Europe in 20th Century: WBBSE Class 9 History solutions

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Summary

In Russia, rulers called Tsars held supreme power. This system was known as Tsarism. The Tsars ruled absolutely, meaning there were no real checks on their authority. Ivan IV was the first to use the title ‘Tsar’. The Romanoff family ruled from 1613 until 1917. The last Tsar, Nicholas II, had to give up his throne during the Russian Revolution. Early attempts to limit the Tsar’s power failed. Only after unrest in 1905 did Nicholas II allow some changes, like an elected assembly called the Duma. However, Russia remained largely an autocracy. Revolutionary groups existed for a long time. An early attempt was the Decembrist Revolt in 1825. Later, the Narodniks, or ‘populists’, tried to involve the peasants in revolution but failed. Some turned to violence, assassinating Tsar Alexander II. Industrial growth created a working class facing harsh conditions, leading to strikes and discontent. Some revolutionaries were inspired by Karl Marx’s ideas. Lenin became a key leader, heading the Bolshevik group. They aimed for a socialist revolution.

The background to the 1917 Revolution involved deep social, economic, and political problems. Russian society was mainly made up of nobles and peasants. Most peasants were serfs until 1861, but even after freedom, they faced land shortages. The middle class was small. Workers faced poor treatment. Economically, Russia was backward compared to other European countries, relying heavily on agriculture. Industrial growth occurred late, and the government seemed to favor industry over farming, hurting peasants and workers. Politically, the government was harsh, denying people rights and crushing protests. Russia’s defeat in the Russo-Japanese War led to the 1905 Revolution. Lenin called this a ‘dress rehearsal’, meaning it was like a practice run for the bigger revolution in 1917.

Russia’s part in World War I caused great suffering. People lost respect for Tsar Nicholas II. In early 1917, strikes broke out in the capital, Petrograd. The Tsar abdicated in March. A temporary Provisional Government took over but struggled to maintain order. Lenin returned to Russia with his plan, the April Theses, aiming to turn the democratic revolution into a socialist one. The Bolsheviks gained support, especially among workers. In November 1917, led by Lenin, they seized power in Petrograd, establishing a socialist government. This revolution ended Tsarist rule and created a socialist state. It ended social inequalities, reduced the Church’s power, and aimed to stop the exploitation of workers and peasants. It promoted the idea that political equality needed social and economic equality too. Economically, private property for production was abolished, and economic planning was introduced. Lenin later introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP), allowing some private ownership temporarily.

World War I began in 1914 after the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The main sides were the Central Powers (like Germany and Austria) and the Entente Powers (like France, Britain, and later the USA). Fighting occurred on fronts like the Western Front, known for trench warfare, and the Eastern Front, where Russia fought Germany and Austria. Russia withdrew from the war in 1917 after the Bolshevik revolution, signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The USA joined the war in 1917, helping the Entente Powers. The war ended in November 1918. After the war, the Allies had conflicting aims. Some sought revenge and national gains, while US President Woodrow Wilson proposed his Fourteen Points for a lasting peace, including self-determination and a League of Nations. Germany became the Weimar Republic.

The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, treated Germany harshly. It blamed Germany for the war, demanded huge payments called reparations, took away territory, and limited its military. This caused bitterness in Germany. The economic demands crippled Germany’s economy, leading to hyperinflation where money became almost worthless. The League of Nations was formed to prevent future wars, but it was weak. The USA didn’t join, and major powers like Germany and Russia were initially excluded.

In 1929, the US stock market crashed on ‘Black Thursday’, starting the Great Depression. This economic crisis affected the whole world. In the USA, banks failed, businesses closed, unemployment soared, and farmers lost their farms. In Europe, countries suffered as US financial support dried up. The Depression caused political instability, leading many governments to fall. It fueled the rise of extreme nationalism. In Germany, bitterness over the Versailles Treaty combined with the economic crisis helped aggressive nationalism grow. The Nazi party, led by Adolf Hitler, promised to restore Germany. Nazi ideology believed Germans were a superior ‘master race’, promoted a strong dictatorship, and aimed to expand German territory (Lebensraum).

In Italy, Benito Mussolini led the Fascist party. Fascism promoted nationalism, militarism, and dictatorship. Mussolini came to power after the ‘March on Rome’ in 1922. He pursued aggressive foreign policies. Italy managed the Depression through government action but was not self-sufficient. In Germany, the Depression severely impacted the country. The Nazi party gained support by promising solutions. Hitler became Chancellor in 1933 and quickly established a dictatorship, becoming the Fuhrer (‘leader’). He passed the Enabling Act, giving him total power. Nazi policies focused on racial purity, persecuting Jews and others deemed inferior. Hitler used Nietzsche’s idea of the ‘Superman’ to promote his racial theories, twisting it to mean a perfect Aryan human.

The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was fought between the Republicans (supported by the Soviet Union) and the Nationalists led by General Franco (supported by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany). Spain had become a republic in 1931, but faced instability. Franco revolted against the elected Popular Front government. The war became a testing ground for Fascist forces and weapons. Franco won, establishing a long dictatorship.

Textual Questions, Answers (Oriental)

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The Russian Tsar who was forced to abdicate was :

(a) Nicholas I
(b) Alexander I
(c) Nicholas II
(d) Alexander II

Answer: (c) Nicholas II

2. The US President who drew up the Fourteen Points was :

(a) Abraham Lincoln
(b) Woodrow Wilson
(c) Hoover
(d) Roosevelt

Answer: (b) Woodrow Wilson

3. When did the Great Depression start after the Wall Street Crash ?

(a) 1914
(b) 1919
(c) 1929
(d) 1939

Answer: (c) 1929

4. Which two of the following countries took the side of Generral Franco in the Spanish Civil War ?

(a) France and Britain
(b) Britain and Russia
(c) Germany and Japan
(d) Germany and Italy

Answer: (d) Germany and Italy

Very-short Answer Type Questions

5. Which government of Russia was overthrown by the Bolshevik Military Committee?

Answer: The Bolshevik Military Committee declared the Provisional Government overthrown.

