Summary
Highlights
AP World History Unit 7 spans from 1900 to the present, focusing on the two World Wars. The period begins with Western dominance due to industrialization and imperialism, leading to the collapse of older land-based empires like Russia, the Ottoman Empire, and the Qing Dynasty.
The stage for World War I was set by the collapse of empires. Its causes are summarized by the acronym MAIN: Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism. This conflict became a 'total war' due to new technologies and extensive trench warfare, resulting in a high death toll.
The dissatisfaction and economic woes from the interwar period led to World War II, an even more devastating 'total war'. New technologies and tactics, including firebombing and atomic bombs, intensified the conflict. The period is also marked by ethnic mass atrocities such as the Armenian Genocide, the Ukrainian Holodomor, and the Holocaust.
After World War I, several factors led to future conflict. The Treaty of Versailles was highly unfavorable to Germany, and the Great Depression, originating in the United States, caused global economic hardship. These conditions contributed to the rise of fascist states in Italy, Germany, and Japan.