In All Quiet on the Western Front, the main characters are convinced to enlist by a. their parents b. the newspapers c. their teacher
The book was controversial for its a. nationalism b. patriotism c. pacifism
In 1931, a. the book was first published in a German magazine b. the book was made into a movie c. the book was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
Discussion/essay questions
Books are often banned if they contain controversial ideas. Have any books ever been banned in your country? What was the reason?
Transcript
All Quiet on the Western Front is a 1929 novel by German author Erich Maria Remarque. It tells the story of 20-year-old Paul Baumer, a soldier in the German army during World War I. In the novel, Paul and his friends are convinced to enlist by their teacher‘s nationalist speeches. However, when they enter the trenches, they realize that the reality of war is nothing like the propaganda. The characters in the novel are fictional, but the story borrows from Remarque’s real experiences as a soldier. The book sold well when it was first released, but it was controversial. Politicians in Germany and around the world disliked its pacifist themes. When the Nazis gained power, they attacked and burnedAll Quiet on the Western Front for being “anti-German.” The book was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. It is still viewed as one of the most important war novels in history.
The person who discovered radio waves was a. Heinrich Hertz b. Guglielmo Marconi c. Thomas Edison
Marconi’s radio device was a. a wireless telegraph b. a music player c. an early television
Radios were originally used for a. news broadcasts b. entertainment c. military communication
Discussion/essay questions
Today, it is easier than ever to receive instant information due to the Internet and social media. What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of this?
Transcript
In the 1880s, a German physicist named Heinrich Hertz discovered radio waves, a type of invisible electromagnetic radiation. Hertz proved that the waves could travel through the air, just like light, and transmit information. Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi created the first device that used radio transmissions in the 1890s. It was a telegraph that could transmit Morse code without wires. In the years before World War I, inventors developed radio devices that could communicate more complex messages, including spoken words and music. Radios were originally used for military communication. However, many people began to buy radios for personal use during the 1920s, when radio companies built stations for news and entertainment broadcasts. This allowed people to receive information about politics, the world, and important events almost instantly.
The UN’s main purpose is to a. prevent climate change b. deal with public health emergencies c. promote peace and good relations between countries
The League of Nations failed to prevent a. World War I b. World War II c. the Cold War
When the UN was officially established, a. 26 countries were members b. 51 countries were members c. 193 countries were members
Discussion/essay questions
Although the United Nations has been successful in many ways, it has also received a lot of criticism. What opinions have you heard about the United Nations? What do you agree with? What do you disagree with?
Transcript
The United Nations, or UN, is a global organization that is meant to promote peace and good relations between countries. Before the UN, many countries were members of an organization called the League of Nations, which was created after the end of World War I for the purpose of preventing future global conflicts. However, World War II began less than 20 years after the creation of the League of Nations. The term “United Nations” was first used to refer to 26 countries that pledged to unite against the Axis powers in 1942. The UN was officially established on October 24, 1945, after the war had ended. By then, 51 countries were members. Today, 193 countries are members of the United Nations.
The article says that the 1918 flu virus was difficult to control because of the limited technology. How would this pandemic be different if they had the technology that we have today?
Compare the 1918 flu pandemic with the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. What is similar about the methods of disease control? What is different?
Transcript
The Spanish flu was a 1918 influenza pandemic that infected nearly one third of the world’s population. The virus that caused the pandemic was unusual, because it mainly caused serious illness in young and healthy people. Despite the name of the disease, this flu virus did not actually come from Spain. Spain was a neutral country during World War I, and Spanish newspapers were simply the first to start reporting on the pandemic. As the situation got worse, more countries began to realize how deadly the new virus was. To prevent the spread of the disease, people spent time in quarantine and wore face masks. However, there was very limited technology back then. Tracking the spread of the virus was very difficult, and there was no way to treat the disease. Between 1918 and 1920, about 50 million people died from the Spanish flu, and it is now known as one of the worst pandemics in history.
Imagine the Russian Revolution never took place. How would this change the course of history?
Transcript
The Russian Revolution was a period of time when the working class of Russia rebelled against the government. This revolution began in 1917, when Russia was still involved in World War I. The war had caused famine and poverty throughout the country. The people of Russia suffered poor working conditions, long hours, and low pay. In early 1917, the workers decided to go on strike. They were standing up against Russia’s ruler, Tsar Nicholas II. A political party known as the Bolsheviks, led by a man named Vladimir Lenin, was gaining support from the working class. The Bolsheviks believed that communism was the only solution to poverty in Russia. After the protests became too much to handle, Nicholas II was forced to step down from the throne. The Bolsheviks gained power soon after that, and Russia became a communist country.
Do you know anyone who has fought in a war? What were their experiences?
Transcript
World War I began in 1914 when Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist. After this, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. This conflict began to escalate because of the many alliances in Europe at the time. Germany supported Austria-Hungary in the conflict, and Russia sided with Serbia. Russia was also part of a larger alliance known as the Triple Entente, which included France and Britain. Eventually, more countries began to join the war. This war was different from previous wars because of new technology such as machine guns, tanks, and airplanes. World War I lasted until November 1918, when both sides signed an armistice.