6. Which country considered the Treaty of Versailles as a ‘dictated peace’?

Answer: The Germans called the Treaty of Versailles a ‘dictated peace’.

7. Name one of the countries that did not join the League of Nations.

Answer: The USA did not join the League of Nations.

8. Which country, more than any other, was more susceptible to the consequences of the Great Depression of 1929?

Answer: Germany was more vulnerable to the consequences of the Great Depression of 1929 than any other country.

Short Answer Type Questions

9. What created land hunger among the Russian peasants prior to the Revolution of 1917?

Answer: Enormous growth of peasant population towards the close of the nineteenth century created a shortage of land to cultivate, which created land hunger among the Russian peasants prior to the Revolution of 1917.

10. What led the USA to join the World War II?

Answer: The United States joined the Second World War primarily due to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941.

11. What is ‘Black Thursday’?

Answer: On 24 October 1929, the American share market crashed. As the 24th was a Thursday, the day is remembered even today as the Black Thursday, and the crash is known as the Wall Street Crash.

12. Mention one of the methods by which Mussolini wanted to achieve his goals?

Answer: One of the methods by which Mussolini wanted to achieve his goal to make ‘Italy great, respected and feared’ was to achieve military status through military build-up.

Long Answer Type Questions-I

13. What was the nature of the Tsarist rule in Russia?

Answer: The system of government under the Tsars was a pure and simple autocracy. The Russian emperor was an absolute autocrat. There was no check on his exercise of power. The choice of ministers and government officials was solely made by the will of the Tsar. National policies were also formulated by him. A word from the Tsar was enough to change or abolish any existing institution or law. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, attempts were made to introduce some kind of reforms that would restrain the unlimited power of the Tsar, but none of these was successful. Even after concessions granted following the revolutionary disturbances of 1905, such as the legislative assembly called Duma, legalized political parties, and a set of Fundamental Laws, the form of government remained basically absolute autocracy. The combination of representative assembly and the autocracy of the Tsar and his reforms was impractical and eventually failed.

14. Narrate the circumstances in which Tsar Nicholas II abdicated the throne.

Answer: Tsar Nicholas II was the last ruler of the Romanoff dynasty. Respect for the royal family of Russia was totally lost due to the undue influence of Tsar’s wife, Empress Alexandra and Rusputin, a Siberian monk. Russia’s participation in World War I exposed the Russian people to great hardships. At the beginning of the year 1917, a series of strikes were called in Petrograd, the capital city, and troops were brought in to disperse the mobs roaming the streets. During the turmoil, the representatives of the workers organized an assembly known as the Petrograd Soviet. With the cooperation of the rebel troops, the Petrograd Soviet was able to take control of the city. On 1 March 1917, a Provisional Government was formed that sent messengers to Tsar Nicholas II urging him to step down from the throne. On 12 March 1917, Nicholas II resigned as the Tsar. This abdication, along with the Provisional Government’s declaration of Russia as a ‘Republic’ on the same day, marked the end of the first phase of the Russian Revolution, also known as the March Revolution or February Revolution (Old Russian Calendar).

15. Would you say that in the process of peace-making after the World War there was a conflict between realism and idealism?

Answer: Yes, in the process of peace-making after the First World War, there was a conflict between realism and idealism. The Allied Powers, influenced by national interest and public opinion suffering from war psychosis, leaned towards a retributive (revengeful) peace against the Central Powers, reflecting a spirit of reprisal and fulfilling specific national interests and imperialist ambitions through concessions and privileges (realism). For example, England wanted to curb German naval strength, France desired Alsace-Lorraine, Italy wanted Trentino and Trieste, and Balkan states desired independence. These aims were often based on secret treaties signed during the war.

Contrasting this was the idealism embodied in Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points. The United States, seeking no territorial gains, aimed to ‘make the world safe for democracy’ and end wars. Wilson’s points included principles like abandonment of secret diplomacy, freedom of the seas, removal of economic barriers, reduction of armaments, impartial adjustment of colonial claims, restoration of territories, self-determination for peoples, and the creation of an association of nations. While some of Wilson’s points coincided with Allied aims, the overall spirit of the Fourteen Points, focused on a just and lasting peace, was contradictory to the spirit of the secret treaties and the selfish, revengeful ambitions of the Allies. The challenge of the peace-making process was reconciling these conflicting approaches – the Allies’ realism driven by self-interest and revenge, and Wilson’s idealism aiming for a new world order. Ultimately, the spirit of the Fourteen Points was betrayed more in their breaches.

16. What was the implication of Mussolini’s March to Rome?

Answer: The implication of Mussolini’s March on Rome in October 1922 was the seizure of political power by the Fascists. The post-War Italian government was under severe strain and becoming dependent on Fascist members in parliament. Bowing before the show of strength represented by the March, King Victor Emmanuel III invited Mussolini to form a new government in 1922. Assuming the title Il Duce (the Leader), Mussolini became a dictator with all powers concentrated in his hands.

17. How did Hitler capture power in Germany?

Answer: Hitler captured power in Germany through a combination of political maneuvering, exploitation of economic crisis, and consolidation of authority. After the First World War and the establishment of the Weimar Republic, Hitler became involved with the German Workers’ Party (DAP), which was renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP or Nazi Party) in 1920. Hitler became its chairman in July 1921.

The Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression impacted Germany severely, leading to economic hardship, unemployment, and social unrest. The republican government (Weimar Republic) was unable to tackle the crisis effectively, causing people to lose faith and seek solutions in political extremism. The Nazi agitation gained increasing public sympathy during the 1930s. In the Reichstag election of 1932, the Nazis became the largest single party. Hitler successfully exploited this situation and became the Chancellor in 1933.

Once in power, Hitler sought a majority in the Reichstag. He persuaded President Hindenburg to call another election. In the election held on 28 February 1933, the Nazis, with the help of other parties, secured a two-thirds majority. Within two days, Hitler passed the Enabling Act (1933), which amassed all powers in his own hands and rendered the Reichstag powerless. This effectively made Hitler the Fuhrer or ‘leader’. Finally, on the death of Hindenburg in August 1934, Hitler combined the posts of President and Prime Minister into one, declaring himself the Fuhrer and Reich Chancellor. Thus, the seizure of power by Hitler was achieved.

