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Chapter1GeneralIntroductiontoPhysiographicalFeatures

TheLocationsoftheUKandtheUSA

ThelocationoftheUK

SituatedinNorthwesternEurope,lyingtothenorthofFranceandthewestoftheNetherlands,DenmarkandNorway,theUnitedkingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIrelandismadeupofEngland,Scotland,Wales,NorthernIrelandandnumerouscoastalislands,bigandsmall.Thetotalareaofthecountryis242,532squarekilometers.

ThelocationoftheUSA

SituatedinthecentralpartofNorthAmericawithitstwoyoungeststates-AlaskainthenorthwesternpartofNorthAmericaandHawaiiinthecentralPacificOcean,theUnitedStatesofAmericaisboundedbyCanadaonthenorthandbyMexicoandtheGulfofMexicoonthesouth,withtheAtlanticOceanontheeastandthePacificOceanonthewest.Thetotalareaofthecountryis9372,614squarekilometers.

ThePhvsiographicalFeaturesoftheUK

Introduction

OffcontinentalEuropelietwoislandsknowastheBritishIsles.ThelargestoftheislandsisGreatBritain.ThenextlargestconsistsoftheRepublicofIrelandandNorthernIrelandwhichbelongstotheUK.

GreatBritaincomprisesEngland,ScotlandandWales.OffthenortheastofScotlandaretheOrkneyIslandsandtheShetlandIslands.

England(theLowlandZone)

ThePenniesisakindof"upland."Sincethe19thcentury,ithasbeencalled"thebackboneofEngland,"whichstretchesabout120kilometersfromthesouthtothenorth.

InthewestofthePenniesistheLakeDistrictwhichconsistsofacrudelyradialarrangementoflakessetinspectacularU-shapedvalleysamongjaggedmountains.

TothenorthofthePennieslietheCheviotMillsalongtheborderwithScotland.

Scotland(theIIighlandZone)

Scotlandischieflymountainous.Withageneraltrendfromsoutheasttonorthwest,theSouthernUplands,theGrampiansandtheNorthWestHighlandsdominateScotland.

InthenorthwesternpatoftheGrampiansstandsBenNevis(1,343metershigh),

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thehighestmountainintheUK.

(3)NorthoftheSouthernUplandsistheMidlandValleyofScotland,whichisanareaofhillyandrollingcountryinwhichtherearetwoprincipalcities:EdinburghandGlasgow.Thevalleytrendseast-northeast.

Walesis,likeScotland,mostlymountainous.

NorthernIrelandismadeupofsixcountiesthatconsistoffertile,drumlincountry

suiroundingLoughNeaghandextendingsouthwardtotheMourneMountainsand

Slieve(Jullion.

ThePhysiographicalFeaturesoftheUSA

Introduction

ThecontinentalUSAruns4,505kilometersfromitsAtlanticcoasttoPacificcoast,and2,574kilometersfromCanadatoMexico.Alaska,thelargeststateintheUSAisinthenorthwestofNorthAmerica,andHawaii,theyoungeststate,isinthecentralPacific.

MostoftheUSAisinthetemperatezone.

Thethreedivisions:

Theeasternpart:thehighlandsformedbytheAppalachianRange.Threecomponentsmakeupthisuplandbelt(thePiedmontPlateauintheeast,theAppalachianPlateauinthewest,theAppalachianRangeinthemiddle).

Thewesternpart:highplateausandmountainsbytheCordilleraRange,theRockyMountains,YellowstoneNationalPark,OldFaithful

Thecentralpart:greatcentralplain,driestpailofthecountry,thetwomajorchainsofmountains(CascadeRangeandCaliforniaCoastRange),DeathValley(280feetbelowsealevel,thelowestpointinthewholeofNorthAmerica).

RiversandMountains

1.TheBritishRiversandMountains

(1)Rivers

ThemainriversinGreatBritainrunfromnorthtosouth,keepingwelltothewesttothebasinoftheRiverSevern.WestwardflowingstreamsreachtheAtlanticinrelativelyshortdistances.TheClydeinScotland,theEdenandtheMerseyinNorthwestEngland,andtheWelshDeeandTeifiaretheonlysignificantrivers.

