GLOSSARY

2 CONCEPTS

Stock Market- The market in which shares are issued and traded either through exchanges or over-the-counter markets. Also known as the equity market, it is one of the most vital areas of a market economy as it provides companies with access to capital and investors with a slice of ownership in the company and the potential of gains based on the company's future performance.

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stockmarket.asp#ixzz1vG9Wth5v

Fascism- A totalitarian philosophy of government that glorifies the state and nation and assigns to the state control over every aspect of national life. The name was first used by the party started by Benito Mussolini , who ruled Italy from 1922 until the Italian defeat in World War II. However, it has also been applied to similar ideologies in other countries, e.g., to National Socialism in Germany and to the regime of Francisco Franco in Spain.

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Fascism/Fascism_def_char_hx.html

Depression- severe downturn in the economy of a country that lasts for a year or more. GDP is a good indicator of whether we are in recession or depression. If the decline in GDP is greater than 10%, an economy is said to be going through depression. Besides reduction in GDP, an economic depression is characterized by increase in unemployment rates and decrease in the flow of money into the economy. Businesses find it exceedingly difficult to earn profits. As a result they reduce their staff that leads to unemployment. An overall crisis in industry and commerce is felt and defaults in loan repayment and bankruptcies commonly occur during an economic depression.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/economic-recession-and-depression-definition-and-difference.html

Inflation- Upward movement in the average level of prices. Its opposite to deflation. Inflation is caused by the amount of dollars rising relative to the amount of oranges (goods and services).

http://economics.about.com/od/helpforeconomicsstudents/f/inflation.htm         

Communism- Economic and social system in which all (or nearly all) property and resources are collectively owned by a classless society and not by individual citizens

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/communism.html#ixzz1vGB7QMcZ       

GLOSSARY

HISTORICAL CHARACTERS:

Wordrow Wilson- Was born on 28, December, in Staunton, Virginia.  28th president of the United States from the year 1913 to 1921. He was also the leader of the Progressive Movement.

Gustav Stressemann- German politician. He was a co-laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 1926. He reconciliated Germany and France.

Lloyd George- Prime minister of the United Kingdom between the years 1916-1922

Clemenceau- From France, Prime Minister between years 1906 and 1909.

Paul Von Hindenburg-  Prussian-German politician and statesman. Served as the second President of Germany.

Franklin Roosevelt- 32nd President of the United States.

Adolf Hitler- German politician and also the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Partie.

Benito Mussolini-  Italian politician who permits the National Fascist Partie. Ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943. Is one of the key figures of the creation of fascism.

Joseph Stalin- Russian, Primer of the Soviet Union. He reached the power after the dead of Lennin.

Winston Churchill-  British politician. He is known thanks to his leadership with the United Kingdom in the WWII.

Dwight Eisenhower- 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961

Harry Truman- 33th President of the Unites States, the only one that fought on the WW1.

5) THE SECOND WORLD WAR

5.4 AFTERMATH

United States-  was involved in WW II as a major military power and more or less in every military campaign since the WW II, almost always coming out as the winner. The United States, once in a great power, now is in a great trouble.

Today, major economic concerns in the US include national debt, external debt, entitlement liabilities for retiring baby boomers who have already begun withdrawing from their Social Security accounts, corporate debt, mortgage debt, a low savings rate, falling house prices, a falling currency, and a large current account deficit.

Russia- Soviet Union, an Allies member, was also involved in many military conflicts including War World II and the Korean War. Russia faced serious financial problems and stagnation; with the Cold War coming to a close in the late 1980s and the early 1990s.

Japan- Attacked the United States naval base in Pearl Harbor and declared war on the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. This act brought the United States into World War II. After the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, along with the Soviet Union joining the war against it, Japan agreed to an unconditional surrender on August 15, 1945. The war cost Japan millions of lives and left much of the country's industry and infrastructure destroyed.

Germany- Was a major European power from the 1930s to the mid-1940s. Its historical significance lies mainly in its responsibility for escalating political tensions in Europe by its expansionist foreign policy which resulted in World War II. The state came to an end in 1945, after the Allied Powers succeeded in seizing German occupied territories in Europe and in occupying Germany itself. Germany like some other European countries was seriously destroyed during the WW II.

Today, Germany is the largest national economy in Europe, the third largest bynominal GDP in the world.

