Can There Be Peace on Earth

A. Why were so many people killed?

More than 8 million people were killed in World War I, and more than 40 million people were killed in World War II. Why were so many people killed?

Study Sources A, B and C

Source A The following describes some new weapons used during World War I.

HugeHuge artillery artillery guns guns were were used used to to bombard bombard enemy enemy trenches trenches beforebefore an an attack……. attack……. In In April April 1915, 1915, the the Germans Germans fired fired poisonouspoisonous gas gas into into enemy enemy trenches. trenches. Soon, Soon, however, however, the the use use of of gasgas masks masks restricted restricted the the effectiveness effectiveness of of this this new new weapon. weapon. In In AprilApril 1916, 1916, the the British British launched launched a a new new weapon weapon – – the the tank…….tank……. By By the the end end of of the the war, war, by by using using airplanes, airplanes, both both sidessides were were able able to to carry carry out out air air bombing bombing raids raids on on enemy enemy cities.cities.

1 Source B The following describes some powerful weapons and tactics used during World War II.

ByBy the the time time that that the the Second Second World World War War (1939-45) (1939-45) broke broke out, out, weaponsweapons had had become become so so advanced advanced that that the the static static warfare warfare of of 1914- 1914- 1818 could could not not be be repeated. repeated. By By 1939, 1939, tanks tanks could could easily easily crash crash throughthrough barbed barbed wire wire and and enemy enemy trenches. trenches. The The new new tactic, tactic, first first usedused by by the the Germans Germans in in their their attack attack on on Poland Poland in in September, September, 1939,1939, was was ‘Blitzkrieg’. ‘Blitzkrieg’. This This involved involved surprise surprise attacks attacks on on the the enemyenemy using using artillery artillery and and dive dive bombers, bombers, followed followed by by the the advance advance ofof tanks tanks and and paratroopers paratroopers and and then then the the infantry infantry foot foot soldiers. soldiers. As As thethe war war developed, developed, aircraft aircraft were were used used to to attack attack enemy enemy cities. cities. In In thethe autumn autumn of of 1940, 1940, the the Germans Germans decided decided to to launch launch a a massive massive bombingbombing raid raid on on Britain’s Britain’s cities. cities. There There had had been been some some bombing bombing inin the the First First World World War, War, but but Hitler’s Hitler’s Blitz Blitz was was on on a a far far bigger bigger scale.scale. By By 1941, 1941, 43,000 43,000 British British civilians civilians had had been been killed killed and and 2 2 millionmillion made made homeless. homeless. From From 1942, 1942, the the Allies Allies bombed bombed German German cities.cities. The The effect effect of of these these bombing bombing was was horrific. horrific. For For example, example, on on 1313 February February 1945, 1945, up up to to 135,000 135,000 people people were were killed killed in in a abombing bombing raidraid on on Dresden Dresden (a (a German German city), city), which which destroyed destroyed 80% 80% of of the the city.city.

Refer to the following website for the damage caused by the bombing of Dresden by the Allies.

Source C The table below shows the armies of Europe in 1914.

Countries Size of armies Germany 2,300,000 Austria-Hungary 1,200,000 France 2,000,000 Russia 3,000,000

2 Britain 600,000

3 Refer to Sources A and B

1. Identify the new weapons used in World War I and World War II, as shown in Sources A and B.

Sources New Weapons and Tactics A Huge artillery guns, poisonous gas, tanks and airplanes

B More powerful tanks that could easily crash through barbed wire and enemy trenches were used. New tactics were used. For example, Blitzkrieg, it involved surprise attacks on the enemy using artillery and dive-bombers, followed by the advance of tanks and paratroopers and then the infantry foot soldiers.

Refer to Sources A, B and C

2. What do Sources A, B and C tell you about the reasons that explained why so many people were killed in 20th century warfare?

Suggested answer: New powerful weapons were used in various wars. The use of new tactics, like bombing enemy cities, led to heavy civilian casualties. Many civilians were recruited into the army, leaded to heavy casualties.

4 B. Were only the soldiers killed?

Study Sources A, B and C.

Source A The following is extracted from N. Kelly’s ‘The Second World War’, 1989.

ThroughoutThroughout history, history, warfare warfare has has led led to to the the mistreatment mistreatment of of those those civilianscivilians unfortunate unfortunate enough enough to to live live within within the the areas areas of of fighting. fighting. OftenOften villages villages were were destroyed destroyed and and civilians civilians slaughtered; slaughtered; sometimessometimes the the fighting fighting disrupted disrupted food food production production and and the the civilianscivilians starved starved to to death. death. The The Second Second World World War, War, however, however, broughtbrought changes changes in in the the way way that that warfare warfare was was conducted. conducted. From From nownow on, on, civilians civilians would would increasingly increasingly become become targets targets for for attack. attack. TheThe Blitz, Blitz, the the Allied Allied bombing bombing of of Germany Germany and and the the US US air air raids raids onon Japan, Japan, took took a aterrible terrible toll toll in in human human lives. lives.

