Luis Latil

Final Exam Essay

 

     Everything in the world and even wars are cause for a reason but in this case of World War I who are we to blame for all of this destruction and misery many people lived in for years? For many facts we can say that the entire fault of this cruel war was due to the conflict that Germany had with many other countries it was weather for competition or for pointless reasons but it had horrible outcomes.

     The war was mainly started when “the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914” (http://www.firstworldwar. com/origins/causes.htm) this might have been a hard move to the Austro-Hungarian Empire but even though they were their allies they should had not join or provoke the “Great War” as it may be rifer, which took place on Europe from July 28,1914 to November 11,1918. They use their freedom of speech to insult and as I commented before to provoke other countries, they wish to be better than other countries and many countries saw it as threat to them, “this new German Empire had a rapid industrial revolution in the late 1800 and early 1900” (www.weissworldhistory.wordpress.com). This freak England out watching that they were the first ones with this revolution but now they had started to see a strong rival, they had a very strong knowledge of nationalism and made them compete against other countries to make themselves better than the others Empires.

    The Germans also caused and provoke them by building an excessive number of weapons and thinks like  U-Boats or a type of submarine, in order to acquired more new colonies around the whole world, knowing this the British’s became very worried and aware of the situation, but not only this it got worst. On August 1, the German Empire allied by treaty to Austria-Hungary declares war and this left no choice for other countries to join the war to defend what they had, like for example France were the first to join the war allaying to Russia on August 4 followed by Britain who faced a “moral obligation” of joining caused to the 75-years old treaty, most of the times the allies countries with Russia only tried to defend themselves against their enemies like a British Official once said: “we must build a bigger army than the enemy will build when he

 

hears we’re building a bigger navy than he’s building” meaning that they are just trying to defend what they have and they are just protecting their people and doing what they thought was best for them and the other countries (www.weissworhistory.wordpress.com), more of the European countries were in favor of Russia while only two Germany and Austria were fighting alone.

     Germany not only “provoked” other countries with its threads they also had not respect whatsoever with the positions of other European countries in war, when I mean this I refer to the situation with the Germans and Belgium knowing that they considered themselves a neutral country and even once in a letter Delivered by the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, M. Davignon, to the German Minister in Brussels, Herr von Below Saleske said the following  “Belgium has always been faithful to her international obligations, she has carried out her duties in a spirit of loyal impartiality, and she has left nothing undone to maintain and enforce respect for her neutrality” (http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/belgium _germanrequest.htm). The German empire reply by telling Belgium “Should Belgium oppose the German troops, and in particular should she throw difficulties in the way of their march by a resistance of the fortresses on the Meuse, or by destroying railways, roads, tunnels, or other similar works, Germany will, to her regret, be compelled to consider Belgium as an enemy.” (http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/belgium_germanrequest.htm) threading them for them just simple trying to keep their position and wanting no trouble and just making absurd arguments that they all they want to do is to protect them and that they would pay all the damage cause by the German soldiers, and in case the Belgians do not accept their proposal they would simple invade them canceling all of the things they proposed that “supposedly” was going to benefit them.

   Also, Germany is to be blame for World War I because of its decisions that angered and were controversy in Europe, but not only there later in the entire world. In 1915, the German while trying to broker a peace, and German U-Boat sank the British liner Lusitania with 128 Americans aboard it was a complete tragedy angering the Americans, President Woodrow Wilson said     

 

“America was too proud to fight” and demanded an end to attacks on passenger ships (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_war_I). President Roosevelt denounced German acts as “piracy”(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_war_I), soon after this on April 6, 1917 the congress declared war on United States, and President Woodrow at the beginning was against this war but by several of the European action he was forced to declare war on Germany for hi country own protection, on a speech spoken by him to the congress on April 2, 1917 by starting it by saying “I have called the Congress into extraordinary session because there are serious, very serious, choices of policy to be made, and made immediately, which it was neither right nor constitutionally permissible that I should assume the responsibility of making” (http://www .firstworldwar.com/source/usawardeclaration.htm), many people were in favor of his choice thinking that was the best one, due to the lately acts of the German empire, the Americans were not the only ones against the German U-Boats in North America, also other countries such as Brazil and Chile to be specific stand in the same position as Americans did they Brazilian Foreign Minister Lauro Muller’s’ Diplomatic Protested by vowing “  the Government of Brazil would appreciate the reasons for the methods of war which Germany was forced to take on account of the actual circumstances hoped that Brazilian ships would be warned of the danger they ran if they navigated the interdicted zones, the same as passengers or merchandise on board any other ship of commerce, neutral or otherwise” (http://www.firstw orldwar.com/source/uboat_brazil.htm),meaning that they would be alert and would fight back if something occurs to them.

