AGENDA 3.16.10
Dec 16, 2015
QUIZ…
1. List the four long-term causes of WWI.2. What two countries were in competition
over the Balkans?3. Who assassinated the Archduke Franz
Ferdinand?4. Where was the Archduke from?5. How did the assassination lead to WWI?
THE ALLIANCE SYSTEM COLLAPSES
After the assassination of the archduke, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia
Resulted in chain reaction Chain reaction went like this:
Austria-Hungary attacks Serbia (with Germany’s unconditional support)
Russia helps Serbia, attacks Austria-Hungary AND Germany
Germany declares war against RussiaRussia asks France for help
THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN Designed by General Arthur Graf von
Schlieffen of Germany Plan to deal 2-front war. German soldiers
would rush to the West to crush the French, and then back to the East to attack the Russians
The Germans couldn’t get into France because the French troops were too deep, so they crossed through Belgium
Since Belgium was officially “neutral”, the German invasion outraged the British and then the British declared war on Germany too (August 4, 1914)
Soon the two alliances (the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente) changed their names – turned into the Allies vs. The Central Powers
ALLIES VERSUS CENTRAL POWERS
Great Britain, France, Russia = Original allies
Italy – even though they were originally with the Germans – switched sides and joined the Allies
Located in center of Europe – Germany and Austria-Hungary were the original two
Joined by Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire
A BLOODY STALEMATE ALONG THE WESTERN FRONT Germany’s attack of France = a long
stalemate in French battlefields Deadlocked region = The Western Front Seemed like the Germans were going to beat
France… not so much.
THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE
French FINALLY defeat the Germans in the valley of the Marne River (north of Paris).
Battle = important battle; showed the Germans that the Schlieffen Plan would not work.
TRENCH WARFARE Armies fought each other from trenches
(trenches are like big ditches) Trenches = muddy and rat infested; sleep
was impossible Land b/w trenches = “no man’s land.” Even the new technology didn’t make war
quick and easy, just more violent At the Battle of Verdun, the French and
Germans EACH lost more than 300,000 men By the end of the Battle of the Somme
(November 1916) each side had lost a half a million soldiers
THE BATTLE ON THE EASTERN FRONT Eastern front = stretch of land b/w Germany
and Russia Russians and Serbs versus Germans,
Austrians and Turks Central Powers dominated – killed more than
30,000 Russians in one battle!
RUSSIA FALLS APART
By 1916, Russia was near collapse – low on supplies. Ports blocked by the Ottomans and the Germans
Russia’s HUGE population helped them stay in the war.
Russians lost more than 2 million soldiers in 1915 alone