Key Historical Events of WWII and the Cold War

World War II and the Holocaust

• What was Hitler’s “Final Solution?”
  It was the mass genocide of people considered inferior by the Nazis.
• During what event might Germany be compared to a vast torture chamber?
  This description refers to the Holocaust.
• What was the immediate cause of WWII?
  The war began immediately when Germany invaded Poland.
• Chronological Order of Events:
  1. The Treaty of Versailles is signed
  2. Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany
  3. The Nazi invasion of Poland

The League of Nations and Cold War Dynamics

• What did the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and Hitler’s remilitarization demonstrate?
  These actions demonstrated the inherent weakness of the League of Nations.
• How did atomic weapons influence US and Soviet interaction during the Cold War?
  The possession of atomic bombs prevented actual fighting between the two superpowers, as both sides held these destructive weapons.
• What was a negative aspect of the Cold War era for the Soviet Union?
  A negative aspect was the development of effective means of international cooperation, which often presented complex diplomatic and economic challenges.

Communism in China and Global Revolutions

• Who was targeted during Mao Zedong’s focus on the peasantry in China?
  This focus led to the killing of millions of landlords and well-off peasants who were accused of being enemies of the people.
• Was Mao’s treatment of the peasantry seen as helpful or harsh?
  In order to address the sufferings of the peasantry, Mao’s treatment was ultimately seen as unreasonably harsh.
• What ideology was the US trying to stop from spreading to South Korea?
  The United States was actively trying to stop the spread of Communism.
• What is a similarity between the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the nuclear arms race?
  All three were significant events that occurred during the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union.

The Berlin Wall and the End of the Cold War

• What was built in 1961 to separate the East and West German people?
  The Berlin Wall was constructed during the height of the Cold War.
• What were the results of the Cold War regarding Korea and arms talks?
  Korea remained divided at the 38th parallel, and strategic arms limitation talks began as direct results of the Cold War.
• What type of warfare did Mao Zedong, Fidel Castro, and Ho Chi Minh use?
  All three leaders led revolutions utilizing guerrilla warfare.
• Whose policies made the destruction of the Berlin Wall possible?
  Mikhail Gorbachev introduced the policies that eventually made the destruction of the Berlin Wall possible.