Background• August 1914 – 1918• The GREAT war; the “war to end all wars”• Involved most nations of the world

"The Great War was without precedent ... never had so many

nations taken up arms at a single time. Never

had the battlefield been so vast… never had the fighting been

so gruesome..."

Causes of WWI

There are four *MAIN* causes…

“M”ilitarism• Def: the glorification of war and the

military• Security depended on technology, skill,

and readiness of forces– Conscription – Universal military training

“A”lliances• Triple Entente

– France– England (and all of the

Commonwealth)– Russia (would leave in

1917 b/c of Revolution)– Serbia

• Triple Alliance– Germany– Austria-Hungary– Italy – Turkey

• Neutral– Belgium – and other

nations not mentioned in entente or Alliance.

– USA (would enter near the end of 1917)

“I”MPERIALISM• Industrialization brought competition for

new markets and to establish or expand global empires

• Competition = hostility as countries crossed each other while trying to accomplish their goals.

“N”ATIONALISM• France – revenge against Germany for loss of

Alsace-Lorraine in Franco-Russian War (1870 – 1871)

• Austria – Hungary– Pan-slavis; Serbian Slavs supported and wanted to

form a “Yugoslav” nation– A-H annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina (a Slavic territory)– Serbia turned to Russia, their protector– Russia made a deal with A-H – let them have B-H– A-H didn’t keep deal and Russia is bitter

• Balkans – Serbian wanted Albania but failed

WORLD WAR I BEGINS

The “Spark”• Europe had become a “Powder Keg,”

needing only a “spark” to touch off war

• In 1914, that “spark” was provided, causing the outbreak of WWI.

Steps Leading to War1. Archduke Frances Ferdinand is

assassinated by Gavrilo Princip June 28, 1914 In Sarajevo, Bosnia. Black Hand

2. The emperor of A-H, Franz Joseph blamed Serbia. Got German support to retaliate (July 5)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Franz_ferdinand.jpg

3. A-H gave Serbia an ultimatum (July 23) A-H army enter Serbia to stop unrest Lead assassination investigation

4. Serbian response was rejected and A-H declares War (July 28)

5. Mobilization begins; system of alliances set into motion

The Balkans

The War 1914 - 1916

By Aug 1914 the stage is set

• Central Powers– Germany– Austria-Hungary– Ottoman Empire– Bulgaria

*Italy remained neutral…

• Allied Powers– GB– FR– Russia– Serbia– Belgium– Japan– Montenegro

Schlieffen PlanSchlieffen Plan = Germany’s Plan of attack (1905)

1. Attack France through neutral Belgium2. Complete in 6 weeks3. Move to the Eastern Front to fight Russia

Problems1. Belgium was heavily fortified2. Strong resistance so German advance was

delayed3. Russia mobilized quicker than expected4. Met British forces in N FR

The Battle of the Marne1. September 5, 19142. Lasted 4 days3. French pushed Germans back 50 miles

from Paris4. Significance:

A. Saved ParisB. Boosted French moraleC. Ended Schlieffen PlanD. Made it clear that there would be no easy winner

Early Russian Disaster1. Aug. 13 Russia attacked Prussia;

successful2. End of August – Battle of Tannenberg

A. Germans divided and destroyed RussiansB. 30,000 Russians killed; 92,000 taken prisonerC. 13,000 Germans killed

*NEVER RECOVERED

Stalemate1. November 1914 the war = stalemate2. Belligerent nations adjusted plans

A. Civilians entered war effortB. Newspapers exaggerated victoriesC. Governments used propaganda

3. 1915 War of attrition was being used so build trenches for protection

A. 2 parallel 500 mile long ditches from Switz. to North SeaB. The area in b/wn “No Man’s Land”C. Soldiers suffered from boredom, terror, rats, mud, cold,

disease

4. 1915 Germans introduced poison gas

Western Front:1. Battle of Verdun (February 1916)

A. Germans launched surprise attack against France in the NE

B. Lasted 6 months before the Germans w/drewC. Results: Inconclusive, but on of the bloodiest

battles; ½ million dead

2. Battle of Somme (later 1916)A. France launched attack against Germans along

the Somme River ValleyB. Results: Inconclusive and deadlyC. The British introduced tanks

