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‘Cold War’ was used for the first time by Bernard Baruch. Popularity through the journalist Walter Lippman. Conflicts between the western world and the Communist countries. State of uneasy peace - Neither a condition of war nor a condition of peace. The ideological war otherwise known as Cold War. The vertical division of nation states. Military alliances were made. Arms race developed. Nuclear holocaust threatened the world on many occasions. Beginning of the Cold War Communist regimes in Poland, Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungary and Yugoslavia. Soviet Union brought East Germany under her influence. West Germany came under the influence of the U.S.A. Soviet Union blocked all roads to the west-occupied zones in Berlin. This is known as Berlin Blockade . 1947, 5th June , the Marshall Plan was announced by the U.S.A. by which economic assistance was to be provided to the western European nations. Response to American Marshall Plan, the Soviet Union initiated Molotov Plan. 1948, March 12, Truman...

Only country which was not colonized by the European countries in Asia. Followed a policy of imperialism in Asia. Policy of isolation for more than 200 years, broken by Commodore Perry of the U.S.A. on 1853. Way for Japan’s trade with the West. Tokugawa Shoguns controlled Japan, restoration of the Japanese Emperor to full authority, known as Meiji Restoration. Reforms in Japan. The feudal system was abolished. Western legal system was adopted. Constitutional Monarchy, as in Britain, was introduced according to the Meiji Constitution. Japan was fully modernized. Policy of militarism and imperialism, defeated China in 1894-95. Japan captured the Chinese territory of Shantung which was leased to Germany, imposed the 21 Demands on China, End of the First World War, Japan became superior military power. 1922-23, Order to control Japan’s Navy the Washington Naval Conference. 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria and established a puppet regime. 1937, Once again Japan invaded China. Finally, it jo...

China and Japan are part of East Asia. People’s Republic of China, which was established in 1949. Fourth largest country in the world, border with 14 nations in Asia. China during Manchu rule became weak. Quasi colony of the western powers. China called the Europeans as "Red Barbarians" China imposed many restrictions on European traders. Co-hong (security merchants) was the institution that controlled the European trade. English merchants introduced opium to the Chinese traders. Opium-eating became a national vice. Action of Commissioner Lin Tse hsu led to First Opium War (1839-1842) in which England defeated China, end with Treaty of Nanking. 1856 the Second Opium War , Britain, France, USA and Russia fought against China - Treaty of Tientsin in 1860. The failure of Manchu dynasty led to the Taiping Rebellion (1851-1864) in China, led by Hung Hsiu-chüan. Rebellion was crushed. China was controlled by queen Tzu hsi from 1860 to 1908 till her death. Tzu hsi’s reactionary r...

Paris Peace conference was held in 1919, victorious nations alone were invited. Defeated countries were badly treated. Solve mutual problems among the nations, under the initiative of the U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, the League of Nations had been established. Ultimately led to the rise of dictatorships in Germany, Italy and Japan, formation of Rome, Berlin, Tokyo Axis led to the Second World War. Causes of the Second World War Treaty of Versailles Germany not invited to the Paris Peace Conference. Weimar Republic in was not in a position to solve the post-war problems. Second World War was a war of retaliation. Rise of Dictatorships Inter-war period witnessed the rise of dictatorships. Germany, Italy, Spain and Japan witnessed the rise of dictators. Germany, the Weimar Republic was weak, Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party took full advantage captured Austria and Czechoslovakia, he attacked Poland and World War II started. Italy, Mussolini captured power in 1922, became a dictator....

After the First World War, nationalist upsurge in Germany. Rise of socialist parties paved the way for the rise of Hitler and Nazism in Germany. Similarly such situation arose in Italy and Japan, resulted in the Axis formation . Germany at the End of World War I German King William was forced to abdicate, republic was proclaimed. Friedrich Ebert , the leader of the Social - Democratic Party formed a temporary government. New constitution was drafted. This is known as Weimar Constitution The Revolt of the Royalists Treaty of Versailles was very harsh and humiliating to Germany. Group of people opposed the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. First Revolt - March 1920, leadership of Dr. Kapp. Second Revolt - by Ludendorff, assisted by Hitler. Hitler wrote the famous book Mein Kampf , Bible of the Nazi party. Economic Crisis Financial crisis, payment of reparation, the government was forced to take loans. Factories were closed. Trade and commerce were deteriorating. Heavy taxes were impo...