Theriversflowingeastarelonger,severalcoalescingintowideestuaries.Thefast-flowingSpey,Don,Tay,Forth,andTweedofeasternScotlandrungenerallyacrossimpermeablerocks,andtheirdischargesincreaserapidlyafterrain.

FromthenorthernPennies,theTyne.Wear,andTeesflowindependentlytothe

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NorthSea,butsignificantestuarygroupingsoccur.

ThebigdrainagecomplexoftheThamesdominatesthesouthandtheeastofEngland.ThesourceoftheThamesisintheCotswoldsand,afterbeingjoinedbymanytributariesasitflowsovertheOxfordClay,themainstreambreachesthechalkescarpment.Anumberoftributariesaddtheirchargesfartherdownstream,andthetotaldrainageconvergingontheThamesEstuaryexceeds4,000squaremiles.(2)Mountains

ThechiefmountainrangesarethePenniesinthemiddle,theCambriansinthewestandtheGrampiansintheNorthofGreatBritain.Besides,therearesomesmallmountainssuchasMountainsofAntrim,MoumeMountainsandSperrinMountainsintheNorthernIreland.BenNevis(1343metersinScotland)isthehighestmountainintheUK.

2.TheAmericanRiversandMountains

Rivers

ThesystemoftheGulfofMexico:theMississippiRiveranditstributariesformanimportantinlandnavigationandirrigationsystem.

ThesystemoftheAtlantic:nolongrivers.TheHudsonRiver,linkedbycanalswiththefiveGreatLakes,isoneofthemainarteriesforinlandwatertraffic.TherearealsoPotomacRiver,St.LawrenceRiverwhichservesasaninternationalriverformingpartoftheboundarybetweenUSAandCanada.

ThesystemofthePacific:twomajorrivers,theColumbiaRiverandtheColoradoRiverwhicharerichinpotentialwaterpower.

ThefiveGreatLakes:LakeMichigan,LakeSuperior,LakeErie,LakeHuronandLakeOntario.Amongthefivelakes.LakeSuperiorLsthelaigestfreshwaterkikeofitskindintheworld.LakeMichiganiswhollywithintheUSwhiletheotherfourrunalongtheboundarybetweentheUSandCanada.TheworldfamousNiagaraFallsislocatedontheUS-CanadianboundarybetweenLakeErieandLakeOntario.ThewidthoftheFallsisabout1,240metersandthedropaverages49meters.InnorthernUtah,thereisalakecalledtheGreatSaltLake.ItisthelaigestinlandsaltlakeinNorthAmerica.

Mountains

IntheUnitedStates,therearethreegreatmountainranges:theAppalachianMountains,theRockyMountainsandtheGreatCordilleraMountainRangewhichextendsfromCanadathroughthewesternpartoftheUStoMexicoandfurthersouth.

Chapter2TheBeginningsoftheUKandtheUSA

I.TheBeginningsoftheUK

EarlySettlement(...-55B.C.)

About6000-5000B.C.:cavemen/theStoneAgemen

About3000B.C.:IberiansfromtheMediterraneanlands

Fromabout750B.C.:theCeltictribes

Gaels(theGaeliclanguagespokeninScotland)

Britons(fromabout500B.C.)

TheRomanOccupation(55B.C.-410)

JuliusCaesar:theRomangeneralinvadedBritaintwicebetween55and54B.C.

Therealconquestbeganin43A.D.

Hadrian'sWall:builtinabout122A.D.,inordertokeepbackthePictsandScots.

TheRomanoccupationlastedforabout350years,andRomanpowerinBritaincollapsedin410.

Anglo-SaxonTimes(470-871)

TheGermanictribes:Anglos,SaxonsandJutes.Language:OldEnglish

KingArthur

The"Heptarchy"

In829Wessexwon.Egbert,"KingoftheEnglish"

Bede("EcclesiasticalHistoryoftheEnglishPeople")andBeowulf

TheInvasionoftheVikingsandtheDanishRule(871-1042)

TheVikingswerenorthernwarriors,mainlyfromNorwayandDenmark,andtheyinvadedBritainaroundtheturnofthe8Ihcentury.

TheNormanConquest(1066)

HaroldII,EarlofWessex

WilliamtheConqueror:OnChristmasDay1066DukeWilliam,knowninhistoryasWilliamtheConqueror,wascrownedinWestminsterAbbey.

