The World on The World on the Eve of the the Eve of the World Wars World Wars 1914-Present 1914-Present Lesson 1 Lesson 1
Jan 05, 2016
The World on the The World on the Eve of the World Eve of the World WarsWars
1914-Present Lesson 11914-Present Lesson 1
Main Ideas:Main Ideas:• A competitive environment in Europe A competitive environment in Europe
increased the chances for hostility in the increased the chances for hostility in the 2020thth Century Century
• European alliance systems guaranteed European alliance systems guaranteed that conflict between a few would lead to that conflict between a few would lead to world warworld war
• Industrialism & imperialism put European Industrialism & imperialism put European colonies in a position to play a critical colonies in a position to play a critical role in the coming conflictrole in the coming conflict
Sources of TensionSources of Tension• EconomicEconomic
– industrialismindustrialism
• PoliticalPolitical– West vs. EastWest vs. East– ImperialismImperialism
• IdeologicalIdeological– NationalismNationalism– DarwinismDarwinism
Role of the ColoniesRole of the Colonies• Raw MaterialsRaw Materials
– haves & haves & have-notshave-nots
• Project Project superiority of superiority of mother countrymother country
• ““My Empire Is My Empire Is Bigger than Bigger than Yours”Yours”
The British Empire, 1900The British Empire, 1900
Close Calls: Potential Close Calls: Potential “World Wars”“World Wars”• ““The Great Game”The Great Game”
– GBR & RUSGBR & RUS
• FRA & GBR in the FRA & GBR in the SudanSudan
• The Moroccan CrisesThe Moroccan Crises– FRA & GERFRA & GER
• Naval Arms RaceNaval Arms Race– GER & GBRGER & GBR
New PlayersNew Players• The United StatesThe United States
– Manifest DestinyManifest Destiny– Spanish-American WarSpanish-American War– Luxury of IsolationismLuxury of Isolationism
• JapanJapan– “ “Asia for the Asians”Asia for the Asians”– Russo-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War,
19051905
Europe’s Alliance Europe’s Alliance SystemsSystems• Advantage/DisadvantageAdvantage/Disadvantage
• GermanyGermany– isolate Franceisolate France– Three Emperors’ PactThree Emperors’ Pact
• GER, AUS, RUSGER, AUS, RUS– Lapse on Russia & Triple Lapse on Russia & Triple
AllianceAlliance• GER, AUS, ITAGER, AUS, ITA
• France & RussiaFrance & Russia– squeeze Germanysqueeze Germany– Triple Triple ÉntenteÉntente
• FRA, RUS, GBR FRA, RUS, GBR (kind of)(kind of)
The Balkan Crisis, Part The Balkan Crisis, Part 11• Serbian nationalism & Ottoman declineSerbian nationalism & Ottoman decline
• Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary– GER now major C European powerGER now major C European power– looking to spread into former looking to spread into former
Ottoman lands (Bosnia-Ottoman lands (Bosnia-Herzegovina)Herzegovina)
• RussiaRussia– “ “protector of Slavic peoples”protector of Slavic peoples”
• Assassination of Archduke Franz-Assassination of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand, 1914Ferdinand, 1914– The Black HandThe Black Hand– Austria’s ultimatumAustria’s ultimatum
The Balkan Crisis of The Balkan Crisis of 19141914• Serbian nationalism & Ottoman Serbian nationalism & Ottoman
declinedecline• Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
– GER now major C European GER now major C European powerpower
– looking to spread into former looking to spread into former Ottoman lands (Bosnia-Ottoman lands (Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1908)Herzegovina, 1908)
• RussiaRussia– “ “protector of Slavic peoples”protector of Slavic peoples”
• Assassination of Archduke Franz-Assassination of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand, 1914Ferdinand, 1914– Gavrilo Princip & The Black Gavrilo Princip & The Black
HandHand– Austria’s ultimatum, Serbia’s Austria’s ultimatum, Serbia’s
answeranswer
Final Steps to WarFinal Steps to War• Germany’s “Carte Germany’s “Carte
Blanche”Blanche”– ““blank check” in dealing blank check” in dealing
with Serbiawith Serbia
– AUS-HUN withdraws AUS-HUN withdraws offer to SRB--this offer to SRB--this guaranteed war in 1914guaranteed war in 1914
Final Steps to WarFinal Steps to War• Mobilization:Mobilization: moving men & materials into moving men & materials into
position for war (considered an act of war)position for war (considered an act of war)– Aug. 1, 1914: RUS mobilizes on AUS-HUN Aug. 1, 1914: RUS mobilizes on AUS-HUN
bordersborders– GER mobilizes vs. RUS in responseGER mobilizes vs. RUS in response
August 1, 1914August 1, 1914Germany & France--Germany & France--students race to enlist students race to enlist
and serve the and serve the fatherlandfatherland
General belief was that General belief was that war would be over in a war would be over in a
few weeks--no one few weeks--no one wanted to miss it!wanted to miss it!
Limited War vs. Limited War vs. Total WarTotal War• Total WarTotal War: virtually all : virtually all
aspects of society factor in aspects of society factor in to war effortto war effort
• Factors allowing for Factors allowing for movement toward more movement toward more total wartotal war– DemocratizationDemocratization
– IndustrializationIndustrialization
– Philosophical concessionsPhilosophical concessions
ExamplesExamples• Embargoes & Embargoes &
blockadesblockades– ““economic economic
asphyxiation”asphyxiation”• North on South in Civil North on South in Civil
WarWar• GBR on GER in World GBR on GER in World
War IWar I
• Civilian bombingsCivilian bombings– Disrupt life, terrorize Disrupt life, terrorize
pop., cripple moralepop., cripple morale• Battle of Britain, WWIIBattle of Britain, WWII• Hiroshima & NagasakiHiroshima & Nagasaki
ExamplesExamples• Espionage & Espionage &
sabotagesabotage– War of informationWar of information– Covert opsCovert ops
• French Resistance in French Resistance in WWIIWWII
• Cold WarCold War
• PropagandaPropaganda– Control infoControl info– Boost morale & Boost morale &
spread fearspread fear
ExamplesExamples• TerrorismTerrorism
– Typical when Typical when conventional force is conventional force is too weaktoo weak
– Violent political actionViolent political action• Reign of TerrorReign of Terror• Palestinians vs. Palestinians vs.
IsraelIsrael• Mass DestructionMass Destruction
– Chemical, biological, Chemical, biological, nuclearnuclear
– Cripple war effort Cripple war effort through mass civilian through mass civilian deathdeath
• Hiroshima & Hiroshima & NagasakiNagasaki
The Great War as The Great War as Total WarTotal War• Military exemptions for Military exemptions for
factory workers, soldiers factory workers, soldiers as “labor”as “labor”– PoiluPoilu Mutiny, 1917 Mutiny, 1917
• British blockade of British blockade of Germany—starve them Germany—starve them out!out!– Maintained until Aug. 1919Maintained until Aug. 1919
• Controlling information Controlling information (esp. Germany)(esp. Germany)
• Colonial production vital Colonial production vital to war effortto war effort
German, German, 19141914
American, American, 19181918
American, American, 19171917
German German (Bavaria), (Bavaria),
19141914
British, British, 19141914
German, German, 1918-191918-19
American, 1917American, 1917
German, 1914-15German, 1914-15