The Second World War and its Aftermath: WBBSE Class 9 History

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Summary

After the First World War, many countries in Europe tried democracy. People hoped for an age where countries governed themselves through elected parliaments. By 1920, most European nations, except Russia, were democratic. However, this did not last long. Within twenty years, dictatorships took over in many places. One person or one party held all the power. Democracy seemed to be failing. Democracies value open discussion, compromise, individual freedom, and voting rights. But economic problems like inflation and the Great Depression caused hardship. Social and racial conflicts also created instability. Political parties struggled to handle these crises. Some new constitutions, like Germany’s Weimar Constitution, even gave leaders emergency powers that could weaken democracy. Strong, popular dictators emerged, while democratic leaders seemed less effective.

Fascism and Nazism became powerful ideas. Fascism, seen clearly in Mussolini’s Italy, involved aggressive nationalism and racism, support from the masses, a single powerful leader, and aiming for economic self-sufficiency (autarchy). National frustration after World War I helped these movements grow. For example, Italians felt their victory in WWI was a ‘mutilated victory’, meaning they didn’t get the rewards they expected. Nationalism acted like a ‘springboard’, a starting point, launching Fascism. People feared socialism, and Fascist parties promised to stop it, gaining support from middle and upper classes. Dictatorships grew because many people lost faith in slow democratic processes and wanted strong, decisive action, a kind of ‘New Order’.

Britain and France tried a policy called appeasement towards Hitler’s Germany. They hoped to avoid war by giving in to some of his demands. They did not object when Germany rearmed or united with Austria. They signed the Munich Agreement, allowing Germany to take part of Czechoslovakia. But appeasement failed; Hitler soon took the rest of Czechoslovakia. World War II began on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. Britain and France then declared war on Germany. The main sides were the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) and the Allied Powers (Britain, France, later the Soviet Union and the USA).

The war started with a period called the ‘Phony War’, where little fighting happened on the Western Front. It was called ‘phony’ because it seemed like a fake war at first. Germany then used fast attacks called Blitzkrieg, or ‘lightning war’, to conquer much of Western Europe, including France. Germany tried to defeat Britain through air attacks in the Battle of Britain but failed. Hitler then broke his agreement with the Soviet Union and invaded it in 1941. The Soviets fought back fiercely. Japan attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in December 1941, bringing the USA into the war. The USA’s massive production of weapons and supplies greatly helped the Allies. Key turning points included Allied landings in Italy and the D-Day invasion of France in 1944, which pushed German forces back.

The Axis powers eventually collapsed. Italy surrendered first, and Mussolini was killed. Germany surrendered in May 1945 after Hitler took his own life as Allied forces closed in on Berlin. Japan surrendered in September 1945 after the USA dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war caused immense destruction but also led to major changes. Fascism was defeated. Science and technology advanced rapidly, leading to developments like nuclear weapons but also contributing to peace by making war too horrifying. The USA and the Soviet Union emerged as the world’s two superpowers. Many colonies in Asia and Africa gained independence. The war was truly global, affecting nearly every part of the world. It showed the dangers of aggressive nationalism and led to efforts towards international cooperation.

Textual Questions, Answers (Oriental)

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The type of government in Europe in the 1920s was :

(a) Dictatorship
(b) Anarchy
(c) Democratic
(d) Monarchy

Answer: (c) Democratic

2. One of the causes of the World War II was :

(a) European liberalism prior to 1939
(b) The expansionist policy of Nazi Germany
(c) Parliamentarian government in European countries
(d) Strong democracies in Europe

Answer: (b) The expansionist policy of Nazi Germany

3. The primary cause of the US participation in the World War II was ?

(a) Hitler’s invasion of Poland
(b) Declaration of war against Germany by Britain and France
(c) Japanese attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
(d) Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union

Answer: (c) Japanese attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbour

4. Which of the following was an instance of the Anglo-French policy of Appeasement?

(a) The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
(b) Hitler’s occupation of Sudetenland
(c) The Munich Pact
(d) Hitler’s attack on Poland

Answer: (c) The Munich Pact

Very-short Answer Type Questions

4. What was the Corfu incident?

Answer: The Corfu incident was a diplomatic and military crisis that occurred in 1923 between Italy and Greece.

5. Which political ideal encouraged aggressive nationalism?

Answer: Fascism encouraged aggressive nationalism. Nationalism was the springboard of Fascism, and aggressive nationalism and racism were characteristics of fascism. The idea of a political ‘New Order’, based on authoritarian rule, also gained prominence and encouraged alternatives to democracy like Fascism and Nazism, which exemplified aggressive nationalism.

6. Invasion of which country precipitated the World War II?

Answer: The invasion of Poland by Germany on 1 September 1939 precipitated the World War II, making a worldwide conflict inevitable.