  Germany has not only disrespect the neighbors countries from just a couple of years before the war, even before they started to fulfill themselves with weapons they always were  seem as a threaten to other European countries since they became a an empire for the first time, as soon as they became an empire they began to find enemies for their action the first was the humiliation that Otto Bismarck did to France by crowing Wilhelm I the main emperor of the new German Empire in the palace of Versailles, knowing what a nationalist country they were this was an complete insult to them an since then, they have been enemies.

 

Without a doubt we have more than enough reasons to blame the German Empire the for being the creator of the World War I for their provocations, weaponry building, and humiliation to other countries, the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month a ceasefire came into effect. Opposing armies on the Western Front began to withdraw from their positions, “A formal state of war between the two sides persisted for another seven months, until signing of the Treaty of Versailles with Germany on June 28, 1919”( http://en.wikipedi a.org/wiki/World_warI), many people died in this world catastrophe but many lesson were learn from it, and at the end even though they had many weapons at the beginning and were the ones looking for war the simple lost and had not benefit whatsoever of this pointless war, and what many people including them learn from this event was that do not think you are the best because they is always would be someone better than you and also that is important to measure your acts and how would they affect the people around you .             

  

         

 

Page 710 # 1,2&4

Number 1

 

a) Propaganda: ideas, facts, or rumors spread deliberately to further one’s cause or to damage an opposing cause.
b)  War of attrition: slow wearing-down manner of warfare in which each side tries to outlast the other.
c) Contraband: war materials supplied by a neutral nation to a belligerent one.
d) Atrocities: brutal crimes of war, often committed against civilians.

 

Number 2

 

a) Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. Their territory extended from the North Sea to the Middle Sea.
b) Allied Powers: Great Britain, France, Russia, and their partners(32 countries in total). They had more soldiers and a grater industrial capacity.
c) U-boats: [meaning underwater boats] Germans used it towards the Allied shipping.
d) Woodrow Wilson: The U.S President at this time, 1915, warned the Germans that he would not tolerate another such incident again; the Germans “famous” submarines sank ‘Louisiana’ resulting in 1,200 deaths.
e) Arthur Zimmermann: a high official in the German foreign ministry. He tried sending a secret telegram to the German ambassador in Mexico, proposing an alliance between them, promising that they would help them regain AZ, New Mexico, and Texas if they fight on their side.

 

Number 4

 a) Technology changed the way the war was fought by the use of new weapons such as machine guns, long-range artillery, airplanes, tanks, u-boats, etc.

 

 

             

 

 

 

 

Should I be in favor of the war?

I have work for only pennies an hour, but what can I do? That is the only way I can survive in this cruel world where everything is misery, only them the people with the factories who call themselves our bosses are the only that can enjoy from miscellaneous things fancy things we do all of the work for them and what do they do for us nothing, where did the idea of nationalism go? From one day to another us the third class people seemed to have nothing, we barely have a plate of food in our table. And as the demand for jobs grows more in this world it seem that the supplies meaning the jobs seem to deteriorate but that’s not the only thing that seem to degrease also our salaries seem to get lower and lower every time more making our life more difficult every time more. And now you ask if I am in favor of this bloody war, what do you think this would only make us work more in guns and weapons only useful to kill other humans beings people that are suffering our same consequences in other countries, and now us the people with the least money and the least right in this country are the ones that should suffer the consequences? We now are the ones send to war to suffer more than what we already have separating ourselves from our beloved family without any recompense after is all finish other than thanking god from coming back alive to hell, where we live with misery and the people who should really go and fight for everything they have for being the only ones that actually have something to fight for do not do nothing, other than stand back and watch would be the resolution of all this, at the end they are the only ones that benefit from this war, from this dark tunnel without light at the end, the only ones actually making a profit from this catastrophe, and for all of this reasons I have the dream proposed by Marx that one day all the people of the world from the third state to unify and revolt against this people that have not pity against us the rich people can they just raise our salary a little more? But no what they only thing is having wars for them to sell their supplies, getting ship materials from other countries and then selling it back to them making an unbelievable amount of profit that they cannot simple us to help people like us, it all seem to be a zero nothing game were they want everything living the rest of the people with nothing. So I strongly oppose to this war and every war that would simple not benefit us in any way, and that instead would harm us and our family.   

