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Artifact 1: Bülow's 'Hammer and Anvil' Speech before the Reichstag
This speech performed by Bernhard Von Bülow, translated by Richard Hacken, this speech calls upon the German people to be the Hammer and Anvil in the coming century. This speech contains valuable information in regards to examining the role of imperialism as a continued cause of both WWI and WWII because it shows the direction Germany is forced to take to keep up with its neighbors. This builds tension between the imperial countries, as they fight for more land in a limited space. -
Artifact 1: Part 2
In Europe, imperialism was the action to take when wanting economic gain, as the whole continent of Europe began a scramble for more land in not only Asia but also Africa. These colonies and bubbles of influence created by imperialistic behaviors of European countries not only passed their culture onto unsuspecting countries, but also set up the events that will be crucial in WWII. -
Artifact 1: Part 3
Like many other speeches, there can be details and motives that the speaker is wishing to hide. For example, has Germany really been that vulnerable for the German government to finally start their imperial journey? Or have they already started, but needed an excuse to take over the rest of Asia and Africa? Unfortunately, a speech only gives what the speaker wants to give, and thus is unknown if the German government had ulterior motives. -
Artifact 4: Kaiser Wilhelm II on German Interests in China
Following up on the announcement on direction that the German government is going to take, Kaiser Wilhelm displayed a significant interest in gaining a sphere of influence in China for economic gain. This imperialistic goal was halted by Boxers in China, a nationalist group that opposed all western lifestyle. Infuriated, the Kaiser ordered the army to take over and free the western lifestyle that the Boxers were trying to contain, which was a start of a crescendoing act of imperialism. -
Artifact 4: Part 2
The speech itself, however, is mainly disputed which version is real. After the speech was shown off to the public, many publishers from news articles often took the speech out of context to publish on newspapers to over exaggerate some aspect of the Kaiser's speech, like making him seem impatient to lower his reputation. Speeches are prone to these types of manipulation, and because this was a private speech to army men, it is especially hard to decide which versions are more valid than others. -
Artifact 2: Part 3
Although the polite language of both sides, the battles of taking over a country is never "polite." Which points to the letter possibly having understated consequences that the Belgians will face in case of resistance, although to confirm this, it will need more information of daily life in Belgium under German occupation. -
Artifact 2: German Request for Free Passage through Belgium, and the Belgian Response
These letters, or warnings rather, is an ultimatum that locks Belgium into two options: join them, or be invaded. The letter fully warns that a denial on the offer to join them will make them view Belgium as an enemy, and thus take over and make it their land, consuming land as a sake of generating profit, to fund Germany's bleeding coffins that were all leaking into military spendings. Neutrality of Belgium was already ensured by Prussia and France in both 1839 and once again confirmed in 1870. -
Artifact 2: Part 2
Germany's willingness to violate this neutrality demonstrated Germany's capabilities of ignoring pre-set public declarations and treaties set to protect growing countries. When Belgium replied stating: "Belgium intends to fulfil her international obligations and the Belgian army would offer the most vigorous resistance to the invader." Germany took over Belgium and occupied it, serving as a colony to Germany for the remainder of the Great War. -
Artifact 3: Part 3
Like many images without proper context, there are a lot of questions to come from all the missing information the viewer has to piece together. From the spiked helmet, we can infer it is the Germans that are threatening the 4 men, but we are given no indication that they are innocent, although the suits give information that they are probably not because most people who get legally executed do not wear suits. -
Artifact 3: Part 2
These executions in Belgium are in total violation of the pact of neutrality confirmed in both 1839 and 1870 by both Prussia and France, but also a violation in ethical war agreed upon in the first Geneva Convention in 1864. The citizen of Belgium was left to suffer this horrible occupation under German rule, which was now given a proper name: The Rape of Belgium. With these horrible demonstrations of power, Belgium was fully imperialized into Germany. -
Artifact 3: L'exécution des notables de Blégny
This photograph, taken by Evariste Carpentier, shows 4 men up against a wall with what looks to be soldiers in spiked helmets aiming a gun at them with an intent to shoot. This is an extraordinary look into how Belgian citizen was treated and how Germany's imperialistic behaviors affected Belgian citizen. One of the key criteria of Imperialism is overrunning and getting authority over the land the motherland/fatherland have claimed, and through these executions, Germany was able to take control. -
Artifact 6: German Use of Ostarbeiters
Another use for imperialism in WWII that differs from the first is using the residents of imperialized land as a slave labor force, or otherwise known as "Ostarbeiters" that produce war supplies that the soldiers use when fighting the allies. This image fully demonstrates what an Ostarbeiter is and what they would do on a daily basis. This is a significant change from the first world war that only really used the idea of imperialism as a build up of tension or silencing invaded land. -
Artifact 5: Expulsion of Poles
Coming in to WWII, the role of imperialism drastically changes. Now with an established goal of increasing the Aryan population through the means of acquiring Lebensraum, imperialism is used as a medium to achieve this objective or produce more resources for the war, contrary to the tension-building role that imperialism took in the first world war. Here we see a perfect example of this through the expulsion of poles, where Germany would expel poles from their homeland to house ethnic Germans. -
Artifact 5: Part 2
The German's invasion of Poland was one of the most well known invasions of WWII, and the land acquired by this invasion was used to Hitler's main motive of increasing the aryan population, which fueled the creative and cruel use of imperialism. The aryan population would then generate a sphere of influence around their residences, therefore spreading their culture through militarily relocating Polish people and German people.