7. Which city of Britain suffered great damage due to the Nazi air attack?

Answer: London suffered great damage due to air strikes by the Nazi Luftwaffe.

8. Which Pact signed in 1939 had an additional secret clause?

Answer: The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, signed in August 1939, had an additional secret clause. This clause, kept secret until the end of the war, allowed the division of eastern Europe into spheres of influence for the two powers, the Soviet Union and Germany.

Short Answer Type Questions

9. When was the Weimar Republic established?

Answer: The Weimar Republic was officially established in August 1919, following Germany’s defeat in the First World War

10. What was the springboard of Fascism?

Answer: Nationalism was the springboard of Fascism.

11. What led Britain and France to declare war against Hitler’s Germany?

Answer: Britain and France declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939 in retaliation for her attack on Poland, which occurred when Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939.

12. Why did the Soviets adopt scorched-earth policy against the Nazi invaders?

Answer: By adopting a scorched-earth policy and guerrilla tactics, the Soviets did not allow the Nazis to utilize the resources in the conquered area for their further conquests.

Long Answer Type Questions-I

13. Why would you say that Europe was on the brink of war in 1939?

Answer: By 1939 Europe was on the brink of another war. The causes leading to the hostilities included (a). Failure of the peace talks and initiatives at the end of the First World War (b). The expansionist policy pursued by Nazi Germany under the leadership of Hitler. (c). The policy of appeasement followed by Britain and France, and (d). The policy of isolationism followed by the USA. By the Munich Pact (1938), signed by the representatives of Britain, France, Germany and Italy, the occupation of Sudetenland (a part of Czechoslovakia) by Germany was agreed upon. Britain and France hoped that the agreement would put an end to Hitler’s territorial ambitions and demands. In fact, by the Munich Pact Hitler promised that he would discard war as a means to settle political disputes. With this belief Chamberlain, the then British Prime Minister, claimed that another world war had been avoided. But this was not to be. Soon it became clear that Hitler had bluffed all concerned when in March 1939 Hitler occupied entire Czechoslovakia. The seize of Czechoslovakia by Hitler alarmed the British and the French. They feared that Hitler would next annex Poland. Hence the British and French governments promised to stand by the Poles (people of Poland) in case of an attack from Germany.

14. What was the ‘Phony War’ during the World War II?

Answer: The period between the start of the World War II in 1939 and the German onslaught towards the West in 1940 came to be called the ‘Phony War’. During the period Hitler’s Soviet Russian ally invaded Poland in the east and the German troops in the west. As a result Poland quickly collapsed. On the other hand, the Allied strategy aimed only at holding off German pressure on Polish front. Indeed, the Allies missed the golden opportunity in striking Germany along the Siegfried Line where German defense system in her West was relatively weak. Thus for eight months there was a total inactivity of the Allies on the Western front which has won the contemptuous description of the ‘Phony War'(meaning ‘fake’ war). During this period the Allies instead of launching an offensive stood on the defensive behind the fortification of the Maginot Line.

15. Write a short account of the German attack on the Soviet Union.

Answer: Frustrated in his hopes of conquering Britain, Hitler again turned to the East. Ignoring his Non-Aggression Pact he launched a surprise assault on the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941. The Nazi divisions cut through the Russian defenses and moved deeply into the Soviet Union. Victory after victory was won. But despite German calculations the major cities like Moscow and Leningrad did not fall. By the end of 1941 the Soviet Union was definitely weakened but not crushed. Having failed in the first violent attacks to destroy the Soviet Union the German armies were stretched far forward in hostile territories. Supply problem relating to provisions and arms became severe and with harsh winter setting in Russians began to launch counter offensive. At the initial stage Hitler was successful in his attempt. But soon the table was turned against him as Hitler grossly underestimated the strength of the Soviet Red Army. By adopting a scorched-earth policy and guerrilla tactics, the Soviets did not allow the Nazis to utilize the resources in the conquered area for their further conquests.

16. What were the contributions of the USA in the World War II?

Answer: The American government stepped up its aid to Britain on a massive scale. Despite Pearl Harbour the US President Roosevelt insisted in giving priority to the European theatre of the global conflict. For, America’s huge production potential was always likely to ensure defeat of the Axis. The US economy was fully mobilized to produce huge quantity of weaponry including tanks, merchant shipping and aircrafts. Besides, about 1.5 Crore of men and women were enlisted in the war effort. It has been pointed out that the American entry into the war had another major consequence. It marked the decline of Europe which became more and more dependent on decisions made in Washington.

