World History MCQs

Notes:
The growing tension during the cold war was worsened by the formation of military alliances globally. Apart from Europe centric NATO and WARSAW pact, there were SEATO and Baghdad Pact. The Baghdad Pact was signed in 1955 between Britain, Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and USA. These military alliances were seen as a danger to the peace and harmful for the independence of its smaller members. For example, after a revolution in Iraq in 1958, it withdrew from the pact. Then, the Baghdad pact was renamed as the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO).

Notes:
The peace treaty signed with the Germany after the WWI was known as the Treaty of Versailles. According to the provisions of the treaty, Alsace-Lorraine, which Germany had seized from France in 1871, was returned to France. The newly created State of Poland was provided with the access to the sea by giving it about 65 km of corridor which separated East Prussia from the rest of Germany. Danzig was made a free city under the political control of the League of Nations and economic control of Poland. Belgium, Denmark and Lithuania gained territories from Germany. The Saar- a strategically important coal mining area- was brought under the control of the League of Nations for fifteen years while the mines in the area were transferred to France as compensation. Germany was debarred from uniting with Austria. The Rhineland was to be permanently demilitarized and occupied by the allied troops for fifteen years. German military strength was severely curtailed.

Notes:
After having conquered about the whole of Western Europe, Germany now planned the invasion of Britain. This plan was given the code name of ‘Sea-Lion’. German bombers and fighters started the bombing of British ports, airfields, aircraft factories, etc. But, as a result of the British resistance, operation ‘Sea-Lion’ was indefinitely put off and, by November 1940, the German air raids on London had more or less stopped.

Notes:
Rudolf Hess, on 25 February 1934, said: “Adolf Hitler is Germany and Germany is Adolf Hitler. He who takes an oath to Hitler takes an oath to Germany!” About a million Nazi Party officials had gathered on this day at points around Germany to swear an oath to Adolf Hitler.

Notes:
The League of the Three Emperors, also known as Dreikaiserbund, was an alliance between the German Empire, the Russian Empire and Austria-Hungary, from 1873 to 1887. It was part of the diplomatic web created by Otto Bismarck (1815–1898) to keep France isolated. The first League of the Three Emperors was in effect from 1873 to 1875.

Notes:
John Wycliffe (1330-1384) from England criticized the Pope for his authority and misdeeds. He translated the Bible into English. He is considered “the Morning Star of the Reformation. Erasmus (1466-1536) attacked the superstitions followed by the clergy in his book In Praise of Folly. It was published in 1509.

Notes:
Diderot and D’ Alembert published the Encyclopedia. It contained several essays and articles written by revolutionary thinkers.

Notes:
On December 30, 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics came into being. However, soon the new Soviet state was involved in a civil war. The officers of the army of the fallen Tsar organised an armed rebellion against the Soviet state. Troops of foreign powers—England, France, Japan, the United States and others— joined them. War was fought till 1920. By this time the ‘Red Army’ of the new state was in control of almost all the lands of the old Czarist empire. Indeed, a revolutionary wave lasted until 1923.

Notes:
In March 1920, the royalists under the leadership of Dr. Kapp revolted. But he failed and surrendered before the republican government. The second such revolt was led by Ludendorff. He was assisted by Hitler.

Notes:
Cold War was extended to Vietnam also. The fall of Dien Bien Phu on 7th May 1954 brought the final collapse of France in Indo-China. By Geneva Agreement, Vietnam was partitioned at the 17th parallel between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. A conflict developed between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The U.S.A. entered the war supporting South Vietnam. Further, in order to contain Communism in South East Asia, the South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was formed in 1954.