WWIWorld War I Dates: 1914-1918Great Nations at the start of the Great War (World

War I):Great Britain (England) France Germany

Austria-Hungary Russia ItalyUSA Ottoman (Turkish) Empire

Militarism – Extreme readiness for war by building up of arms, army and readiness (population). ◦ Caused a buildup of military during late 1870-1914, esp.

1890s. ◦ By 1914 all but Britain had large army and plans for

mobilization Alliances – Used to boost defensive power, these

proved to be the cause of major tensions due to the connections between so many nations.

Imperialism - Caused competition for pride, land, resources.

Nationalism – Nations acted in their own self-interest, desiring to be free from the influence of other countries and prove their ethnicity as best.

MAIN Long Term Causes of WW I:

Britain vs. Germany◦ Industrialization◦ Navy buildup (British “two power standard”, Germany

was #2) France vs. Germany

◦ Franco-Prussian War (1870) (Germany Won)

◦ Morocco (1905, 1911) (France Won) Austria-Hungary vs. Russia

◦ Balkans and ethnic disputes◦ Non-frozen seaport for Russia

Rivalries:

Unification of Germany by Otto von Bismarck through wars and diplomacy from 1864-1871.

1879 – Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria Hungary (Secretly included Russia)

1882- Italy joins making the Triple Alliance 1887 – Reinsurance Treaty between Russia and

Germany after Austria Hungary breaks 1879 treaty with Russia.

1890 – Kaiser Wilhelm II forces Bismarck to Resign and lets Russian treaty expire

Alliances:

1892 and 1894 – France and Russia make treaties

1904 – Britain signs am entente cordiale or friendly understanding with France

1907 – Britain signs a treaty with Russia, completing the Triple Entente (Britain, France, and Russia)

1908 – Austria annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina

Balkans as the “Powder Keg of Europe” Austria-Hungary and Serbia both hoped to absorb

all the Southern Slavic people into their nation. 1912- First Balkan War - Serbia, Bulgaria, and

Greece take remaining Balkan lands from the Ottoman Empire (Albania was created).

1913 – Second Balkan War – Bulgaria attempts to take the spoils from first war from Greece and Serbia but loses.

Assassination starts the Great War:

June 28, 1914 Franz and Sophie Ferdinand visit Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia. ◦ Assassinated by Serbian Nationalist Gavrilo Princip (19)

of “Black Hand”◦ Serbian officials knew of attempt but were not involved.◦ Austria-Hungary asks for and receives a “blank check” promise of support from Germany to attack Serbia.

◦ July 23 48 hour Ultimatum made by Austria to Serbia. Serbia accepts all but one demand (Austrian-Hungarian officials into Serbia)

◦ July 28, 1914 Austria declares war on Serbia

July 28 - Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war lead to…

July 29 - Russia mobilizing on Austria-Hungary leading to…

July 29-31 - Germany asking Russia to stop or else leading to…

August 1 – Germany declaring war on Russia (after no response) and then…

August 3 – Germany declared war on France and marched through neutral Belgium, which lead to…

August 4 - Britain declaring war on Germany to defend Belgium.

The Chain Reaction Starts:

Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Ottoman Empire)

Allied Powers (Britain, France, Russia, Italians (switch sides, Spring 1915) and later the U.S.)◦ Japan sided with the Allies under Emperor Hirohito◦ T.E. Lawrence of Arabia led the Arab resistance against

the Ottoman Empire

The conflict now had two teams:

Japanese over German China and Pacific island colonies

English and French over 3 out of 4 German African colonies

In India, Mohandas Gandhi urged Indian support for the War

Colonies became up in the air:

All resources devoted to war No unemployment Rationing is widespread including both

foods and materials Suppression of information including

propaganda

Total Warfare is now in effect:

Machine Gun Flamethrower

◦ Used Napalm or jellied gasoline Artillery

◦ Long range guns that could fire different types of rounds, including some filled with poison gas or even propaganda literature.

