WWI Notes

WWI Notes

WWI Notes

2Europe in 1914

3Alliances and the First World War: Essential Background - Fact 1

World War I was all about the place of Germany in Europe4Alliances and the First World War: Essential Background - Fact 2France and Germany hated each other! When Germany became united country in 1870-1, France went to war to try to stop it but got WHOPPED!

Alliances and the First World War: Essential Background Fact 2 (cont.)France also lost Alsace-Lorraine in 1870-1.The French never forgave the Germans. They wanted REVENGE.

Alliances and the First World War: Germany in the MiddleGermanys BIG problem was that it was IN THE MIDDLE. That made it VULNERABLE if it came to a war.

Alliances and the First World War: Three Emperors League, 1881In the 19th century, Germanys brilliant Chancellor, Bismarck, solved this problem by keeping friends with RUSSIA and AUSTRIA-HUNGARY (the Dreikaiserbund).

Alliances and the First World War: Triple Alliance, 1882Then Bismarck allied with Italy and Austria-Hungary (the TRIPLE ALLIANCE, 1882). Together with his friendship with Russia, this kept Germany safe.

Alliances and the First World War: Germany encircledBut when Kaiser Wilhelm became Emperor, he dumped the Russian alliance. He kept the Triple Alliance, but this did NOT solve the problem of Germanys encirclement.

Alliances and the First World War: Franco-Russian Alliance, 1892Instead, in 1892, Russia made an alliance with FRANCE.Although it was only a DEFENSIVE alliance, it was Germanys worst nightmare!

Alliances and the First World War: Webs of AlliancesThere were many more alliances.

Alliances and the First World War: Anglo-Japanese Naval Agreement, 1902A very important one was the 1902 Anglo-Japanese naval alliance, which freed up Great Britain from protecting its Empire in the far east

Alliances and the First World War: Entente Cordiale, 1904 which allowed Britain to make the Entente Cordiale (friendly relationship) with France in 1904.

Alliances and the First World War: Triple Entente, 1907In 1907 Russia joined Britain and France to make the Triple Entente. So by 1914 Europe had divided into two massive superpower blocs. People thought this BALANCE OF POWER would keep the peace.

Alliances and the First World War: The BalkansBut Russia was also allied to Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria. When trouble erupted in the Balkans in 1914, the nations found their alliances dragged them into war

Alliances and the First World War: How the Alliances caused war like mountain climbers tied to the same rope.(i.e. it is arguable that THE SYSTEM OF ALLIANCES CAUSED WORLD WAR ONE.)

1. The Alliance System

Triple Entente:Triple Alliance:Two Armed Camps!

Allied Powers:Central Powers:

The Two SidesTriple AllianceGermanyAustria-HungaryItalyCentral PowersGermany Austria-HungaryOttoman EmpireTriple EntenteEnglandFranceRussiaAllied PowersEngland, France, Russia, United States, Italy, Serbia, Belgium, SwitzerlandThe Major Players: 1914-17

Nicholas II [Rus]George V [Br]

Pres. Poincare [Fr]Allied Powers:

Franz Josef [A-H]Wilhelm II [Ger]

Victor Emmanuel II [It]Central Powers:Enver Pasha[Turkey]

Pan-Slavism in the Balkans 1914Powder Keg of Europe22The Balkans: The Restless RegionOttoman Empire decliningNationalism = powerful force in the BalkansAustria-Hungary takes over struggling nations and vows to crush any efforts to undermine authoritySerbia supported by Russia; wants to break free from Austria-Hungary23The Crisis 1. 28 June 1914Heir to Austrian throne Franz Ferdinand visits Sarajevo.Capital of Bosnia, recently grabbed by Austria.Hotbed of Slav nationalism

Seal of the Black Hand groupThe Crisis 2.Black Hand terrorists attack the Arch DukeBomb attempt fails in morningGavrilo Princip shoots Archduke and wife in the afternoon.Austrians blame Serbia for supporting terrorists.