ConsequencesoftheNormanConquest

ItincreasedtheprocessoffeudalismthathadbegunduringAnglo-Saxontimes.WilliamtheConquerorestablishedastrongmonarchyinEngland.

TheNormanConquestalsobroughtaboutchangesinthechurch.TheupperranksoftheclergywereNormanizedandfeudalized.

AlongwiththeNormanscametheFrenchlanguage,whichwouldbethelanguageofthecourtandupperclassesuntilthefourteenthcentury.

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II.TheBeginningsoftheUSA

TheDiscoveryofAmerica(1492)

Causes

ThroughtheRenaissance,peoplebecameenlightenedandbecameonceagaininterestedinthestudyofphysicalsciencessuchasgeography.Renaissancewasamovementcalledthe"revivaloflearning"andasaresultsomebravepeoplestalledtheirexpeditionbysailingwestacrosstheAtlanticOceanwithabeliefintheirmindthattheearthwasround.

TheDiscoveryofthenewcontinent

ItwasChristopherColumbusandAmerigoVespucciwhodiscoveredandidentifiedthenewcontinents.InChristopherColumbus'sjourneytoIndiaandChinain1492,heandhismengotagroupofislandswhichhemistookforpartofIndiaandsohecalledthepeoplethereIndians.Inhisthirdvoyagein1498.hediscoveredthemainlandofSouthAmerica,buthedidn'trealizethatwastheNewWorld.

LaterAmerigoVespucciconfirmedthatanewcontinentratherthanAsiahadbeendiscovered.SotheNewWorldwasnamedafterhim-"America."

Thesignificance

ThediscoveryoftheNewWorldwasofgreatimportance.Notonlydiditwidenpeople'shorizon,butitalsoopenedupfreshgroundfortherisingbourgeoisie.Itpromotedthedevelopmentofcommerce,seanavigationandindustry,andprovidedthewayfortherapiddevelopmentofearlycapitalism.

ColonizationofNorthAmericaandtheFoundingoftheThirteenColonies

ThethirteencoloniesweretheearliestcoloniesofEngland.Thelandwouldreallybelongtothepeoplewhosettledonitandlivedthere.IttookmorethanacenturyfortheBritishtoestablishthethirteencoloniesalongtheAtlanticcoast.

TheTerritoryofUSA

TheUSAtodayisthefourthlargestcountryinsizeintheworld.

Chapter3

SignificantEventsbeforetheEndoftheSecondWorldWar

I.SignificantEventsintheUKbeforetheFirstWorldWar

TheMagnaCarta

Background

TheKingJohnwasonthepointofsecuringafavorabletreatywithPhilipII,buthehadquarrelswiththeFrenchking.ThenthekingofFranceattackedJohn'slands.ThebaronsoftheEnglishlordsinFranceweretiredofwarandtheEnglishbaronagewasunwillingtoserveabroad.ThentherumorsspreadthatJohnhadmurderedhisnephewArthur.Takingadvantageofthis,thekingofFrancedeclaredhisterritoriesforfeitedbyfeudallaw,andproceededtomarchintoNormandy,Anjou,MaineandPoitouandtotakethemimmediatelyintohisownlands.Englandwasalmostcompletelyseparatedfromthecontinent.InhistoryJohnwasnicknamed"KingofLackland."KingJohn,undergreatpressure,hadtograntthelistofdemandsthatthebishops,thebaronsandthetownsmenhaddrawnup.In1215Johnsignedthisdocument,calledthe"MagnaCarta"orthe'"CheatCharter.'

Content:threesetsofprovisions

thatthekingwasnottoexactextrapaymentsfromtheteudalvassals(ortowns)withouttheirconsent;

thatlawswerenottoliemodifiedbythearbitraryactionoftheking;

thatshouldthekingattempttofreehimselffromlaw,thevassalshadtherighttoforcethekingtoobeyit,bycivilwarorotherwise.

Nature

TheGreatCharterwasessentiallyafeudaldocument,itwasmadeintheinterestsofthefeudallords,greatandsmall.

Significance

Itgrantedtothetownspeoplefreedomoftradeandself-government.

ThemerchantsandcraftsmeninEnglandappealedtorthefirsttimeasanewpoliticalforce.