Poison gas◦ Including mustard, chlorine, phosgene, etc. that caused

blinding, blisters, and even death. ◦ First used by the Germans in 1915, but both sides used it

by the war’s end. Tank

◦ Introduced in 1916 by the British, but both sides were using them by war’s end.

◦ Heavily armored with mounted machine guns.◦ Used to cover uneven ground and barbed wire.

New weapons included…

Airplanes◦First used for watching the enemy then

bombing then “dog fights” between planes◦Planes were first made of wood and cloth with

no parachutes, the engine could fall out.◦French were first to design timer for the

machine gun and propeller◦Eddie Rickenbacker (America) vs. Baron

Manfred von Richthofen (Germany aka Red Baron) were the most famous pilots

Submarines (also called the U-boat) ◦1914 Germans used them the most◦Underwater missiles (torpedoes)◦¾ of crews never made it home◦Mostly used in the Atlantic and the North Sea to

break blockades of supplies By 1917, the convoy system reduced

sinking by u-boats by 50%

Home by Christmas turns into a stalemate Germans were guided by the Schlieffen Plan

◦ General Alfred Graf von Schlieffen ◦ Proposed taking France through Belgium, then focusing

on Russia due to its lack of railroad, slow mobilization and superior numbers.

Germans push to take Paris, France but are stopped at the First Battle of the Marne River (Sept 3-9, 1914)

Germans then pushed towards the sea, but were stopped by the British in a series of battles (Masurian Lake, Sept 1914; Ypres, Nov 1914)

Western Front:

After this, trench warfare became the norm. It included:◦ Flooded trenches, rats, mud, artillery shelling, and lack

of sleep and food◦ Death with the average death count at 6400 per day◦ No man’s land – Space between opposing trenches

Filled with mines, barbed wire, dead bodies, huge holes from artillery

◦ After days of artillery shelling, troops would go “over the top” of the trenches to attack, often retreat, and then counter attack.

◦ May 1915 – Italy signed a secret treaty to join the Allies, opening up a southern front

Feb. 1916 - Battle of Verdun◦ Won by the Germans against British and French forces◦ 600000 men lost for 4 miles gained

July 1916 - Battle of the Somme◦ Eventually won by the British ◦ 500000 Germans, 600000 Allies men lost for 5 miles

gained U.S. entrance in April 2, 1917 due to:

◦ Unrestricted submarine warfare May 2, 1915 American tanker sunk by German U-boat May 7, 1915 Lusitania is sunk by German U-boat

128 Americans were killed in the attack Germany backs off for a time, but resumed attacks in 1917.

Oct 1917 – Battle of Caporetto◦ Austrians, with German reinforcements, push back

Italians◦ Only with British and French help is the advance

stopped 20 miles north of Venice Flu epidemic begins in East Asia and spreads

west◦ Troops moving cause fast spread◦ 22 million die worldwide◦ Over 500,000 Americans

March to May 1918 – 2nd Battle of Marne River ◦ The French, led by Marshal Ferdinand Foch and

140000 American Troops defeated the Germans with 350 tanks.

◦ The Zimmerman note Sent to Mexico April 2, 1917 Attempted to get Mexico to attack the U.S. on the side

of the Central Powers

June 1918 - Germans 50 Miles from France were halted at Chateau-Thierry by US and French Forces (50% troop loss). ◦ The use of tank helped halt the attack.

November 1918 - Ottoman, Bulgarians, Austria Hungary had all surrendered at this point

Sept 26, 1918 Battle of Argonne - Leads to armistice

Nov 9, 1918 Armistice due to a revolt against Wilhem II, who fled to the Netherlands

War ends 11/11/18 at 11 am.