Causes for the Growth of Fascism in Italy At Paris, Orlando presented the demands of Italy, but US President Woodrow Wilson rejected the Treaty of London. Italy gained nothing in the Paris Peace Conference. Discontentment created a feeling of revolt among the middle class youth. Economic Condition Force to spend huge amount more than her national income. Unemployment prevailed, wanted an alternative government. Rise of the Fascist Party. Spread of Socialism Unemployment problem, poverty and inflation helped the spread of Socialism. Marxism had a political party - Social Democrats of Italy. Party helped a lot for the rise and development of Fascism in Italy. Rise of Mussolini Benito Mussolini, idea of Fascism, influenced by the socialistic ideology. School teacher a trade unionist and a journalist. Imprisoned in 1908 for revolutionary ideas. In 1912, editing of Avanthi , a socialist journal. Opponent of the Church. First World War broke out, Italian Government decided not to take part. ...

Karl Marx’s idea of socialism and Proletariat revolution became a reality. Even Napoleon Bonaparte could not conquer Russia in 1812. Russia was ruled by the Romanov dynasty of Tsar Nicholas II. Bolshevik Party headed by Lenin led the revolution, overthrow of the Tsarist rule by October Revolution of 1917. Causes of the Russian Revolution Political Russia fought a war with Japan in 1904-05, Japan won in the Russo-Japanese war. Lowered the international and domestic prestige of Russia. Tsars believed in divine right theory of kingship. "Bloody Sunday" - Working class of St. Petersburg went on strike, guards fired on the unarmed crowed. Also known as 1905 Revolution. Prelude to the October Revolution of 1917 Court is under influence of Rusputin, nobles poisoned Rusputin to death. Economic Russia’s slightly outdated economy, not own modern machinery. Agriculture season was only 4-6 months. Rapid industrialization of Russia result in urban overcrowding and poor conditions for ur...

International organisation for preventing future wars. Treaty of Versailles also provide covenant to maintain peace and security in the world. Founder of this organization was President Woodrow Wilson of USA. Fourteen Points underline the creation of a general association of nations, during Paris negotiations to bring about the birth of the League of Nations, established in 1920 . Head quarters was shifted from Paris to Geneva in Switzerland. League failed to prevent the Second World War. Aims of the League Preventing wars through peaceful settlement of disputes among member nations. Preserve and protect the independence of member-nations by promoting international understanding and co-operation. Organs of the League All those powers who worked for the defeat of Germany and her allies became the members of the League. The Assembly Every member state was given the right of one vote in the Assembly. The Council four permanent members and four other members elected by the Assembly. 1926, ...

Colonialism Colonialism is the extension of a nation’s sovereignty over another territory beyond its borders. 17th century, England, France and Holland successfully established their own overseas empires, in direct competition with each other and those of Spain and Portugal. Industrialization of the 19th century led to what has been termed the era of New Imperialism. Fight among the European countries to control and establish new colonies led to the First World War. Types of Colonies Settler colonies - United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina displacement of the indigenous peoples. Colonies of dependencies - conquest by foreign countries. Ex: British India, Dutch Indonesia. Plantation colonies - colonizers imported black slaves. Ex: Barbados, Saint-Dominguez and Jamaica. Imperialism Policy of extending control or authority over colonized countries or policy of a nation’s dominance over distant lands. Imperialism refers to the highest stage of capitalism...

  Visualising the Nation Female figure became an allegory of the nation. During the French Revolution artists used the female allegory to portray ideas such as Liberty, Justice and the Republic. In France she was christened Marianne, a popular Christian name, which underlined the idea of a people’s nation. Statues of Marianne  were erected in public squares to remind the public of the national symbol of unity and to persuade them to identify with it. Nationalism & Imprealism Last quarter of the nineteenth century nationalism no longer retained its idealistic liberal-democratic sentiment of the first half of the century, but became a narrow creed with limited ends. During this period nationalist groups became increasingly intolerant of each other and ever ready to go to war. Most serious source of nationalist tension in Europe after 1871, area called Balkans. broadly known as the Slavs. Balkans was under the control of the Ottoman Empire. Ottoman Empire had sought to streng...

During middle nineteenth century, Italy divided into seven states. Only one, Sardinia-Piedmont, was ruled by an Italian princely house. The north was under Austrian Habsburgs, the centre was ruled by the Pope and southern regions by Bourbon kings of Spain. 1830s, Giuseppe Mazzini had sought to put together a coherent programme for a unitary Italian Republic, formed secret society called Young Italy. The failure of revolutionary uprisings both in 1831 and 1848 meant that the mantle now fell on Sardinia-Piedmont under its ruler King Victor Emmanuel II to unify the Italian states through war. Chief Minister Cavour who led the movement to unify the regions of Italy was neither a revolutionary nor a democrat. Sardinia-Piedmont succeeded in defeating the Austrian forces in 1859. Leadership of Giuseppe Garibaldi , 1860, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Succeeded, to drive out the Spanish rulers. In 1861 Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed king of united Italy.