Lesson 11 — Activity 3: Responses to Ultranationalism
Lesson 11 — Activity 3: Responses to Ultranationalism
Warm Up
Ultranationalists often believe that they have the right to invade other countries and take over land and territories by force. When this has happened, leaders around the world have tried to find peaceful ways to respond.
In this activity, you will learn about responses to ultranationalism.
In the period after the First World War, many people who had
experienced the terrible costs of the war and the Great Depression believed that avoiding another war was one of their most important national interests.
When Adolf Hitler and the Nazis began to take over other countries' territories in Europe, people hoped that appeasement, which is the policy of agreeing to the demands of a potentially hostile nation in the hope of maintaining peace, would prevent another war.
Germany began expanding its European territory in 1935. In 1938, British prime minister Neville Chamberlain, French prime minister Edouard Daladier, and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini met Hitler to discuss Germany's claim to the Sudetenland, a region in western Czechoslovakia. Germany had controlled this region before World War I, but at the end of the war, it had been given to the newly created country of Czechoslovakia.
At the meeting, Hitler promised not to expand any more. In return, Chamberlain, Daladier, and Mussolini agreed to let Germany take over the Sudetenland. This was called the Munich Agreement.
What Chamberlain Said ...
"The peoples of
the British Empire were at one with those of Germany, of France, and of
Italy" in "their anxiety, their intense desire for peace."
What Chamberlain Said ...
"The peoples of the British Empire were at one with those of Germany, of France, and of Italy" in "their anxiety, their intense desire for peace."
Early in 1939, Hitler broke his promise and took over the rest of western Czechoslovakia. Appeasement had failed.
The map on the right shows you the Sudetenland that Germany had taken over in 1938 and the area of Czechoslovakia taken over in March of 1939.
League of Nations
By 1934, 58 countries, including Britain, France, and Canada were members of a group called the League of Nations, which had been created after the First World War. The members of this League agreed to help one another and take action to maintain peace. If one country invaded another, League members could:
- order the invader to leave the other country’s territory
- impose trade sanctions on the invader
- use military force against the invader
But the member countries were not required to provide troops to stop any invasions. In 1931, when Japan invaded Manchuria, China asked the League for help. The League condemned the invasion, and Japan responded by resigning its membership. After that, League members could not agree on what action to take, and the League ended up doing nothing.
The next response to ultranationalism was going to war. You will learn about this in upcoming lessons.
Self-check!
Try This!
Decide if the following statements regarding responses to ultranationalism are true or false.
1. When ultranationalists invade other countries and take over land and territories by force, leaders around the world usually respond by using military force.
2. In 1938, Hitler promised
not to expand any more. In return, Chamberlain, Daladier, and Mussolini
agreed to let Germany take over the Sudetenland.
3. Hitler kept his promise and did not take over the rest of western Czechoslovakia.
4. When Japan invaded Manchuria, the League of Nations condemned the invasion but could not agree on what action to take and ended up doing nothing.
2. True
3. False. Hitler broke his promise and took over the rest of western Czechoslovakia.
4. True