Extended from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea Russians and Serbs battled Germans, Austria-

Hungarians, and Turks (Ottoman Empire) 1914 – Armenian Massacre 2 million Christians

killed by Turks August 1914 - Battle of Tannenberg

◦ Germans beat 2 Russian Armies ◦ Russia not industrialized which meant short on food,

ammo, clothes, etc. due to Germany’s blockade of Baltic Sea and Ottoman Empire’s blockade of Black Sea

Eastern Front:

December 1914 - Limanova ◦ 17-day battle where Austria defeats Russia

Fall of 1915 – Bulgaria joins the Central Powers◦ With the help of German, Bulgaria overruns Serbia

Feb 1915 to Jan 1916 – Battle of Gallipoli◦ British, Australian, New Zealand and French

troops vs. Ottoman Empire, with help from Germany and Austria-Hungary

◦ Allies Retreat losing 250000 troops◦ Allies wanted Constantinople to open Russia and

Austria via the Danube River through the Bosporus and Dardanelles (Black Sea Entrance)

Russian withdrawal from the war◦ Fall of Czar Nicholas II

Lack of food for population Lack of victory on the battlefield

◦ March 1917 – March Revolution Replaced the Czar with a provisional government

◦ Nov.1917 - Communist Revolution Lead by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

◦ March 1918 - Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Peace with Germany Surrendered about 25% of their land and population to

Germany as part of the treaty Done with the war

Lodz November 1914 Galicia May 1915 Kovel June 1916 Czerowitz June 1916 Kerensky Offensive July 1917

Other major battles of World War I include:

8.5-10 million soldiers died 1 millon civilians died 21 Million wounded $350 billion dollars total cost

Total Costs of the War…

Jan 18, 1918 - Versailles Peace Conference ◦ 32 countries in attendance◦ The Big Four

USA (Woodrow Wilson) France (Georges Clemenceau) Great Britain (David Lloyd George) Italy (Vittorio Orlando)

◦ No Central Power representation◦ No Russian representation

The Peace Process:

◦ Issued first in Jan. 1918 (before war’s end)◦ Point 1 - Called for the end of secret treaties◦ Point 2-5 – Called for freedom of the seas, free

trade, reduced armies and navies, and colonies resolved

◦ Points 6-13 - creating new nations (self determination) by ethnic lines

◦ Point 14 – Creation of a “League of Nations” Executive council (5), General assembly (32))

Wilson and the 14 Points

Motives differed during the conference:◦ Britain

David Lloyd George won reelection on saying he would squeeze Germany dry

Britain wanted revenge and rewards (mostly African colonies)◦ France

Most of fighting took place on their land Revenge and security from Germany Wanted Alsace-Lorraine back, the creation of a buffer zone

known as the Rhineland (between Germany and France) Also wanted reparations from Germany

◦ Italy Wanted the promise Austrian lands and one of its captured

cities◦ US wanted peace for all (Peace without victory)

instead of rewards

◦ 5 treaties in total (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman)

◦ Germany Had to claim guilt for the War (War Guilt Clause) Lost land

Alsace-Lorraine to France Colonies to League of Nations as Mandates (Controlled

but not owned) Lost armed forces (No subs, planes, and weapons) Lost money (33 billion over 30 years (reparations) Germans signed only after threat of more war

June 28, 1919 Treaty of Versailles

◦ Austria-Hungary Divided into Austria and Hungary Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were created from their

lands Romania and Italy increased in size from their lands Austria could never unite with Germany Had to pay reparations

◦ Bulgaria Lost Aegean Sea coastline to Greece Had to pay reparations

◦ Ottoman Empire Divided into Turkey Divided into Palestine, Iraq, Trans-Jordan as

mandates under British control Divided into Syria and Lebanon as mandates under

French control◦ Russia

Romania was increased by their lands Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were

all created from their lands

Problems with the Treaty:◦ Too much put on Germany

Guilt Debt

◦ Territory was not as justly divided by national/ethnic lines

◦ Not enough given to Japan and Italy as promised◦ Russia excluded and lost more land than Germany◦ No American support for the Treaty or the League

of Nations