Information from:

http://www.worldwariihistory.info/WWII/aftermath.html

http://www.topix.com/forum/world/russia/TF35OV1JAJD25O1V0

5) THE SECOND WORLD WAR

5.3 THE VICTORY OF THE ALLIES (1943-1945)

The long-range fighter, introduced from late 1943, made bombing more secure, and provided the instrument to destroy the German fighter force over the Reich.

City raids from May 1945 destroyed a vast area of urban Japan and paved the way for a surrender, completed with the dropping of the two atomic bombs in August 1945. Here, too, the American government and public was keen to avoid further heavy casualties.

There are many other factors that explain victory and defeat.

"...no misjudgements were more costly in the end than the German belief that the Red Army was a primitive force.."

This still leaves open the question of German miscalculation. There were weaknesses and strengths in Hitler's strategy, but no misjudgements were more costly in the end than the German belief that the Red Army was a primitive force, incapable of prolonged resistance, or Hitler's insistence that the USA would take years to rearm and could never field an effective army, or the failure to recognise that bombing was a threat worth taking seriously before it was too late.

Information from:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/how_the_allies_won_01.shtml

5) THE SECOND WORLD WAR

5.2 THE WIND THAT SHAKE EUROPE IN 1939, THE FIRST CAMPAIGNS (1939-1943)

On January Hitler threatens Jews during Reichstag , in March he take Czechoslovakia and the Spanish Civil war ends. Then in May Nazis sign the Pact of Steel with Italy, later they also make an alliance/pact with Soviets. Britain and Poland sign a mutual treaty, in the same month of august British fleet mobilizes making civil evacuations from London.

On September occurred the majority of acts such as the invasion of Poland (by Germany) and the declaration of war from Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand on Germany, the British Royal Air attack the German Navy, the proclamation of neutrality of United States, Canada declares war on Germany and the starting of the Atlantic battle. Soviet army invades Poland again and divide it between Nazis and Soviets.

The start of euthanasia on sick and disabled in Germany by Nazis, assassination on Hitler failed and finally on December 14 the expulsion of Soviet Union from the League of Nations.

Polish Campaign 1939:

Our eyes move wearily from scene to scene and the further we march, words become less frequent [...] It is a tragic contrast. The birdsong doesn't capture the face of this world. The reality is bloody traces of the battle which has passed

Werner Flack, Poland, September 1939

Poland was attacked by Germany on September 1st 1939. The German attack was code-named Operation White (Fall Weiss). The attack on Poland started and by the end of the month Poland had surrendered to the Germans and the country was occupied.

The difference in power was overwhelming,

While Germany had 11 tank divisions, 40 infantry divisions, 4 motorised divisions and one cavalry brigade. Poland only had 1 tank division 30 infantry divisions, no motorised divisions and 11 cavalry brigade.

In terms of air power, the Germans had 850 bombers and dive-bombers (the JU-87) and 400 fighters. The Polish Air Force numbered 210 bombers and 150 fighters – though many of these were obsolete and clearly no match for the modern Luftwaffe that destroyed the Polish Air Force within two days of the first attack.

Information from:

http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/ww2time.htm
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/attack_on_poland.htm

5) THE SECOND WORLD WAR

5.1 ORIGINS OF THE CONFLICT AND PRECEDENTS. ITALIAN INVASION OF ETHIOPIA. THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR AND THE MUNICH AGREEMENTS.

WW2 began in September 1939 when Britain and France declared war on Germany following Germany's invasion of Poland.Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933. Almost immediately he began secretly building up Germany's army and weapons. In 1934 he increased the size of the army, began building warships and created a German airforce. Compulsory military service was also introduced.

Although Britain and France were aware of Hitler's actions, they were also concerned about the rise of Communism and believed that a stronger Germany might help to prevent the spread of Communism to the West.

In 1936 Hitler ordered German troops to enter the Rhineland. At this point the German army was not very strong and could have been easily defeated. Yet neither France nor Britain was prepared to start another war.

Also in 1936, Hitler argued that France had signed a new treaty with Russia, Germany was under threat from both countries and it was essential to German security that troops were stationed in the Rhineland. France was not strong enough to fight Germany without British help and Britain was not prepared to go to war at this point. Furthermore, many believed that since the Rhineland was a part of Germany it was reasonable that German troops should be stationed there.

