Paper 1 ~ Peacekeeping

1.          (a) What, according to Source E, was the significance of the Locarno Conference? [3 marks]

 Source E is a book on the history of Germany over WWI and WWII. Source E views the Locarno Conference as significant because all countries near the Rhine abjured force, and demilitarized the Rhineland, putting Germany in the League of Nations. This is significant because it was an attempt at maintaining peace that would ultimately fail.

         (b) What message is conveyed by Source D? [2 marks]

 Source D is a political cartoon showing Briand, Chamberlain, and Stresemann shaking hands, while Briand keeps one hand, in a boxing glove, behind his back. This source demonstrates the strained efforts for peace, although France wanted to take a more aggressive approach, secretly disagreeing with the other countries.

2. Compare and contrast the views expressed about the Locarno Conference in Sources B and C. [6 marks]

 Source B, a speech by the League Of Nations' secretary, portrays the Locarno Conference as a means to secure country borders and peace. Garnett views the conference as a way to increase security on borders, and keep countries ready to fight off war if necessary.

Source C, a description of Locarno by the British government, claims Locarno as a loss for France and Britain's alliance. The conference provides preemptive strikes in case of war possibilities, but prevents links between France and Britain.

Both sources recognize the effects of Locaro, especially in preventing war. Both also acknowledge the "protecting frontiers" aspect. Source B lists France as working well with Britain, while Source C says Locarno ruined any possible alliances. Source B existed immediately after Locarno, while Source C is in modern times, looking back.

3. With reference to their origin and purpose, discuss the value and limitations of Source A and Source C for historians studying the 1925 Locarno Conference. [6 marks]

Source A, a speech by Germany's leader immediately after the Locarno Treaty, was given in 1925. The speech was given to summarize the events of the Locarno, as well as to reassure, both aimed at the general public. This source is valuable because Stresemann was present at Locarno, and provides an insider's perspective. Also, this source provides the perspective of a country's leader, likely also representing a country's mindset. This source is limited as a piece of propaganda, aimed at the German public.

Source C is a modern document, published by the British government on their website recently. The document is posted to educate the British public about the Locarno Conference, and to recap the historical event, as well as provide perspective. The values of this source are that it is from a country involved, provides historical perspective, and minimizes the event down to the basic facts, allowing anyone to understand the event. The source is limited by its potential bias, written by a country's government, for the country. Also, the source allows the exclusion of possibly important background or effects information, providing a narrow, tainted view of the event.

IA OPVLs

1 ~ 

Written in 1982 by Dennis Bloodworth, The Messiah and the Mandarins shows Mao's rise to power and methods to controlling China. The purpose of this book is to educate the general public about the use of propaganda and other materials as control, possibly to alert them to the possibility that it could happen again. The value in this source is that the author is not from or associated with Mao or China, and is not just publishing an elongated propaganda piece. This book was written after Mao's reign, and provides some historical perspective. The limitations for this source include the possible changes in translations and meaning since the author is not personally familiar with Mao's China.

2 ~ 

Leadership in Asia: Persuasive Communication..., by David Richman, explains Mao's campaigns and his ties with other (single-party state) leaders. The purpose of this book is to draw comparisons between Mao and other leaders, and explain the multi-faceted public face of Mao. The value of this book is the time period it spans (1850-1950), providing historical perspective, and the inclusion of other opinions than just those of Richman. The limitations of this source are the American bias, as well as that the book does not cover the last years of the Mao regime (-1976), providing a fragmented view of the time. 

The Punitive Expedition

Zapata's not a politician. August 1914 - August 1915: Mexico's darkest hours. Multiple crazy rulers. Life was so bad, zapatistas were welcomed, and they helped the city. Zapata's mind was distracted, had 2 principles: support village leaders against professionals, and civilians have precedence over the military. Palafox wanted socialism to counter Zapata's communalism. 

July 11 ~ Gonzalez occupies Mexico City, pulls out a week later. Zapata sends men to attack Carranza's men in the North. Z thinks that Carranza is a 'short-lived phenomenon' like Huerta. 1916 starts, Carranza puts all of his energy into beating Zapata forever. Man, Pancheco, is a traitor to Zapata. Wilson recognizes Carranza's government in Mexico, recognizes his anti-Americanism. Villa is mad: "I take no responsibility for future events." He trains new forces, and sends them out in February to attack Columbus, 4 reasons guessed: personal revenge against Ravel, he was a 'pawn', he acted alone, or he expected war, and wanted to begin it already.

"The US wants to swallow Mexico; let's see if it doesn't get stuck in their throats."

Raid makes Wilson angry, doesn't want war with Mexico because it'd mess up his plans to intervene in Europe. March 10 ~ he orders General Pershing to take expedition. Pershing makes little headway. Villa has anti-gringo propaganda, and it is slowly working. Lopez (bad guy - Santa Ysabel killings) dies. He is brave in his death and becomes a martyr. 