18. What was the Narodnik Movement of Russia?

Answer: The Narodnik (or Narodniki) movement was the most important political movement that gained prominence in Tsarist Russia in the 60s of the nineteenth century. The Narodniks were ‘populists’. In the Russian language, ‘narod’ means the people, and in nineteenth-century Russia, ‘narod’ meant the peasantry rather than common people. A narodnik was one who sought to help the peasantry take the road of revolutionary struggle for a just and happy life. They sincerely believed the peasantry to be the leading figure in the liberation struggle in Russia. Hence, their movement was called a ‘Narodnik Movement’. However, the movement was unsuccessful. After its failure, a faction formed a terrorist organization called Narodnaya Volya (‘People’s Will’).

Long Answer Type Questions-II

19. Write about the revolutionary tradition in Russia.

Answer: Revolutionary forces had been active in Russia since the very foundation of the Romanoff dynasty. In fact, the Romanoffs who were wiped away by the Revolution of 1917 themselves had ascended the throne through a revolutionary upsurge. However, the early revolts were not specially directed against the tsar, or precisely, against the autocracy as an institution. The first open attempt at revolutionary change was the ill-fated and abortive Decembrist Revolt of 1825. It was only after the Emancipation Statute of Tsar Alexander II that any practical revolutionary activity took place.

The most important political movement that gained prominence in the 60s of the nineteenth century was the Narodnik (or Narodniki) movement. The Narodniks were ‘populists’ who sincerely believed peasantry to be the leading figure in the liberation struggle in Russia. The movement was unsuccessful. After the failure of the Narodnik movement a faction of them formed a terrorist organization called Narodnaya Volya (meaning ‘People’s Will’), one of whose members was responsible for the assassination of Tsar Alexander II.

The Tsarist autocracy reached its apogee under the rule of Tsar Alexander III. But in the economic sector he effected regeneration by industrialization of Russia. At the same time by doing so a situation was created conducive to the spread of mass discontent expressed in workers’ strike, working class consciousness, agitation and propaganda of revolutionary activities. Among these were some who were attracted towards the theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It was to this background that the origin of Russian Marxism is to be traced. The first self-styled Russian Marxist revolutionary group was founded in Switzerland in 1883, calling itself the Group for the Liberation of Labour.

20. Write about the influence of the Russian Revolution?

Answer: As a result of the November Revolution, Russia became a socialist country ending the Tsarist despotism. The Revolution deeply impacted the contemporary social, political and economic world.

• Social: Social inequalities and conflicting clashes became a thing of the past. Abolition of the aristocratic privileges and the power of the Church was an achievement that impacted the social relations in different countries of the contemporary world. As a result of the Russian Revolution, the wealth and privileges that had been the monopoly of the aristocracy were devolved on the people. The Revolution also put an end to the exploitation of the workers and the peasantry, and thereby established the notion of a state free from exploitation.
• Political: The success of the socialist revolution in Russia brought about a re-definition of democracy. Most countries of the world came to realize that political equality is incomplete without social and economic equality. The spread of socialist ideas promoted internationalism. Nations of the world realized that their relations with other nations should go beyond the promotion of national self-interest. Political parties professing socialism in the colonial countries helped the peoples in their independence movements. Victory of the Bolshevik Revolution transformed the character of hitherto exclusively political nationalist revolts as it gave them the required social and economic content.
• Economic: In the economic sphere the socialist Russia abolished private property as a factor for production and the motive of profit was thus eliminated from the system of production. Another important aspect of the Russian economy was the introduction of the method of ‘economic planning’. In the nineteenth century Europe the industrial development was made possible at the behest of capitalists. But in Russia, after the Revolution, this was made possible through economic planning. The unprecedented rate of development in Russia demonstrated the effectiveness of planning as a means of progress.

21. Write about the economic implications of the Treaty of Versailles.

Answer: The economic implications of the Treaty of Versailles signed by the Allies with Germany was a matter of concern for the Germans. In the pre-armistice terms Germany had agreed to compensate for all the damage done to the civilian population of the Allies and also the property damaged by her aggression by land, sea and air. Since the Allies could not agree upon a fixed amount to be charged from Germany the fixation of the final amount was postponed temporarily. A Reparation Commission was established to determine the German obligation, assessing the debt as high as 660 Crores of Sterling Pound.

Meanwhile Germany was to deliver large quantities of coal to France, Belgium and Italy for 15 years. A large number of horses, cattle, sheep, etc. was to be delivered to France and Belgium. For 5 years the Allies were given concessions on certain imports into and exports from Germany. Besides, various other demands were pressed on Germany that crippled the German economy.

Under the strain of the post-war economic problems German money system collapsed. The result was disastrous. The German currency Mark (Deutsch Mark) was not worth the paper it was printed on. German shopkeepers refused to accept money in exchange for goods, forcing the German people to resort to the ancient system of barter. Before the war most countries of Europe used gold coins, but after the war these were replaced by paper currency. In Germany, where money was in great shortage, the government began to print more and more currency notes, resulting in a drop of the value of money. This reduction in the value of money ruined those who depended on wages and salaries paid in cash. As their life savings and hopes disappeared, they became ready to listen to anyone who would promise them a better future.

22. How did the USA become the Power-centre of the world?

Answer: After the First World War, the political map of the world changed, particularly in Europe. Empires like the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian ended, the German Empire’s Kaiser was exiled, France was destroyed, and Russia became the USSR. Britain retained some power, but the USA was still a mighty power. The economies of European countries (except Russia) became dependent on the USA.

Although the Great Depression of 1929 affected the US economy adversely, within a few years, a programme of economic reconstruction and social welfare was started. Steps were taken to increase production levels, improve workers’ conditions, and create employment opportunities. Consequently, the USA’s economy recovered from the crisis, and industrial production picked up again, restoring prosperity.

