate on Munich Agreement (Winston Churchill’s Opposition)
1. Winston Churchill, House of Commons, October 5, 1938
2. Winston Churchill
3. Winston Churchill was a member of parliament at the time of this speech
4. This document relates to the Munich Conference.
5. This is Winston Churchill’s speech against the Munich Agreement.
6. Political-This document explains how a dictator has begun to make his first few moves at reconquering land, at the beginning of appeasement by the British politicians suche as Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
Economic- In this document Winston Churchill explains a little bit how the Nazis will acquire an economic network throuhout its conquered land, which will make it stronger and harder to stop Germany’s military growth. He also touches on the loss of British economy in central Europe.
Cultural- In this document, it explains how Nazi ideas will spread throughout central Europe because of Hitler gaining territory in the Sudetenland.
Sociological- Like above, Nazi ideas and the oppression of the people by the Nazis will spread in central Europe and make the people follow under one dicator
Geographic- In this document, it explains how in the Munich Agreement, the European countries gave up the Sudetenland to Hitler and how there is not much distance between France and Nazi Germany.
Psychological-In this document, it touches on how the people will unite under Nazi Germany whether they want to or not because of despair, revenge, and fear.
Taylor Beckham
Munich Pact
1. Munich Pact September 29, 1938
2. Adolf Hitler, Neville Chamberlin, Edouard Daladier, and Benito Mussolini
3. Adolf Hitler – German Chancellor
Neville Chamberlin – Prime Minister of Britain
Edouard Daladier – Prime Minister of France
Benito Mussolini – Fascist Dictator of Italy
4. The Munich Pact relates to the cause of appeasement. This is because there was great fear that another war would start and this was an attempt to reassure that steps could be taken to prevent one from starting.
5. The Munich pact relates to the cause becuase it is trying to prevent war from happening and this entire document is appeasement.
6. Political – Germany, Great Britain, France, and Italy agree on a pact for appeasement purposes where Great Britain and France agree to Hitler’s demands. Also, Czechoslovakian evacuation of their territory by Germany.
Economic – Economic decline was going on during the 1930s, German economy had been suffering greatly.
Sociological – The societies of Germany, Great Britain, France, and Italy were more united and not as tense with eachother towards war with one another.
Geographical – Germany agrees to not claim any other European territory.
Psychological – The people of Germany, Great Britain, France, and Italy felt great relief towards the idea of war becuase this pact reassured them that there would be no war and the pact was completely about appeasement.
Roxy Hugli
German Response to the Treaty of Versailles
1. The name of the document is “The German Reply”
2. The name of the author of the document is “Brockdorff-Rantau”
3. The position the author held at the time of the document is a high official in the German office.
4. The cause of the conflict the document relates to is the treaty of Versailles.
5. The documents relates to that cause because it is the Germans reply to the treaty that was made.
6. Social Studies Perspectives:
- Political – talking about how Germany is in the Industrial State
- Economic – the losses of the German people. Production and trade was lessened.
- Cultural – many people will have to move and lose their homes since Germany is losing territory. People can no longer have wheat and potatoes because the regions they were growing in the east and they lost that.
- Sociological – Germany is unhappy about the treaty
- Geographic – the loss of land and colonies owned outside Germany
- Psychological – People thought the treaty was unfair for Germany to just take everything away.
Brooke Radcliffe
1. Title: Hitler’s Speech : Speech on the Treaty of Versailles
2. Author: Adolf Hitler
3. Postion of author: Chanceller of Germany
4. Cause: Treaty of Versailles
5. How document relates to cause: He tells us that The Treaty of Versailles, “was made in order to bring 20 million Germans to their deaths and to ruin the German nation.” Hitler gives a speech on how he wants his Movement to set aside the Peace Treaty, unify all Germans, and demand for land and soil to feed their nation.
6. Social Studies Perspectives:
· Political - Treaty of Versailes, Peace Treaty, Republic, Hilter’s Movement
· Economic - Demands for land and soil to feed his nation
· Cultural - Fatherland stands above everything else
· Sociological - No social reforms if the Treaty still stands, Hitler’s movement will unify the Germans, German humiliation by the Republic
· Geopraphical - Germany(Fatherland)
· Psychological – Humiliation of Germans, Resistence towards Republicans, Hitler desires to teach his people to understand the old saying : “He who will not hammer must be an anvil. An anvil we are today, and that anvil will be beatn until out of the anvil we fashion once more a hammer, a German sword.”
Erika Gonzalez
Primary Source Exercise:
1. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, 1939
2. Ribbentrop and Molotov
3. Ribbentrop was the representative for Germany and the Nazis; Molotov was the representative for Russia and the Soviets.
4. German Aggression
5. German aggression was the cause for this pact because Germany wanted to release their aggression on Western Europe, but they were scared that Soviets would hurt them if they did attack Western Europe, so they decided to form a pact with the Soviets that will allow Germany to attack Western Europe without any harm done to them.
6. Social Studies Perspective:
· Politcal – Nazi and Soviets, Nuetrality Agreement
· Economic – present treaty to be ratified; Nazi and Soviet’s desire for peace between Germany and the U.S.S.R.
· Cultural – German’s aggresion
· Socialogical – relationship between Germany and Russia
· Geographic – Germany and Russia (maybe Europe)
· Psychological – Nazis idea were aggressive responses