17. Would you say that the World War II was a truly a ‘global’ war?

Answer: The Second World War is called the really ‘global’ war for the first time. This is because of the simple fact that it was the only war fought on most of the inhabited parts of the earth. Over 90 million (900 Lakh) combatants were mobilized of which war dead ranged from 40 to 60 million (4 to 6 Crore). However, the Second World War was truly ‘global’ in the sense that it had started as a European war with invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany. Within days Britain and France formally declared war as Germany attacked the country. In 1941 Yugoslavia, Greece and the Soviet Union were engulfed into the war due to German invasion. The war spread to Asia due to the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbour that drew the USA into war against the Axis powers. The Japanese involvement in the war resulted fighting in Burma (present Myanmar) and much of South-east Asia and the Pacific. From 1942 onwards the war also spread to Africa. In view of the involvement of most of the countries of the globe in the war the Second World War was truly a ‘global war’.

18. What was the Pearl Harbour incident?

Answer: Pearl Harbour in Hawaii was the main US naval base. Although there was no formal declaration of war, the Japanese airforce attacked Pearl Harbour early on 7 December 1941 sinking as many as 19 ships, destroying 188 planes and killing 2400 people. Immediately the USA declared war on Japan, and within days Germany and Italy, who were Japan’s allies, declared war on the USA. American naval losses at Pearl Harbour gave an advantage to Japanese sea-power immediately after the attack. However, the strategically important aircraft carriers remained undamaged as these were not in the harbour at that time.

Long Answer Type Questions-II

19. Write how democracy was under strain between the two World Wars.

Answer: Democracy everywhere in Europe soon came under severe strain between the two World Wars. The causes may be described as follows:

• Economic crises included inflation in the post-War Europe.
• The Great Depression led to tariff barriers and disruption of trade.
• Some of the states suffered racial instability as a result of conflicting ethnic groups.
• Social disruption was caused due to growing hostilities towards the regime of different social classes.
• The economic, racial and social crises seriously impacted the political parties in different democracies. In such a state of affairs what was needed was a stable political framework to restore firm resolve to preserve democracy which was missing.
• The trend away from democracy was assisted by another defect that existed in some of the new constitutions. For example, the Weimar Constitution of Germany gave the president of the Republic emergency powers as and when he needed them. Thus Germany became authoritarian under the Weimar Republic. This provided the political atmosphere for the rise of a dictator like Hitler.
• It has been pointed out by Stephen J. Lee that the weakening of the democracies was also due to the absence of any really popular statesman during the inter-war period. Contrarily, the dictators of the period had tremendous popularity. The masses were tempted by their charisma.
• Thus weakness of democracy and the simultaneous emergence of great personalities, who were opposed to democracy, paved the way for the emergence of dictatorship in Europe.

20. What was the impact of the Second World War on contemporary world history?

Answer: Despite all the suffering and loss of life and materials the Second World War was of immense consequences. As pointed out by A. J. P. Taylor despite all the killing and destructions that accompanied it, ‘the Second World War was a good war’.

• With the defeat of the Axis powers the world was relieved of the scourge of Fascism.
• The conflict also brought about certain indirect benefits. Great advances were made in science and in state planning. In Britain, for example guidelines were laid down for the creation of Welfare State and state socialism.
• Even the invention of nuclear weapons with all their potential evils has in the long run benefited mankind. By multiplying man’s power to destroy his own kind, they have made the consequences of another war so horrifying that they have been an effective instrument for the prevention of war. It thus contributed to peace.
• As the destruction of material assets was enormous Europe seemed destined for some years to endure poverty and starvation. In contrast the USA appeared immensely strong.
• Out of the Second World War emerged two superpowers, namely the USA and the Soviet Union. It became clear after 1945 the two superpowers would enjoy a preponderant influence in world affairs.
• One of the most important changes that took place after 1945 was the appearance of a large number of new, independent states, most of them in Asia and Africa. The colonial empires of Britain and France disappeared. In their place new nations, such as India, Pakistan, Algeria, Nigeria and a host of independent countries emerged.

21. Write about the technological changes in war weaponry during the Second World War.

Answer: Technology played a crucial role in the course of the World War II and determining its course and outcome. In the beginning the combatants fought with technology that had remained mostly unchanged from World War I. However, within six years, between 1939 and 1945, technology experienced a rapid advance. Scientists were engaged by the both sides for the improvement in the technology in the war weaponry.

