The Move to Global War, 1919-1939
In this 12 week class we will focus on the causes of the Second World War; students will investigate a series Interwar events analyzing well-researched sources. This class supports GCSE/A-Level/A.P. and I.B. Paper One courses of study.
Keith (M.A. Military History)
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(362)
What's included
12 live meetings
12 in-class hoursHomework
Exam students (upon request) will be given sample questions to complete in their own time. (optional)Class Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
The years 1931 to 1941 saw the development of nationalist and militarist governments in both Europe and Asia. As these regimes began to pursue aggressive foreign policies, the hopes for a peaceful world following the First World War collapsed. Increasingly, the idea of collective security. proved to be inadequate and by 1941much of the world was involved in a devastating conflict which would cost the lives of millions. This class deals first with the growth of Japanese nationalism and militarism, the resulting expansion of Japan into East Asia and the response of the Western democracies to Japan’s actions. It examines the events that led to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941; an event that transforms the European conflict into a global war. The second case study examines Italian Fascism and German Nazism. It looks at how the expansionist aims o. these governments led to the break down in collective security among the European powers and the descent into a European war in 1939. Case study 1: Japanese expansionism in East Asia 1.1 The impact of nationalism and militarism on Japan’s foreign policy: the origins, 1853-1930 1.2 Japanese expansion in South-east Asia, 1931-1941 Causes of expansion Events in Manchuria, 1931 What were the results o. the Manchurian crisis? Years of turmoil: The descent into the Dark Valley. 1.3 The international response to Japanese expansion, 1931-1941, The League of Nations. response to events in Manchuria 1931, The response of the League and Europe to events after 1932 The response o. China to events after 1932 The USA’s response to Japanese actions 1931 The USA’s response to events 1937 Why did the USA change its policy towards Japan after 1938? What was the reaction of the USA to the attack on Pearl Harbor? Case study 2: German and Italian expansion 2.1 The impact of fascism on Italian Foreign policy: the origins, 1870-1933 Mussolini’s rise to power What was the impact of the First World War on Italy, 1915-18? What is Fascism? Why did support for Fascism grow in Italy after the First World War? How did Mussolini consolidate his power? What factors influenced Mussolini’s foreign policy? How successful was Mussolini’s foreign policy in the 1920s? 2.2 The impact of Nazism on German foreign policy: the origins, 1918-1933 Why did support for Nazism grow after the First World War? What factors allows Hitler to become a dictator? The historical debate: Did Hitler have a clear plan for achieving his foreign policy goals when he took power in 1933? 2.3 Italian expansion, 1933-1940 What factors had an impact on Italy’s foreign policy in the 1930s? Italian foreign policy, 1935-39 Why did Italy intervene in the Spanish Civil War in 1936-39. What was Italy’s role during the Sudetenland crisis in September 1938? Why did Italy invade Albania in April 1939? Italy and the Second World War Changing diplomatic alignments in Europe after 1933 Germany’s challenges to the post-war settlements, 1933-38 2.4 German expansion, 1933-1938 Changing diplomatic alignments in Europe after 1933 Germany' s challenges to the post-war settlements, 1933-38 2.5 German expansion, 1938-1940 Challenging the post-war settlement after 1 937 Beyond the Treaty o. Versailles: The liquidation of Czechoslovakia German expansion: Poland Changing international alignments: The Pact of Steel, May 1939 The outbreak of war 2.6 International responses to Italian aggression, 1935-1940 What was the policy of appeasement and why was it pursued by Britain in the 1 930s? How was international response to aggression in the 1 930s affected by the weaknesses of the League of Nations? What was the impact of US foreign policy on the international response to the expansionist powers? What was the impact of Soviet foreign policy on the international response to the expansionist powers? What was the international response to the Italian invasion of Abyssinia in 1935-36? The end of appeasement of Mussolini’s Italy 2.7 The international response to German aggression, 1933-1940 The Second World War: The historical debate
Learning Goals
Students will learn about the factors which influenced the outbreak of war in 1939.
Students will understand the nature of causation in historical studies.
Students will learn how to use historical sources as evidence.
Students will use their critical thinking to answer challenging questions.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This is a course about the causes of war. This class is designed to support students taking high-level exams such as I.B./A.P./GCSE and AS/A-Level.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars Oxford IB Diploma Programme by David Smith
Authoritarian States Oxford IB Diploma Programme by Brian Gray.
Scholarly Works:
Aldrich, Richard J. (1993). The Key to the South: Britain, the United States, and Thailand during the Approach of the Pacific War, 1929–1942. New York: Oxford University Press.
Baker, Nicholson (2006). Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilization. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Deighton, Len (1993). Blood, Tears and Folly: An Objective Look at World War II. New York: HarperCollins.
Del Boca, Angelo (1969). The Ethiopian War, 1935–1941. Translated by Cummins, P. D. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Henig, Ruth (1985). The Origins of the Second World War 1933–1941. Taylor & Francis
Ienaga, Saburo (1978). The Pacific War: 1931–45. New York: Pantheon.
Iriye, Akira (1987). The Origins of the Second World War in Asia and the Pacific. New York and London: Longman.
Johnson, Ian Ona (2021). Faustian Bargain: The Soviet-German Partnership and the Origins of the Second World War. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-067514-1.
Martel, Gordon (1986). The Origins of the Second World War Reconsidered. Routledge.
McDonough, Frank (2011). The Origins of the Second World War: An International Perspective. Continuum. I
Murray, Williamson (1984). The Change in the European Balance of Power 1938–1939. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Neville, Peter (2000). Appeasing Hitler: The Diplomacy of Sir Nevile Henderson, 1937–39. Palgrave Macmillan.
Overy, Richard (2022). The Origins of the Second World War (5th ed.). Routledge.
Salerno, Reynolds Mathewson (2002). Vital Crossroads: Mediterranean Origins of the Second World War. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.
Taylor, A. J. P. (1961). The Origins of the Second World War. London: Hamish Hamilton.
Young, Robert J. (1996). France and the Origins of the Second World War. Palgrave Macmillan
Joined September, 2020
5.0
362reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
3 Degrees
Master's Degree in History from American Military University
Bachelor's Degree in Education from University of Maine at Farmington
Bachelor's Degree in History from Acadia University (Nova Scotia, Canada)
I am a certified (7-12) Social Studies teacher and have taught a variety of honors level courses (AS/A Level, KS3, GCSE, I.B. and A.P.) in both private and public schools over the past 30 years. Historical writing, source analysis, and exam preparation as well as an immersive approach to the study of history has made my classes both meaningful and enjoyable. My tutoring experience has spanned the entire 21st century with ACT, SAT, SSAT, ISEE, A.P. Histories, and Subject Tests. Reviews
Live Group Class
$21
weekly or $250 for 12 classes1x per week, 12 weeks
60 min
Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-18
3-16 learners per class