Limitations

Thebasicmassofpeasantry,whoconstitutedfive-sixthsofthepopulation,wasnottakenintoconsideration.

TheHundredYears'War(1337-1453)(I)Causes

Itwasbothafeudalandtradewar.OstensiblytheseriesofWarswascausedbytheclaimofEdwardIIItobetherightfulKingofFrance.Therealcauseswere

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deeperandmorecomplex.TheEnglishkingstriedtogetbackthelandHenryIIownedinFiance,whiletheFrenchkingswerealwaysonthelookouttoweakenandreduceEnglishpower.Moreover,theeconomicinterestsofEnglandandFranceclashedinFlanders.

Process

Thenature:seizethepower,enlargethedominionbetweenEnglandandFrance

Theconsequence:TheEnglishdominioninFranceshranktoCalaisandastripoftheGasconcoast.

TheWarsoftheRoses(1455-1485)

CausesandProcess

ItwasthecivilwarsinBritainbetweenthehousesofLancasterandYork,from1455to1485.TheLancastriansusedtheredrosesastheirbadge,whiletheYorkiststhewhiteroses.TheYorkistsdeposedHenryVIin1461andmadeEdwardIVKing.HenrywasKingagainin1470-1471.butEdwardwonthethronebackfromhim.In1483RichardIIItookthethronefromhisyoungnephewEdwardV,buthewasdefeatedandkilledbyHenryofRichmond,whobecameHenryVII.Henry,aLancastrian,marriedElizabethofYork,daughterofEdwardIV,sounitedthetwohouses.

Thenature:afeudalcivilwar,thewarforpowerandwealthandatlastforthepossessionoftheCrownbetweentheLancastriansandtheYorkists.

Theconsequence:theweakeningoftheoldfeudalnobility.

TheEnclosureMovement

TheEnclosureMovement

fh

Intheendof15centurythemanufacturewoolenclothinEnglandbecameanimportantsourceofwealthandamajorexport.Theclothindustryincreasedthevalueofwool.Raisingsheepbecamemoreprofitable.Thisencouragedthelandlordstocovertarablelandandthe"Commons"intopastures.Latersomeofthenobilityandmerchantsstalledtoenclosetheland.Largeareasoflandwerefencedwithoutanywarningtothepeasants.ThisprocesswasknownasEnclosureMovement.

TheBeginningofCapitalism

ThetworesultsoftheEnclosureMovementweretheprimitiveaccumulationofcapitalandthecontinuationofthesupplyofcheaplabour.Theypavedthewayforthedevelopmentofcapitalism.

TheIndustrialRevolution(1)Causes

TheIndustrialRevolutionstartedduringthelastpailofthe18d>century,inthe

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sameperiodastheAmericanandtheFrenchRevolutions.ConditionsfortheIndustrialRevolutionwere:theaccumulationofcapital;thedevelopmentofcapitalisticfarming;theappearanceofalaborreserve;andtheexpansionofmarkets,domesticandforeign.TheIndustrialRevolutionfirststartedinBritainbecauseBritainhadseveralspecialconditionswhichnoothercountrycouldmatch.(2)Influences

TheIndustrialRevolutionwasnotonlyatechnologicalrevolutionbutalsoagreatsocialupheaval.ItexertedagreatinfluenceonbothBritishsocietyandtheworld.

TheIndustrialRevolutionpromotedthedevelopmentofproduction.Britainbegantoproducealargequantityoflow-pricedgoodsinamoreefficientmanner.Manynewcitiescameintobeing;populationincreased;thehomemarketwasenlarged.TheBritishgoodsalmostachievedamonopolypositionintheworldmarket.

Afactorysystemwasestablished.Workerswereemployedandmanagersbecamecapitalists.Twoconflictingclasseswerebom.

6.TheChartistMovement

In1836theLondonWorkingMen'sAssociationwasorganized.In1837apetition,knownasthePeople'sCharterwasdrawnup.Themainpointistoseekuniversalsuffrage.

TheChartistMovementwasamovementoftheworkingclassforrealizingthe"people'scharter"whichwasaboutuniversalsuffrage.Thechartistscouldbedividedintotwogroups-"moralforce,""physicalforce."TheChartistMovementreacheditsheightin1839-1848.ThreepetitionswerepresentedtoParliament,butallthethreewererejected.TheMovementdeclinedafter1848.ThefailureoftheMovementisitsdividedleadershipandlackofastrongbasisofclassunity.

