World War I

1. World War I 5 May 2010

2. THE GREAT POWERS IN EUROPE • Germany • Rapid industrialization and modernization after unification • Bismarck extends vote to all adult males • weakens the middle-classes • introduces socialist legislation to pre-empt socialist politicians • essentially an authoritarian regime • emperor at the helm • Parliament/military filled with upper-middle-class, aristocratic leaders • brought a new balance of power to the Continent • strengthened the cause for imperial ventures

3. THE GREAT POWERS IN EUROPE • France • French found new competition with/second place power position to Germany difficult • Political and cultural conflicts develop, including the Paris Commune, another revolution • political division between monarchists and republicans on the national stage

4. THE GREAT POWERS IN EUROPE • Great Britain • Increased suffrage by 1884 • almost all males had the right to vote and could do so democratically • Had difficulty extending resources and infrastructure to the empire in both the isles and abroad • feared the growing economic strength of the U.S. and Germany in the late 19th Century

5. THE GREAT POWERS IN EUROPE • Russia and Austria-Hungary • Both weakened by nationalism • very ethnically diverse empires • Russia remained economically “backwards” • Stays authoritarian • Alexander’s successors resist all forms of social change • Russia’s weakness (politically, economically, militarily) exposed in Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 • Austro-Hungarian Empire deeply divided along ethnic lines • efforts to maintain empire by force in Balkans creates political tension in Russia that would have disastrous effects

6. The West Outside of Europe • The United States • late 19th Century a period of dramatic economic/social growth • Immigrants poured into the country, fueling industrialization • 40 million between 1880 and 1920 • By 1900 is the world’s leading industrial power • absence of government intervention and immigration

7. The Concert of Europe • Established in 1815 at the Congress of Vienna • Quadruple Alliance • Russia • Prussia • Austria • Great Britain • Collective Defense Metternich

8. Europe, 1815

9. Europe, 1900

10. The Arms Race • Wilhelm II and German aggression • Realpolitikversus Weltpolitik • Global role for Germany • Navy • Empire • Influence • Military Buildup • The Navy • Wilhelm II models his fleet after Royal Navy • England develops new class of ships, “Dreadnought” • New Mobilization speeds • France: 3 days • Germany: 2 days

11. The Arms Race • Land forces • Germany: 4, 800,000 men • Britain: 380,000 men • Russia Rebuilds • 1905 defeated by Japanese • Refortification and new railways to the West • Between 1904 and 1913 • French and Russian arms expenditures increase 80% • German arms expenditures increase 120% • Austro-Hungarian expenditures increase 50% • Italian expenditures increase 100% • Britain raises naval spending from $50 million in the 1870s to $130 million in 1900

12. “New Imperialism” and Crisis • First Moroccan Crisis • Wilhelm II in Tangiers, March 1905 • The Bosnian Crisis • Annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary, October 1908 • Serbia seeks aid from Russia, Austria-Hungary from Germany • Second Moroccan Crisis • German “Panther” sent to port at Agadir, July 1911 • Sparks fear in Britain, anger in France • France subsequently establishes a full protectorate over Morocco

13. Diplomacy and New Tensions • New Alliance Systems • Three Emperors’ League, 1873 (A-H, R, G) • Dual Alliance, 1879 (G, A-H) • Triple Alliance, 1882 (+Italy) • Strong ethnic ties between Germany and Austria-Hungary • Italy wants territory in Greece, Turkey, and the Balkans • Entente Cordiale, 1904 • Triple Entente, 1907

14. The Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente

15. The Outbreak of War • Sarajevo, 28 June 1914 • Austrian Crown Prince Assassinated by Bosnian nationalist • 28 July Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia • Belgium, 4 August 1914 • Tensions escalated by tensions with Russia over Austro-Serbian conflict • Preemptive Strike as Germans push to Paris

17. 1914 • Germany invades Belgium. • Britain declares war on Germany. • Russia Invades Prussia, 17-19 August • New allies • Japan joins the Allied forces 23 August • Turkey joins the Central Powers 29 October • War spreads to the seas • Battle of the Marne, 6-10 September 1914 • French push Germans back 45 miles • Germans capture industrial North in France • Marks the beginning of the trench deadlock

20. 1915 • Total War • Women take up men's jobs. • Nurses, clerks, postal workers, government workers, auxiliary soldiers, police officers, bus and railway conductors • 3 out of 4 munitions workers women • Stalemate continues on the Western Front. • London attacked from the air by German Zeppelins • Bombardments begin 19 January • The Lusitania passenger liner is sunk, with 1,200 lives lost. • 7 May • American passengers aboard, creates diplomatic crisis between US and Germany

25. 1916 • Conscription for men aged between 18 and 41 in Britain. • A million casualties in ten months: Germany aims to 'bleed France white'. • Battle of Verdun, 21 February-July 1916 • 400,000 casualties on each side • Battle of the Somme, 1 July-13 November • British and French attack on Germans • Bombard the German line for one week with 1.6 million shells • 20,000 British soldiers dead the first day; 60% of the Officers involved that day die • Total Losses: Britain, 420,000; France, 195,000; Germans, 650,000.

33. 1916-1917 • At sea the Battle of Jutland takes place. • 31 May to 1 June • Largest naval battle at that time • No apparent victor • United States joins the war and assists the Allies. • US declares war on Germany on 6 April • First US troops land in France, 26 June

34. 1917 • Battle of Passchendaele, 31 July-6 November 1917 • 2 week bombardment, 4.5 million shells from 3,000 guns. • Early august to 20 September: stalemate (weather) • Casualties: Allied, 325,000; German, 260,000 • Five-mile gain • German Army retreats to the Hindenburg Line. • Tank, submarine and gas warfare intensifies.

36. 1918 • Germany launches major offensive on the Western Front. • March 1918 • Allies launch successful counter-offensives at the Marne and Amiens. • 600,000 US troops cross Atlantic • 355,000 British Reserves sent to Continent • Armistice signed on November 11, ending the war at 11am.