Page 769 # 3 & 4

3) Finding the Main Idea:

a) What were some of the factors that led to the fall of the Qing dynasty?

      The main factors that led the fall of the Qing dynasty were substantial spheres of influence over France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, and Russia. Over time, foreign traders started moving in deeper into the country of China and had won many precessions and privileges. Also, after the crushing of the Boxer Rebellion, it brought China completely under foreign domination.

b) How did Nationalist movement grow and change under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek?

      The Nationalist movement grows and changed under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek in the way that the army grew and gaining control of Hunan province and the cities of the Wuhan area.

c) What factors led to the rise of communism in China?

    What led to a rise of Communism in China was that Kuomintang was weak government, so then the Nationalist welcomed the Communist as looking for other solutions but then as consequence they grew better and stronger.

4) Writing and Critical Thinking:

I have encounter you to talk, the Nation, the people of this country for the reasons that we are in need of being stronger and a better in order to defeat our rivals the Communist Party, they are finding ways to destroying my country your country, with wars with things that does not benefit our nation, what we have all fight and done things for. And now for only the simple reasons of people who do not want what is the best for us are making all of this nothing, instead we should prepare ourselves with a good education and making what we are better and better every day more instead of killing people when they are to fight abandoning their families and everything behind. We all are the voice of this country and we have the right to fight for our beliefs an all we think we should not let our country to collapse, and also we should not let anyone ruin this country and less people like the Communists people without feelings and that do not want the best for this, make your voice be heard and fight for what we all as citizens have built and created.      

    

Page 416 # 4

 

4) Finding the Main Idea:

 

a)       What changes did the growth of cities bring to China?

The changes that the growth of cities bring to china were growing more crops and also trading with other countries and places.

b)       What attitudes might Chinese rules have had toward foreigners during the period of the Ming and Qing dynasties? The attitude was that they did not wanted to get too involve with other countries and wanted to keep everything between themselves.  

 

                         Page 421# 2

       2) Identify:         

a.       Opium War: A war fought by the British and the Chinese because Britain refused to stop the Opium Trade. The war lasted from 1839 to1842.This resulted in a British victory that gave Britain Hong Kong.

b.       Treaty of Nanjing: Treaty that ended the Opium Wars in 1842. It gave the island of Hong Kong to Britain and it opened five ports to Britain and gave people living there extraterritoriality.   

c.       Taiping Rebellion: It lasted from 1850 to 1864. It caused terrible destruction in Southern China. These rebellions seriously weakened the Quing Dynasty and the nation as a whole, and let westerners to come in because of the problems going on.

 

 

 

 

1)       Indentify:

 

a)       Meiji restoration: in 1868, a group of samurai over threw the Tokugawa in Japan, and put the emperor back to power.

b)       Diet: a two-house national assembly in Japan. One house of the Diet was made up of people who were elected.

c)       Si no: Japanese war: a war between China and Japan over the freedom of Korea. Japan won and proved their nation was better than China.

d)       Treaty of Shimonoseki: it ended the Si no- Japanese war. It gave Japan the island of Taiwan. Also gave Japan the right to trade with China. This made Japan very powerful.

e)       Mongkut: King of Siam, he played British interests against French interests.

f)        Liliuokalani: Queen of Hawaii, she was the first woman to control the Hawaiian Islands and she did’nt want the Westerners to rule Hawaii.

g)       Emilio Aguinaldo: he led Filipinos fight against its independence from U.S. However, the US won and receive many Pacific islands.

