The Great War and the Age of Anxiety

The Great War and the Age of Anxiety(aka, “The War to End All Wars”, “World War I”)

First: A Note About 1914-Present

Major Shifts that Take Place Over Time

1900 Britain and France (“the

“West”) dominate the world. Biggest enemies are other European countries and the Ottomans

Smaller World: Ships, Suez and Panama canals, railroads

Diplomatic Org.: Concert of Europe

Belief Systems still dominant

Slavery abolished Urbanization and

deforestation

Overtime Power Shift: U.S. becomes the

new “West”. U.S., Germany USSR, Japan, and China all play a dominant role and become “enemies”

“Flattening” of the World: Planes, ships phones, computer

League of Nations, United Nations

Religion challenged by science, liberalism, nationalism and communism

Decolonization, Feminist and Civil Rights movements

Green Movements

Long Term Causes – The Great War

I. New Imperialism Economic and Political Imperialism cause conflicts Advances in technology and science made

colonization easy II. Militarism

Germany and the “Dreadnaughts” – Battleships built 1890-1940 similar to the ironclads

“Schliefflen Plan” – German plan for fighting a war on two fronts, Eastern Front and Western Front; essentially WWI

Mass production of weapons - ______________ III. Nationalism

Intense pride in ones nation/people Desire to dominate or at least have the right to “self-

determination”

Note: Political Tensions Back Home Add to Desire for War (war seen as a diversion) Great Britain

Ireland Labor conflicts

France

Dreyfus Affair Decline of the

Catholic Church Russia

Russo-Japanese War Duma – attempts at a

constitutional monarchy Germany

Rumor of socialist revolution

Austria- Hungary Magyarzation of the

Hungarian half

Dreyfus Affair

Wrongful conviction of an Alsatian Jew selling French secrets to the Germans.

Emile Zola blows the lid off of the cover up in an open letter entitled J’Accuse

Anti-Semitism

DUMA

Representative body began under Alexander III

Nicholas II furthers powers of the Duma, but allows himself and his ministers to be beyond the control of the Duma

AKA – Executive power of the Tsar is still not restricted

Immediate Cause of WWI

Recall: Nationalism led many territories to become independent (Greece, Romania, Serbia, et al)

Bosnia and Herzegovina given to Austria-Hungary @ the Berlin Conference 1878 Serbia wants B-H region and is allied with Russia

1 Shot = Millions Dead

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbian Nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, a member of the “Black Hand”

The Black Hand had ties to the Serbian government

Austrians hoped for, and got, war with Serbia

Alliances: The Dominoes Fall (and what makes this a “world war”)

Central Powers Austria-Hungary Germany Italy

Add On Ottoman Empire

Allies Serbia Russia France Britain

Add On Japan Italy (?) U.S.

Course of the War

July 28, 1914 – Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia

Russia began to mobilize (recall alliance w/ Serbia), and so did France. Germany declared war on both (recall alliance w/ Austria-Hungary) August 1, 1914

Nature of “New War”

Enthusiasm was high as a short war was anticipated, however trauma sets in by 1918

“Fronts” developed - _______________ New era of warfare on the “western front”

Barbed wire, trench warfare, “over the top” tactics Poison gas, machine guns

Massive Casualties “Lost Generation” Urbanization = Many casualties

Stalemate in the West, Checkmate in the East?

West - Schlieffen Plan: Belgium,

Britain and the U.S. Major Battles:

1914: Battle of Tanneburg First Battle of the Marne Battle of Ypres

1916: Year of Bloodletting Battle of Verdun Battle of the Somme

1917 - Three Years Later – a Turning Point

East - Russian short-lived

success is followed by loss in the Battle of Tanneberg in 1914

Ottomans v. British 1917 - Russia backs out

Turning Point - 1917

Germans decide to continue “unrestricted submarine warfare” (they had promised to stop after the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915)

As a result of unrestricted submarine warfare and the “Zimmerman Note”, United States enters the War, but does not make an impact for another year