The Eastern Front1. More mobile – terrain didn’t favor trench

warfare2. Russia

A. Least industrialized; did not have resources or skills to fight a modern war

B. Many casualtiesC. Lost many guns and ammunition

3. 1916 offensive against Austria-HungaryA. Early successB. Internal problems led to Russian collapse in 1917

The Southern Front1. Orchestrated by Winston Churchill, head of

British Navy2. Goal = occupy the Dardanelles Strait

A. Supply RussiaB. Strengthen SerbiaC. Aid in the collapse of A-H

3. Initial attempt failed in 19154. In the Battle of Gallipoli (April 1915 to Jan

1916) the Turks were able to force the allies’ w/drawal

Submarine Warfare1. Germans introduced submarine warfare to

wear down the British sea power.A. GB was the strongestB. Naval blockades

2. German submarines = U Boats3. 1915 – unrestricted submarine warfare

A. May 1915 they sank the LusitaniaB. 1200 killed, 128 were Americans

4. Woodrow Wilson threatens Germany; on Sept 1, 1915 Germany promised to halt submarine warfare

The Home Front (Woodrow Wilson)

1. American public-opinion was splitA. Irish-Ams were anti-BritishB. German-Ams sided with GermansC. English, Scots, favored the Allies

2. Feb 1, 1917 Germans resumed unrestricted sub-warfare

3. Feb 3, 1917 Wilson broke all ties w/ Germany

4. Feb 24, 1917 British intelligence intercepts the Zimmerman Message

A. Mexico would support Central PowersB. GERM would help MEX regain NM, TX, and AZ

5. March 1917 the message was printed in American NPs

6. March 1917, 4 more Am vessels were sank

7. April 2, 1917 Wilson asks Congress to declare war “to make the world safe for democracy.”

A. April 6 - Declaration of WarB. U.S begins mobilization

US Involvement

1. May 8, 1917 Selective Service ActA. By June 5 9.5 million men 21-30 registeredB. By end 4 million were draftedC. Would bring unity!

2. American Expeditionary ForceA. General John J. PershingB. Built docks, RRs, telephone and telegraph lines, camps,

ammunition dumps, sheds, hospitals

3. 10,000 women worked in hospitals4. Convoy System

The End of the War

Turning the Tide1. The U.S. Enters the War

A. Boosted Allied moraleB. Resources: industrial and humanC. convoys delivered supplies

2. April 1917 the Great Britain launches a major offensive at Flanders.

A. No clear victorB. Huge casualties for both sides; running out of

men!

3. Total WarA. Definition = directing all people and resources to

the war effort.B. G’vmts:

• increased their powers• raised larger armies• increased taxes• placed controls on the economies• censored the press• rationed goods

C. Women• Factory work• Improved women’s rights

End of the War1. In July 1918 the Allies had a major

breakthrough on the Western FrontA. Stopped German offensive that had almost taken

ParisB. Pushed the Germans back to the border of

GermanyC. Sept 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm II w/drw German

forces from FR

2. The rest of the Central Powers collapsed

3. On Nov 9, 1918 the German Kaiser abdicated the throne and a German Republic was proclaimed

4. On Nov 11, 1918 the Germans signed an armistice

Restoring the Peace

Wilson’s Fourteen Points1. Wilson had a plan for peace b4 the war ended2. The plan included:

A. Intern’tl freedom of the seas, tradeB. Limitations on armsC. End to secret alliancesD. Settlement of colonial claimsE. Right of self-rule by all nationsF. Establishment of a “general assembly of nations”

3. Reservations:A. Great Britain - tradeB. France - reparations

Paris Peace Conference1. January 19192. 27 nations met in Paris3. Central Powers not invited4. Most decisions were made by “Big Four”