On the other hand, European countries remained economically weak and militarily exhausted, facing turmoil from internal troubles and threats of dictatorship. The USA was in no danger of civil war or revolution. Thus, the USA emerged as the world power. In short, World War I weakened Europe and strengthened the USA. Europe’s primacy as the power-centre of the world came to an end.

Extras

Additional MCQs

1. What is the origin of the title Tsar?

A. Greek βασιλεύς
B. Latin Caesar
C. German Kaiser
D. French Roi

Answer: B. Latin Caesar

2. Who was the first Russian ruler to assume the title of Tsar?

A. Peter I
B. Ivan IV
C. Michael Romanoff
D. Nicholas II

Answer: B. Ivan IV

3. In which year was the Romanoff dynasty established on the Russian throne?

A. 1547
B. 1613
C. 1721
D. 1917

Answer: B. 1613

4. Which Tsar was forced to abdicate in 1917?

A. Alexander II
B. Alexander III
C. Nicholas II
D. Michael Romanoff

Answer: C. Nicholas II

5. What form of government characterises Tsardom in Russia?

A. Constitutional monarchy
B. Federal republic
C. Absolute autocracy
D. Parliamentary democracy

Answer: C. Absolute autocracy

6. Which legislative assembly was Nicholas II compelled to convene after the 1905 disturbances?

A. Congress
B. Duma
C. Senate
D. Soviet

Answer: B. Duma

7. On what date did the Decembrist Revolt occur?

A. 14 December 1805
B. 14 December 1825
C. 14 December 1905
D. 14 December 1917

Answer: B. 14 December 1825

8. Who signed the Emancipation Statute freeing the serfs in Russia?

A. Alexander I
B. Alexander II
C. Alexander III
D. Nicholas II

Answer: B. Alexander II

9. Which movement in the 1860s believed the peasantry would lead Russia’s liberation struggle?

A. Bolsheviks
B. Mensheviks
C. Narodniks
D. Socialist Revolutionaries

Answer: C. Narodniks

10. What was the name of the organisation formed by a faction of the Narodniks?

A. Black Hundreds
B. Socialist Revolutionaries
C. Narodnaya Volya
D. People’s Liberation Army

Answer: C. Narodnaya Volya

11. Which Tsar was assassinated by a member of Narodnaya Volya?

A. Alexander I
B. Alexander II
C. Alexander III
D. Nicholas II

Answer: B. Alexander II

12. In what year was the Group for the Liberation of Labour founded?

A. 1870
B. 1883
C. 1898
D. 1917

Answer: B. 1883

13. What was the forerunner of the Communist Party established in 1898?

A. Russian Workers’ Union
B. Socialist Revolutionaries
C. Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
D. Bolshevik Party

