WHAP: AP Review

KBP 1

Period VI 1900 to present

20% of the AP Exam
Overall Changes

The 20th century was a time when the world got smaller. Communication and transportation
made it possible to connect to every part of the globe and even into outer space.
The United States came to dominate the world during the 20th century and American culture spread
everywhere.
The 20th century has been the most violent century in history.
The second half of the 20th century was dominated by the tension between the United States and
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
New countries were created: the end of World War I created 10 new countries, between 1945 and
1980, 90 former European colonies fought for and won their independence, and the fall of the USSR
created 15 new countries

Effects of Global Events

Global Event

Impact

World War I & II

Reduction of European influence outside of Europe (end of

imperialism)
Rise of the power of the United States

Holocaust

Creation of the state of Israel - tension in Middle East

Concept of crimes against humanity

The Cold War

Globalization of diplomacy and conflict

Countries were either aligned with the east (Soviets Communism) or the west (U.S. - capitalism)

Nuclear Weaponry

Tensions increased between the major powers

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

Nature of War in the 20th Century

Technology increasing during the 20th century allowed for more casualties in war but did not do what was
originally promised - make wars shorter. Many of the new characteristics of war in the 20th century can be
seen in World War II.
Wars become global - Wold War II was truly fought in all corners of the globe. Only 11 countries did
not become directly involved in the war. The proxy wars of the Cold War also became global in
nature with many countries fighting in one country which in may ways is a result of the important of
organizations like NATO and the United Nations.
Technology - Although airplanes and tanks had been used in World War I, they came to dominate
World War II. Technologies such as radar and more accutate and powerful weaponry, helped
submarines and warships to targe the enemy. As the century progressed techonology came to play
an even bigger role in the hopes of decreasing the necessity of soldiers to fight a war. In the 21st
century the wars have been aided by technology like unmanned drones.
Widespread killing of civilians - Whereas civilian casualities were not unique to World War II, the
war is charactericized by deliberate targeting of non-military people. Because the bombings sought
to destroy the industrail infastructure, they focused on urban areas where many people lived. In
some cases the bombs were intended to torment populations so that the enemy would surrender.
Besides bombings during war civilians also died through deliberate targeting of undesirabales or
the wrongful actions of soldiers: Armenian genocide, Holocaust, My Lai massacre, etc.


WHAP: AP Review

KBP 2

New Patterns of Nationalism

Nationalism was an important force during the 20th century as it had been in the previous era. People under
the control of imperialism nations continued to strive for their own identities, and new, independent nations
popped up in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Nationalist movements also were a major cause of the late
20th century breakup of the Soviet Union, again changing the balance of world power in the post-Cold War
era.
Patterns of
Nationalism

Examples

Types of Authority
Used

Effects

Interwar years

Italy: Benito Mussolini

Spain: Francisco Franco
Germany Adolf Hitler
China: Chiang Kai-shek
Japan: Hideki Tojo

Charismatic
Totalitarian state

Quality of life improves

for supporters
Imperialism - invasions of
others, i.e. Italy invades
Ethiopia, Germany
invades Poland; Japan
invades Manchuria
Split between Socialists
and Communists

Decolonization

South Asia
: Pakistan,
India, Bangladesh
Africa
: Nigeria, Ghana,
Algeria, Kenya, Tunisia,
Angola
Middle East
: Egypt,
Israel
Southeast Asia
:
Vietnam, Indonesia

Mohandas Gandhi
(charismatic): Salt March
Jawaharlal Nehru
(rational-legal = elections)
Kwame Nkrumah
(charismatic, traditional)
FLN (National
Liberation Front)
(rational-legal)
Nelson Mandela
(charismatic,
rational-legal)
Ho Chi Minh
(charismatic,
rational-legal)

Non-violence used to end

British rule
Independence in 1947
Partition of India &
Pakistan

Traditional, charismatic
Rational-legal when
democratic elections are
held in 1990s

Break up of Soviet Union

nations
New economic and
political systems for
nation in Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe and

former Soviet Union

Mikhail Gorbachev
Boris Yeltsin
Poland
Czech Republic
Romania

Independence of colonies
in Africa

Diem Bein Phu; French

leave Indochina but
conlict with the US
happens in 1960s

Effects of World Wars & Cold War Outside of Europe and the United States
Area

Effects of WWI

Effects of WWII

Effects of Cold War

Africa

Changed attitude towards

colonization
Desire for independence

Contact with other

colonized people led to
increased demands for
independence

More civil wars and

conflicts with neighboring
countries because of
weapons supplied by U.S.
and U.S.S.R

East Asia

Chinese leaders were

excluded from having a
voice at Paris Peace
Conference
Japan got territory from
China

Japan became an
imperialist power before
and during WWII
Korea and China attacked
by Japan

Japan became economic

power
China becomes
communist
Korean and Vietnam Wars


WHAP: AP Review

KBP 3

Middle East

Division of Ottoman
Empire - creation of
modern day state of
Turkey
Armenian Genocide
Balfour Declaration
Lawrence of Arabia

Creation of Israel as a
nation-state
Importance of oil for
industrialized countries
and for OPEC nations

Non-aligned movement
Importance of oil for
industrialized countries
and for OPEC nations

Latin America

Increased production
during war led to
recession afterwards as
demand for agricultural
and manufactured
products decreased from
Europe

Increased production
during war led to
recession afterwards as
demand for agricultural
and manufactured
products decreased from
Europe
Concern from Vargas
making Brazil part of the
Axis led to increased aid
from U.S. to Brazil

More civil wars and

conflicts with neighboring
countries because of
weapons supplied by U.S.
and U.S.S.R
Non-aligned movement
Spread of communism

Definition of Marxism by Leader

Marxist Philosopher

Definition of Marxism

Effects

Karl Marx and

Friedrich Engels

Scientific Socialism
Dialectical materialism
Class conflict (bourgeoisie vs. proletariat)
Spontaneous revolt by proletariat in highly
industrialized countries

Inspired revolutionaries
worldwide

Vladimir Lenin

Small cadre of committed intellectual elite could

force a Communist revolution in any country in
the world being exploited by the capitalists
Mostly urban leadership and revolutionaryy
followers

Inspired Chinese and

other Communist
revolutions worldwide

Joseph Stalin

Socialism in one country - focus on USSR s

communism
Forced industrialization

Transformed the USSR

into an industrialized
country and military
superpower

Mao Zedong

Rural peasantry should be the base for the

revolution led by a small cadre of committed
intellectual elite.

Transformed China into

a third superpower
(atomic bomb program)
Vietnamese
Communists

Fidel Castro

Small group of guerillas in rural areas could

organize coalition to overthrow corrupt leader

Inspired Communist
movements and
revolutions in other
Latin American
countries
Served as proxy for
USSR in Angola


WHAP: AP Review

KBP 4