AlthoughtheChartistMovementfailed,ithadagreatinfluence.ItwasaftertheMovementthattheEnglishworkingclassenteredaperiodofconductingindependentpoliticalmovementsagainstthebourgeoisie.

II.SignificantEventsintheUSAbeforetheFirstWorldWar

1.TheWarofAmericanIndependence(1775-1783)(1)Causes

theStampAct

theTownshendActs

TheBostonTeaPart(December16th,1773)

TheFirstandSecondContinentalCongresses(September1774,May1775)

Process

Thewarstartedin1775andendedin1783,lastingforabouteightyears.AtthebeginningtheadvantageswasinEngland'sside.ButtheAmericanarmy,ledbyGeneralWashington,foughtheroically.InDecember1776Washingtontookagreatvictory.

Inthespringof1777AmericanGeneralGatestookavictoryinSaratoga,thisistheturningpoint.

.L

OnOctober19,1781,Cornwallissurrendered,signalingtheendofthewar.However,severalmorebattleswerefoughthereandthere,anditwasnotuntil1783thatthelastoftheBritishleftAmerica.TheParisPeaceTreatywassignedbetweentheUSAandtheUKin1783.thustheWarofIndependencecametoanend.

TheDeclarationofIndependence

OnJuly2,1776,theCongressfinallyresolved"thattheseUnitedColoniesare,andofrightoughttobefreeandindependentstates."ThomasJeffersonofVirginiadraftedaDeclarationofIndependence,whichtheCongressadoptedonJuly4,1776.

TheDeclarationofIndependencegreatlyencouragedthestrugglingpeople,madethemthinktheyshouldbeindependent,theyhaverighttoenjoyliberty.Alldoubtsintheirmindwereclearedaway,andtheyweredeterminedtogoaheadtowintheirindependencebywar.

SignificancesoftheWar

AnewrepublicemeigedanditmarkedanewbeginningofAmericanhistory.

Ittellstheworldthatajustcausewillsoonerorlaterwinwhiletheevilcausewillcertainlyloose.

ThevictoryoftheAmericanpeoplealsogreatlyencouragedpeopleinthecoloniesruledbytheSpanishandpromotedthenationalliberationstruggleoftheothercoloniesintheworld.

TheFirstThreeUSPresidentsandtheWarwithEngland(1812)

Washington'sAdministration

JohnAdamsandtheOverthrowoftheFederalists

TheAdministrationofThomasJefferson

TheWarwithEngland(theSecondWarofIndependence)

TheAmericanCivilWar(1)Causes

thedifferenteconomicsystemsinthenorthandthesouth

theslaveprobleminthesouth

thepoliticalconflictsbetweenthenorthandthesouth

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(2)Progress(1861~1865)

Outbreak:April19,1861

ThecontrastbetweentheNorthandtheSouth

TheNorth

TheSouth

==Astrongeconomyduetoitsindustrial

production==Twenty-threestates=Threefourthsoftheentireterritoryofthecountry

==Alaigepopulationofabout22millionpeople

==Twothirdsofthenationalwealth==Aconvenienttransportationsystem

==Anagriculturaleconomy,withbackward

industry==Onlyelevenstates

=9millionpeopleincluding3.8million

slaves==Poorfinance

=Anincompletetransportationsystem

Therefore,theNorthwasmuchstrongerthantheSouth.

Theprogressofthewar

Thereweretwomainarenasofthewar:theeasternarenaandthewesternarena.ThebasicbattlegroundfortheeasternarenawasVirginia.ThewesternarenaincludedthearenawesttotheAppalachianRangeandtheMississippiRiverarea.

Onthewhole,theConfederatearmywonmanybattlesontheeasternarenawhiletheyweredefeatedagainonthewesternarena.

The'"IlomesteadBill"andtheEmancipationProclamation(3)SignificanceandEffectsoftheWar

TheCivilWarwasanepoch-makingeventinthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Itwasabouigeoisrevolutioninnature,acontinuationandexpansionoftheWarofIndependence.