Answer: C. Russian Social Democratic Labour Party

14. What pseudonym did Vladimir Ilych Ulyanov adopt?

A. Stalin
B. Trotsky
C. Lenin
D. Khrushchev

Answer: C. Lenin

15. On which night did the Bolsheviks seize key points in Petrograd?

A. 24 October 1917
B. 6 November 1917
C. 25 October 1917
D. 7 November 1917

Answer: B. 6 November 1917

16. What economic policy replaced War Communism in the Soviet Union?

A. Five-Year Plan
B. New Economic Policy
C. Collectivisation
D. Gosplan

Answer: B. New Economic Policy

17. Which two classes were the main constituents of Russian society at the end of the 19th century?

A. Nobility and middle class
B. Nobility and peasantry
C. Peasantry and bourgeoisie
D. Bourgeoisie and proletariat

Answer: B. Nobility and peasantry

18. Which war’s defeat in 1905 was called the ‘dress rehearsal’ for the 1917 Revolution?

A. Russo-Japanese War
B. Crimean War
C. First World War
D. Napoleonic Wars

Answer: A. Russo-Japanese War

19. On what date did Tsar Nicholas II resign from the throne?

A. 28 February 1917
B. 1 March 1917
C. 12 March 1917
D. 2 April 1917

Answer: C. 12 March 1917

20. Which declaration made Russia a ‘Republic’ in 1917?

A. October Revolution decree
B. Fundamental Laws
C. Provisional Government proclamation
D. February Manifesto

Answer: C. Provisional Government proclamation

21. When did Lenin return to Russia in 1917?

A. April 3
B. April 7
C. March 25
D. May 5

Answer: A. April 3

22. Which slogan did Lenin revive meaning ‘All Powers to the Soviets’?

A. Soviets or nothing
B. Workers of the world
C. Soviets unite
D. All Power to the Soviets

Answer: D. All Power to the Soviets

23. Which treaty marked Russia’s withdrawal from World War I?

A. Treaty of Versailles
B. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
C. Treaty of Tilsit
D. Treaty of Paris

Answer: B. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

24. How long did War Communism operate in Soviet Russia?

A. 1914–1917
B. 1917–1921
C. 1918–1921
D. 1918–1924

Answer: C. 1918–1921

25. Who became head of foreign affairs in Lenin’s first Soviet government?

A. Stalin
B. Trotsky
C. Bukharin
D. Molotov

Answer: B. Trotsky

26. At which battle in 1914 did the French stop the German advance?

A. Battle of Verdun
B. Battle of Marne
C. Battle of Somme
D. Battle of Ypres

Answer: B. Battle of Marne

27. Which front stretched from Switzerland to the North Sea during World War I?

A. Eastern Front
B. Western Front
C. Southern Front
D. Balkan Front

Answer: B. Western Front

28. Which country entered World War I on the side of the Allies in 1917?

A. Italy
B. United States
C. Japan
D. Russia

Answer: B. United States

29. On which date was the armistice signed to end World War I hostilities?

A. 28 June 1918
B. 11 November 1918
C. 1 January 1919
D. 3 March 1918

Answer: B. 11 November 1918

30. Who put forward the Fourteen Points in January 1918?

A. David Lloyd George
B. Georges Clemenceau
C. Woodrow Wilson
D. Vittorio Orlando

Answer: C. Woodrow Wilson

31. Which territory was to be restored to France under the Fourteen Points?

A. Alsace-Lorraine
B. Saarland
C. Rhineland
D. Schleswig

Answer: A. Alsace-Lorraine

32. Where was the Weimar Constitution drafted in 1919?

A. Berlin
B. Munich
C. Weimar
D. Frankfurt

Answer: C. Weimar

33. Approximately how high were Germany’s reparations assessed after the war?

A. 660 million pounds
B. 660 crore pounds
C. 660 billion marks
D. 660 thousand pounds

Answer: B. 660 crore pounds

34. What happened to the German currency after World War I?

A. Deflation
B. Revaluation
C. Hyperinflation
D. Fixed exchange

Answer: C. Hyperinflation

35. Which US President proposed a moratorium on war debts in 1931?

A. Franklin Roosevelt
B. Calvin Coolidge
C. Herbert Hoover
D. Warren Harding

Answer: C. Herbert Hoover

36. On what date is ‘Black Thursday’ in American financial history?

A. 24 October 1928
B. 29 October 1929
C. 24 October 1929
D. 29 October 1930

Answer: C. 24 October 1929

37. Which two empires were disbanded after the First World War?

A. Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian
B. British and Ottoman
C. German and Russian
D. Austro-Hungarian and Russian

Answer: A. Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian

38. Which ideology emphasises Aryan racial superiority and Lebensraum?

A. Fascism
B. Communism
C. Nazism
D. Socialism

Answer: C. Nazism

39. In which year did Mussolini lead the March on Rome?

A. 1920
B. 1921
C. 1922
D. 1923

Answer: C. 1922

40. What is the title of Hitler’s autobiography written in prison?

A. Der Führer
B. Mein Kampf
C. Das Kapital
D. The Protocols

Answer: B. Mein Kampf

41. Which act granted Hitler plenary powers over Germany?

A. Enabling Act
B. Reichstag Fire Decree
C. Nuremberg Laws
D. Night of Long Knives

Answer: A. Enabling Act

42. In which year did the Spanish Civil War begin?

A. 1934
B. 1935
C. 1936
D. 1939

Answer: C. 1936

43. Which general led the Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War?

A. Primo de Rivera
B. Francisco Franco
C. Miguel de Unamuno
D. Jose Antonio

Answer: B. Francisco Franco

44. Which two countries supported the Nationalists in Spain?

A. France and Britain
B. Germany and Italy
C. Soviet Union and USA
D. Portugal and Greece

Answer: B. Germany and Italy

45. Which political coalition won Spain’s February 1936 elections?

A. Popular Front
B. National Front
C. Republican Front
D. Socialist Front

Answer: A. Popular Front

46. What term describes Mussolini’s system of government in Italy?

A. Democracy
B. Fascism
C. Communism
D. Monarchy

Answer: B. Fascism

47. Which Tsar industrialised Russia but maintained autocratic rule?

A. Alexander II
B. Alexander III
C. Nicholas II
D. Peter I

Answer: B. Alexander III

48. Which event is called the February Revolution under the old Russian calendar?

A. October Revolution
B. March 1917 uprising
C. December Revolt
D. February 1825 revolt

Answer: B. March 1917 uprising

49. What method of economic organisation was introduced in Soviet Russia?

A. Free market
B. Mercantilism
C. Economic planning
D. Laissez-faire

Answer: C. Economic planning

50. Which organisation was created to guarantee independence of all nations after WWI?

A. United Nations
B. League of Nations
C. European Union
D. Warsaw Pact

Answer: B. League of Nations

Additional Questions, Answers

1. From which Latin word is the term Tsar derived?

Answer: The word Tsar is derived from the Latin word Caesar.

2. Who first assumed the title of Tsar and in which year?

Answer: Ivan IV was the Russian ruler who first assumed the title of ‘Tsar’ in 1547.

3. What is Tsardom?

Answer: Tsardom or Tsarism is a system of government that prevailed under the rule of the Tsars in Russia.

4. Which dynasty was established on the Russian throne in 1613?

Answer: Michael Romanoff established the Romanoff dynasty on the Russian throne in 1613.

5. What was the name of the legislative assembly introduced after the Revolution of 1905?

Answer: After the revolutionary disturbances of 1905, Nicholas II agreed to holding elections to the legislative assembly called Duma.

6. Which uprising on 14 December 1825 marked the first open attempt at revolutionary change?

Answer: The first open attempt at revolutionary change was the ill-fated and abortive Decembrist Revolt of 1825, so called after the date of the insurrection on 14 December.

7. What did narod mean in nineteenth-century Russia?

Answer: In the Russian language, narod means the people. Of course, in nineteenth-century Russia, ‘narod’ meant the peasantry rather than common people.

8. What does Narodnaya Volya mean?

Answer: Narodnaya Volya means ‘People’s Will’.

9. Which organisation was responsible for the assassination of Alexander II?

Answer: A faction of the Narodnik movement formed a terrorist organization called Narodnaya Volya. One of its members was responsible for the assassination of Tsar Alexander II.

10. In which year was the Group for the Liberation of Labour founded?

Answer: The first self-styled Russian Marxist revolutionary group, which called itself the Group for the Liberation of Labour, was founded in Switzerland in 1883.

11. What does RSDLP stand for?

Answer: RSDLP stands for the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party.

12. In which year did the first meeting of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party take place?

Answer: In 1898, the first meeting of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDRP) took place.

13. Under what pseudonym was Vladimir Ilych Ulyanov better known?

Answer: Vladimir Ilych Ulyanov was better known by his pseudonym of Lenin.

14. What slogan did Lenin adopt in his April Theses?

Answer: Lenin aimed at the inauguration of a socialist workers’ state in Russia under the slogan All Powers to the Soviets.

15. On which date did the Bolsheviks occupy the Winter Palace?

Answer: On the evening of November 7, the Winter Palace was occupied.

16. What does NEP stand for?

Answer: NEP stands for New Economic Policy.

17. What term describes the Bolshevik policy of state control over all economic activity during the Civil War?

Answer: During the hard days of the Civil War in Russia (1918-1921), the Bolshevik Government devised a system called War Communism, which meant state control over every aspect of the economic activities.

18. Which treaty did Russia sign in 1918 to withdraw from the First World War?

Answer: Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918) with Germany and Austria to withdraw from the war.