1234567

The Crisis 3.Austrians, supported by Germany, send Serbia a tough ultimatum.Serbia agrees to all but two terms of the ultimatum.Russia mobilises her troops to support SerbiaGermany demands that Russia stands her armies down.Germany declares war on Russia

Demands must be put to Serbia that would be wholly impossible for them to accept Why did Britain get involved?Britain had Ententes with France and Russia.Only friendly agreements but French and Russians given impression Britain would fight.The Schlieffen Plan

Sir Edward GreyBritish Foreign Secretary Theres some devilry going on in BerlinThe Schlieffen PlanGermanys military plan to defeat France and Russia.Knock out blow aimed at France first.Avoid French defences by invasion of Belgium.Germans thought Britain would not intervene.

Britains Reaction1838- UK had signed a Treaty to protect Belgium.Britain also scared of Germany controlling Channel ports.Did not want Germany to defeat France and dominate Europe. Britain next?UK issued ultimatum to Germany to withdraw troops from Belgium. War declared August 4 1914

Posters:

WartimePropagandaAustralian Poster

American Poster

Financing the War

German Poster

Think of Your Children!Technology:The Machine Gun It was used by both sides, hundreds of rounds a minute could be shot by one person.Chemical WeaponsWWI was the first major war to use chemical weapons Mustard Gas and Chlorine Gas were the two most popular weapons: They caused suffocation, blindness, and death

Soldiers would protect themselves using Gas Masks

Trench Warfare

No Mans LandTrench Warfare

Krupps Big Bertha Gun

Technology:The U-boat (Submarine)Germanys secret weapon during the war Sank dozens of British ships, controlled the oceans.

Why would the British think the U-boat was breaking the rules of War ?Technology:AirpowerBoth sides used aircraft for observation, limited bombing, and air battles

Airplanes were slow, clumsy, and unreliable,

The most famous German pilot was Baron von Richthofen (The Red Baron)

Red Baron

Technology:Tanks

Technology:Tanks

Technology:Flame Throwers

The Western Front:

A War of AttritionA Multi-Front War

The Western Front

Verdun February, 1916 German offensive. Each side had 500,000 casualties.

The Somme July, 1916 60,000 British soldiers killed in one day. Over 1,000,000 killed in 5 months.

War Is HELL !!

Sacrifices in War

Eastern FrontRussians and Serbs vs. Germans and Austria-HungariansWar more mobile but still a stalemate

Russias disadvantageNot IndustrializedShort on SuppliesRussias advantagePeopleEastern Front: BattlesBattle of Tannenberg: August 1914- First major eastern battle. Russia was badly defeated and pushed back. Russia lost millions of men against Germany, undersupplied, under gunnedOther FrontsJapan, Australia, India join AlliesOttoman Turks, Bulgaria join Central PowersGallipoli Campaign in the Ottoman EmpireBattles occur in Africa and Asia for Colonial Possessions

America Joins the WarUS Road to WarBritish Blockadedid not allow products to leave or enter GermanyGerman U-Boat Responsecounter to blockade, destroy all boats headed for British shoresPresident Woodrow Wilson

Charles Evans Hughes

1916 Election

1916 Presidential ElectionAnd the Winner isWoodrow Wilson

Because he kept us out of the war

The Sinking of the Lusitania

May 7th 1915Sinking of the Lusitania

128 U.S. civilians were killedSussex PledgePresident Wilson addressed Congress in April 1916 and issued an ultimatum to the Germans: End the attack on unarmed ships or risk the severing of diplomatic relations. Germany responded to Wilson's demands on May 4 with what is called the "Sussex Pledge." German submarine policy would henceforth be governed by promises to: end the sinking of passenger ships search merchant ships for contraband and make provisions for passengers and crews before sinking merchant ships The German guarantees were generally honored until the announcement of the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare in February 1917.US Road to WarThe Last StrawZimmerman Telegram 1917

US Declares WarSenate Declares War April 4th 1917House of Representatives Declares War April 6th 1917Wilsons reasoning for Warmake the world Safe for DemocracyWar on the HomefrontWorld War I as a Total WarAll Resources devoted to battlefrontGovt took over factories to make Military goodsAll had to work (Women took place of men in factories)Rationing- limit consumption of resources/goods necessary for the war effortPropaganda- one-sided information to keep support for the warThe YanksAre Coming!

