World War I Study Guide - 20110919

8/2/2019 World War I Study Guide - 20110919

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WWI Study Guide

Causes of WWI

M.A.N.I.A.C.S started WWI

M. Militarism glorification of war and the military

Competition for military power and strength

o Arms race competition to build up armed forces and weaponso Standing armies soldiers trained and ready to fighto Conscription mandatory participation of civilians in the militaryo Increase in military spendingo Increasing influence of military in the government

Example: Germany expanded its navy, Britain soon followed with a bigger and better navy

A. Alliances Partnership agreement to go to war in the event one country in the partnership is

attacked. Aim was to discourage other countries from attacking members of the alliance

Triple Alliance

o Germanyo Austria-Hungaryo Italy

Triple Ententeo Russiao Franceo Great Britain

N. Nationalism

Extreme love and devotion for ones country

o determination of European nations to show power and strengthFreedom from foreign rule

o France wants Germany to return Alsace and Lorraine lost in Franco-Prussian warPeople of the same nationality wanted to form their own nation-state

o Pan-Slavism Slavs had a long-term goal to develop their culture and unite into anempire

Serbian nationals wanting to unite Bosnia with Serbia Russia protector of the Slavs

I. Imperialism One countrys domination of the economic, political and social life of another country

Competition for colonies countries had some and wanted more, others had none and wanted

some

o Economic growth countries wanted to new markets to sell productso Power and prestige of expanding global empires

A. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria

Spark

immediate cause that creates a chain of diplomatic failures setting WWI in motion

Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria assassinated

o Heir to the Austrian throne in Bosnia-Herzegovina (territory annexed by Austria,containing many Serbian-Slavs)

o Black Hand secret Serbian nationalists group with ties to the Serbian government Gavrilo Princip - leader of the black hand assassinates Franz Ferdinand and his

wife

C. Conflict in the Balkan Peninsula

Large # of different religions, nationalities


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Russia and A-H wanted to colonize the Balkan PeninsulaCalled the Europes powder keg waiting for an event that would start a major war

S. Series of diplomatic failures resulting in war

Domino effect - chain or series of diplomatic failures resulting in war

o U. Ultimatum from A-H to Serbia fails. A-H declares war on Serbiao R. Russia, Protector of the Slavs, and France mobilize against Germany,o

G. Germany declares war on France using the Schlieffan plan, going through neutralBelgium

o E. England, declares war on Germany for attacking neutral BelgiumThe War

Central Powers

Austria-Hungary

Germany

Ottoman Empire (Turks)

Bulgaria

Allied Powers

Great Britain

Russia

France

Belgium

Later Japan, Montenegro

Italy initially remained neutral (felt A.H. and Germany had acted aggressively, rather than

defensively), but later entered on the side of the allies

US joins (April 2, 1917)

Key Leaders during WWI

William II - Germanyo Emperor of Germany in World War I.o 1890, he broke off the old ties with Russia, causing Germany to have to fight a two-front war.

This blunder led Germany to defeat.

Czar Nicholas II Russia

o last czar of Russia, Absolute MonarchGeorge Clemenceau France

o Prime Minister of France during WWIo Nicknamed Tiger for his ruthless and bold leadership

Woodrow Wilson US

o the 28th President of the United Stateso At the outbreak of the WWI, he tried to maintain American neutrality as long as possible

David Lloyd George Great Britain

o Prime minister of England

Schlieffen Plan war plan for Germany, created by Alfred von Schlieffen

Germany had to fight a war on two fronts (east with France/Great Britain and west with Russia)

Plan to reach Paris and defeat French in 6 weeks before Russia can mobilize, then attack Russia


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Problems encountered by Helmuth von Moltke German commander Heavily fortified areas in Belgium Strong resistance from France Russia mobilized quicker Britain attacked from the north

Battle of the Marne

French and German troops collide in Marne (NE France) just outside of Paris

French under Commander Joseph Jacques Joffre push Germans back 50 miles

Results

o Germans forced to retreat signifying end to Schlieffen plano Establishes the western front

Western Front:

1. Stalemate a state of deadlock where neither side gains an advantage

2. Trench warfare - a type of armed combat in which the two opposing sides fight from trenches that

face each other to protect soldiers from the onslaught of machine gun fire and other weaponry

A series of trenches stretched from the North Sea to Switzerland

No mans land the desolate area that separated the two sides of trenches

Barbed wire and land mines protected the area in front of each trench

Attacks soldiers charged over the top of their own trenches, through no mans land to

enemy trenches, facing heavily artillery, machine guns, barbed wire, and land-mines

Soldiers lived in the trenches for several weeks

o Disease, cold, mud, rats, rain3. War of Attritiona war in which each side tries to wear the other side down by constant attacks.

