Overview
The years between the two world wars were marked by complex political, economic, and social changes, with key decisions made by global powers shaping the path toward another global conflict. Examine how the outcomes of the Great War, the actions of major powers in the 1930s, and global responses to aggression and persecution contributed to the outbreak of World War II by addressing one of the following questions. Identify which question you are responding to in your post.
The initial post is between 200-300 words in length.
The initial post employs correct Chicago-style bibliographic citation where required.
- Do you believe that the events leading to the start of hostilities resulted from the outcomes of the Great War, or did the actions of the major nations in the 1930s reflect long-standing political, economic, cultural, psychological, and other factors that shaped their behavior?
- How effective was the reaction of the Allied Powers (Great Britain, China, the USSR, and the United States) to the actions of the Axis Powers (Germany and Japan) during the years between the wars? Consider what they did and what more they could have done to prevent the outbreak of war.
- Did the nations of the world react effectively and appropriately to what was known about German and Japanese persecution of civilians and ethnic and religious groups?
Murray & Millett, A War to be Won
- Preface
- Chapter 1: Origins of a Catastrophe
- Chapter 2: The Revolution in Military Operations, 1919-1939
- Chapter 3: German Designs, 1939-1940
- Chapter 7: The Origins of the Asia-Pacific War, 1919-1941
- Epilogue
Bell, Twelve Turning Points of the Second World War
- Introduction
Coetzee & Coetzee, The World in Flames
- Chapter 1
- Seeds of Turmoil p. 4
- Japan's Outlook (1938) p. 16
- Statement at Lushan (1937) p. 18
- Rape of Nanking (1937) p. 20
- Hossbach Memorandum (1937) p. 22
- Appeasement (1938) p. 25
- France Goes to War (1939) p. 30
- Chapter 2
- Soviet-Finnish War (1939) p. 36
- Rethinking Armored Warfare (1938) p. 38
- A Certain Eventuality (1940) p. 49
- Chapter 3
- Warning Signs from Japan (1940) p. 68
- Japan's Decision for War (1941) p. 70
- Avenging Western Imperialism (1941) p. 72
- Plan Dog (1940) p. 78
- Chapter 9
- The Four Freedoms (1941) p. 270
- The Atlantic Charter (1941) p. 271
- Japan and Greater East Asia (1940) p. 376
- Chapter 10
- The Inhumanity of Man: The Holocaust p. 308
- Defining Genocide (1941) p. 312
- Euthanasia (1939) p. 318
- The Warsaw Ghetto (1940) p. 332