World War I The Guns of August. Reminders: Please sign up for the listserv Please sign up for the listserv Think about topics for the book or film review.

World War IWorld War I

The Guns of AugustThe Guns of August

Reminders:Reminders:

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film reviewfilm review

The International System before The International System before World War IWorld War I

Concert of Europe & the balance of Concert of Europe & the balance of powerpower

Increasing rigidityIncreasing rigidity• Triple Alliance: Triple Alliance:

Germany, Austria-Hungary, ItalyGermany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

• Triple EntenteTriple Entente France, Russia & perhaps BritainFrance, Russia & perhaps Britain

Increasing tension, crises…Increasing tension, crises…

Tripping into war: June-Aug.1914Tripping into war: June-Aug.1914

June 28: Assassination in Sarajevo of June 28: Assassination in Sarajevo of Franz-Ferdinand and wifeFranz-Ferdinand and wife

Austria blames Serbia (parallel with Austria blames Serbia (parallel with the 1990s)the 1990s)

The German ‘blank-check’ The German ‘blank-check’ • believe Russia will not intervenebelieve Russia will not intervene• if it does Germany can deal with both if it does Germany can deal with both

Russia and France –Schlieffen plan)Russia and France –Schlieffen plan)

June-August 1914June-August 1914

Austria’s ultimatum of July 23 Austria’s ultimatum of July 23 • Serbia begins mobilizationSerbia begins mobilization• July 25 answer is givenJuly 25 answer is given

July 28 declaration of warJuly 28 declaration of war July 29 first shells on Belgrade.July 29 first shells on Belgrade.

• Russian call for general mobilization Russian call for general mobilization (against both Austria and Germany)(against both Austria and Germany)

• Rethinks it and then starts again.Rethinks it and then starts again.

June-July 1914June-July 1914

July 29: France tells Russia it will July 29: France tells Russia it will stand by her stand by her

Germany tells Russia to stop Germany tells Russia to stop mobilization and France to declare mobilization and France to declare neutralityneutrality• Russia refuses Russia refuses • Germany declares war on Aug. 1.Germany declares war on Aug. 1.

Aug. 1: France mobilizesAug. 1: France mobilizes• doesn’t believe Germany will respect doesn’t believe Germany will respect

neutralityneutrality

August 1914August 1914

Germany asks Belgium for free Germany asks Belgium for free passagepassage• Declares war on France, Aug. 3Declares war on France, Aug. 3• Enter Belgium Aug 4thEnter Belgium Aug 4th• Britain declares war on GermanyBritain declares war on Germany

War greeted with enthusiasm & War greeted with enthusiasm & nationalist fervor on both sides:nationalist fervor on both sides:• Last European war, 1870-71, lasted 6 Last European war, 1870-71, lasted 6

months months

WW1: expectations v. realities:WW1: expectations v. realities:

A short war A short war Failure of initial offensivesFailure of initial offensives

• Schlieffen Plan not fully implemented --Schlieffen Plan not fully implemented --Von Moltke modifiesVon Moltke modifies

Digging in on the western front:Digging in on the western front:• Initial offence gives way to stalemateInitial offence gives way to stalemate

Trench warfareTrench warfare TunnellingTunnelling

Movement on the eastern frontMovement on the eastern front

Western Front: 1914Western Front: 1914

Western Front, 1916Western Front, 1916

TrenchesTrenches

War fields - SommeWar fields - Somme

Battle of the Somme – 1 JulyBattle of the Somme – 1 July

Newfoundland RegimentNewfoundland RegimentNo. 3 Platoon, A Company No. 3 Platoon, A Company

Newfoundland soldiers on St. Newfoundland soldiers on St. John’s RoadJohn’s Road

The ‘Danger Tree’The ‘Danger Tree’

After 16 days of battle – July 16After 16 days of battle – July 16

Hawthorn Ridge mine 1 July 1916Hawthorn Ridge mine 1 July 1916

In the trenchesIn the trenches

AttackAttack

A common sight in the SommeA common sight in the Somme

Newfoundland War MemorialNewfoundland War Memorial

Costs in human lifeCosts in human life

Battle of the SommeBattle of the Somme• Allies: 600,000 ( of which over 24,000 Allies: 600,000 ( of which over 24,000

Canadians and over 245 Canadians and over 245 Newfoundlanders)Newfoundlanders)

• July 1 alone: 60,000July 1 alone: 60,000

• Germans: 615,000Germans: 615,000

Total for WWI 9,000,000Total for WWI 9,000,000

Casualties Casualties

Passchendaele village, before and afterPasschendaele village, before and after

The tank appearsThe tank appears

Failure of peace initiativesFailure of peace initiatives

Desire of France and Germany to Desire of France and Germany to maintain buffer states on bordersmaintain buffer states on borders

Incorporation of new allies with Incorporation of new allies with demands on territory of belligerentsdemands on territory of belligerents

Determining factors:Determining factors:

Supply of food and raw materialsSupply of food and raw materials Exhaustion of combatantsExhaustion of combatants Success of British naval blockadeSuccess of British naval blockade American entry (triggered by German American entry (triggered by German

submarine warfare)submarine warfare)

Causes of warCauses of war

Continuing debate, multiple Continuing debate, multiple explanations, some better than explanations, some better than others:others:

Arms race & especially those who Arms race & especially those who benefitted: munitions-makersbenefitted: munitions-makers

NationalismNationalism Capitalism itself (Orthodox Marxists)Capitalism itself (Orthodox Marxists) Entangling alliances and secret Entangling alliances and secret

covenants (Woodrow Wilson)covenants (Woodrow Wilson)

A broader view:A broader view:

LongLong: industrialization, population : industrialization, population growth, social and political changegrowth, social and political change

MediumMedium: : • changes in the balance of powerchanges in the balance of power• rise of Germany a threat to France and rise of Germany a threat to France and

BritainBritain• decline of Ottoman empiredecline of Ottoman empire

ShortShort: events of August 1914 : events of August 1914

Systemic factors:Systemic factors:

System of alliancesSystem of alliances Balance of powerBalance of power

• Aim was preventing Germany from Aim was preventing Germany from becoming dominant power) becoming dominant power)

• However system fails?However system fails?• Did Britain make its position clearDid Britain make its position clear

German aggression (Weltpolitik)?German aggression (Weltpolitik)? Crumbling empiresCrumbling empires

Other factorsOther factors Popular pressure, Popular pressure,

• magnified by newspapers, magnified by newspapers, • nationalismnationalism

Inflexible military plans, Inflexible military plans, railway timetables railway timetables

Leaders take risks, not fully Leaders take risks, not fully understood, slide into warunderstood, slide into war

Consequences: an initial viewConsequences: an initial view

End of empires in Berlin, Vienna, St. End of empires in Berlin, Vienna, St. Petersburg (Bolshevik revolution of 1917) Petersburg (Bolshevik revolution of 1917) and Constantinople-Istanbul.and Constantinople-Istanbul.

European economic dislocation, European economic dislocation, indebtedness of European countries to the indebtedness of European countries to the United States and United States and end of central role of end of central role of Europe in the global economy and rise of Europe in the global economy and rise of the US.the US.

Widespread disillusionmentWidespread disillusionment