Carranza realizes that the Americans want to stay a while. Villa, Wilson, and Carranza continue to butt heads. Eventually, Americans retreat. Wilson tries to avoid 'Germany's game', and not get sucked into Mexico's problem. He ignores Pershing's requests for help. Pershing only made Villa really mad once: P got town of Namiquipa, and had villagers cooperating. Carranza promised to return American POWs, refuses US-Mexico Commission. Americans will not give up quest for Villa; hire hitmen, assassins, poisoners. 

Zimmerman telegram: German foreign secretary Arthur Z. send a message to his guy in Mexico City, offers alliance. "If Carranza attacks USA, so Mexico keeps USA preoccupied/neutral, Germany will send money/military stuff." He also proposed an alliance with Germany/Mexico/Japan. The message gets passed on, Wilson declares war on Germany. Trevino gets control of Chihuahua, and then alienates Chihuahuans. Villa gets kudos, comes back to being awesome guerrilla leader. 

Civil War

Jan. 1915 ~ no federal government

Obregon and Carranza form alliance, but a suspicious one. If successful in war, they would turn against each other with the Army. Obregon's first military coup was Puebla's seizure from Zapata's leftovers: the orozquistas. Villa does not advance on Veracruz, no definitive reason why. Zapata's inactivity is a very bad idea as well. Villa marches north, leading Mexico into a year of civil war. No definitive sides of citizens divided between the main men. 

Three issues split Villa and Carranza: central government, land reform, and attitudes about the US. Villa was only somewhat committed to land reform. Carranza wanted to return estates to original owners. SUPER IMPORTANT: views towards US were very different. Carranza is uber-anti-American, while Villa was pro-American. 

Early 1915 ~ Villa seems to be going to win the war. British, Americans agree. However, Villa was losing his 'touch', becoming careless, alienating classes. Parochialism = drawback. Villistas were falling into traps from Carranza's side; looked really bad. Villa notices prices rising for ammunition. His pro-American beliefs drop steadily. Military campaign had good start. 

Angeles threatens Monterrey; becomes very popular there. Villa was needed in Guadalajara to clean up Fierro's mess. Obregon was worried for Tampico, studied human nature to understand. He moved from Queretaro, Angeles warns Villa. Villa gets baited and takes it. Villa as general gets worse and worse. He attacks Celaya again in April, with larger numbers. Large number of casualities, Obregon moves back.

Obregon likes melodramatic telegrams.

Villa takes Trinidad, "his Waterloo". He should be able to beat Obregon without Zapata, ordered attack. Obregon doesn't want to go to offensive. He loses his right arm, tries to kill himself but is bulletless. Villa badly beaten, retreats. He loses massively in 1915, with personal & military problems. Villa in trouble, returns to Chihuahua. There is financial and economic crisis. Last-ditch effort, fails. Public version is completely different than private Villa: happy/outgoing vs. neurotic/angry. 

Urbina is a super-bandit! Huerta is imprisoned. He dies, is buried next to Orozco. Villa won't give up, spends last days in Chihuahua City. He takes off to the sierras. 

WWII OPVLs

Source 2:

            Published in 1925, Adolf Hitler’s book Mein Kampf is an autobiographical, persuasive book about his life and political ideals. The purpose was to educate the public about Hitler’s struggles and gain more support for his ideas. This excerpt discussed the Versailles Treaty and it’s “burden and repression” on the German People, with the intention of riling up the German people to come together in rebellion. The value of this source lies in its insight into Hitler’s views on German history and his desire for strong and united people. The limitation of this source is that it is a piece of propaganda, designed to gain support through a life story and idealistic political goals. The book and its purposes are biased.

Source 4:

            J.F. Dulles, in a foreward to P. Burnett’s Reparations at the Paris Peace Conference, wrote in 1940 about the American views of the punishment for Germany. The purpose was to introduce a book on America’s opinions, and garner some support towards the American viewpoint, in the public and possibly abroad. The value of this source is that it was written during the time period for Germany’s reparations, and that an American is writing for the American viewpoint, hopefully avoiding the ‘lost-in-translation’ problems. This source is limited, however, in that it is biased, and likely written by an outsider to the Versailles Treaty and the reparations for Germany. This could cause further bias or a loss of true fact as the information traveled to Dulles. 

Book Notes/Oops

So apparently last time I did 43-64 instead of just the first 10 pages... check that post for the rest of the notes?

IA Idea

For the next IA, I'm thinking of doing something with Peron's foreign policy (& usage of) to gain and maintain support internationally and in Argentina. His foreign policy was initially started to avoid Cold War problems, and keep allies in the world powers. I need to narrow this down though. 

