AP Review #7: Anxiety/Imperialism (Ch. 24) & World War I (Ch.

25)
Modernity, Anxiety, Imperialism (1894-1914)
Belief in human progress was a cornerstone of modern society at the turn of the century. Advances in science and
technology influenced all facets of life – in industry and in the home. But that progress also gave rise to destructive
forces. European powers used advances in human thought and technology to gain control over rival nations and
people, which led to protests and eventual war as Europe exploded in a frenzy of hatred
New Imperialism
 Motives
o Economic- industrialists sought new markets and access to raw materials
o Prestige- nationalist pride drove European states to compete for colonies & distract attention from
problems at home
o Militaristic- gain access to outposts and fueling stations abroad
o Moral- the “white man’s burden” held that Europeans, as the superior culture, had an obligation to
spread their culture to those inferior to them
 “Scramble for Africa”
o Led by GB, soon Portugal, France, Italy, Belgium claimed territory; Africans were slaughtered as their
militias were no match for European armies (Ethiopia/Liberia ONLY exceptions)
 Imperialism in Asia
o Sepoy Mutiny (1857): rebellion ensued against GB when Indian soldiers refused to use animal fat to
grease riffle cartridges; control of India shifted from BEIC to the GB gov’t (Queen Victoria)
o Opium Wars: Chinese revolt against GB for their refusal to stop selling opium to their citizens
o “Open-Door” Policy: China divided into spheres by Western power and free-trade was promoted
o Boxer Rebellion (1900): attempt to force all foreigners out of China; many Westerners killed, but
foreign armies banded to crush the revolt; eventually Republic of China created in 1912
Modern Science
 Physics:
o Marie Curie: discovery of radium (1902); Max Planck: quantum theory (1900); Albert Einstein: theory
of relativity- space and time are relative to the observer, rather than absolute (1915); combined these
ideas opened the door for modern physics and new discoveries
 Philosophy:
o Nietzsche: embrace of the reason stunted human potential; through abandoning Christianity and giving
free reign to emotion/instinct, believed we could become superhuman
o Freud: psychoanalysis- human behavior is controlled by repressed experiences that can only be
resolved through analyzing our subconscious memories
 Evolution:
o Herbert Spencer: Social Darwinism- the “fittest” prospered at the expense of the weak; his ideas used to
justify nationalist/racist agendas (esp. in Africa)
Racism
 After decades of progress (ex. Jews granted full-citizenship in GR-1858, AH-1867), a new rise in anti-
Semitism occurred. States took a more dominant role in organizing racism, as justified by Spencer’s
theories (ex. Dreyfus Affair- FR army captain who was Jewish imprisoned for selling secrets; conservatives
used the incident to push anti-Semitic policies through legislation)
 Zionism emerged in Palestine, led by Theodore Herzl, which focused on establishing a Jewish state in the
Middle East
World War I (1914-18)
The removal of Bismarck from office weakened the peaceful diplomatic policies that he promoted; the decline of the
Ottoman Empire upset the balance of power in the East; aggressive nature of Wilhelm II forced the creation of the
Triple Entente (Russia, GB, France); and nationalist tensions in the Balkans created a crisis that would go unresolved.
World War I drastically altered the economic, social and political order and left disillusionment in its wake. Many
problems remained unresolved, leading to a second world war.
Causes
  M- Militarism; leaders ordered the mobilization of the militaries (RUS first) in preparation for war,
showed they were eager to use their military strength if need be (made diplomacy less attractive)
 A- Alliances; lines were drawn early one; eventually a “snowball” effect will occur igniting a serious war in
a matter of weeks; Germany’s “blank-check” to Austria all but sealed this fate
 I- Imperialism; the competition for colonies (mostly in Africa) fed into European rivalries
 N- Nationalism; national honor was a top priority, and many countries were led by leaders who saw no
hope in diplomacy; a push for independence by minority groups set tense events into motion
 The assassination of Franz Ferdinand by Bosnian Serbs against the future king of Austria-Hungary (and
his wife) were the first “shots” of World War I; triggered the chain of declarations of war as nations were
forced to honor their alliances
Military/Battles war was initially celebrated and soldiers went off eager and willing to show honor to their
nation, excepting to be home by Christmas
 Development of the tank led to digging of trenches, which would characterize war in the west
 Germany quickly won in the east and could concentrate on the west (Schlieffan Plan), but frontal assaults
resulted in stalemate
 The Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers but campaigns to encourage Arabs leaders to revolt (led by
“Lawrence of Arabia”) sealed their collapse
 The United States entered in 1917 after Germany resumed unrestricted-submarine warfare (warned to
stop after sinking of the Lusitania in 1915); entry gave new life to Allied Powers all while German soldiers
and resources grew more war-weary
 Governments used propaganda to maintain support on the home front and conscription reached new
heights; labor unions gained more power because workers were needed to produce war materials
 Women also gained status as they fulfilled jobs left vacant by men (even in heavy industry) and were
granted the right to vote at the conclusion of the war (women voters might promote diplomatic policies
that could avoid another war)
Outcomes Wilhelm II abdicated (Nov 1918) and a new German gov’t signed an armistice treaty
 GB and FR pursued a more harsh response to Germany than the U.S. (who was guided by Wilson’s 14
Points…self-determination/League of Nations/freedom of the seas)
 Treaty of Versailles: Paris, 1919
o German to pay 33 billion in reparations; sign a war-guilt clause; lose territory (ending the Second
German Empire); and military reduced to small police force
o Dismantling of the Ottoman Empire was replaced by a madate system (Syria & Lebanon to GB and
Jordan/Palestine to FR) and purpose was to establish those new nations under self-rule
o League of Nations was created but failed because U.S. and Russia did not join and it was not granted an
army to enforce its decisions (will become the United Nations after WWII)
o United States and Great Britain reverted to isolationism after the war
Russian Revolution
 Causes: 1) defeat in war with Japan (1905); 2) incompetence of Nicholas II; 3) landless peasantry; 4)
protest of involvement in WWI
 March Revolution: protests forced the abdication of Nicholas II and the creation of a provisional
(temporary) government divided between Mensheviks and Bolsheviks (led by Lenin who called for
complete destruction of the capitalist system – was a Marxist socialist, “peace, land, bread”)
 Bolsheviks seized power and made true on their promise (got out of WWI with Treaty of Brest-Litovsk,
factories were returned to workers); Bolsheviks become called the Communists
 Civil War ensued (White Army=anti-communist forces; Red Army=Bolsheviks); secret police called on to
eliminate all competition; Communists centralized power by 192; Lenin was leader of USSR