Americans in the Trenches

Russia Exits the War In March 1917, Nicholas II abdicates his throne, the Russian Duma continues to fight. In October 1917: Lenin and the Bolsheviks take command: The Soviet Union is created.Bolsheviks- March 1918: Soviets and Germans sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, ending the war in the East. The Russian Revolution of 1917 (1 of 2)The Problems of the Provisional Government It was hoped that a liberal-democratic regime would succeed the Tsarist government but what really happened was a complex political free-for-all that raged from March to November 1917The liberals in Russia misjudged the popular mood and decided to continue the war in April 1917Failing to achieve any land reform or fix the economy in shambles, and continuing to oppress minorities in Russia further weakened the popularity of the Provisional GovernmentLenin and the Rise of Bolshevism Lenin had adapted the socialistic theories of Marx to the Russian conditions and forged a tightly knit and highly disciplined group of revolutionaries capable of surviving Tsarist oppression Bolsheviks saw the elimination of private property and the dictatorship of the proletariat as the best way of solving Russias problems The Bolsheviks envisioned their takeover as a spark to revolution elsewhere in war-torn Europe.The Russian Revolution of 1917 (2 of 2)Lenins Opportunity In April 1917 Germans helped Lenin return to Russia hoping he would lead a revolutionHe promoted his popular slogan: Peace, Land, and Bread.Seizing power in November 1917, Lenin allowed the elections for the proposed Constituent Assembly to be held in January 1818 but then the Bolsheviks only got 24% of the vote, he disbanded the Assembly after only one meetingThe Bolsheviks SurviveLenin changed the name of the party to the Communist Party and negotiated the treaty with the Germans in March 1918 that ended the war

Red Revolutionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOWiPa-zm0ohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EjDNdn_cjc&feature=fvwrelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k62eaN9-TLY

Ending the War 1917-1918US Enters the War in April of 1917March 1918 Russia and Germany sign the Treaty of Brest-LitovskGermans now use all resources on Western FrontMarch of 1918 Germany begins a massive attack on France

Ending the War (1918)The Tide TurnsGerman troops fatiguedUS had 140,000 fresh troops2nd Battle of the Marne (June 1918)Central Powers CrumbleRevolutions in Austria HungaryOttoman Empire surrendersGerman soldiers mutiny, public turns against Kaiser Wilhelm II

Ending the War (1918)Kaiser Wilhelm abdicates on November 9th 191811th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 Germany agrees to a cease-fire8.5 million soldiers dead21 million soldiers woundedCost of 338 billion dollarsWorld War I Casualties

Effects of World War IBefore World War I feeling of optimism and progress of Human KindAfter the War feelings of pessimismNew forms of Art, Literature, Philosophy and Science(ex. Surrealism, Lost Generation, Psychoanalysis, Existentialism) The War and European ConsciousnessThe war contributed to the spiritual problems and crises that had fostered it and called into question the nature of humankindIntellectuals were disillusioned and demoralized as science once viewed the crowning glory of human capabilities, had merely helped develop more efficient means of slaughter Helped create a generation of people who matured during the war and who were fascinated with violence and contemptuous of lifeFirst of the total wars illustrating the capabilities and dangers of mass mobilization

