World War I

1. World War I -Key Concepts-

2. I. Hopes for a World Order of Progress and Peace • Benefits of modern science as solutions for social problems • Material wealth filtering down to the poor • Era of permanent, international peace seemed to have dawned • Growth of international cooperation • Creation of a wide variety of international organizations

3. II. Origins of World War I • Competitive Nationalism • Entangling Alliances --Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy --Triple Entente: England, France, Russia • A Growing Arms Race --1st German Navy Bill (1897): Von Tirpitz -- “Risk Theory”

4. II. Origins of World War I (cont) • “General Mobilization” Theory • Problems: --Rigid Planning --Geared for Large-Scale War --Never Practiced --No Margin for Error --Little consultation with civilian leaders • The German “Schlieffen Plan” • International Crises between 1905-1914

5. III. Pan-Slavic Nationalism: The Catalyst for War • Russia’s Support for Pan-Slavism • Austria’s Problem with Serbian nationalism • Assassination in Sarajevo -- “Black Hand” --Archduke Franz Ferdinand --June 28, 1914

6. III. Pan-Slavic Nationalism (cont) • The Austrian Response • The Russian Reaction --General Mobilization on July 30th • Mobilization out of control --German Declaration of War on August 1st (Russia) and August 3rd (France) --British Declaration of War on August 4th • Popular War Enthusiasm

7. IV. A Fundamentally Different War

8. A. A Massive “Meat Grinder”: The Western Front • Early Battles of the War --The Battle of the Marne (September 6, 1914) • Immovable front for two and a half years • Trench warfare --25,000 miles of trenches • Cavalry gives way to infantry

9. A. The Western Front (cont) • “The Race with Death” -- “Going over the top” -- “No Man’s Land” • Gap between officers and enlisted men • Daily routine of the World War I soldier

10. B. Industrial Death • Impact of Heavy Artillery • The importance of the hand grenade and the machine gun • Tanks and airplanes • Increasingly not seeing the enemy—the dehumanization of warfare • All Quiet on the Western Front

11. B. Industrial Death (cont) • The role of poison gas --Chlorine --Phosgene --Mustard Gas • The emotional toll of gas warfare • The use of pets

12. V. Case Studies in Industrial Warfare • Battles of Attrition • The Battle of Verdun (February-June, 1916) --German attack opened by most massive military bombardment in history --longest single battle of the war --The “sacred road” --600,000 men died

13. V. Case Studies of Industrial Warfare (cont) • The Battle of the Somme (July-November, 1916) --Seven Days and Seven Nights of British bombardment --60,000 British dead in 12 minutes --1 million dead for just 7 miles of land • The Changing atmosphere of War --complete breakdown of human existence

14. “Going Over the Top” at the Battle of the Somme

15. VI. The “Home Front” • The concept of total • Government management of the war effort • Food and energy shortages • Increasingly demoralized and disillusioned • No realistic war aims

16. VI. The “Home Front” • Brings changes in hair length and fashions • World War I innovations --Chanel #5 --Spam --Deodorant • Impact on language and culture -- “Dud” -- “Lousy” -- “Rats!” -- “Gas Attack”

17. VII. The End of the War • American Entry into the War: April of 1917 • The illusion of German strength • The realization of German military disaster • Formation of the Weimar Republic (November, 1918) • The Collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

18. VIII. The Costs of the War • A Generation of Men Lost • International Flu Epidemic • A Leadership Vacuum was created in Western Europe • European Economies were destroyed • Individual Emotional Damage • “The Great Interruption”

19. IX. The Paris Peace Conference • The Emotional Atmosphere • The Popularity and Idealism of Woodrow Wilson --The Fourteen Points • Wilson’s Political Handicaps • Attempt at Self-Determination • Provisions of the Treaty of Versailles • German Reaction to the “Diktat”