19. How many points comprised Woodrow Wilson’s peace plan presented in January 1918?

Answer: Woodrow Wilson’s peace plan, presented in January 1918, comprised Fourteen Points.

20. On which date was the armistice signed ending the First World War?

Answer: On 11 November 1918 an armistice was signed ending the hostilities of the First World War.

21. What was the name of the international organisation established to guarantee the independence of all nations?

Answer: The last of Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points called for the creation of a ‘general association of nations’ to guarantee independence of all nations; this proposed organisation was the League of Nations.

22. What was the assessed amount (in sterling pounds) of Germany’s reparations under the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer: A Reparation Commission established to determine the German obligation assessed the debt as high as 660 Crores of Sterling Pound.

23. What name is given to the share-market crash of 24 October 1929?

Answer: The American share market crash on 24 October 1929, a Thursday, is remembered as Black Thursday, and the crash is known as the Wall Street Crash.

24. What term describes Hoover’s proposal to suspend war-debt repayments for a year?

Answer: President Hoover persuaded the European powers to accept a moratorium on all war-debt and reparation payments to the defeated powers; this was known as the Hoover Moratorium.

25. Which title did Mussolini assume after the March on Rome?

Answer: Assuming the title Il Duce (the Leader), Mussolini became a dictator.

26. What is the German term used by the Nazis for “living-space”?

Answer: Hitler raised the demand for Lebensraum (living-space) for Germany.

27. Which party did Mussolini found in 1919?

Answer: In 1919 Mussolini founded the Fascist Party in Italy.

28. What was the original name of the Nazi Party before it became the NSDAP?

Answer: The original name of the party that became the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), commonly known as the Nazi Party, was the German Workers’ Party (DAP).

29. In which year did Adolf Hitler become Chancellor of Germany?

Answer: Hitler became the Chancellor in 1933.

30. What act gave Hitler plenary powers in 1933?

Answer: Hitler passed the Enabling Act (1933), through which he amassed all powers in his own hand.

31. Which general led the Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War?

Answer: The Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War were under the leadership of General Franco.

32. Which political coalition governed Spain immediately before July 1936?

Answer: In the elections of February 1936, a ‘Popular Front’, drawing members from the republicans, socialists and communists, won and formed the government against which General Franco revolted in July 1936.

33. Which two fascist states provided military support to Franco’s Nationalists?

Answer: The Nationalists under the leadership of Franco were supported by Italy and Germany.

34. Which two major democracies pursued a policy of non-intervention during the Spanish Civil War?

Answer: Britain and France followed a policy of non-intervention and remained neutral during the Spanish Civil War.

35. What factors led to the failure of the 1905 concessions under Nicholas II?

Answer: Despite concessions granted by Nicholas II after the revolutionary disturbances of 1905, such as agreeing to hold elections to the legislative assembly called Duma, legalizing political parties, and promulgating a set of Fundamental Laws, the form of government remained basically absolute autocracy. The combination of a representative assembly and the autocracy of the Tsar, along with his reforms, was impractical and eventually failed.

36. What problem did Marxist theory face when first applied to Russia?

Answer: There was a problem in the application of Marxist theory in Russia because Russia was an autocratic state with no political freedom, no politically conscious middle class, and only a tiny underdeveloped working class (proletariat) had emerged.

37. How did Alexander III’s industrialisation policies contribute to growing revolutionary sentiment?

Answer: While Tsar Alexander III effected regeneration in the economic sector through the industrialization of Russia, doing so created a situation conducive to the spread of mass discontent. This discontent was expressed in workers’ strikes, growing working-class consciousness, and the agitation and propaganda of revolutionary activities. Some people were attracted towards the theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, leading to the origin of Russian Marxism.

38. What social hardships did Russia experience as a result of its participation in the First World War?

Answer: On account of Russia’s participation in World War I, the Russian people were exposed to great hardships. Meanwhile, respect for the royal family of Russia was totally lost due to the undue influence of the Tsar’s wife, Empress Alexandra, and Rasputin, a Siberian monk. This led to a series of strikes and mobs roaming the streets at the beginning of 1917.

39. What changes did the Provisional Government announce upon declaring Russia a republic?

Answer: Upon declaring Russia a ‘Republic’ after Tsar Nicholas II abdicated on March 12, 1917, the Provisional Government announced a programme of democratic reform and civil liberties.

40. How did Lenin’s April Theses propose transforming the February Revolution into a socialist one?

Answer: In his April Theses, Lenin elaborated his method of action. His eyes were set on transforming the democratic revolution (March or February Revolution) into a socialist one by proletarian uprising. He aimed at the inauguration of a socialist workers’ state in Russia under the slogan ‘All Powers to the Soviets’.

41. What were the main features of Lenin’s New Economic Policy?

Answer: The New Economic Policy (NEP) was introduced by Lenin to save the disastrous economic situation caused by War Communism, which involved state control over every aspect of economic activities. In short, after a period of greater state-control over the economy, Lenin, as per the NEP, shifted to private or individual ownership in land and industry.

42. Which aims did Wilson’s Fourteen Points seek to achieve in post-war Europe?

Answer: Woodrow Wilson stated his goals for keeping peace in the future in the Fourteen Points. The overall aims were to ‘make the world safe for democracy’ and to end wars. The specific points included:

• Abandonment of secret diplomacy and negotiation
• Freedom of the seas
• Removal of economic barriers
• Reduction of armaments
• Absolutely impartial adjustment of colonial claims
• Restoring the lost territories of Russia
• Restoration of Belgium
• Restoration of Alsace-Lorraine to France
• Readjustment of the Italian frontiers
• Acceptance of the principle of self-determination
• Evacuation of the Balkans by the Central Powers
• Autonomy for all non-Turkish nationalities and opening of the Dardanelles to all ships
• Creation of an independent Poland
• Creation of an association of nations to guarantee independence of all nations.

43. What sparked the collapse of the first Provisional Government in April 1917?

Answer: The collapse of the first Provisional Government was sparked by the actions of Foreign Minister Pavel Milyukov. On April 18, 1917, he informed that Russia intended to remain in World War I until its completion. This sparked off a large public demonstration in Petrograd. The angry protests against Russia’s continued participation in the war led to the collapse of the first Provisional Government on April 24.