TheabolitionofslaveryandtheemancipationoftheNegroesenabledthecountrytodevelopmorerapidlyineveryfield.

IttookAmericaonlythreedecadesafterthewartoassumetheleadasanindustrialcountryintheworld.

III.TheUKandtheUSAintheTwoWorldWars

1.TheUKandtheUSAintheFirstWorldWar(1)CausesofWWI

ThefirstandalsofundamentalcauseofthewarwastoredividetheworldcoloniesamongtheEuropeanimperialistpowers.

ThesecondcausewasthesystemofmilitaryalliancebetweentheCentralPowers:Germany,AustriaandItaly;andtheAllies:England.Franceand

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Russia.

c.TheassassinationofanAustriaprince,ArchDukeFerdinand,in1914inSerbiaservedasthedirect"fuse"fortheoutbreakofthewar.

TheUKinWWI

InBritaintheEdwardianAgebeganandtheLiberalswereinpowerin1905.TheElectionwasfoughtontheissuesoffreetrade,temperancereformandeducation.TheEnglishworkingclassmovementreachednewheightswithawaveofstrikesbetween1911and1914.Thesuffragettesfoughtforwomen'srights.TheIrishquestioncreatedthegreatestdifficultiesandIrelandwasonthebrinkofCivilWar.Thecapitalistworldbegantoenterthenewageofimperialism.Therivalryamongtheoldandyoungcapitalistpowersbecameacute.Thetwoblocksofcapitaliststatesformed.

AftertheGennansinvadedBelgiuminAugust4,1914,therebyviolatinganeutralitythatBritainwascommittedbytreatytosupport,BritaintookpanintheWar.

TheUSAinWWI

TheGennansannouncedthatsubmarinesweretobeusedtosinkshipsgoingtoEngland.ThiswouldgreatlyinjuretheAmericantrade.

AGermanplotwasdiscoveredandmadepublic.ItwasaschemeforanalliancewithMexicoincasetheUSenteredthewaragainstGermany.

GermanyhadsentmanyspiestoAmericatosetfiretofactoriesandputbombsinshipsthatwerecarryinggoodsacrosstheocean.

Aftermorethantwoyearsoffighting,bothsidesgrewweary.ThiswasagoodchanceforAmericatoenterthewar.

The"FebruaryRevolution"tookplaceinRussiain1917.

2.TheGreatDepressionandRoosevelt's"NewDear

Characteristicsofthegreatdepression

TheNewYorkstockmarkettailed.

Peoplewhothoughttheywererichsuddenlyfoundtheyhadbecomepaupers.

Alargenumberofpeoplewhohadborrowedmoneyfrombankscouldnotrepaytheirdebts.

Manybankssimplycloseddown.

Peoplewithoutmoneycouldbuynothingfromshops,somanyshopsshutdowntoo.

Allthisinevitablyaffectedcompanies,reducingsales,productionandpayrolls.

Solution-Roosevelt's"NewDeal"(1932)

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Athome,manypublicprojectswerelaunchedtocreateemploymentthroughahugeincreaseingovernmentresponsibility.

Abroad,Roosevelttookeffortstoconsolidatetheoldmarketsandtoconquernewonesunderthecloakofthe"GoodNeighborPolicy."

Rooseveltalsotooksomemeasuresof"socialsecurity,"payingpensionstotheold,unemployedandtheinjured.

(3)Significance

Roosevelt's"NewDeal"didnotchangethecapitalistsystembuthelpedtoimproveit.

The"NewDeal"hadacertainhistoricalimportance.Itrelaxedtheeconomiccrisis,madesomeconcessionstotheworkingpeople,stoppedthenationaleconomyfromcollapsing.

3.TheUKandtheUSAintheSecondWorldWar

CausesoftheWar

ThesourceoftheWarinEuiopecamefromGermany.AfterHitlerrosetopowerin1933,heandNazispreparedforalargeaggressivewar.TheybroketheVersaillesTreatyandbegantoreorganizetheGermanwarindustry.TheyalsodevelopedandarmytrainedinBlitzkrieg.In1936HitlerreoccupiedRhineland,ItalyandreducedAbyssiniatosubjection.

