Chapter 27: World War I

Chapter 27: World War IWorld War I Begins

Causes of World War I

Nationalism Idea that your country’s interest supersede all other countries Desire by certain ethnic groups to want to create their own nations Ex: Balkans

Slavic people wanted their own homeland (Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia) Desired to become independent nations

Ireland wanted independence from Great Britain Poland wanted to break away from Russia


Imperialism Competition for land abroad Created rivalries between European countries Tensions grew as countries expanded in Africa and Asia

Countries saw territories as an extension of military power


Militarism Aggressive preparation of war Conscription

Establishment of a military draft Normal practice in early 1900’s

Russia: 1.3 million soldiers France: 900,000 soldiers Germany: 900,000 soldiers

Enormous supply of weapons Military leaders began creating numerous military plans


Alliances Triple Entente (1907)

France, Great Britain, and Russia Triple Alliance (1882)

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy Secret Alliances

Would cause numerous countries to be involved in war War is a technique to preserve power

The Outbreak of War

Sarajevo, Bosnia 1914

Archduke Francis Ferdinand visits city Bosnia going through period of nationalism The Black Hand

Terrorist group wanting Bosnian independence Gavrilo Princip

Shoots the Archduke and his wife

The Outbreak of War

Response to Assassination Austria-Hungary

Responded as though all of Bosnia agreed with the Black Hand Biggest fear was Russia

Russia Created alliance with the Slavic people Backed most actions in the Balkans Russia would intervene on behalf of Serbia

Germany Promised complete backing of Austria-Hungary in war

Outbreak of War

Schlieffen Plan Germany’s War Plan

Designed to fight a two-front war Stage 1 would involve a rapid invasion of France

In order to invade France, Germany had to go through Belgium Once France was defeated, it would go after Russia Declared war on France on August 3rd

Great Britain declared war on Germany on August 4th

Chapter 27: World War IWorld War I

1914-1915: Illusions and Stalemate

Propaganda Ideas that spread influence of public opinion for or against a cause Before 1914, war seen as impractical Diplomacy would reign supreme After 1914, people became more open to use of force

Illusions Many believed the war would be short and sweet Thought it would end in a couple weeks

War began in August, they believed they would be home by Christmas


The Western Front The First Battle of the Marne

German offensive stopped by French just short of Paris Troops shuttled out in taxis to the front line Trench Warfare

Troops dug massive holes and fortified them with barbed wire Kept troops from gaining any ground Battles would be fought over gaining a few hundred yards No Man’s Land: Area between the two lines of trenches


The Eastern Front Characterized by mobility of troops and no trenches Russia: Quickly moved into Eastern Germany Battle of Tannenburg and Battle of Masurin Lakes

Germans defeated Russians easily both times Russia quickly became a non-factor Lost 2.5 million soldiers in first year of war

Austria Defeated by Russians early on and lost the territory of Serbia

Italy Jumped ship and joined the Allies (Triple Entente)

Trench Warfare

Trenches stood 5 feet high and 30 feet wide

Usually protected by barbed wire and concrete machine gun nests

Only way to defeat trench warfare was attack across No Man’s Land

Bayonets fixed to rifles were only weapons

Millions killed in attempts to cross open land to attack trenches

700,000 French lost in 10 months

Airplane Warfare

First time airplanes have been used in war Located and aimed for ground targets Air to air combat soon followed

Pilots would shoot handheld pistols while flying After machine guns were placed on planes

Zeppelins German blimps would be used to drop bombs on London Became hazardous when Allies realized blimps were filled with flammable gas

Bombing Zeppelins

A World War

More countries get involved in war Ottoman Empire joins the Central Powers

Role was to maintain control in Balkans Forced Allies to withdraw from Constantinople when trying to invade

British Colonies Egyptians, Australians, New Zealanders and Indians all join the fight Lawrence of Arabia

British officer who urged all Arab princes to take up arms against the Ottomans

A World War

United States enters the War German Submarine Warfare

German U-boats were sinking merchant ships Great Britain sets up a naval blockade

Sinking of Lusitania British passenger liner Torpedoed by a German U-boat Over 1,100 killed including 127 Americans

Zimmerman Note Germans secretly try to create treaty with Mexico British break code

US enters war in April of 1917

Sinking of Lusitania

The Impact of Total War

Increased Government Powers Governments did not plan for a long term war Required to create price controls and wage controls Capitalistic markets were shut down with lack of people Regulated import and exports Regulated transportation systems Rationed food supplies


Manipulation of Public Opinion As war dragged on, public opinion of war became more negative Defence of the Realm Act

British Parliament passed law Allowed government to arrest protestors to war as traitors Newspapers became censored

