Western Studies

The Beginning of the Twentieth-Century Crisis: War and Revolution
1914-1919

 

Section 1
1. How did brinkmanship, extreme nationalism, and militarism make war likely?

2. Discuss the significance of the following statement: "The Austro-Hungarian government did not know whether or not the Serbian government had been directly involved in the archduke's assassination, but it did not care."

 

Section 2
Pages 806-814
1. Why did the war on the Western Front quickly turn into a stalemate?

Pages 814-817
2. Describe the major effects World War I had on society at home.

 

Section 3
1. Discuss the significance of the following statement: "World War I put the tsarist government to a test that it could not meet."

2. Analyze the reasons for the Communist victory in the Russian civil war.

 

Section 4
1. What were the strengths and weaknesses of the Treaty of Versailles?

 

2. What were the major consequences of World War I for European society?

 

Making Connections
25.1-25.2
25.3-25.4

 

Class Activities
Quotations about War
Map: The Western Front 1914-1918
Several Primary Sources
Socialism From Below: From Marx to Lenin
Excerpt of Testament of Youth by Vera Britain
Excerpts from War Against War! By Ernst Friedrich
Poetry about the War and Lost Generation
Film (after the test) Paths of Glory dir. Stanley Kubrick

 

Essay Questions
Two of these essays will show up on your test. You will choose to answer one.

1. Did Germany cause World War I?

2. Why is World War I considered a "total war"?

3. Why were Lenin's ideas appealing to many Russians?

4. How did national interests, desire for revenge, and hopes for territorial gains figure in the 1919 peace talks?

 

Test Format
10 Multiple Choice (2 Points Each)
Surprise Section (30 Points)
Essay (50 Points)