History Assignment
Part 1: No minimum words
Discussion 1: The Rise of Communism and Fascism
Compare and contrast the two types of authoritarian governments that arose after 1917, that is, communism and fascism. What were the origins of these governments, their accomplishments, and their failures? What accounts for the fact that the masses mobilized to support these movements? Elaborate.
Discussion 2: Nationalism and the Treaty of Versailles
What were reasons that led to the ultimate failure of the Treaty of Versailles? What were the challenges facing the newly-formed League of Nations, and why was it so difficult to form a lasting agreement that would prevent another war? Elaborate.
Discussion: The Rise of Fascism, World War II and the Holocaust
Analyze Adolph Hitler's rise to power and the policies he used to rule Germany. The following statement was taken from a contemporary account of Germany in 1939:
"Though the Fuhrer's anti-Semitic program furnished the National Socialist party in the first instances with a nucleus and a rallying-cry, it was swept into office by two things with which the 'Jewish Problem' did not have the slightest connection. On the one side was economic distress and the revulsion against Versailles: on the other, chicanery and intrigue...Hitler and his party promised the unhappy Germans a new heaven and a new earth, coupled with the persecution of the Jews. Unfortunately, a new heaven and earth cannot be manufactured to order. But a persecution of the Jews can..."
How do you interpret this contemporary account of the persecution of people who are Jewish? Elaborate.
Part 2: Minimum 900 words
Case Study: Imperialism and Exploitation
Introduction
The exploitation of colonial resources and indigenous labor was one of the key elements in the success of imperialism. Such exploitation was a result of the prevalent ethnocentrism of the time and was justified by the unscientific concept of social Darwinism, which praised the characteristics of white Europeans and inaccurately ascribed negative characteristics to indigenous peoples. A famous poem of the time by Rudyard Kipling, White Man's Burden, called on imperial powers, and particularly the U.S., which the poem was directed at, to take up the mission of civilizing these "savage" peoples.
Instructions
Read the poem at the following link:
• Link (website): White Man's Burden (Rudyard Kipling) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
After reading the poem, address the following in a case study analysis:
• Define social Darwinism in your own words.
• Analyze the motivations and consequences that Kipling presents for undertaking the "White Man's Burden."
• What specific examples of ethnocentrism can you identify?
• Were the "Half-devil and half-child" peoples truly uncivilized?
Case Study: Mobilizing the Masses
Introduction
Adolph Hitler was a charismatic figure with remarkable oratory skills that he was able to use to unify the German people under his leadership by appealing to their sense of grievance over the outcome of WWI and the resulting conditions in Germany in the intervening period as well as to their pride in their nation and its history.
Instructions
Read Hitler's speech at the following link:
• Link (website): Berlin: Proclamation to the German Nation (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Address the following in a case study analysis:
• What factors, both internal and external, does Hitler blame Germany's problems on?
• In what ways does he appeal to the nationalism of the German people?
• What actions does he suggest that portend the measures that Germany will take in the coming decade, resulting in WWII and the Holocaust?
• As a German, not knowing the measures that Germany will take and suffering from the conditions Hitler describes, how would you respond to this speech?
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.