44. What were the key economic provisions imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer: The key economic provisions imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles included:

• Germany had to agree to compensate for all the damage done to the civilian population of the Allies and also the property damaged by her aggression by land, sea and air.
• A Reparation Commission assessed Germany’s debt as high as 660 Crores of Sterling Pound.
• Germany was to deliver large quantities of coal to France, Belgium and Italy for 15 years.
• A large number of horses, cattle, sheep, etc. was to be delivered to France and Belgium.
• For 5 years the Allies were given concessions on certain imports into and exports from Germany.
• Various other demands were pressed on Germany that crippled the German economy.

45. How did hyperinflation affect the German economy in the early 1920s?

Answer: Under the strain of post-war economic problems, the German money system collapsed, leading to disastrous results. The German currency, the Mark (Deutsch Mark), was not worth the paper it was printed on. German shopkeepers refused to accept money in exchange for goods, forcing people to resort to the ancient system of barter. The government began to print more and more currency notes, which resulted in a drop in the value of money. This reduction in the value of money ruined those who depended on wages and salaries paid in cash. Their life savings and hopes disappeared, making them ready to listen to anyone who would promise them a better future.

46. In what way did Hoover’s moratorium aim to alleviate the global financial crisis?

Answer: By the summer of 1931, the depression spread throughout the world, and the financial structure of central Europe collapsed totally. It became obvious that there would be no quick recovery. In such a situation, President Herbert C. Hoover persuaded the European powers to accept a moratorium on all war-debt and reparation payments to the defeated powers (of the World War I). This was known as the Hoover Moratorium. The moratorium was supposed to last only for a year, but actually the payments never resumed.

47. What methods did Mussolini employ to build support for the Fascist movement in Italy?

Answer: Mussolini, the architect of Fascist Italy, began his career as a journalist. As the editor of his own newspaper Il Popolo, he started propaganda that Italy needed a dictator for the solution of problems that had infected the country during the war (First World War). In 1918, his paper sought to create a new political movement which would promote both nationalism and social reform. In 1919, Mussolini founded the Fascist Party. When the Socialists organized a workers’ strike, the Fascists tried to utilize the opportunity in their favour. Mussolini openly declared that if the government did not stop the strikers the Fascists would step in. The Fascists’ stand had its effects; within days the strike collapsed. The action of the Fascists convinced people that they could be trusted. In October 1922, Mussolini organized the Fascists’ March on Rome, a show of strength which led King Victor Emmanuel III to invite Mussolini to form a new government.

48. What were the principal elements of Nazi ideology as set out in Mein Kampf?

Answer: The Nazi ideology was articulated in the Mein Kampf (My Struggle), which is Hitler’s autobiography, written when he was in jail for some time in 1923-1924. The Nazi ideology or Nazism may be described as follows:

a. The Germans were the only descendants of the Aryan race having ‘pure blood’. This was based on the ‘master race’ (Harrenvolk in German) theory that emphasized the racial superiority of the Germans.
b. Volksgemeinschaft, meaning that all the Germans would work together for the betterment of the nation.
c. There was no alternative to strong dictatorial government.
d. Creation of one-party state in lieu of democracy.
e. Aggressive nationalism was the final element in the Nazi ideology. This meant creation of an empire to include all the Germans living around the German frontiers. It was on this basis Hitler raised the demand for Lebensraum (living-space) for Germany.

49. How did the Nazi regime organise its institutions to maintain control over German society?

Answer: The Nazi Party (NSDAP) rapidly expanded the base of its support. The Nazi army called brown-shirt storm-troopers (SA) was expanded. The Nazi organization included the Gestapo, a secret police, Hitler Youth, the youth wing of the Nazis to attract the German youths to the Nazi ideal, etc. Besides, the Nazi Teachers Organization was also formed to attract the support of the German teachers. Once in power, Hitler proceeded to make himself the sole important person in the country to establish himself as a dictator. Hitler passed the Enabling Act (1933), through which he amassed all powers in his own hand and rendered the Reichstag or Parliament powerless. By the end of 1934, Hitler, while destroying the Weimar Republic, had eliminated all opposition parties. Individual rights were withdrawn. All the major offices of the state concentrated in the hands of one man, the Fuehrer. Democracy had been superseded by dictatorship. The Nazi doctrine included the principle of the individual being subservient to the state, and the state being subservient to the Party, which in turn was controlled by Hitler.

50. What conditions in Spain led to General Franco’s revolt in 1936?

Answer: Though Spain made some fortune remaining neutral in the First World War, yet basically it was a poor country economically. With inadequate industry and backward agriculture, there developed social discontent in the provinces. At the political level, before 1923, Spain had a parliamentary system of government, but it failed to work well for various reasons. For example, in Spain regional loyalties were very strong, extremists were also very active. Moreover, the Church and the army were both very powerful. The military thought that it had the right to step in and change the government in every crisis. Thus in Spain, the parliamentary system was discredited and hardly any able leadership emerged. The Spanish people were fed up with the political situation. After a period of military dictatorship under Primo de Rivera ended in 1930, Spain became a republic in 1931. Reforms introduced aroused hostility from right-wing groups. In the elections of February (1936) a ‘Popular Front’ (republicans, socialists, communists) won and formed the government. The new government was opposed by the right-winger Falange or the Spanish Fascist Party. Gradually Spain was once again in the grip of chaos and confusion. Strikes, burning of churches, assassinations and such other social disorder became the order of the day. It became clear that the government had lost control over the country. In such a chaotic situation General Franco, a soldier of military ability, organized a revolt in July 1936 against the Popular Front government.