Convergence of the Twain

24 November 1914 ~ carrancistas leave, zapatista vanguards enter Mexico City as sightseers. No expropriations except houses of the Morelos planters. Zapata stayed in a 3rd class hotel a block from the train depot. His underlings controlled city administration, and his brother Eufemio showed provisional president E. Gutierrez around the palace. Zapatistas disliked cities (power of state and officals), and encouraged the "cult of simplicity". Anyone in Morelos not wearing white pajamas, even officials, was derided as a dandy. 

Intellectuals played a larger role with Villa than with Zapata. Zapata only attracted anarchists and Christian mystics, while Villa was dazzled by education. Villa liked to memorize and recite sections of Juarez's 1857 Constitution. Zapata kept the intellectuals in their place and allowed them out occasionally. The core of Zapata's beliefs was his mystical feeling for the land, or to build free associating landowning villages. However, Zapata was far from being communist or socialist.

Zapata acknowledged 4 main problems:

1 ~ unable to export revolution to the far south

2 ~ endemic banditry

3 ~ his program was not in the main current of the Revolution

4 ~ no enduring basis to creating an alliance with Villa

The far south had no impact from the Revolution yet. Hacienda owners had not learned a lesson, and continued their methods. Banditry was a large problem for Zapata in the confusion of the Revolution. The worse towns for brigandage had small populations, poor communication, and absent landlords. Zapata also had to deal with the Janus face of the Revolution and its effects on the Zapata plan. Zapata was not anti-capitalist, and always sided with tradition. 

Villismo was eclectic and had several contradictory goals. Villismo and Zapatismo were a conflict of opposing values. Zapata had his own slang. 

Villa: "Zapata is a revolutionary, but knows nothing of war." 

4 December ~ the two leaders meet for the first time. They had obvious physical differences, and dressed differently. Villa broke the ice by insulting Carranza. Villa acknowledged his lack of education and background for presidential status. The two agreed to have control over the next president. They later discussed agrarian reform, and then went to a private room. Villa complained that Zapata would recruit anyone, and Zapata said that not all villistas were fully committed. They had mixed feelings on posing with the presidential chair. Villa's only mission was to fight, and was reluctant to take supreme power. Zapata's army was geographically isolated, peasant-based, and reluctant to campaign outside patria chica. Everything was good, until Villa murdered Martinez, and an "orgy of ravishing and murder" went through the city. Zapatistas were ruthless in killing, but Villa's men killed for vengeance and then lied about reasons. Gutierrez issued manifesto after detaching himself from Villa, and excoriated both men for their methods and history. He attempted to get the Madero family to join with him. Ultimately, the inability of Villa and Zapata to cooperate was their downfall, and caused even more problems later.

Pages 43-53, WWII

The Ordeal of War:

The end of WWI had major impacts on every country involved, and increased Anti-German sentiments.

28,000,000 Europeans in the war died or were disabled, causing the collapse of world relations, economy, and social situations.

The Triple Entente allies, with over optimistic beliefs, were impacted even more severely by the shock of their losses. Anti-German emotions were even higher.

The Paris Peace Settlement and its Consequences

The Paris Peace Settlement, with Europe destroyed and specific goals of the Allies, was made of 5 treaties. The most famous treaty (Treaty of Versailles) was controversial in dividing settlements. Each country had unique aims.

Countries carved out of German, Austrian, and Russian governments did not end traditional rivalries or found peace.

Disposing of colonies infuriated countries, and laid foundation for future disputes.           

Some countries wanted harsh punishment for the Germans, while others requested reform or limits for Germany.

The League of Nations and the Limits of International Co-Operating:

The League of Nations was a generally ineffective collaboration for power protection and peacekeeping.

The League was flexible and every member could veto, eliminating any strong decision-making abilities.

The League promoted more international cooperation while blocking the US Senate from joining, sending mixed messages while attempting to maintain order and peace.

The ‘German Problem’

All of Europe supported the idea of Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles. Germany was unstable politically and socially, and looking to place blame elsewhere.

The German mark fell, and inflation rose, causing economic, and in turn social, pressure and issues.           

Germany wanted to revise the Versailles Treaty, through cooperation to strengthen the military. Germany made payments, and France promised to not use force.

Germany now secure, Hitler appears in the background, interested, and is devastated by news of defeat. He wanted a “new Germany”, and joined the German Workers’ Party and arranged a failed coup. He had four international policy goals (destroy Versailles Treaty, gain territory, include every German-speaking person in his “Third Reich”, and create a “racially pure” country for dominating power).

The Great Depression and its Consequences

The Great Depression in America hit most other countries hard in a wave of impact, encouraging Hitler’s rise to power.

The Wall Street Crash affected German hopes for economic success, and led to the stopping of US loans to Europe. The Depression then hit Japan, who later invaded China.

As the German economy collapsed, the Nazi Party became very popular, and was the ideal situation for Hitler to rise. Germany was fearful of a dictatorship or inflation, and hoped Hitler would not gain power. The Nazis in the next election won over 1/3 of the vote, but then lost support by the next election. Hitler was appointed to German chancellor.