Eastern Front and the Treaty of Versailles

The Eastern Front

• Along the German and Russian Border – Russians attack Austria and Germany in 1914

• Russians do well at first but problems begin to arise – What are going to be some issues that Russia

faces while trying to win the war?

Eastern Front

• Russian Troubles – Not industrialized

• Short on supply

– German Blockaded Baltic Sea– Ottoman Empire control of straits from

Mediterranean to Black Sea

Eastern Front

• Battle of Tennenberg– German offensive against Russia – Beat Russians into an all out retreat– 30,000 Russians killed– Munitions and horses captured

Eastern Front

• Austrians with help from the Germans push back the Russians at a battle near Limanowa

• In the next two weeks Austrians manage to push Russia entirely out of Austro-Hungarian territory

Conflict Spreads

• War spreads after initial conflict as more countries align themselves with a side – Japan- Allies – Ottoman Turks and Bulgaria- Central Powers

• Battles spread outside of Europe

Conflict Spreads

• Allies set sights on the Dardanelles – Controlled by Ottoman Turks – Supply line to Constantinople

Conflict Spreads

• Allies set sights on the Dardanelles – Controlled by Ottoman Turks – Supply line to Constantinople – If Allies take it they can ship much needed

supplies into Russia – Very costly campaign (250,000 lives) and

retreat

Conflict Spreads

• German Colonies also under attack– Japan takes German holdings in China and

Pacific Islands – England and France attack Germany’s four

African Colonies and seize three

• Colonists recruited for warfare

In 1917 the Germans decided to take what risk in the hopes of

ending the war?

• Germans chose to place the blockade (knowing it would provoke Americans) to try and starve Britain before the US could mobilize and send troops into battle

What were some of the ties the United States had with the

Allies?

• Language

• History

• Economics

Total War

• Governments place every resource into the war effort – Think back to the movie – What were some ways the United States did this?

• Rationing – Supplies are limited – Each person only allotted a certain amount to

purchase

Russian Surprise

• Eastern Front still not going well – Allies not able to open supply lines

• Russian people near revolution – Czar steps down – Interim government pledges to continue the war– Russian Army refuses

• Russian withdraw from the war meant Germany only had to contend with the Western Front

Allied Victory

• Germany focuses their wrath on the Western Front and reaches within 40 miles of Paris – Army and supplies are exhausted

• Allies launch a successful counterattack – 140,000 Fresh American troops – 2 million more American troops added

Allied Victory

• With the reinforcements from America, the allies force the German into retreating

• Central Powers begin to deteriorate as Ottoman-Turks and Bulgarians begin to surrender

• Revolution in Austria-Hungary ends their war efforts

• Kaiser Wilhelm II forced to resign on Nov 9, 1918

• Official armistice declared on Nov 11, 1918

Think Think Think

• Take a moment to reflect on the situation of Allied forces in Europe. – Land destroyed from constant battle– Crop failures– Bombings – Submarine blockades– Starvation – Loss of soldiers