• In the European Theatre of the World War II air attacks became crucial throughout the war. It was possible for the German armies to overrun Western Europe with great speed in 1940 due to the use of aircrafts of improved technology.
• The Soviet JS-3 or the German Panther tank outclassed the best tanks used in the initial stage of the war.
• In the navy the battleship, long seen as a dominant element of sea power was displaced by the technological innovation of the aircraft carrier.
• The amphibious tanks, amphibious trucks, Higgins boat and many others were the new generation of weaponry developed during the war.
• Development in machine-gun technology culminated in the production of MG42 which was of an advanced design.
• The most dreaded and deadly weapon invented and devised during the World War II, however, was the Atom Bomb, and henceforth our age has come to be called the Nuclear Age. During the Second World War scientists on both sides were busy inventing weapons. Their motive was to invent such weapons that were more destructive than anything that the world had ever known. Apart from the technological changes that increased the effectiveness of the weaponry the German invented long-range rockets and flying bombs which needed no pilots. These were radio-controlled. These could land on the targets like cities where thousands of civilians — innocent men, women and children lived. But the most terrible weapon of all was the Atom Bomb, finally developed in the USA. This was a terrible weapon, thousands of time more destructive than any ordinary bomb. The Atom Bomb explodes using the energy that is produced when an atom or atoms split. One Atom Bomb is sufficient to destroy a whole town.

22. How aggressive nationalism has been a threat to internationalism.

Answer: Broadly speaking nationalism includes identical sentiments over allegiance to the state, traditional cultural heritage, unity among the people, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation. Nationalism in itself is not antagonistic to other fellow nations. But when it assumes an aggressive posture it may prove suicidal. In this regard the Nazi regime of Germany may be an example. As against ‘aggressive nationalism’ emerged the phenomenon of internationalism. Internationalism is a practice of politics based on cooperation or harmony among nations. Internationalism recognizes the right of all nations of national sovereignty, security and self-determination. It also includes cultural peace, socio-economic progress and right to defend country’s borders against external aggression. Aggressive nationalism is thus a threat because it opposes the cooperation, harmony, and mutual respect for sovereignty and security that define internationalism. It is worthy of mention here that the recent spate of international terrorism is a danger to the spirit of internationalism. The trend can only be eliminated if all the nations of the world stand united against the menace.

Extras

Additional MCQs

1. What slogan guided the post-First World War remaking of Europe?

A. Balance of power
B. Self-determination
C. Collective security
D. Popular sovereignty

Answer: B. Self-determination

2. In which year were almost all European states except Russia democratic?

A. 1918
B. 1920
C. 1925
D. 1930

Answer: B. 1920

3. What political system prevailed in most European states just before the Second World War?

A. Democracy
B. Theocracy
C. Dictatorship
D. Monarchy

Answer: C. Dictatorship

4. Which constitution granted emergency powers to the president, facilitating authoritarianism?

A. Weimar Constitution
B. Soviet Constitution
C. Italian Statute
D. French Charter

Answer: A. Weimar Constitution

5. What policy seeks to avoid war by making concessions to potential enemies?

A. Isolationism
B. Appeasement
C. Containment
D. Neutrality

Answer: B. Appeasement

6. What term describes the union of Austria with Germany in violation of the Treaty of Versailles?

A. Anschluss
B. Anschlussbewegung
C. Anschlusskrieg
D. Anbindung

Answer: A. Anschluss

7. Which agreement forced Czechoslovakia to cede the Sudetenland to Germany?

A. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
B. Munich Agreement
C. Treaty of Trianon
D. Paris Peace Accords