Totalitarian governments used force to suppress those opposing the war Propaganda used to increase support for the war


Changes in Society Influenza outbreak kills 50 million in 1918 Role of women

Men go off to war Women begin working in factories

38% of German factory workers were women Over 700,000 women in workforce in Great Britain However, as soon as war was over, men returned to work and women lost

jobs Suffrage

Women gain right to vote in US, Germany, and Austria Women over 30 in Great Britain could vote

Chapter 27: World War IRussian Revolution

Background to the Revolution

Russo-Japanese War (1905) Defeated by Japan Left them unprepared to handle WWI Czar Nicholas II

Determined to lead even though he had no experience

Russian Industry Infrastructure unable to produce the amount of weapons needed for war Soldiers had to share weapons because of lack of production

Grigory Rasputin Advisor to Czar Nicholas Influenced Nicholas’ wife who then influenced Nicholas Assassinated in 1916 to try and save monarchy

Background to Revolution

March 1917 Female workers lead strikes against factories in Petrograd Bread rationing caused prices to sky rocket Revolution out of frustration from sick children and starvation

March 8, 1917 10,000 women march on Petrograd

March 10, 1917 Nicholas orders troops to break up strike Troops join strike

March 12, 1917 Duma meets and establishes provisional government Nicholas forced to step down on March 15

Background to Revolution

Provisional Government Decides to stay in World War I Nobody pleased with the idea Biggest challenge:

Dealing with the Soviets Comprised of workers and soldiers Largest group: Bolsheviks

Lenin and the Bolsheviks

V. I. Lenin Leader of the Bolsheviks Believed only violent revolution could bring down capitalism

Requires a small group of revolutionaries to accomplish this April 1917

Returns to Russia Gains control of the soviets and military Promised an end to war Redistribution of land to peasants

Bolsheviks Seize Power

October 1917 240,000 Bolsheviks

November 6, 1917 Bolsheviks seize control of the provisional government Limited bloodshed Lenin promised to give all power to Congress of Soviets In reality he placed it in the council he controlled Bolsheviks are renamed the Communists

March 3, 1918 Signs Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Gave Germany all land outside of Russia it controlled (Balkans, Finland, Ukraine)

Civil War in Russia

1918-1921 Communist (Red Army) vs. loyalists and anti-Lenin followers Allied Troops supported the loyalists Serbians and Ukrainians mounted first offensive against Red Army

Both were put down swiftly The Royal Family

Czar Nichols and his family were eventually executed on July 16, 1918 They were burned and buried near Yekaterinburg

Triumph of the Communists

Reasons the Communists won the Civil War A well disciplined military force led by Leon Trotsky Lack of unity among the Anti-Communist troops War Communism

Government controls all aspects of society and systematically regulates it Revolutionary terror in the form of the Cheka (secret police)

Destroyed anyone opposing the regime Patriotism to protect Russia from foreign armies invading

Chapter 27: World War IWorld War I Ends

The Last Year of the War

1917 Tough year for the Allies

Russia withdraws from the war due to revolution The western front had become a total loss

United States enters war and gives much needed morale boost Germans saw the withdrawal of Russia as a chance to end the war

Assumed one last offensive would end it all

The Last Year of the War

1918 March

Beginning of the final offensive April

Move to within 50 miles of taking Paris July 18

Second Battle of the Marne Germans stopped by American, French, and Moroccans (140,000 troops) Was the beginning of the end of Germany

September 1 million American troops help drive back Germany and Gen. Ludendorff knew it

was a lost cause

Collapse of Germany and Armistice

November 3, 1918 Germany Navy

Mutinied once they found out they were going to lose war Why lose more lives in a lost cause?

November 9, 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm II

Flees Germany due to pressure from workers and soldiers trying to take over country

November 11, 1918 New German government signs armistice to end the war

Woodrow Wilson’s “14 Points” For Peace

Despite the hero’s welcome he received in Europe, Wilson’s plan for peace would be rejected by the Allies

Wilson’s plan was called the “Fourteen points”

Included in his “points” were: No secret treaties Freedom of the Seas More free trade Reduction of armsLess colonialism League of Nations to promote peace

The Paris Peace Conference

The Big Four leaders, Wilson (U.S.), Clemenceau (France), Lloyd George (England), and Orlando (Italy), worked out the Treaty’s details

Wilson conceded on most of his 14 points in return for the establishment of the League of Nations

On June 28, 1919, the Big Four and the leaders of the defeated nations gathered in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles and

Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty established nine new nations including;

Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia The Treaty broke up the Austro-

Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire empires

The Treaty barred Germany from maintaining an army, required them to give Alsace-Lorraine back to France, and forced them to pay $33 billion in reparations to the Allies

Documents

Chapter 27: World War I