Source B The following describes the effects brought by the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan in World War II and its aftermath.

InIn 1945 1945 came came the the most most important important development development in in the the history history of of warfarewarfare – – the the atomic atomic bomb. bomb. The The Japanese Japanese refused refused to to surrender surrender throughoutthroughout July July 1945. 1945. On On 6 6 August August the the Americans Americans dropped dropped an an atomicatomic bomb bomb on on the the city city of of Hiroshima. Hiroshima. Almost Almost 80,000 80,000 Japanese Japanese men,men, women women and and children children died died immediately. immediately. The The atomic atomic bomb bomb carriedcarried with with it it a adeadly deadly after after effect. effect. Radiation Radiation sickness sickness followed followed the the explosion,explosion, causing causing many many more more deaths deaths than than the the bomb bomb itself. itself. A A secondsecond bomb bomb was was dropped dropped three three days days later later on on Nagasaki Nagasaki causing causing aroundaround 40,000 40,000 deaths, deaths, which which were were later later matched matched by by deaths deaths from from the the afterafter effects. effects. Even Even today today the the grandchildren grandchildren of of the the survivors survivors of of HiroshimaHiroshima and and Nagasaki Nagasaki can can suffer suffer birth birth defects. defects.

5 Source C The table below shows the number of women involved in uniformed services during World War II.

Uniformed services Number of women involved 1. Auxiliary Territorial Service 198,000

2. Land Army 30,000

3. Civil Defence 375,000

4. Armed Forces 470,000

Refer to Sources A, B and C. Do you think the soldiers were the only ones killed in 20th century warfare? Support your answer with evidence from Sources A, B and C.

Were only the soldiers killed? Yes / No (Circle the correct answer.)

Evidence Villages were destroyed and civilians being slaughtered from Source happened very often. Sometimes the fighting disrupted food A production and the civilians were starved to death. New tactics

like Blitz and bombing of enemy countries were used in World

War II, civilians increasingly become targets for attacks.

Evidence Atomic bombs were dropped on two Japan cities, leading to from Source heavy civilian casualties. The after effects of the atomic bombs B also led to the similar number of deaths.

6 Evidence During World War II, women were mobilized to join some from Source uniformed services. Heavy casualties were reported. C

7 C. What happened to the children when the world was at war?

When World War II broke out, the British government evacuated children from the danger areas of the major cities to the countryside. Parents did not know where their children were going. The government told the parents that their children would be well looked after.

Study Sources A, B and C.

Sources A, B and C are extracted from the memoirs of several Second World War evacuees.

Source A

EverythingEverything was was so so clean clean in in the the room. room. We We were were given given face face flannels flannels and and toothtooth brushes. brushes. We’d We’d never never cleaned cleaned our our teeth teeth until until then. then. And And hot hot water water fromfrom a a tap. tap. And And there there was was a a lavatory lavatory upstairs. upstairs. And And carpets…… carpets…… And And cleanclean sheets. sheets. This This was was all all very very odd. odd. I Ididn’t didn’t like like it. it. It It was was scary. scary.

Source B

TheThe woman woman said, said, ‘Here’s ‘Here’s your your meal’ meal’ and and gave gave us us some some bread bread and and water.water. Now Now we’d we’d been been in in a a rich rich woman’s woman’s house……. house……. What What we we later later foundfound out out was was that that the the woman woman hated hated kids kids and and was was doing doing it it for for the the extra extra money.money.

Source C

I Ithought thought it it was was a aSunday Sunday school school outing outing down down to to the the sea-side. sea-side. And And I I lookedlooked out out of of the the bus bus window window and and I Isaw saw my my mother mother crying crying outside. outside. I I saidsaid to to my my brother, brother, ‘What’s ‘What’s mummy mummy crying crying for?’ for?’ and and my my brother brother said, said, ‘Shut‘Shut up!’ up!’

8 Source D

Refer to the following websites for the information on daily life of British children and letters during World War II.

Using Sources A, B, C and D, write a paragraph about how evacuees felt about what was happening to them.

Students should reflect in their answer the negative psychological feeling of evacuees towards the following circumstances, e.g. 1. fear of the current situation, feeling uncertain and uneasy towards the future 2. the very difficult situation at that moment

Reference: Alan Brooks-Tyreman, Jane Shuter & Kate Smith. Digger Deeper 4: The Twentieth Century World. Spain: Heinemann, 2000. Steven Waugh. Essential Modern World History. UK: Nelson Thornes, 2001. Nigel Kelly & Martyn Whittock. The Twentieth Century World. HK: Heinemann, 1995.