These are essay questions that I have used on exams in the past, and in some ways they resemble questions that I will ask on the exam this semester. All students should be able to write a competent essay on every one of these questions, as well as on any combination or permutation thereof.
1. Discuss the major issues and the course of events in European politics and international relations, 1848 through 1914. During the course of your discussion be sure to include an examination and analysis of at least five of the following subtopics: the Crimean War (1854-1856); Italian "unification" under Piedmont; German "unification" under Prussia; the Austro-Prussian War (1866); the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871); Imperialism in Africa, Asia and the Near East; the Triple Alliance; the Triple Entente; the Morocco crises; the Balkan crises.
2. Discuss the general nature and specific terms of the peace settlements that followed World War One and assess the extent to which they contributed to the stasis of Europe in the 1920s and early 1930s, as well as to the "end of Old Europe" by the late 1930s? How did the differing ideologies and goals of the European powers, and the tensions and alliances that developed between them, affect European culture, politics, international relations and warfare in the years 1917-1939? Describe and assess the role of significant leaders, international organizations and alliances, and the various treaties and accords of the interwar period. What were the major crises? Why did another general war seem inevitable (or necessary) to so many European leaders?
3. Even though the Soviet Union collapsed in 1989-1991, the Bolshevik/Communist Revolution of 1917-1939 was the first Russian Revolution to succeed in any real or long-lasting way. Discuss the various Russian attempts at revolution that occurred during the years 1825-1917, and evaluate the consequences of these early failures. Why did the Bolsheviks succeed in 1917-1922 where the others had failed? Who were the Bolshevik leaders and what were their goals? What problems did the Bolsheviks have to overcome and how did they overcome them? When and why did Bolshevism and/or Communism begin to fail in Russia? Why all the death camps and slave labor camps? Why the seemingly abrupt collapse in 1989-1991.
4.a. In the aftermath of WW1 and throughout 1920’s and 1930’s, large numbers of people in Western Civilization, including entire nations, repudiated and abandoned the seemingly failed ideals of traditional liberalism and embraced instead new and more “scientific” ideologies such as Fascism, Nazism, and various forms of Socialism or Communism. What were the characteristic features and goals of these ideologies? Who were some of the leading spokesmen (or activists) for these causes? How might these new ideologies affect the domestic policy of a nation? Foreign policy? Imperialism? Regional and global stability? Are these ideologies dead, or just sleeping?
4.b. In the aftermath of WW1 and throughout 1920s and 1930s, large numbers of people in Western Europe, including entire nations, repudiated and abandoned the seemingly failed ideals of traditional liberalism and embraced instead new and more "scientific" ideologies such Fascism, Nazism, and various forms of Socialism or Communism. Who were some of the leading spokesmen for these causes and what nations did they lead? What were the characteristic features and goals of these ideologies? What techniques and tools of persuasion did these movements use to attract people? How might individuals (Mark & Jane Studdock, for example) have responded to the appeal of these new ideologies? Why did the societies dominated by these ideologies become so murderous, or even anti-life? Are these ideologies dead, or just sleeping?
5. World War Two can be considered as a war between conflicting ideologies as well as a war between great powers. Identify and compare the major conflicting ideologies. Which nations and leaders do you identify with each ideology? What was Hitler’s “New Order” and what were the ramifications of Nazi policy? What importance did the paralysis of the democratic West, the Spanish Civil War, and Stalinism have as factors on the road to World War Two? Why did the USSR join with the West? Why did Hitler join with Japan? Why the Holocaust?
6. Describe the rise and fall of Imperial Japan, Fascist Italy, and Nazi Germany. What were the some of the social and political agendas of these governments? How did they pursue their goals? How did the response of western powers such as England, France, and the United States change between 1931 and 1945? Why did some western powers choose appeasement? What convinced the leaders of these western powers eventually to resist forcefully, even at the risk of a world war? Be sure to include in your discussion a description of the general course of World War Two, the "turn of the tide" in 1942, and the eventual outcome? Did the "good guys" win or lose?
7. What was the nature of the peace settlement that followed World War Two and how did it contribute to the outbreak of the Cold War? How did the differing ideologies (and goals) of the victorious powers, and the distrust that grew up between them, affect world culture, politics, and warfare in the years 1946-1995? What (and where) were the major confrontations of the Cold War? Who were the leaders of the various superpowers? What actions did various international organizations take during the Cold War and how significant were they? Is this “Cold War” over, and if so, who won?
8. Compare and contrast the ways that western democratic governments responded to totalitarian aggression during the 1920’s and 1930’s (Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Communist Russia) with how western democratic governments responded to totalitarian aggression during the late 1940’s through the 1970’s (Communist Russia, Communist China, Communist Cuba). Why did the west choose “appeasement” during the earlier period, but resist totalitarian aggression much more firmly during the later period. Why might “appeasement” have encouraged Hitler, Tojo & Mussolini whereas dedicated resistance discouraged Khruschev, Castro, Brezhnev and Gorbachev?
9. Discuss the "de-colonialization" that took place in the Third World during the years 1945-1980, as European powers disengaged from their empires. You may choose to concentrate primarily on Africa, India, or Southeast Asia, or more generally asses the entire "Bandung Generation," but be sure to consider the reasons for de-colonialization; promises made, kept, and broken (and by whom); the leaders who emerged during (and after) the revolt against colonialism; and the kinds of governments that emerged as a consequence of de-colonialism. What was the role of the Soviet Union and its empire during this troublesome period? What, if any, problems remain?
10. To what extent, and why, have the European Democracies succeeded in building societies that manifested the intellectual heritage of the Enlightenment yet continued to manifest traditional values such as individualism, tolerance, economic liberty, and religious freedom? To what extent, and why, have European authoritarian or totalitarian societies manifested the intellectual heritage of the Enlightenment and yet failed to manifest traditional values such as individualism, tolerance, economic liberty and religious freedom? Why have these latter societies often adopted a cult of the leader? Why has there been such a seemingly unending chain of Gulags, Pogroms, Persecutions, Genocides, and Holocausts?
11. Compare and contrast the coercive and persuasive methods used against individuals and groups in That Hideous Strength with those used by 20th century authoritarian and totalitarian regimes. How effective were these methods? What were some of the responses of individuals? Of communities? Citing examples from both the novel and history, how does Lewis use the N.I.C.E. to represent 20th century authoritarian and totalitarian regimes? Lewis uses Mark and Jane Studdock to represent not so much the "everyman" but the "educated-man." Why is it that, with their fine education and their "enlightened" outlook, the Mark and Jane Studdocks of western civilization were initially so unable to deal with (or even recognize) issues of good and evil, and how were they eventually able to resist?