GED Prep: World History (World Wars, Cold War, Globalization)

GED – World History (World Wars, Cold War, Globalization)

GED World History Study Guide: World Wars, Cold War, Globalization

What This Is

This section covers major 20th-century conflicts (World War I, World War II), the Cold War, and globalization—key themes in the GED Social Studies test. You’ll analyze causes, effects, and historical turning points, often through primary sources (speeches, treaties, maps) or data (casualty numbers, economic trends). A typical question might ask: "Which event directly led to the start of World War II in Europe?" (Answer: Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939). Mastering these topics helps you interpret historical patterns and connect past events to modern global issues.

Key Terms & Rules

• Militarism: A policy of aggressive military buildup, often leading to arms races (e.g., naval competition between Britain and Germany before WWI).
• Alliances (WWI): Agreements between nations to defend each other (Triple Entente: France, Britain, Russia; Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy).
• Treaty of Versailles (1919): Ended WWI; punished Germany with reparations, military restrictions, and territorial losses—fueled WWII resentment.
• Appeasement: Policy of giving in to aggressive demands to avoid war (e.g., Britain/France allowing Hitler to annex the Sudetenland in 1938).
• Holocaust: Nazi Germany’s systematic genocide of 6 million Jews and other groups during WWII.
• Cold War (1947–1991): Ideological conflict between the U.S. (capitalism/democracy) and USSR (communism) without direct warfare; included proxy wars (Korea, Vietnam).
• Iron Curtain: Winston Churchill’s term for the Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe division from Western Europe.
• NATO vs. Warsaw Pact: NATO (U.S. and allies) vs. Warsaw Pact (USSR and allies)—military alliances during the Cold War.
• Globalization: Increased interconnectedness of economies, cultures, and politics (e.g., trade agreements like NAFTA, spread of the internet).
• United Nations (UN): International organization founded in 1945 to promote peace, human rights, and cooperation (replaced the failed League of Nations).
• Decolonization: Process of colonies gaining independence (e.g., India in 1947, African nations in the 1950s–60s).
• Terrorism: Use of violence against civilians for political goals (e.g., 9/11 attacks leading to the U.S. "War on Terror").

Step-by-Step / Process Flow

How to Answer a GED World History Question:
1. Read the question first – Identify the specific event, cause, or effect being tested (e.g., "What was the immediate cause of WWI?").
2. Eliminate wrong answers – Cross out options that don’t match the time period or key details (e.g., if the question is about WWII, eliminate answers about the League of Nations).
3. Use context clues – Look for signal words in the question (e.g., "directly led to," "resulted in") to focus on cause/effect.
4. Compare remaining choices – Ask: Which answer best fits the historical facts? (e.g., "Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand" vs. "Militarism" for WWI’s start).
5. Check for traps – Avoid answers that are partially true but don’t fully answer the question (e.g., "Treaty of Versailles" is a cause of WWII, but not the immediate cause).
6. Review primary sources – If given a document (e.g., a speech or treaty excerpt), underline key phrases that support your answer.

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Confusing causes of WWI (e.g., picking "Holocaust" as a cause—it happened during WWII). Correction: Memorize the MAIN causes of WWI: Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism. The immediate cause was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

• Mistake: Thinking the Cold War involved direct fighting between the U.S. and USSR. Correction: The Cold War was a proxy war (e.g., Korea, Vietnam) and ideological struggle—no direct battles. Key terms: "arms race," "space race," "containment."

• Mistake: Assuming globalization is only about economics. Correction: Globalization also includes cultural (e.g., spread of Western media) and political (e.g., UN, climate agreements) exchanges.

• Mistake: Mixing up NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Correction: NATO = U.S. and Western Europe (democratic); Warsaw Pact = USSR and Eastern Europe (communist).

• Mistake: Overlooking decolonization’s impact on the Cold War. Correction: Newly independent nations (e.g., India, Vietnam) often became Cold War battlegrounds as the U.S. and USSR competed for influence.

Exam Insights

• Most-tested concepts:
• Causes/effects of WWI and WWII (especially Treaty of Versailles, appeasement).
• Cold War events (Cuban Missile Crisis, Berlin Wall, space race).

• Globalization’s pros/cons (e.g., economic growth vs. cultural homogenization).

• Tricky distinctions:

• WWI vs. WWII causes: WWI = alliances + nationalism; WWII = Treaty of Versailles + Hitler’s aggression.

• Capitalism vs. communism: U.S. (free market) vs. USSR (government-controlled economy).

• Common distractors:

• Answers that are true but irrelevant (e.g., "The UN was founded after WWII" is true, but not the cause of WWII).

• Overly broad answers (e.g., "War is bad" instead of a specific event like "D-Day").

• Primary source tips:

• The GED often includes excerpts from speeches (e.g., Churchill’s "Iron Curtain" speech) or treaties. Focus on the author’s purpose and key phrases.

Quick Check Questions

1. Which event is considered the immediate cause of World War I? a) The Treaty of Versailles b) The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand c) The invasion of Poland d) The bombing of Pearl Harbor Answer: b) The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (sparked Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war).

2. What was the main goal of the U.S. policy of "containment" during the Cold War? a) To spread communism globally b) To prevent the spread of communism c) To rebuild Europe after WWII d) To create the United Nations Answer: b) To prevent the spread of communism (e.g., Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan).

3. Short Answer: How did the Treaty of Versailles contribute to the start of World War II? Answer: It imposed harsh reparations and territorial losses on Germany, fueling resentment and allowing Hitler’s rise to power.

Last-Minute Cram Sheet

1. WWI causes: MAIN (Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism) + assassination of Franz Ferdinand.
2. WWI effects: Treaty of Versailles, League of Nations (failed), rise of fascism.
3. WWII causes: Treaty of Versailles, appeasement, Hitler’s invasion of Poland (1939).
4. WWII turning points: D-Day (1944), Pearl Harbor (1941), atomic bombs (1945).
5. Cold War: U.S. (NATO) vs. USSR (Warsaw Pact); proxy wars (Korea, Vietnam).
6. Cold War key events: Berlin Wall (1961), Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), space race.
7. Globalization: Trade (NAFTA, WTO), technology (internet), cultural exchange.
8. Decolonization: India (1947), African nations (1950s–60s), often led to Cold War conflicts.
9. Trap: "Holocaust" is a result of WWII, not a cause.
10. Trap: The UN was founded after WWII (replaced the failed League of Nations).