Diana Katsikaris

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 Extra Credit- Term 3: Connection Between Units 

The Units: Nationalist Movements, World War I, and Interwar Totalitarianism all connect through social development, which leads to the consideration of drawing upon a conclusion of the start of World War II. In Nationalist Movements, each nation was trying to boost its individual morale by trying to benefit the nation as a whole. In spite of nationalist movements, the Totalitarian Regime enforced new ways of living and benefiting the nation as a whole through the power of one sole leader. The Japanese believed that they had the strongest nationalism, and were pushed into forming unity and following their leader, Mao Zedong. In Italy, Mussolini gave Italians pride and loyalty through their country through fascism. Fascism was the glorification of the nation-state itself. In Germany, Nationalism referred to the superiority of the Aryan race. Hitler gave the people hope after the mental destruction of Germany after World War I, and helped to boost the German morale. The German nationalists also believed that Germany, and the German people in particular were the most pure, which gave them the right to conquer other nations and “purify” them. Back tracking to the end of World War I, the Treaty of Versailles granted protection to the nation-states that had been physically destroyed after the war such as Italy, France, and Great Britain. After the war, nations decided to build upon their own nationalist beliefs and under the rule of totalitarian leaders were able to boost their moral and become stronger. Furthermore, the Treaty of Versailles was the catalyst for building tension between the nations, because each nation was able to become stronger, and each had the form of the belief that they were better than the rest. Moving foreword, the start of World War II resulted with the disappearance of the Treaty of Versailles completely, because the German people felt that they were the best and purist race out there, therefore giving them the right to begin their “purification” of the other nations. Also, the German people were angered with their treatment during the time of the Treaty of Versailles, giving them more of a reason to boost up their strength and attack for revenge. The Units: Nationalist Movements, World War I, Interwar Totalitarianism, and World War II, all have a connection because each event was a cause that lead up to the uproar of World War II. The nationalist movements gave the nations a way to boost their morale and better their nation, while World War I caused a treaty that gave protections to be made in order for each nation to turn to totalitarianism and further better themselves in the race to be on top, concluding in World War II where the German people seeked their revenge and felt that they were the purist and need to begin purifying all of the nations.