Germany takes Paris (again), but lacks the manpower and raw materials needed to hold it against the arriving Americans

Germany begins to retreat

Zimmermann Note FROM 2nd from London # 5747. "We intend to begin on the first of

February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please call the President's attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England in a few months to make peace." Signed, ZIMMERMANN

War on the Home Front

All aspects of society were mobilized by the government, creating “total war” Economically: governments controlled natural

resources, price controls, banning strikes, and rationing

Politically: Censorship and propaganda helped ensure support for the war, some women will gain the right to vote in England and Germany

Socially: Women were employed in the factories and were rewarded for their efforts with suffrage in some countries

End of the War

Prince Max von Baden contacts President Woodrow Wilson, suing for peace

The armistice will be signed on November 11, 1918 (Treaty of Versailles 1919)

Economic Cost: $338 Billion

Human Cost: > 8.5 million soldiers killed, 23 million wounded

(most from France, proportionately) Untold millions of civilians dead

Designing the Peace

3 Voices of the Peace Conference Woodrow Wilson – voice of moderation –

wanted less punitive agreement to end the war

French Premier Georges Clemenceau – wanted to satisfy the French public that was out for German blood

British Prime Minister David Lloyd-George – a voice less punitive than Clemenceau's, but still punitive

Wilson’s Fourteen Points

Wanted to encourage the spread of “self-determination” by nations and human rights

Less punitive - not accepted by allies “League of Nations” - Not accepted by

U.S. (embarrassing or what?)

League of Nations

Wilson – voice of moderation 14 Points called for a council of nations

to preserve peace and establish humanitarian goals

Many joined reluctantly, EXCEPT the U.S. (why?)

Treaty of Versailles: Make the Germans Cry 1919 – extremely punitive against Germany Germany takes all the blame

War reparations (huge) 132 billion Release territory – Land taken from the Russian Empire, Alsace-

Lorraine, occupation of the Rhine to the French Downsize military to 100,000 and a small navy (no air force) Other Measures:

Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia (Serbs dream), and Romania formed Poland and Hungary independent Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland formed from Russian Empire All of the above, except Czechoslovakia, eventually become

dictatorships

*Note –How does the treatment of Germany compare to the treatment of France at the “Congress of Vienna”?

Why was Russia losing territory?

Impact of the Treaty

Dream - Meant to ensure Germany would never threaten Europe again

Reality – Caused widespread economic problems (Great Depression)

Caused resentment in Germany, Japan, many colonies and “spheres of influence” (China)

Created conditions that led to the rise of Hitler and other Fascist dictators in Europe

Sidebar – Russian Revolution 1917(note the date)

Why did it occur and what werethe results? Include the followingin your answer: Czar Nicholas Empress Alexandria Rasputin Soviets Mensheviks Vladimir Lenin Bolsheviks (later “Communists”)

Leon Trotsky Treaty of Brest Litovsk White Forces Red Army New Economic Policy

Interwar Years

Eastern Europe, Western Europe

Eastern Europe

Ottoman Empire Russia New Boundaries

Ottoman Empire: Sick Man of Europe

Lost most of it’s remaining land in the Treaty of Versailles

Ataturk led a Greek attack, overthrowing the last Ottoman sultan and in 1923 became President of modern Turkey

Changed the cultural path from Islamic to Western

Other parts became “mandates”: Britain controlled Iraq and Palestine, France controlled Syria and Lebanon

Note – Armenian Massacre

Soviet Union Goes Totalitarian

Joseph Stalin – successor to Lenin More “totalitarianism” than “communism” Reforms instituted using terror, secret police, bogus

trials, labor camps, assassination (Great Purge – 1936-1938 – millions died)

“Five Year Plans” Instituted “collectivizing” of agriculture and

nationalized factories Many died from defending farms or starvation Successfully industrialized the USSR and improved

the economy

New Boundaries

Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia (Serbs dream), and Romania formed

Poland and Hungary independentLithuania, Latvia, Estonia and

Finland formed from Russian Empire (Russia not happy)

