Chapter 29 Reading Questions
The Collapse of the Old Order (1929-1949)
Page 766-769
- Define “Joseph Stalin” and “Five Year Plan” from the glossary.
- What is collectivization and how would it help Stalin meet his industrial goals?
- What is a kulak? How did the kulaks react to Stalin’s collectivization plans? Why do you think this was? What was the OVERALL effect of collectivization?
- What was the NKVD and how did they help Stalin accomplish the goal of industrialization?
Page 769-776
- How did a stock market crash turn into a spiral effect that became the Great Depression?
- How did high tariffs around the globe exacerbate the world economic problems of this period?
- How did France and Britain get through the Depression? Germany and Japan?
- Who was Mussolini and what was the movement that he started like?
- Briefly describe Hitler’s actions between 1933, when he came to power, and 1939, when WWII began.
- Why might the Nazi-Soviet pact have been very important to Hitler? To Stalin?
Page 779-784
- Between WWI and WWII, how did war tactics change and why?
- Why do you think the failure of the Battle of Britain was the beginning of the end for Hitler, although the end took a long time to arrive?
- Describe generally the war along the Eastern Front, including Leningrad and Stalingrad.
- Define “El Alamein” and “Battle of Midway” from the glossary.
- What action did the US and Britain take that caused Japan problems? What three options did Japan have? Do you agree with their choice? Why or why not?
- What did the Japanese claim to be doing in Southeast Asia? What do you think of this claim?
- Describe the end of the war, both in Europe and in Asia.
Page 786-790
- What were the characteristics of the new style of war and why had war changed?
- What was war like on the home fronts? How does this reflect the idea of “total war?”
- How did Cold War powers and alignments begin to emerge as the war ended? What began happening to colonies across the globe?