Question 1: Belle Époque and World War I
Belle Époque is the period between 1871 to the beginning of the World War 1. This period was characterized by peace and calm as well as technological developments and economic expansion. Expansion of economy and technological advancement impacted on the way people lived. People were able to access to various technologies such as automobiles which helped to reduce status quo. Research on a various weapons was also carried out leading to manufacture of machinery that had the potential of destroying close to ten million people. Before, the war, people were leading peaceful life and were optimistic about their future. However when the war began, it caused a lot of destruction making people to lead difficult lives. It brought misery and agony to their lives and when it ended, people were able to resume to their normal life and regretted why the war had to go the extend it went.
Question 2: World War I
The causes of world war are complicated as many factors led to the war. The immediate cause of the war was the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife on 28 June 1914. He was from Austria-Hungary. The killer was a Serbia. The killing was a protest by Serbian that wanted to take over Bosnia, which was under the authority of Australia –Hungary. Australia –Hungary declared war on Serbia causing Russia to mobilize to protect Serbia. This saw Germany declare war on Russia causing France to join against Germany. This led to rise of allied and axis/central power causing the war. Other causes included imperialism, nationalism, and militarism. Nationalism played a key role in the war because; people such as Salvic in Herzegovina and Bosnia wanted to be part of Serbia and not the Astra-Hungary. This therefore led to the war. Furthermore, nationalism in Europe led to the beginning and extension of the war as every nation wanted to show its power and dominance through the war. The effects of war on the people were great. Many people died during the war, property was lost and many were left maimed and in poverty. It also affected the relationship (foreign) among various countries such as Franco-German relation.
Question 3: World War I
Countries that were allied with France in World War I included, UK, Russia, Serbia, Italy and USA among others. The countries that entered the war in 1917 include Russia, Germany, France, and Belgium among others. The war was also known as “The Great war” or “First modern War” because it involved use of heavy machinery and technology. Various countries had very complicated weapons that they used to fight against their enemies. The intensity and the machinery used was one of its kind as they had not earlier been used.
The major difference between France and Germany military attitude is that France was so optimistic in winning while Germany military remained focused and resilient. Germans were more progressive compared to the French that seemed more traditional. The French failed to come up with a strategy that would deter the Germans from entering their territory. The Germans were more intelligence and manufactured heavy trucks that enabled them to fight easily. They were also tactful as they opted to use Belgium root in invading France as opposed to the Maginot Line.
Once armistice was signed, British navy humiliated France by sinking part of the French Fleet in Algerian harbor of Mers-el-Kebir. More than 1200 French sailors were killed. At the time, Pétain controlled France. French agreed to Petain while some disagreed. They expressed their hostility to the occupier through creation of embryo movements, printing, writing, and distributing of clandestine tracts and newssheets. France helped to host the immigrants during occupation. Some French were opposed to collaboration with Nazi occupiers. USA was against the mistreatment against the Jews in Europe, France was also against the deportation and the mistreatment of the Jews immigrants and received and accommodated some of them.
During Vichy government and Nazi occupation, live in French was unbearable; the citizens had to jostle for food. Many of them were fearful and went in hiding to avoiding being taken to German as laborers. They used to hide in countryside. From the documentary, both the notion of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ French manifest. French helped to preserve the life of people through the collaborations. The bad side is its ploy of taking its citizens to work for Germany in exchange of war prisoners. Therefore, major question facing French people is how to ensure that such experiences do not happen in their country again.