A. US – WilsonB. GB – David Lloyd GeorgeC. FR – Georges ClemenceauD. IT – Vittorio Orlando

5. Divided GoalsA. US – League of NationsB. GB, FR, IT – make Germany pay

Treaty of Versailles(June 28, 1919)1. Limited size of German army2. Banned conscription and making of major

weapons3. Reduced German landholdings4. Rejected the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk5. Reestablished an independent Poland6. Took Germany’s overseas colonies and gave

to the allies7. German reparations to allies

Other Settlements1. New nations:

1. Finland2. Estonia3. Latvia4. Lithuania5. Poland6. Czechoslovakia7. Yugoslavia

2. A-H was divided and borders were redrawn3. Middle East countries did not received

independence but became mandates

Effects of the Great War

Human Cost1. Human misery became commonplace2. 9 million soldiers died3. 21 million were wounded4. 13 million civilians dead of disease and

starvation5. Mass genocide of Armenians by Turks

A. Turks were angry about Armenian support for Allies and fearful of nationalism

B. Left them in desertC. Villages destroyed, people shot

Economic Costs• Millions were left homeless• European cities devastated (FR)• Germany was weakened, humiliated by

the Treaty

Social Costs1. Many people became minorities w/in new

nations2. Loss of independence for some

The Russian Revolution

Introduction

Czar Nicholas IIMay 18, 1868 – July 17, 1918

Background1. Crowned on Nov 7, 18942. Married Princess Alex of Hesse; crowned

Czarina Alexandra Feodorovna.A. Born in GermanyB. Granddaughter of Queen Victoria of GB

3. Five children: Olga Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, Alexei

Policy Making and Actions1. Suppressed reform and persecuted

minorities (like his father)

2. Critics = relied too heavily on advisors

3. The Revolution of 1905 was the first sign of political unrest

A. Began on “Bloody Sunday” – troops fired on workers marching in the capital

B. Caused peasant revolts, workers’ strikes, & naval defiance

C. The Duma – national parliament – was established but hostile toward Nicholas. He disbanded after 10 weeks.

4. WWI caught Nicholas off guard

A. Wanted to only fight Austria, hoping to avoid war with Germany

B. Nicholas led the army directly, leaving domestic issues to his wife

C. The people were wary of the Germany born Czarina nd her advisor, Rasputin.

Rasputin: The Mad Monk1. Born the son of a Siberian farmer2. Claimed he had vision from god, and became

a wandering monk and healer3. The Czarina brought him into the family to help

heal her son4. When Nicholas was gone Rasputin influenced

the czarina and filled g’mt positions with his supporters

5. In 1916 a group of conspirators platted Rasputin’s murder. It took 3 tries!

The Fall of the Czar1. March 8, 1917 the people of Russia

demanded food, and end to war ,and “down with the czar”

2. Troops were ordered to control riots, but soldiers joined in!

3. On March 15, 1917 Nicholas II abdicated his throne, ending the 300 years reign of the Romanov Family.

The Russian Revolution

The New Government

The Provisional Government1. With Nicholas gone, the Provisional

G’vmt was established.

A. A temporary central governmentB. Later in the yr., there would be elections for a

constitutional assembly and a permanent government

C. Mostly middle-class Duma reps.

2. Struggle for Power

A. Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies challenged the prov. g’vmt for power.

B. In 1903 they split:• Mensheviks• Bolsheviks

C. Alexander Kerensky was a member of both

3. The Rise of Soviets

A. Petrograd served as a modelB. Three point program: peace, transfer of land to

peasants, control of factories by workersC. Gained popularity w/ war efforts and declining

economyD. Provisional G’vmt lost support when it couldn’t

grant reforms

Vladimir Lenin Comes to Power

1. By 1917 the Mensheviks = majorityA. Believed a revolution should be the work of the

masses so no plans yet…

2. Bolsheviks believed that a small group would lead a g’vmt takeover

A. Leader = Vladimir LeninB. Wanted to spread revolution worldwide

3. LeninA. Background

• Middle class family• Brother was involved in a plot to kill Alexander III; hung• Bro’s death committed him to revolution• 1895 – arrested and sent to Siberia; lived in Germany

afterwards

B. After march Revolution of 1917, Lenin returned to Russia in a “sealed” train to lead a Bolshevik Revolution• Slogan: “Peace, Land, and Bread”; “All power to the

Soviets”