The Great War: The World in Upheaval

1. The Great War: The World in Upheaval

2. The Drift Toward War • Long Term Causes • Nationalism • Imperialism • Militarism • Alliances • Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire • Triple Entente – France, Russia, Britain • Short Term Causes • Assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Serbian nationalists triggers war between alliance systems.

3. The Drift Toward War • The Schlieffen Plan • Germany’s plan to defeat France swiftly while the Russian army was mobilizing. • Moving the massive Germany army took time and the Schlieffen Plan failed at the Battle of the Marne. • Set the course for a long and deadly conflict.

4. Global War • After the domino effect of the alliance systems pulled most European countries into the war, a total war with devastating impact ensued. • Mutual Butchery • Stalemate • Trench Warfare • New Technology: Machine Guns, Poison Gas, Tanks, Planes, Submarines, Long Artillery • Had devastating affects • Battle of Verdun – 315,000 French deaths, 280,000 German deaths. • Only 160,000 identifiable bodies as the were so badly mutilated that they were unrecognizable.

5. Global War • Total War: The Home Front • As war took men away from jobs, unemployment disappeared and women were required to fill the gaps. • After the war, many women did not retain their jobs when the men came back • Rationing • Limited the amount of goods / resources people on the home front could use in an attempt to preserve resources for the war • Propaganda • Biased communication meant to sway public opinion and maintain support for the war • Censorship • Governments censored news and arrested dissidents and pacifists.

6. Global War • Conflict in East Asia and The Pacific • The European war took on global consequences as colonies became embroiled in it, and third parties like Japan, the Ottoman Empire, and U.S. got involved. • Japan took advantage of Germany’s focus on Europe to confiscate German positions in Asia and the Pacific. • Allied themselves with the Allied Powers (Britain, France, U.S.) • Issued the secret 21 Demands to the Chinese government during this time as well in their attempt to establish complete control of China • Became apparent Japan intended to dominate all of Asia.

7. Global War • Battles in Africa and Southwest Asia • The Allies in Africa had a more difficult time conquering German possessions there. • British, French, and Belgian forces fought along with African, Arab, and Indian forces in fierce battles with German Troops and colonials. • Disease in the jungles killed many groups • Ottoman Empire at war • Joined the Central Powers and fought the Russians and British for control of the Dardanelles. • Had initial success against the British, but in the end were unsuccessful. • Ottoman Empire became Turkey after WWI.

8. The End of the War • The Russian Revolution • 1917 – Internal protest and military struggle led to Tsar Nicholas II abdicating the throne, ending 300 years of Romanov rule • Provisional government took over and continued to wage war • In the midst of this unrest, Vladimir Lenin led to the Bolsheviks to prominence eventually gained control of Russia, ending their participation in the war and focusing on moving Russia forward. • Focused on “Peace, Land, and Bread”

9. The End of war • U.S. Intervention and the Collapse of the Central Powers • President Woodrow Wilson initially promised neutrality • Reason for Intervention in April 1917 • German unrestricted submarine warfare • Lusitania sunk in 1915 killing 123 Americans • Zimmerman Note • Economics • Central Powers Collapse • U.S. intervention ended the stalemate • German people and soldiers began to revolt, causing internal problems. • War ended with an Armistice on November 11, 1918.

10. The End of War • The Paris Peace Conference • War was devastating – 15 million dead and additional millions dying in the difficult years following the war. • Treaty of Versailles at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 ended the war, but laid the foundation for continuing problems • Woodrow Wilson (U.S.), Georges Clemenceau (France), Lloyd George (Britain) dominated the conference • Soviet Union and Central Powers not invited • Fourteen Points • League of Nations • Reparations – Germany blamed and had to pay! • Boundaries redrawn throughout Europe.