Battle of Tannenberg

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Battle on the Eastern Front

Russia attacks Germany quickly and force Germany to divert troops away from France to fight onthe Eastern front (End to Schlieffen Plan)

Russians defeated at Tannenberg 30K killed, 92K imprisoned

Signified the weakness of the Russian Army

Russian advantage: 15:1 ratio of Russian to German Soldiers (1 in 10 soldiers return from

war)

Russian weakness: least industrialized - lack of supplies, weapons, food

Eastern Front

Fought in RussiaMore mobile than Western Front (ground too hard to dig trenches)

Front much longer, covered more territory

Battle lines moved often

New Weapons

Machine guns allowed one man to kill hundreds of men in seconds

Poisonous gas German army was first ever to used

o Chlorine gas caused blindness, choking, vomiting, torn lungs, and death


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o Mustard gas most deadly, caused skin blisters, sore eyes, vomiting, internal andexternal bleeding, a long slow death

Tanks allowed for movement across rugged terrain, eventually designed to cross trenches

Airplanes first used for reconnaissance work (spying), later in war to deliver bombs and fight

enemy aircraft in they air

Submarines German u-boats destroyed warships, supply ships, and commercial and passenger

ships

Battle of Verdun

German surprise attack on French (under command of Henri-Phillippe Petain) at Verdun

No clear winner

One of the bloodiest battles of the War

Both sides suffer casualties of more than 500K

Battle of the Somme

British and French surprise attack against Germany

No clear winner

Both sides suffer casualties of more than 500K

Gallipoli Campaign

Goal: To open a supply route to Russia

British navy (under command of Winston Churchill) attacks Dardanelles strait controlled by

Turkey to get control of only way to get supplies to Russia

Lack of planning and reinforcements causes Allies to withdraw

War on the Seas

Great Britain blockade all ports under German control to stop supplies from reaching Germany

Germany could only get goods through neutral countries

Britain stopped ships carrying contraband (prohibited goods such as weapons and ammo)

Germans use u-boats to blockade Great Britain and stop supplies from reaching allies

U.S. Entry into the War

Reasons did not enter in 1914

Policy of neutrality policy of not choosing sides

U.S. late entry believed war was a European conflict and had nothing to do with the US

Economic Reasons keep trade open with both sides

Reasons U.S. Enters April 2, 19171. Lusitania British passenger ship torpedoed by German u-boats; 1,200 die including 128

Americans

2. Zimmerman note message from Arthur Zimmerman (German Foreign Minister) to hisambassador in Mexico. Info. Intended for Mexican President:

Germany to reinstate unrestricted submarine warfare Germany wanted alliance with Mexico


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Germany would help Mexico regain New Mexico, Texas and Arizona fromthe US, if Mexico would start a war with US to keep them occupied and

out of the war in Europe

Mexico promised money

Suggested Mexico get Japan involved in 2 front war against US3. Un-restricted submarine warfare German U-boats continue to sink American merchant

ships

US prepares for WAR

Total warall of countrys resources going toward war effort US prepared for War

o Government influences production of goods and services toward needs of the waro Unemployment drops workers need to produce war goodso Food Rationing meatless Monday, wheat-less Wednesday leaves more food for troopso Price controls on food and wageso Propaganda intended to persuade people to support the war, make sacrifices, keep

moral high

o Women join the workforce and special branches of the military; aided in getting womenthe right to vote in 1920

First US troops arrive in Europe in April 1918 under General John Pershing

Fought primarily in France

First American army ever sent to Europe

Propaganda ideas or rumors used to harm an opposing cause

Common objectives of Wartime Propaganda

1. Recruitment of Soldiers2. Financing the war effort3. Unify the country behind the war4. Conserve resources needed for war (steel, oil, food)5. Encourage participation in organizations that support the war

Common Propaganda Tools

1. Demonization portraying the enemy as evil, murderous, aggressive2. Emotional Appealplay on peoples fear about war3. Name Calling using labels to encourage hatred of the enemy (Huns, Commies)4. Patriotic Appeals using patriotic symbols to appeal to national pride (Statue of Liberty, flags)5. Half-truths and lies deception and twisting the truth6. Catchy Slogans - memorable phrases to create support (Remember the Maine)7. Evocative Visual Symbols visual images that appeal to peoples emotions (i.e. Women, children,

etc)

8. Humor using the enemy as the butt of jokes


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Russian Revolution

Russian Revolution:

Poor leadership caused the Bolshevik R.E.V.O.L.T. in 1917

R. Rasputins influence over the Czar

E. Every landless peasant demanded land

V. Violence broke out over bread shortages and military

defeats

O. Overthrow of provisional government was led by the

Bolsheviks

L. Lenin promises Peace, Land, Bread

T. Tzars Incompetence

Fall of the Tzar

RasputinMystic leader of the Romanovs increasing influence

Food and Fuel Shortages

Mounting defeats in WWIStrikes and riots broke out across the country

March Revolution spontaneous uprising of working people and soldiers

March 15, 1917 Czar Nicholas Abdicates (steps down)

Provisional Government

1. Temporary Central Government2. Mostly made up of Middle Class Duma reps.3. Alexander Kerensky Prime Minister4. Big Mistake: Didnt withdraw from the war5. Challenged by Petrograd Soviet of Workers and Soldiers Deputies (Mensheviks & small

number of Bolsheviks)

Lenin

1. Leader of the Bolsheviks2. Bolsheviks beliefs: small number of professional revolutionaries would lead a VIOLENT

revolution against Aristocrats (Noblemen & Lords), and Middle Class

3. Promised: Peace, Land, and Bread

Bolshevik Revolution Nov. 1917

Leader Vladimir Lenin

SloganPeace (end war), Land (give more land to the peasants), Bread (food)

Coup dtat sudden overthrow of the government by people from with the country

Socialist stateNo private property, economic equality for all citizens (distribution of land to

peasants, worker control of factories)

*Based on the ideas of Karl Marx and Communism


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Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

**Lenin wanted to concentrate on stabilizing their government and economy

Peace treaty between Germany and Russia, ending Russian participation in the WWI

Russians lose much of western territory and 1/3 of populationGermans get land from Russia

Allows Germany to concentrate on western front

Civil War

Red Army (communists) vs. White Army (liberal democrats, moderate socialists, and royalists)

Leon Trotsky communist leader of the Red Army

White Army defeated

Lenin establishes communist control throughout Russia

End of war

2nd

Battle of the Marne (July 1918)

o Ferdinand Foch puts 200K new U.S. soldiers intermixed with experienced soldierso Pushes German army out of France to German bordero German Generals tell Kaiser Wilhelm II war cant be won

Austria-Hungary quits (Oct 1918)

German soldiers revolt (Nov 1918) No more fighting Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates

Nov. 11 Armistice day Germans agree to end fighting

Effects of WWI

o 9 Million soldiers deado 21 Million soldiers woundedo 13 Million civilians were dead of disease or starvationo Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turks massacre of 500K-1M Armenians for their support in

helping the Allies

o Absolute Monarchies in Europe destroyedo Increased political and social instability

WWI different from other wars:

o Number of casualtieso Use of new technologieso Scope of war number of countries involved

Colonies participated in hopes of gaining their independence

Asian and African colonies expected citizenship or independence Arabs wanting freedom from Ottoman Turks helped the British

o Amount of destructionWoodrow Wilsons (US President) 14 points peace plan

o Freedom of the seas and trade


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o Arms limitationso End to secret allianceso Self-rule for all nationso No punishments to Germanyo League of Nations an organization of world nations to settle future problems peacefully

Paris Peace Conference delegates from 27 nations signed the Treaty of Versailles

o Big Four - George Clemenceau (France), David Lloyd George (Britain), Vittorio Orlando (Italy),Woodrow Wilson, (US)

o Central Powers not invitedo Each nation had differing goals, Wilson had to compromise on his 14 Pointso Five different Treaties signed with each of the Central Powers ( including a separate one with

newly created Hungary)

o Most Important Treaty of Versailles with GermanyTreaty of Versailles the treaty was a R.A.W. deal for Germany

R. Reparations were forced on Germany

o German war reparations $33 BA. Allies Punish Germany - took German land/limit German military

o German army reduced,o German weapons - cant manufacture or buy weapons, no airforceo German to return Alsace-Lorraine to Franceo France gets control of Saar Basin (rich in coal deposits)o Occupation of the Rhinelando Germany stripped of Colonies

W. War Guilt was forced on Germany

o Germany must sign war blame clause

New nations established

o Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, PolandYugoslavia created a united Slavic country on the Balkan Peninsula

Other nations not granted independence

o Ottoman Empire partitioned by France and Great Britainmandates were created over territories in the Middle East (Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon,

Syria)

Arabs did not receive independence that G.B. had promised

o France and Great Britain did not give independence to colonies

Documents

World War I Study Guide - 20110919