WORLD WAR

Posted: March 27th, 2020

WORLD WAR

Name

Course

Date

Question A

            The ambitions of Nicholas II triggered the Russo-Japanese War. During his tenure, Nicholas II wanted to extend the influence of the Russian empire to the Far East. Russia was bullish about its war prowess because it considered Japan as a weak opponent.[1] However, the military and industrial development of Japan at the time had expanded significantly. After 18 months, the Japanese forces subdued the Empire’s army. The consequences of the war manifested in different ways to the Russian population and the regional geopolitics. In particular, the Russian regime lost its popularity and legitimacy in the eyes of the public.

                The war was costly to the Russian taxpayer. The economy of the country suffered a significant loss, hence, forcing the government to increase taxes on the population. In addition, people lost jobs because of the closure of many producers and manufacturers. The living conditions of the Russian people were significantly harsh. As an outcome, the people began to revolt against the government by engaging in radical approaches. Aside from the nature of their living situations, rebellions were the result of the humiliation that the Russian Empire suffered despite its strong military capacity.

The defeat forced Russia to recognize Japan as an economic and industrial power. In fact, Russia’s actions may have led to the development of the Treaty of Portsmouth.[2] The agreement asserted the dominance of Japan and established its control over Korea. Due to the implications of the accord, the economic interests of Russia in Korea suffered greatly. Additionally, Russia’s disgrace imposed a debilitating impact on its geopolitical dominance, forcing it to surrender its military base in China to the Japanese.

Question B

            The Second World War, which occurred in 1939 and ended in 1945, was a contest between the Allies and the Axis powers. The Axis powers were Italy, Japan, and Germany. On the other hand, the allied nations were Russia, Britain, and France.[3] The war’s primary trigger was the assault of Germany on Poland. However, other intricate factors that involved Germany’s relations with other European countries were responsible for the incident.

            The First World War, which ended in 1918, was primarily due to Germany’s actions. Consequently, discussions began on sanctions to deter the nation from further armed engagements.[4] Heads of States and Governments met severally to discuss the punishment to mete out to Germany. As reparation for the war, the Treaty of Versailles ordered the country to return territories that it had taken in the Franco-Prussian War. However, Germany felt aggrieved for the international condemnation as well as the nature of the Treaty’s conditions.

Furthermore, the ascendancy of Adolf Hitler to power contributed considerably to the start of the War. Hitler took over leadership at a time when the effects of the Versailles Treaty were devastating the German economy.[5] The unemployment rate was skyrocketing, and there was a mood of frustration all over the nation. Hitler took advantage of the moment by projecting hope to the people. After assuming headship over the Nazi Party, Hitler began a reign of dictatorship in the veil of simple solutions to the nation’s challenges.

            Between 1929 and 1939, the global economy experienced the adverse impacts of the Great Depression. The economic downturn was also a significant cause of the incident.[6] The poverty levels in Japan and the massive unemployment in Germany triggered anger and disapproval. In that regard, the masses became easy targets for dictatorial regime manipulations, allowing them to utilize the people’s displeasure with their governments for control.

            The policy of appeasement also caused the war. The appeasement policy was a thoughtful decision taken by some leaders in Europe to make concessions to the aggressive powers to avoid conflicts.[7] Several British Prime Ministers adopted the plan with the chief proponent being Neville Chamberlain. The leaders readily adopted the concessions because many nations had not forgotten the trauma caused by the First World War. The policy helped in averting wars in the short term. However, the overwhelming effect of the approach on Germany caused a shift in diplomatic efforts as illustrated by the country’s invasion of Poland.

Question C

            Winston Churchill prominently used the term, “Iron Curtain,” in one of his speeches. In the statement, Churchill was referring to the boundary that divided Eastern and Western Europe.[8] The iron curtain also symbolized the blockage applied by the Soviet Union, whose primary goal was to restrict the country’s territories from contacting the West. Winston Churchill was advocating for the freedom of speech and peaceful coexistence in Europe. The speech crystallized the situation that was facing Western Democracies and the United States at the time. Additionally, it forecasted the Cold War and suggested it as the best way to preempt World War III.

            To the American audience, the speech was enlightening on the political difficulties in Europe. Winston Churchill was categorical that the democratic West should not repeat the same mistakes from the World War I and II.[9] Therefore, the speech encouraged the amassment of nuclear weapons by the United States. Churchill thought that deterrence was the best way to avert future wars. The speech spoke against the American tradition of isolation. A challenge in Europe would eventually affect the United States and the whole world in extension.

Question D

            Globalization is the process of integration between companies and governments from all over the world. In recent times, globalization has expanded rapidly because of the advancements in communication technology and transport.[10] On the other hand, internationalization is the process of planning and implementation of services and products that are easily adaptable to specific languages and cultures. Internationalization emphasizes interactions between certain nations whereas globalization contextualizes the whole world.

Bibliography

Chartwell Trust. The Sinews of Peace (‘Iron Curtain Speech’): Churchill, 2018 https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/speeches/1946-1963-elder-statesman/the-sinews-of-peace/.

Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan. New York: Routledge, 2016.

Locke, John. “Two Treatises on Government (1680-1690).” Lonang Institute. Accessed August 3, 2018. https://lonang.com/library/reference/locke-two-treatises-government/loc-101/.

Yale Law School. Part XV. Miscellaneous Provisions. New Haven: Yale Law School, 2008. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/partxv.asp.

---

1. Yale Law School, Part XV. Miscellaneous Provisions (New Haven: Yale Law School, 2008), http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/partxv.asp.

[2] Ibid

[3] John Locke. “Two Treatises on Government: 1680-1690,” Lonang Institute, accessed August 3, 2018. https://lonang.com/library/reference/locke-two-treatises-government/loc-101/.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Chartwell Trust. The Sinews of Peace (‘Iron Curtain Speech’): Churchill, 2018 https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/speeches/1946-1963-elder-statesman/the-sinews-of-peace/.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Chartwell Trust. The Sinews of Peace (‘Iron Curtain Speech’): Churchill, 2018 https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/speeches/1946-1963-elder-statesman/the-sinews-of-peace/.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Thomas Hobbes. Leviathan (New York: Routledge, 2016), 128.

[10] Thomas Hobbes. Leviathan (New York: Routledge, 2016), 128.