Answer: B. Munich Agreement

8. On what date did Germany invade Poland, triggering the Second World War?

A. September 1 1938
B. September 1 1939
C. October 1 1939
D. August 1 1939

Answer: B. September 1 1939

9. Which pact opened the way for Germany’s invasion of Poland?

A. Munich Pact
B. Rome–Berlin Axis
C. Nazi–Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
D. Locarno Treaties

Answer: C. Nazi–Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

10. When did Britain and France declare war on Germany?

A. September 3 1939
B. November 3 1939
C. September 1 1939
D. October 3 1939

Answer: A. September 3 1939

11. What name was given to the eight-month period of Allied inactivity on the Western Front?

A. Blitzkrieg
B. Phony War
C. Sitzkrieg
D. Winter War

Answer: B. Phony War

12. Which defensive fortification did the Allies use on the French–German border?

A. Siegfried Line
B. Maginot Line
C. Hindenburg Line
D. Gothic Line

Answer: B. Maginot Line

13. What style of warfare, meaning ‘lightning war’, did Germany use in early conquests?

A. Blitzkrieg
B. Volkssturm
C. Panzerfaust
D. Blitzbau

Answer: A. Blitzkrieg

14. Which Scandinavian countries did Germany conquer in early 1940?

A. Sweden and Finland
B. Denmark and Norway
C. Iceland and Denmark
D. Finland and Norway

Answer: B. Denmark and Norway

15. On what date did Winston Churchill become British Prime Minister?

A. May 10 1939
B. May 10 1940
C. June 10 1940
D. June 10 1939

Answer: B. May 10 1940

16. Which branch of the German military conducted air strikes against London?

A. Kriegsmarine
B. Heer
C. Luftwaffe
D. Waffen-SS

Answer: C. Luftwaffe

17. By which month and year had German air attacks on Britain reduced due to RAF losses?

A. August 1940
B. September 1940
C. October 1940
D. July 1940

Answer: B. September 1940

18. On which date did Germany launch a surprise assault on the Soviet Union?

A. June 22 1941
B. July 22 1941
C. May 22 1941
D. August 22 1941

Answer: A. June 22 1941

19. Which policy involved destroying resources to hinder enemy advance on Soviet territory?

A. Blitzkrieg
B. Scorched-earth
C. Guerrilla warfare
D. Encirclement

Answer: B. Scorched-earth

20. Which mutual aid pact was signed between Britain and the Soviet Union?

A. Anglo-Soviet Treaty
B. Russo-British mutual aid pact
C. Allies Charter
D. Atlantic Charter

Answer: B. Russo-British mutual aid pact

21. Which act kept the United States neutral before entering the Second World War?

A. Neutrality Act of 1935
B. Neutrality Act of 1936
C. Neutrality Act of 1937
D. Lend-Lease Act

Answer: C. Neutrality Act of 1937

22. What event prompted the United States to abandon isolationism and enter the war?

A. D-Day landing
B. Battle of Britain
C. Attack on Pearl Harbour
D. Fall of Singapore

Answer: C. Attack on Pearl Harbour

23. On what date did Japanese forces attack Pearl Harbour?

A. December 6 1941
B. December 7 1941
C. December 8 1941
D. December 9 1941

Answer: B. December 7 1941

24. Which two cities were targeted by atomic bombs in August 1945?

A. Tokyo and Osaka
B. Hiroshima and Nagasaki
C. Kyoto and Yokohama
D. Sapporo and Kobe

Answer: B. Hiroshima and Nagasaki

25. What was the code name for the United States project that developed the atomic bomb?

A. Operation Overlord
B. Manhattan Project
C. Project Trinity
D. Operation Torch

Answer: B. Manhattan Project

26. Which bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6 1945?

A. Fat Man
B. Little Boy
C. Thin Man
D. Big Boy

Answer: B. Little Boy

27. When did Japan officially surrender to the Allies?

A. August 15 1945
B. September 2 1945
C. September 8 1945
D. October 1 1945

Answer: B. September 2 1945

28. What is the term for extreme economic self-sufficiency promoted by fascist regimes?

A. Autonomy
B. Autarchy
C. Corporatism
D. Collectivism

Answer: B. Autarchy

29. Which pact, signed in 1936 between Germany and Japan, preceded the formation of the Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis?