51. What role did foreign intervention play in determining the outcome of the Spanish Civil War?

Answer: The Spanish Civil War assumed an international significance because it was being realized that the victory of Fascism would encourage more Fascist aggressions. The rebels, referred to as the ‘Nationalists’, under the leadership of Franco were supported by Italy and Germany, both of whom had gone Fascist. On the other hand, the ‘Republicans’ had the support of the Soviet Union where socialism had been established. Britain and France followed a policy of non-intervention and remained neutral. With the active support of Hitler and Mussolini, General Franco came out victorious in the Civil War (1936-1938). Besides, Hitler and Mussolini found another Fascist comrade in General Franco. Moreover, Germany in particular, got an opportunity for putting to test some of its newly devised weapons and war-planes in the Spanish Civil War.

52. How did the shift from War Communism to the New Economic Policy reflect a change in Soviet economic control?

Answer: During the hard days of the Civil War in Russia (1918-1921), the Bolshevik Government devised a system called War Communism, which meant state control over every aspect of the economic activities. The economic effect of War Communism was disastrous. The situation was saved by Lenin by introducing the New Economic Policy (NEP). In short, after a period of greater state-control over the economy, Lenin, as per the NEP, shifted to private or individual ownership in land and industry.

53. Analyse the impact of the First World War on Russia’s political structure leading to the February Revolution of 1917.

Answer: On account of Russia’s participation in the World War I, the Russian people were exposed to great hardships. Meanwhile, respect for the royal family of Russia was totally lost due to the undue influence of Tsar’s wife, Empress Alexandra and Rasputin, a Siberian monk. At the beginning of the year 1917, a series of strikes were called in Petrograd (later renamed Leningrad), the capital city. Troops were brought in to disperse the mobs roaming the streets. Strikes continued to expand, with more than 200,000 workers involved by February 25th, leading to occasional violent clashes. On March 1, a Provisional Government was formed. On March 12, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated. The Provisional Government declared Russia to be a ‘Republic’ and announced a programme of democratic reform and civil liberties. As the authority of the old Tsarist bureaucracy and the police force crumbled throughout the country, it was replaced by a number of popular councils leading to chaos and violence all around. This turmoil marked the end of the Tsarist autocracy and the first phase of the Russian Revolution, also known as the February Revolution (according to the Old Russian Calendar) or the March Revolution.

54. Discuss how the Treaty of Versailles contributed to the rise of aggressive nationalism in Germany.

Answer: The Treaty of Versailles was signed with Germany after her defeat in World War I. The Germans called the treaty a ‘dictated peace’ because they had had no voice in its drafting. The treaty caused great bitterness in Germany, especially because of the war guilt clause, which stated that the Germans accepted the full responsibility for having caused the war. The Germans felt betrayed by the treaty presented to them. Because of all this, every political party in Germany condemned the Treaty of Versailles as ‘unjust and unacceptable’. In a situation like this, aggressive or extreme nationalism made an appeal to the Germans. The aggressive nationalism found expression in the Nazi ideology. This aggressive nationalism called for more than a mere restoration of the 1914 frontiers; it meant the creation of an empire to include all the Germans who lived beyond the territorial limits of Kaiser William’s Germany, aiming to make Germany a superpower.

55. Evaluate the economic and political effects of the Great Depression on Italy and Germany.

Answer:

• Italy: The Great Depression was a worldwide phenomenon, and Italy did not escape its effects. A large number of companies collapsed, and unemployment rose high. The Italian fascist state had serious doubts about financial help from either the USA or European states. Italy tried to tackle the crisis by her own initiative. The state did a lot to avert the banks from collapsing. A public works scheme was introduced, and attention was paid to infrastructure development, which put the unemployed back to work. These governmental measures enabled the country to weather the depression a little better than her democratic neighbours. Despite all this, the Italian economy was still far from self-sufficient when Mussolini declared war in 1940. Politically, the Fascist government under Mussolini remained in power and used the crisis to implement state-led economic measures.
• Germany: The Wall Street Crash and the consequent Great Depression impacted Germany more than any other country. Unsupported by loans and challenged by a diminished export market, prices and wages fell whilst bankruptcies increased. Unemployment was another major socio-economic crisis. Depression in Germany was all pervasive, affecting everyone from small shop-keepers and manual workers to professionals. As world demand decreased, the agricultural depression deepened, leading to rural poverty. Politically, the republican government (Weimar Republic) then in power was unable to tackle the economic crisis. In such a situation, the people of Germany lost faith in the republic and saw salvation in solutions offered by political extremism. As the Depression began to take hold in the 1930s, the Nazi agitation gained increasing public sympathy, leading to the Nazis becoming the largest single party elected to the Reichstag in 1932. Hitler successfully exploited the situation and became the Chancellor in 1933, eventually establishing a dictatorship and eliminating the Weimar Republic. By 1938, under Nazi economic policies, Germany had completely recovered from the impact of the Depression, with a rise in wages, a reduction in unemployment, and an increase in food production, although the real benefits of economic growth may have accrued to the better-off.

56. Assess the international significance of the Spanish Civil War in the context of the rise of fascism.

Answer: The Civil War in Spain assumed an international significance because it was being realized that the victory of Fascism would encourage more Fascist aggressions. Besides, Hitler and Mussolini found another Fascist comrade in General Franco. Moreover, Germany in particular, got an opportunity for putting to test some of its newly devised weapons and war-planes in the Spanish Civil War.

57. Examine the shift of global power from Europe to the United States following the First World War and the Great Depression.

Answer: After the First World War, the political map of the world had changed, particularly in respect of Europe. The Ottoman Empire came to an end, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was disbanded, the German Empire of the Kaiser was exiled, France was destroyed, and Russia became the USSR. Britain retained some power, but the economies of the European countries (Russia excepted) became dependent on the USA. The USA was still a mighty power. The Great Depression of 1929 affected the US economy adversely, but within a few years, a programme of economic reconstruction and social welfare was started, production levels increased, and measures were undertaken to improve workers’ conditions and create employment. The economy of the USA recovered, industrial production picked up, and prosperity was restored. On the other hand, the European countries remained economically weak and militarily exhausted, and were in turmoil due to internal troubles and threats of dictatorship. The USA was in no danger either of civil war or of revolution. Thus, the USA emerged as the world power. In short, World War I weakened Europe and strengthened the USA. Europe’s primacy as the power-centre of the world came to an end, and its future looked bleak.