InAsia,Japan,thefascistnationlaunchedwaronChinain1931.OnDecember7n,1941,JapanmadeasuddenraidontheUnitedStates'navalbaseatPearlHarbor.ThenextdayAmericadeclaredwaronJapan.

TheUKinWWII

WorldWarIIwasatotalwarforBritain.OnereasonistherewasBritisharmyforce,theotherbeingtheEnglishchannel.WinstonChurchillplayedanimportantroleinWWII.Ileledthecountryduringthe"miracleofDunkirk"attheendofMayin1940.Thatwas338,000Alliedtroops'evacuationtoBritainfromDunkirk.HeandRoosevelt,StalindecidedtoopenthesecondbattlefieldinEuropeattheTeheranConference.HeproposedtocontinuetofightagainstJapanuntiltheendofthewar.

TheUSAinWWII

AtfirsttheUSkeptaso-calledneutralstandandthebusinessmencairiedonthewartimetrades,makinghugeprofits.WhenthebaseoftheAmericanPacificFleet,PeralHarborwassuddenlyattackedbytheJapaneseairforceandnavy,theUSfinallyenteredthewar.

.L .I.

OnAugust6and9,1945,theUSdroppedtwoatombombsonthecitiesofHiroshimaandNagasaki,killingover200,000Japanesepeople.OnAugust8thinthesameyear,theSovietUniondeclaredwaronJapan.Atthesametime,allthe

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Chineseaimedforcesbegananall-outcounter-attack.Japanhadtosunender

a.

unconditionallyonAugust14,1945.TheSecondWorldWarcametoanend.

(4)ConsequencesoftheWar

Itwasverydestructive.Itcostmorethanthirty-sixmillionlives.Millionswerelefthomeless.

Itwasananti-fascistwar.Manycountriesbecamesocialistordemocraticandmanycolonieswontheirindependence.

Afterthewar,thereemergedanewbalanceofpowerbetweentheUSSRandtheUSA.

Chapter4ThePostwarUKandUSA

ThePostwarUK

Nationalization

Undergoingeconomicsocialchanges:thenewLabourGovernmentnationalizedmanyindustries,electricity,gas,water,andhealth.

Enforcingsocialsecurity:"cradle-to-grave,"improvestandardsofliving,enableallBritonstoenjoyfreemedicalandhospitalcare.

TheThatcherEra

MargaretThatcherwasthefirstwomanPrimeMinisterinBritishhistory.Shehadheradministrationfortwoterms(1979-1990).Shegainedherreputationasthe"ironlady"forhertightcontrolofBritain'smonetarypolicy.

Mrs.ThatcherreallygainedaprosperityofBritainin1980s.Undertenyearsofherministry,Britainwasbeginningtocometotermswiththelossofmuchofitsheavyindustryandtheincreasingrelianceonfinance,communication,oil,insurance,tourism,accountingandotherserviceindustries.

InJuly1978,BritishdoctorsatLondon'sOldhamHospitalcreatedtheworld'sfirst'lesttubebaby,"LouisBrown.Britishscientistsretainedtheirlead.The1990ssawthebirthofthefamoussheepDolly(thefirstmammalproducedfromadonorcelltakenfromanadultratherthanfromanembryo),andthenPolly,atransgenicanimalproducedthroughcloning.

TheUKwasalsobusycreatingitsown"siliconvalleys."In1981theIIumberBridgewascompleted.At4,626feetitistheworld'slongestsuspensionbridge.Theworld'slongesthigh-speedopticalfiberlinkconnectedBirminghamwithLondon.

NorthernIrelandProblems

IRAreferstoIrishRepublicanArmy.Itisgenerallyregardedasaterroristorganization.

ThePostwarUSA

1.TheEconomicCrisesandtheRapidDevelopment

TheEconomicCrises

ThereoccurredsixeconomiccrisesaftertheWarintheUSbecausethecapitalisteconomyisratherflimsyandbackwardinnature.

ThefrequentemergenceoftheeconomiccrisesintheUSledtodisastrouseffects:inflation,theriseofpricesandthedecreaseofpurchasingcapacity.

TheRapidDevelopment

a.Itachievedprominentbreakthroughsinthethreefieldsofatomicenergy,electroniccomputersandspacenavigation.

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Chapter5PopulationandMajorCities

TheCompositionofPopulationin