A. Anti-Comintern Pact
B. Tripartite Pact
C. Stresa Front
D. Little Entente

Answer: A. Anti-Comintern Pact

30. On which date did Allied forces launch the Normandy invasion known as D-Day?

A. June 5 1944
B. June 6 1944
C. June 7 1944
D. June 8 1944

Answer: B. June 6 1944

31. Which dictator was executed after the collapse of Italy in April 1945?

A. Adolf Hitler
B. Benito Mussolini
C. Hideki Tojo
D. Francisco Franco

Answer: B. Benito Mussolini

32. Where did British and American troops meet Soviet forces in 1945?

A. Danube
B. Elbe
C. Rhine
D. Oder

Answer: B. Elbe

33. On what date did Adolf Hitler commit suicide?

A. April 28 1945
B. April 29 1945
C. April 30 1945
D. May 1 1945

Answer: C. April 30 1945

34. On what date did Germany officially surrender to end the war in Europe?

A. May 7 1945
B. May 8 1945
C. May 9 1945
D. May 10 1945

Answer: B. May 8 1945

35. Which two nations emerged as superpowers after the war?

A. Britain and USA
B. USA and Soviet Union
C. USSR and China
D. USA and France

Answer: B. USA and Soviet Union

36. Approximately how many combatants were mobilised during the Second World War?

A. 50 million
B. 90 million
C. 120 million
D. 200 million

Answer: B. 90 million

37. How many people were killed or went missing in the Second World War?

A. 10–20 million
B. 20–30 million
C. 40–60 million
D. 70–80 million

Answer: C. 40–60 million

38. How long did the siege of Leningrad last?

A. 365 days
B. 500 days
C. 872 days
D. 1,000 days

Answer: C. 872 days

39. Which new tank design was introduced by the Soviets during the war?

A. T-34
B. JS-3
C. Panther
D. Sherman

Answer: B. JS-3

40. Which technological innovation displaced the battleship as the dominant sea-power element?

A. Submarine
B. Destroyer
C. Aircraft carrier
D. Cruiser

Answer: C. Aircraft carrier

41. What was the name of the German advanced machine-gun developed during the war?

A. MG34
B. MG42
C. MG15
D. MG08

Answer: B. MG42

42. What type of vessel, vital for amphibious assaults, was developed by the Allies?

A. Landing Craft Tank
B. PT boat
C. Higgins boat
D. Destroyer

Answer: C. Higgins boat

43. Which organization founded after the war aimed to promote international cooperation?

A. League of Nations
B. United Nations Organisation
C. Warsaw Pact
D. NATO

Answer: B. United Nations Organisation

44. What practice opposes aggressive nationalism by fostering harmony among nations?

A. Nationalism
B. Isolationism
C. Internationalism
D. Realpolitik

Answer: C. Internationalism

45. What economic crisis in post-First World War Europe weakened democracies?

A. Recession
B. Inflation
C. Deflation
D. Stagflation

Answer: B. Inflation

46. Which factor did not contribute to the strain on democracy between the wars?

A. Tariff barriers
B. Hostilities between classes
C. Extension of suffrage
D. Racial instability

Answer: C. Extension of suffrage

47. Which idea advocated replacing parliamentary government with authoritarian rule?

A. New Order
B. New Deal
C. New Britain
D. New World Order

Answer: A. New Order

48. Which political ideology combined nationalism, mass support, leader principle and autarchy?

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

Answer: C. Fascism

49. Which two colonial empires disappeared after the war, giving rise to new independent nations?

A. French and Spanish
B. British and French
C. Dutch and British
D. Portuguese and Belgian

Answer: B. British and French

50. Which historian described the Second World War as “a good war” despite its destruction?

A. A. J. P. Taylor
B. Stephen J. Lee
C. R. J. Overy
D. Winston Churchill

Answer: A. A. J. P. Taylor

Additional Questions, Answers

1. What were the characteristic features of a democratic state?

Answer: The characteristic features of democracy include open-minded critical enquiry and ‘mutual regard and compromise’. The opposition functions as a legitimate partner of the democratic system. Democracy refuses to go by one party rule and recognizes ‘individual liberty’. Democracy also envisages extension of voting right (suffrage) and strengthening the powers of representative institutions like parliament.

2. What does “autarchy” mean?

Answer: Autarchy means economic self-sufficiency.

3. What emergency powers did the Weimar Constitution grant to the president of the Republic of Germany?

Answer: The Weimar Constitution of Germany gave the president of the Republic emergency powers as and when he needed them.

4. What is appeasement?

Answer: Appeasement is a term of abuse signifying a policy born of cowardice and stupidity. In other words appeasement is a form of foreign policy that seeks to avoid war making concessions to a potential enemy.

5. What did the term “Anschluss” refer to?

Answer: The term “Anschluss” referred to the union of Austria with Germany.

6. What did the Munich Agreement of 1938 compel Czechoslovakia to do?

Answer: The Munich Agreement of 1938 compelled Czechoslovakia to cede (hand over) Sudetanland to Germany.

7. What name was given to the period of inactivity on the Western front between 1939 and 1940?

Answer: The period between the start of the World War II in 1939 and the German onslaught towards the West in 1940 came to be called the ‘Phony War’.

8. What was the Blitzkrieg?

Answer: The Blitzkrieg (lightening war) was the style of war that Germany conducted and successfully defeated the countries it attacked.

9. Which countries initially formed the Allied Powers at the outbreak of the Second World War?

Answer: At the outbreak of the Second World War, the Allied Powers principally consisted of Britain, France and Poland.

10. Which two major powers joined the Allies in 1941?

Answer: The USSR and the USA joined the Allied Powers in 1941.

11. Which countries comprised the main Axis Powers?

Answer: The Axis Powers were Germany, Italy (from 1940) and Japan (from 1941).

12. Under which act did the United States follow a policy of isolation at the outbreak of the Second World War?

Answer: At the outbreak of the World War II the USA remained committed to a policy of isolation or non-participation under the ‘Neutrality Act’ of 1937.

13. What event caused the United States to declare war on Japan?

Answer: The United States declared war on Japan immediately after the Japanese airforce attacked Pearl Harbour early on 7 December 1941, sinking as many as 19 ships, destroying 188 planes and killing 2400 people.

14. What was the code name of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima?

Answer: The code name of the atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima was Little Boy.

15. What was the code name of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki?

Answer: The code name of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki was Fat Man.

16. How many days did the Siege of Leningrad last?

Answer: The Siege of Leningrad continued for 872 days.

17. When did Winston Churchill become Prime Minister of Britain?

Answer: Sir Winston Churchill became the new Prime Minister of Britain on 10 May 1940.

18. When did Germany invade Poland?

Answer: Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939.