The Big Four

President Woodrow Wilson

David Lloyd George-GB

Georges Clemenceau-France

Vittorio Orlando-Italy

Treaty of Versailles

Ending the WarThe Paris Peace Conference

Meeting of the Big Four at the Paris Peace ConferenceWilson Proposes his 14 pointsBig Four create Treaty of VersaillesWar Guilt ClauseBreak up of German, Austrian, Russian and Ottoman EmpireReparationsLegacy of bitterness and betrayalThe Peace Conference (1 of 2)Wilsons Hope for a New World Wilson saw the war as against autocracy and hoped it would lead to a liberal-democratic world without warHe supported self-determination for people But he opposed any victors justice being applied to GermanyProblems of Peacemaking Wilsons diplomacy was undermined by the lack of support he received in America itselfFrance, which had fought two wars against Germany, wanted Germany punished and French security guaranteedThe creation of newly independent nations were fraught with ethnic-minority issues themselvesVarious secret treaties were a problems as wellMany nations and peoples had unrealistic expectations of the settlement

The Peace Conference (2 of 2)The SettlementFrance gained some territory and Germany was significantly demilitarized but France did not get all that it wantedAn independent Poland was created and Germany territory was separated in the processVictorious nations got German colonies and Ottoman territory under the aegis of being mandates of the League of NationsGermany was declared to be solely responsible for the war and forced to pay large reparationsYugoslavia and Czechoslovakia were created out of Austria-HungaryAssessment and ProblemsThe Germans saw the peace as to harsh as did critics in other countriesIt left Germany weakened but not powerless

Treaty of VersaillesTerritorialThe following land was taken away from Germany :Alsace-Lorraine (given to France)Eupen and Malmedy (given to Belgium)Northern Schleswig (given to Denmark)Hultschin (given to Czechoslovakia)West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia (given to Poland)The Saar, Danzig and Memel were put under the control of the League of Nations and the people of these regions would be allowed to vote to stay in Germany or not in a future referendum.The League of Nations also took control of Germany's overseas colonies.Germany had to return to Russia land taken in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Some of this land was made into new states : Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. An enlarged Poland also received some of this landTreaty of VersaillesMilitaryGermanys army was reduced to 100,000 men; the army was not allowed tanksGermany was not allowed an airforceGermany was allowed only 6 capital naval ships and no submarines The west of the Rhineland and 50 kms east of the River Rhine was made into a demilitarised zone (DMZ). No German soldier or weapon was allowed into this zone. The Allies were to keep an army of occupation on the west bank of the Rhine for 15 years. Treaty of VersaillesFinancialThe loss of vital industrial territory would be a severe blow to Germanys economy. Coal from the Saar and Upper Silesia in particular was a vital economic loss. Combined with the financial penalties linked to reparations($33 billion), it seemed clear to Germany that the Allies wanted nothing else but to bankrupt them.Germany was also forbidden to unite with Austria to form one superstate.Treaty of VersaillesGeneral1. Germany had to admit full responsibility for starting the war. This was Clause 231 - the infamous "War Guilt Clause.2. Germany, as it was responsible for starting the war as stated in clause 231, was therefore responsible for all the war damage caused by the First World War. Therefore, they had to pay reparations, the bulk of which would go to France and Belgium to pay for the damage done to both countries by the war. The figure was eventually put at $33 billion .3. A League of Nations was set up to keep world peace.League of Nations

-Five permanent members-G.B., France, Italy, U.S., Japan-Four non-permanent members that rotated-all members must submit disputes for investigation, arbitration and settlement-if member nation ignored, League could take actionWhat type of action? Economic sanctions-France wanted an international army but US and GB did not-Germany and the Soviet Union were not allowed to join right away-U.S. never joinedOther Treaties

Austria-Hungary no longer existedAustriawanted to be part of GermanyHungaryCzechoslovakialots of Germans in the Sudetenland areaYugoslavia (Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes)formed from Serbia, Montenegro and part of A-HAll these countries were small and weak and could easily be taken over.Germany had to give land back to Russia from Brest-Litovsk Treatydue to Civil War, Bolsheviks could not deal with this at the time so Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine became independent Turkey lost all its Middle Eastern coloniesSyria and Jordan went to FrancePalestine, Transjordan and Iraq went to GBSaudi Arabia became independentTurkey did become a republic(democracy) after WW I