The League of Nations was an international organisation set up in 1919 to help keep world peace. It was intended that all countries would be members of the League and that if there were disputes between countries they could be settled by negotiation rather than by force. If this failed then countries would stop trading with the aggressive country and if that failed then countries would use their armies to fight.

In theory the League of Nations was a good idea and did have some early successes. But it failed

The Italian invasion of Ethiopia was initiated in the month of October 1935. It was a brief colonial war that is also remembered in history as the second Italo-Abyssinian war.

In the context of political history this colonial war is remembered for exposing the weak bond on which the League of Nations was found. It was quite clear following this event that the League of Nations was a total failure in terms of accomplishing the objectives for which it was established. This is because both Italy as well as Ethiopia were members of the League of Nations

The fact that Mussolini wanted to rebuild an Italian Empire reminiscent of the glorious Roman Empire of the past was no secret by this point in time. In order to do this Italy would have to take over the Mediterranean and the North African regions. This was one of the primary objectives of invading Ethiopia.

In 1920, Spain was a constitutional monarchy. The king was Alfonso XIII.

However, the government was inefficient and corrupt. In 1921, an army was sent to Spanish Morocco to put down a rebellion. It was massacred but this defeat seemed to emphasise just how corrupt and incompetent Spain’s leadership was.

The little industry that Spain had was also hit by the Depression. Iron and steel were especially hit as no-one had the money to pay for the products. Iron production fell by 33% and steel by 50%.
Unemployment in both agriculture and industry rose and those in work had to put up with a cut in wages as the economy struggled to survive the Depression.
The Republic faced losing the support of those whose support it desperately needed – the working class.Two important regions in Spain wanted independence – Catalonia and the Basque region. Had their requests been successful, it would have lead to the break-up of Spain.

The Munich Agreement was the agreement signed on 29 Sept 1938 between Chamberlain, Daladier ( France ), Hitler and Mussolini ( Italy ).

As a result of the agreement, German forces crossed the border on October 1 and were warmly received by the Sudeten, Germans while many Czechoslovaks fled the region.

In London, Chamberlain proclaimed that he had secured "Peace for our time". While many in the British government were pleased with the result others were not.

Images from:

http://historiatorrealmenara.blogspot.com.es/2012/01/democracias-y-totalitarismos-1918-1939.html

http://wa8.wikispaces.com/League+of+Nations

http://www.100pies.net/Gifs/Armas/Guerra.asp?Page=2

Information from:

http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW2/causes.htm

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/italy/Italy-Invades-Ethiopia/3626

http://www.johndclare.net/RoadtoWWII5_Munich_Agreement.htm

http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwarii/p/World-War-Ii-Munich-Agreement.htm

4) THE RISE OF THE TOTALITARISM

4.2 NAZISM

Hitler admired the British Empire as a shining example of Nordic genius. Racist theories were developed by British intellectuals in the 19th century to control the Indian people and other "savages." These methods were often copied by the Nazis.

According to Mein Kampf (My Struggle), Hitler developed his political theories after carefully observing the policies of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was born as a citizen of the Empire, and believed that ethnic and linguistic diversity had weakened it. Further, he saw democracy as a destabilizing force, because it placed power in the hands of ethnic minorities, who he claimed had incentives to further "weaken and destabilize" the Empire.

Hitler's Nazi theory also claimed that the Aryan race is a master race, superior to all other races, that a nation is the highest creation of a race, and great nations (literally large nations) were the creation of great races. These nations developed cultures that naturally grew from races with "natural good health, and aggressive, intelligent, courageous traits." The weakest nations, Hitler said they were impure because of being from different cultures. Worst of all were seen to be Subhumans (Hitler called them like that), they were mainly Jews, but also Gypsies, homosexuals, disabled and so called anti-socials.

This is one film based on nazism, there are a lot such as Cabaret, Germany Year Zero,The White House, Anne Frank's Diary, The Train of Life, The Pianist, Amen, The last train to Auschwitz etc...

Life is Beautiful trailer

Video from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16RZHqCIy9M

Information from:

http://www.nazism.net/about/nazi_ideology/

http://www.nazism.net/about/adolf_hitler/

http://www.nazism.net/about/ideological_theory/