End Of Year Exam Flashcards
(49 cards)
What does Richard Evans attribute the start of the scramble of Africa to in his Gresham college lecture?
Evans claims that ‘the key factor was the foreign policy of Bismarck’ - his policy of declaring interests as bargaining tools
What were the effects of Bismarck’s decision to annex territories in 1884-1885?
- It demonstrated that annexation could be done very cheaply - barely any German troops were deployed.
- It pressured other states to annex their areas of influence in order to forestall rivals.
When was the Berlin conference on Empire?
November 1884
What were the main impacts of the Berlin conference (in 1884)?
It set out guidelines for annexation of territory and ‘effectively declared that the scramble had begun’.
Give an example for economic arguments.
Rhodesia was secured via the Rudd concession in 1888, as it was hope that the land may contain valuable mineral deposits.
Give some statistics against economic arguments.
In 1909, Britain imported £241.6 million worth of goods from Europe and only imported £12.3 million from sub-Saharan Africa.
Give an example for imperialism motivated by public sentiment
In 1889, Britain made Nyasaland into a protectorate in response to public concerns about Portuguese interference with British missionaries.
(However, there was an element of rivalry as well)
Why does Richard Evans argue against the desire to manipulate public opinion being a key cause of imperialism?
He argues that the dates are wrong - ‘jingoism’ peaked during Boer war whilst main increase in expansion of empire occurred in 1880s and 90s
Give two examples of British expansion of empire as a result of competition.
Sudan - British take over in 1898 to forestall French and protect Egypt/Suez.
Bechuanaland - taken over in 1885 to prevent Germany gaining it and prevent Boer alliance with germany
Give two examples of British expansion due to strategic reasons.
Britain made Egypt a protectorate in 1882, to defend the route to India. (However, also to protect British bondholders)
British control over Zanzibar was formalised in 1896 for similar reasons.
Give two examples of British expansion being caused by strategic rivalry
Sudan - British take over in 1898 to forestall French and protect Egypt/Suez.
Bechuanaland - taken over in 1885 to prevent Germany gaining it and prevent Boer alliance with Germany
Give a quotation illustrating that religion was not the driving force between expansion of empire.
‘Religion and empire frequently mingled, but were as likely to undermine each other as they were to provide mutual support.’
What was the Iranian Crisis and when was it?
The Iranian crisis occurred in 1946, when the USSR refused to remove its troops from Iran.
The US appealed to the UN and the Soviets backed down.
When was the Truman doctrine speech given?
March 1947
What was the context behind the Truman doctrine speech?
He was trying to push $400 million of economic and military aid through for Greece and Turkey, which came under threat from the soviets.
When was Marshall aid first debated?
December 1947
Why was Marshall aid passed?
Marshall aid was passed in response to the Soviet coup in Czechoslovakia in Feb 1948.
How much was Marshall aid initially?
$5.3 billion
What was the manifestation of the Truman doctrine in Asia?
$2 billion to Chiang Kai-Shek,
Funding French war in Indochina/Vietnam (paying over 75% of war cost by 1952)
When did the Soviet Union gain a nuclear weapon?
August 1949
What was the impact of the Second World War on African-Americans?
2 million African Americans migrated from South to North to work in better paid manufacturing jobs, GI bill of rights benefited black veterans. Roosevelt founds FEPC which aims to promote equality in workplace.
Why did the NAACP membership increase from 50,000 to 450,000 during WW2
Wartime propaganda about fighting for democracy emboldened African Americans
What actions did Truman take on Civil rights?
He used an executive order to establish a committee on civil rights, which he chaired in 46.
This produced a report called ‘To secure these rights. He desegregated the Armed forces by exectuive order.
How many miles of railway track had the raj built by 1890?
16,000
