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Adolf Hitler was motivated to betray the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and to attack his ally, the Soviet Union, based on the Soviet Union’s very poor performance fighting the Finns in [BLANK-1]. During this conflict early in World War II, U.S.S.R. forces struggled mightily to defeat Finland, despite the Soviets having far greater numbers and superior technology. Hitler thus assumed that if the U.S.S.R. could barely beat Finland, that Nazi Germany would have no trouble defeating the Soviets.

[BLANK-1] was one of the largest labor organizations in America during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. This organization was more exclusive than most – not only limiting membership to white men, but also to skilled workers. It advocated for more than just better working conditions – it was a response to the rise in scientific management and the decline in the personal autonomy of the worker.

Republican [BLANK-1] was the most vocal critic of the Treaty of Versailles, The Fourteen Points, and America’s admission to the League of Nations. This senator favored American isolationism and spoke out against Woodrow Wilson’s attempts to ensure a lasting peace after World War I. His efforts were successful; America failed to join the League of Nations (which was Wilson’s idea) and failed to ratify the Treaty of Versailles. These results weakened the League of Nations and contributed, ultimately, to the conditions that led to World War II.

Part 3 Essay Question [40%]:Your essay should have an introduction with a clear and specific thesis, a body with evidence, and a conclusion that reinforces your central argument. Select the option you feel the most comfortable with and answer it to the best of your ability.Choose ONE (1) of the following options:What were the main challenges to capitalism and democracy in America during the 1930s and 1940s? Describe the America First Committee and the Popular Front; in what ways did these groups present serious alternatives to capitalism and democracy in the United States? Who were prominent members or supporters of both groups? In what ways did the United Kingdom encourage the United States to reaffirm its commitment to capitalism and democracy and attempt to convince the United States to intervene against the fascists during WWII?What were Adolf Hitler’s motivations for war in the lead-up to WWII? What evidence suggests that Hitler initially wanted to fight a limited war of expansion rather than a total war? In what ways did Hitler’s interference in military operations contribute to Germany’s defeat during WWII? Be sure to use specific evidence.Why does the phrase “look to the sky, keep looking, keep watching the sky!” reflect several fears that ordinary Americans had during the 1950s and 1960s? Why would Americans believe that threats to their lives or way of life would come from the sky? What evidence do you have to support your claim? What was MAD and who supported it? Who were some critics of MAD and what were their arguments against the policy?

Part 2 [8% points each = 40% total] Short Identification Questions (IDs):A short answer ID should briefly address the basic journalistic questions: who or what, when, where, and why. Each term should be at least 4-5 sentences long. Be sure to discuss the significance. Write an answer for FIVE (5) of the following, even if you must guess somewhat (partial credit is better than none):The Battle of MidwayThe Battle of StalingradGen. Dwight D. EisenhowerThe Glass-Steagall ActHUACLebensraumMADThe Smoot-Hawley TariffSoviet Satellite StatesThe Truman Doctrine

Borrowing from the Schlieffen Plan that had been executed during World War I, Germany invaded France through the Ardennes Forest and neutral Belgium. This caught France and the British Expeditionary Force off guard; their main armies were encircled and only narrowly escaped during [BLANK-1]. France fell to the Nazis just six weeks after the start of the invasion.

An American-made film called [BLANK-1] depicted life in Nazi-occupied French territory in North Africa. Common to films of the early 1940s, this motion picture embodied a reactionary nationalism in response to the Nazi threat (this is particularly true in a scene involving dueling patriotic anthems). Film viewers would have clearly seen the Nazis as the enemy and would have been inspired to oppose them by supporting their own country’s war efforts.

Part 2 [8% points each = 40% total] Short Identification Questions (IDs):A short answer ID should briefly address the basic journalistic questions: who or what, when, where, and why. Each term should be at least  4-5 sentences long. Be sure to discuss the significance. Write an answer for FIVE (5) of the following, even if you must guess somewhat (partial credit is better than none):The Day of Two NoonsFrederick Jackson TurnerThe Great Constitutional RevolutionThe Homestead ActThe Lost CauseSocial DarwinismThe Social GospelThe Triangle Shirtwaist FireThe Union StockyardsThe White City

[BLANK-1] was a celebrated frontiersperson and scout of the Wild West. This person’s life and exploits, alongside other notorious Wild West personas like Billy the Kid and Wild Bill Hickock, became the subject of dime novels that glorified western life.

A Scottish immigrant to America and steel magnate, [BLANK-1] was one of America’s wealthiest men and exemplified the complexities of America’s Gilded-Age millionaires (were they robber barons or captains of industry?). The man gained a fortune through owning a monopoly of steel firms and by employing vertical integration tactics. On the one hand, he was a great philanthropist. He wrote The Gospel of Wealth and donated much of his vast fortune to charity. On the other hand, he was a brutal employer who worked his employees 364 days a year and used Pinkerton Agents to break up unions and bust strikes.