All of the above, except Czechoslovakia, eventually become dictatorships

Western Europe

France Conservative and socialists began to vie for power

Great Britain High unemployment led to the rise of the Labour Party, which

moved toward socialist reform British possessions demand independence (Ireland, India)

Italy No gains at Versailles, socialist threats and an ailing economy

lead to the rise of Fascism (Mussolini) Spain and Portugal

Both countries face opposition from landowners, the church and the army Both set up republics that are overthrown in favor of dictators

Germany

The new “Weimar Republic” faced many challenges: legitimacy and the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles, economic problems and challenges by socialists/Marxists

Discontent with the Treaty of Versailles and the Great Depression results in the rise of German Fascism (Hitler)

Marker Event: Great Depression

WWI expensive Two countries relied on American credit:

France and Germany

October 29 – Stock Market Crash

International Catastrophe Americans stopped issuing credit Germany had no way to pay reparations France therefore had no money either U.S. and Germany hit hardest – 1/3 out of

work

Early 20th Century Movements

Political Movements Women’s Suffrage

Prior to1870 “pioneering” phase, 1870-1905 “dormant” phase (reading on Women)

1905-1914 – Militant Phase National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies Women’s social and Political Union – Emmeline Pankhurst

After WWI – suffrage granted in most European countries Socialist Movements

Britain – Fabian Party – nationalize some industries (necessary for survival)

France – United Socialists Party became the largest party Germany – Social Democratic Party – “revisionist socialism”

became the largest party

One other worth mentioning: Fascism

Gained momentum as capitalist-leaning democracies failed to help the economy following WWI and the Great Depression Italy –

National Fascist Party 1919, founded by Benito Mussolini By 1922, fascist “Blackshirts” helped Mussolini become

Prime Minister Germany –

Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Party (NAZI) used propaganda to convince many the Germans must have been betrayed in WWI

Beer Hall putsch – 1923, failed attempt by Hitler to stage a coup, but gave him a courtroom (platform) from which to espouse his views

By 1923 – Hitler name Chancellor (Prime Minister) Spain – Francisco Franco, with the help of Hitler and Mussolin,

defeat the Spanish Republic by 1939

Note: France and Britain both had fascists organizations, but they remained on the political fringe

Movements in Philosophy

Freidrich Nietzsche Claimed “God is dead” Viewed reason, democracy, progress, respectability

as outworn constructs that stifle excellence Logical empiricism – rejected traditional philosophy

which wasted its time on God and happiness – philosophy should focus on thoughts

Existentialism – appealed to those who were searching for moral values in a world of uncertainty

New Science and Social Science

New Physics Appealed to those who were losing hope in

religion Max Plank – energy measured in "Quanta” Theory of Relativity – Albert Einstein Discovery of neutrons

Freudian Psychology Id, ego and superego

New Entertainment: Movies and Radio

“Jazz Age” Silent film industry Radio - Guglielmo Marconi Political Use:

Mussolini and Hitler Roosevelt and Baldwin The Triumph of the Will

Modern Art

*Functionalism (architecture)

*Post-Impressionism, forerunner to:

Expressionism – shows emotional/psychological states

*Abstractionism/Cubism – uses more logical analysis of the world, therefore more shaped/geometrical patterns

*Dadaism (means “hobbyhorse”)forerunner to:

Surrealism – influenced by psychoanalysis

*Existentialism – appealed to those who felt alone, with shattered beliefs about God, reason and progress (inspired by Nietsche)

FunctionalismFrank Lloyd Wright

Post-ImpressionismSunflowers, Vincent Van Gogh

ExpressionismThe Scream, Edvard Munch

CubismGuernica, Pablo PicassoWoman with Guitar, Georges Braque

DadaismMona Lisa and Fountain, Marcel DuchampCut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany, Hannah Hoch

SurrealismElephas Celebes, Max ErnstThe Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dali

More Salvador Dali

ExistentialismStriding Man, Alberto Giacometti

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