 

 

3)       Finding the main idea:

 

a)       British rule affect India because they established schools and educated people in forms of Western Civilization. The also British built roads, bridges, and railroads.

        

b)       The Japanese were able to reform and industrialize their nation quickly because of the Meiji restoration. They became a more Western country and bought factory machinery from European countries and studied Western civilization to improve their country.

 

c)       C) The U.S expansion in Hawaii was different from their expansion in the Philippines because in Hawaii they used business leaders to establish treaties in Hawaii and were soon able to control the Government, while in the Philippines hey U.S simply went to war with Spain the country ruling the Philippines and won gaining control over the Philippines.  

 

 

Page 563 # 1

Free enterprise: Economic  forces work automatically and naturally, without mercantilism laws and regulations.

 Laissez-faire: When the people told the government to “leave it alone”.

Humanitarians: People who work to improve the conditions of others.

 Utilitarianism: Belief that that a law was useful if it led to “the greatest happiness of the greatest number” of people.

Strike: When a large group of workers stop working.

Unions: Associations people began to form.

Collective bargaining: Agreements written into contracts lasting a fixed period of time.

 

 

 

 Page 558 # 1

Capitalism- Describes an economic system in which individuals or corporations, rather than governments, control the factors of production.

Commercial Capitalism- Before the industrial revolution when most capitalists were merchants who bought and sold goods.

Industrial Capitalism-  During the industrial revolution when capitalists became more involved in producing and manufacturing goods.

Interchangeable Parts-  Identical parts that resulted in speedy production of inexpensive muskets that could be easily repaired.

Mass production-  system of producing large numbers of identical numbers.

Corporations- businesses that allow people to buy stock in the company.

 Monopoly- complete control of the production or sale of a single good or service by a single firm.

Cartels-  corporate combinations that control entire industries.

Business cycle-  alternating periods of prosperity and decline.

Depression-  period in which the decreased demand of goods cause the entire economy to sink.

 

 

 

Pg 550 # 1 and 2

Number 1

1) Enclosure Movement- this is the time that common lands in England began to be enclosed or fenced off into individual plots, also smaller landholdings were being combined into more efficient larger holdings.

2) Crop Rotation- when English farmers used the land that they usually left unplanted to plant different crops each year in a rotation. This way they used the same amount of land and produce more crops.

3) Industrial Revolution- An era of rapid industrial development.

4) Factors of Production- A favorable combination of needed factors-land, capital, and labor.

5) Mechanization- Automatic machinery which was used to increase production.

6) Vulcanization- The process which is the basis of the modern rubber industry.

Number 2

1) Jethro Tull- The inventor of a seed drill that it made it possible to plant seeds in straight rows.

2) Richard Arkwright- invented the way to drive the spinning “jenny” by waterpower.

3) Eli Whitney- inventor of the cotton gin.

4) James Watt- study and improved the Newcomen’s machine. In 1769 he patented the modern steam engine.

5) Henry Bessemer- Developed what came to be known as the Bessemer process; A cheaper and easier method of making steel.

6) Robert Fulton- was the first to build a profitable steamboat.

7) Samuel Morse- Inventor of the Morse code. He sent an electrical current through a wire, making another machine at the other end to click.

 

Page 642 # 4

 

A)     How did Prussia replace Austria as the leading German state in Europe?

Prussia replace Austria as the leading German state in Europe by  Bismarck who united all of this country by wars like Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War and also by getting some territories from France, and like this he created  a bigger Empire more like the other countries called the French Empire.

 

B)      Contrast the ways in which German unification different from Italian unification.

The different between the Garman and Italian unifications is that the German was kind of force and other countries were not in favor with it while the Italian was created with a same purpose to defeat the Austrians.

 

C)      After unification, what was the makeup  of the German government?

The Makeup of the German government was that  the Legislative branch consisted of two houses the Bundesrat or upper house and the Reichstag, or the lower house. It consisted of almost 400 members elected by universal manhood suffrage.