19. When did Britain and France declare war on Germany?

Answer: Britain and France declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939 in retaliation of her attack on Poland.

20. When did Adolf Hitler commit suicide?

Answer: Adolf Hitler committed suicide on Monday, 30 April 1945.

21. When did the Second World War officially end in Europe?

Answer: The Second World War in Europe was officially over on 8 May 1945.

22. When did Japan surrender officially?

Answer: Japan surrendered officially on 2 September 1945.

23. Which naval vessel replaced the battleship as the dominant element of sea power during the Second World War?

Answer: In the navy the battleship, long seen as a dominant element of sea power was displaced by the technological innovation of the aircraft carrier.

24. Name one example of an amphibious vehicle developed during the Second World War.

Answer: The amphibious tanks, amphibious trucks, and Higgins boat were among the new generation of weaponry developed during the war.

25. What was the “New Order” idea that gained prominence in inter-war Europe?

Answer: Throughout the inter-war period, the intellectual movement that gained prominence all over Europe was the idea of some kind of political ‘New Order’. The idea was based on authoritarian rule and that an active government should supplant parliamentarianism.

26. What were the main causes that brought Europe to the brink of war in 1939?

Answer: By 1939 Europe was on the brink of another war. The causes leading to the hostilities included:

(a) Failure of the peace talks and initiatives at the end of the First World War
(b) The expansionist policy pursued by Nazi Germany under the leadership of Hitler.
(c) The policy of appeasement followed by Britain and France, and
(d) The policy of isolationism followed by the USA.

27. Why did the policy of appeasement by Britain and France fail to prevent the Second World War?

Answer: The Anglo-French policy of appeasement was unsuccessfully followed by Britain and France towards Germany between 1936 and 1939. For instance, Britain and France raised no objection when Hitler started rearmament repudiating the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, nor when the union of Austria with Germany occurred in violation of the treaty terms. Another instance was the Munich Agreement of 1938, where Britain and France compelled Czechoslovakia to cede Sudetenland to Germany. Britain and France put their signature to the Munich Agreement in the hope that it would put an end to Hitler’s territorial demands, feeling that their policy of appeasement had avoided another world war. But this was not to be. Soon it became clear that Hitler had bluffed all concerned when in March 1939, Hitler occupied the whole of Czechoslovakia, ignoring the promise he had made at Munich. Thus the Anglo-French policy of appeasement failed to prevent war.

28. How did the Blitzkrieg enable Germany to conquer Norway, Denmark, Belgium and France in early 1940?

Answer: In early 1940, Germany within a very short time completed the conquest of Norway and Denmark. In May the same year, Belgium and Holland were invaded. Next month the German armies launched an attack against France, and the French government surrendered. The style of war that Germany conducted and successfully defeated these countries came to be known as the Blitzkrieg (lightening war). It was possible for the German armies to overrun Western Europe with great speed in 1940 due to the use of aircraft of improved technology.

29. What strategic factors determined the outcome of the Battle of Britain?

Answer: By 1940, Hitler confidently expected that the British would be forced to sue for peace, but he was disappointed. Sir Winston Churchill became the new Prime Minister and under his leadership, Britain renewed the determination to fight the Nazis. Though initially London suffered great damage due to air strikes of the Nazi Luftwaffe, the expected decline in British strength failed to appear. The Luftwaffe began to suffer enormous losses of planes from the Royal Air Force of Britain. By September 1940, it appeared to the Germans that they would not be able to harm Britain significantly. The air attacks therefore were reduced, although they continued.

30. What motivated Hitler to invade the Soviet Union despite the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, and what were the main results of this invasion?

Answer: Hitler’s next move after the failure of the Battle with Britain was against his ally, the Soviet Union. Hitler hated the communists from the very core of his heart and considered the Russians as an inferior race. He invaded the Soviet Union at a time when the Non-Aggression Pact between the two was very much in force. The factors that prompted Hitler to invade the Soviet Union are as follows: Hitler was not at all sincere in signing the Pact with the Soviets; he signed it as a strategic move. Without winning over the Soviet Union to his side, it would have been impossible for the Nazis to win the wars of 1939-1940. The occupation of Bulgaria and Yugoslavia by Hitler aroused mistrust between Hitler and Stalin. The most important factor that forced Hitler to invade the Soviet Union was to get direct access to the latter’s resources. Hitler thought that an attack upon the Soviets would weaken the Western democratic powers’ determination to smash the Nazis.

On Sunday, 22 June 1941, the Nazis launched an attack across the Soviet frontier. At the initial stage, Hitler was successful in his attempt. But soon the table was turned against him as Hitler grossly underestimated the strength of the Soviet Red Army. By adopting a scorched-earth policy and guerrilla tactics, the Soviets did not allow the Nazis to utilize the resources in the conquered area for their further conquests. The most important result of Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union was the increase in the strength of the Allied Powers.

