Week Eight - Chapters 21, 22, & 23

Chapter 21 was probably the most interesting chapter in the text because it began to detail a period of time that I am familiar with.  The first World War between the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente began with a single incident on June 28, 1914 and ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.  Germany was forced to give up its “colonial empire” and a large chunk of its land in Europe in addition to large monetary penalties.

The United States emerged from the war as the newest global super power both militarily and financially.  The enormous costs of the war effort lessened the ability of once flourishing countries to purchase imported goods.  This had an obvious impact on the originating country and the county purchasing the exporting the goods.  Countries whose whole economy was based on the export of one commodity became devastated by the lack of demand.  This effect rippled globally which contributed to the Great Depression.  Despite Roosevelt’s New Deal nothing worked better to end the Great Depression than the spending required towards the buildup for World War Two.

The results of the Great War on Germany and Italy left its citizens disillusioned and spiteful against the U.S. and the other nations of Europe.  Hitler and Mussolini were able to unite these sheep under the guise of regaining their once prominent status in Europe.  Hitler and the Nazis began a crusade to reclaim lands that once belonged to Germany prior to World War One in addition to other countries surrounding Europe.  In an effort to appease Hitler some geographic areas were simply handed over and the United States turned a blind eye to what was going on.

Japan was on similar path in Asia and subsequently allied with Germany.  Due to Japan’s actions, the United States initiated an oil embargo after talks to end the American interference in Japan’s aggressiveness in the region failed.  Believing that Japanese interests would not be heeded by the Americans, the Japanese launched an attack on Pearl Harbor.  This unprovoked act of aggression led to the United States officially entering World War Two.  The effects of the war destroyed numerous European countries and an estimated 60 million people died.  After launching two nuclear bombs on Japan and assisting with the decimation of the Nazi empire, the United States subsequently emerged as a global superpower.

While South Africa had been an independent nation since1920, their country’s government was completely controlled by a minority of white inhabitants.  Despite this control, the remaining 80% percent of the populations were a workforce that managed to build a stable infrastructure.  As time progressed the working class began to desire more freedoms and to experience the fruits of their own labor.

In the 1912 the African Nation Congress (ANC) was established in an effort to become equals in the eyes of the government.  After 40 years of peaceful demonstrations had done nothing to help further their cause, they turned to civil disobedience.  The result was the outlawing of the ANC as an organization and the jailing of several leaders including Nelson Mandela.  The attempt at exterminating the quest for equality coupled with the effort to prevent an all-out civil war created a catalyst for transition to a true African government in the 1990’s.