31. How did the United States mobilise its economy and society to support the Allied war effort?

Answer: The American government stepped up its aid to Britain on a massive scale. Despite Pearl Harbour, the US President Roosevelt insisted on giving priority to the European theatre of the global conflict. For, America’s huge production potential was always likely to ensure defeat of the Axis. The US economy was fully mobilized to produce huge quantities of weaponry including tanks, merchant shipping and aircrafts. Besides, about 1.5 Crore of men and women were enlisted in the war effort.

32. Why was the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 important, and what was its outcome?

Answer: The state leaders of Britain, the USA and the Soviet Union finally decided to invade northern France (then under German occupation) to put pressure upon the Nazi occupiers. This was the importance of the Allied invasion of Normandy.

After full preparation, the target date, the so-called ‘D-Day’, for an attack was fixed on 6 June 1944. On that day the cross channel war on France began. After the Battle of Normandy, Paris was taken by the Allies and the retreating German troops were pursued by the Allied army in all directions. This was the outcome.

33. In what ways did new technological innovations during the Second World War change naval and air warfare?

Answer: Technology played a crucial role in the course of the World War II and determining its course and outcome. In the European Theatre of the World War II, air attacks became crucial throughout the war. It was possible for the German armies to overrun Western Europe with great speed in 1940 due to the use of aircrafts of improved technology.

In the navy, the battleship, long seen as a dominant element of sea power, was displaced by the technological innovation of the aircraft carrier. The amphibious tanks, amphibious trucks, Higgins boat and many others were the new generation of weaponry developed during the war.

30. Why is the Second World War described as the first truly global war?

Answer: The Second World War is called the really ‘global’ war for the first time because it was the only war fought on most of the inhabited parts of the earth. Over 90 million (900 Lakh) combatants were mobilized. However, the Second World War was truly ‘global’ in the sense that it had started as a European war with the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany. Within days Britain and France formally declared war as Germany attacked the country. In 1941 Yugoslavia, Greece and the Soviet Union were engulfed into the war due to German invasion. The war spread to Asia due to the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbour that drew the USA into war against the Axis powers. The Japanese involvement in the war resulted fighting in Burma (present Myanmar) and much of South-east Asia and the Pacific. From 1942 onwards the war also spread to Africa. In view of the involvement of most of the countries of the globe in the war the Second World War was truly a ‘global war’.

31. What were the immediate geopolitical consequences of the Second World War, including the rise of superpowers and decolonisation?

Answer: Out of the Second World War emerged two superpowers, namely the USA and the Soviet Union. It became clear after 1945 the two superpowers would enjoy a preponderant influence in world affairs. One of the most important changes that took place after 1945 was the appearance of a large number of new, independent states, most of them in Asia and Africa. The colonial empires of Britain and France disappeared. In their place new nations, such as India, Pakistan, Algeria, Nigeria and a host of independent countries emerged.

32. How did the features of aggressive nationalism differ from those of internationalism in the post-war period?

Answer: Broadly speaking nationalism includes identical sentiments over allegiance to the state, traditional cultural heritage, unity among the people, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation. Nationalism in itself is not antagonistic to other fellow nations. But when it assumes an aggressive posture it may prove suicidal, as the Nazi regime of Germany may be an example. As against ‘aggressive nationalism’ emerged the phenomenon of internationalism. Internationalism is a practice of politics based on cooperation or harmony among nations. Internationalism recognizes the right of all nations of national sovereignty, security and self-determination. It also includes cultural peace, socio-economic progress and right to defend country’s borders against external aggression.

33. What were the characteristics of fascism and how did they contribute to its appeal in inter-war Europe?

Answer: The characteristics of fascism were as follows:

1. Aggressive nationalism and racism
2. Mass support
3. The leader principle
4. Undecided relationship with socialism
5. Autarchy (economic self-sufficiency)

Nationalism was the springboard of Fascism, stemming from a profound sense of frustration in countries like Germany and Italy after World War I; this national frustration was a major factor that paved the way to the rise of Fascism. Fascist movements won support from every class because the Fascist ideas seemed new and patriotic, attracting common people including the youths and the middle class unlike other parties. Soon after the war, charismatic leaders began to emerge, becoming a focus of loyalty, especially in Germany during a period of insecurity. Furthermore, at a time when democratic institutions failed, many Germans and Italians wanted to feel that there was a strong hand at the helm. Fascism also appealed to the European middle and upper classes out of fear of socialism; the threat of the Bolshevik Revolution scared them, and they became supporters of the Fascist parties which promised to contain the socialist threat.