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The Great War

1914-1918. The Great War. Europe 1914. Long-Term Causes. Nationalism Strong in Balkan Peninsula Many smaller nations gaining independence from Ottoman Empire (Serbia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Romania) A-H threatening to annex them

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The Great War

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  1. 1914-1918 The Great War

  2. Europe 1914

  3. Long-Term Causes • Nationalism • Strong in Balkan Peninsula • Many smaller nations gaining independence from Ottoman Empire (Serbia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Romania) • A-H threatening to annex them • Russia happy to support Slavic nationalism (only to take them over later) • Economic Competition • GB and Germany relations become tense due to economic rivalry • Rivalries encourage strong sense of pride BALKAN PENINSULA

  4. Imperialism • Leads to economic and egotistical competition • International economy and no ability to Police it • Rivalries develop b/w Great Powers over land and wealth • Tension over territories in Africa

  5. Militarism • Glorification of armed strength • War seen as solution to international problems • No major wars within 30 years + • military leaders restless and eager to prove superiority with new weapons • “boys and their toys” • Germany building massive, modern army • Anti-war Social Dems vs. German Imperial Gov’t(needed to prove their power) • Creates anxiety in other Great Powers

  6. Alliances

  7. Alliances

  8. Alliances • 1879- Dual Alliance: Germany and A-H • 1882-Triple Alliance: Germany, A-H , Italy • 1887- Reinsurance Treaty: Germany & Russia • Lapses due to new Kaiser • 1894-France and Russia become allies • 1904-France and GB become allies • 1907-Triple Entente: France, Russia & GB 1907: Triple Alliance vs. Triple Entente

  9. Alliances

  10. Immediate Cause • 1908: Austria annexes Bosnia • Large Slavic population • Outraged Slavic leaders looking to self-rule; talk of war • June, 1914: Nationalism peaks in the Balkans • Serbs gaining confidence and looking to challenge Austrian presence in region

  11. Immediate Cause • June 28, 1914 • Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia • Serbs use this opportunity to challenge Austrians • Archduke and wife shot at point-blank range • Killer- Gavrilo Princip of the “Black Hand” • Murder causes A-H to go after Serbia with complete support from Germany • “blank check” support

  12. Timeline of Immediate Cause • June 28-assassination of Archduke • July 5-Germany issues “blank check” • July 23- • July 25-Serbia responds to ultimatum • How? • July 28- • August 1- • August 3- • August 4-

  13. Bravo, Belgium!

  14. Crime of the Ages…”Who Did It?”

  15. Crime of the Ages…Who Did it?

  16. Schlieffen Plan (1906) • the plan was to win the two-front war by first quickly beating France before Russia would be able to mobilize against Germany • depended on Germany's ability to invade France before France could fully mobilize its troops to defend itself, and then to turn on Russia, seen as the slowest of the three to mobilize, before the Russians were ready

  17. The Powers that be… What happened to Italy?

  18. The Battle of the Marne-Sept. 1914 • Located just east of Paris along the Marne River • GOAL: Allies to push the Germans back from Paris • Allied forces are successful • Schlieffen Plan ruined • Slow moving battle • Both sides “dig in” Why?

  19. Battle of the Marne 1914

  20. New Tools of War • Machine Gun • Maxim Gun • 600 rounds per minute • Most devastating effect on how the war was fought • Forced men into trenches

  21. New Tools of War • Poison Gas • Heavier than air; good to use against trench warfare • Tear Gas: eye irritant • Mustard Gas: skin irritant • Chlorine: eyes, nose, lung irritant that could cause asphyxiation • Used to force troops to break ranks • Only 4% related-deaths

  22. Poison Gas

  23. New Tools of War • Submarine (U-boats) • Only used by Germans • US and GB had technology but chose not to use it; “ungentlemanly” • Very effective in sinking GB and US ships • Very influential in bringing US into the war

  24. New Tools of War • Tanks • Used to move through “no man’s land” in trench warfare • Improvement of armored trucks that got stuck in the mud • 1916: Developed into “tanks” • Late 1917: more effective tanks finally developed 1916 1918

  25. New Tools of War • Airplanes • Made out of canvas and wood • Flew up to 100 mph • Early use for reconnaissance • Dog-fights began after mounting machine guns

  26. Trench Warfare • After the Battle of the Marne (1914) it was evident soldiers were not equipped to protect themselves from rapid gunfire…so the dug in… • Trench warfare begins

  27. Trenches • Elaborate system of trenches zigzagged along the Western Front (France) • Used by both Allies and Germans • Only front line soldiers fought in trenches • 4 days on, 4 days off depending on conditions

  28. Trench System

  29. Trenches

  30. Trenches It was said you could smell the trenches way before you could see them.

  31. Trenches • Trenches were used on the Western Front only • Not new to war use not commonly used in European wars • Created stalemate on the Western Front…dragging war on for years

  32. Wet Trenches • Very wet and poor sanitary conditions in trenches • Many soldiers came down with trench foot and other diseases • More men died from disease than from combat

  33. Trench Foot Mild Case of Trench Foot Severe Case of Trench Foot

  34. Battle of the Somme-July 1916 • GOAL: Allies to push Germans lines further back from Paris and Verdun • Fought near Verdun, in Somme River Valley in France • One of the bloodiest battles of the war • 1.5 millions lives lost • British gained little more that 5 miles at the deepst point of penetration of German lines • Realization that this was a “war of attrition”

  35. Battle of the Somme

  36. Total War • All countries resources go to the war effort • Civilians: men drafted to fight; women take on male-roles back home • Government: control of the economy increases • Rationing items: limiting its use by civilians • Controlling industrial production to increase war materials • Propaganda: one-sided promotional information • Government controls the news—national security • Promotes all positive information to keep up morale & support

  37. Eastern Front • Russia vs. Austria-Hungary, Germany, Ottomans, Bulgaria • Trench warfare not used…Russia lacked technology ; best weapon…MEN! • Problem for Allies: Russia cut off from Allied support • Many failed efforts to help send relief to Russia • Italy finally joins Allies 1915

  38. Battle of Tannenberg-August 1914 • August, 1914 • Russians easily defeated by Germans • Russians lost many supplies and land • Allies feared that Russia may not hold their own

  39. Gallipoli Campaign - 1915 • GOAL: Allies use new member –Italy– to gain supply access to Russia • Use Italy as stepping stone into Ottoman territory • Campaign a failure • Russia remains isolated

  40. Gallipoli Campaign

  41. Lawrence of Arabia • Major contribution was convincing Arab leaders to co-ordinate their revolt to aid British interests against the Ottomans, a Central Power; successful • He sought to convince his superiors in the British Gov’t that Arab independence was in their interests

  42. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare • Germans used this strategy of torpedoing ships without warning • Effective in sinking many British naval and cargo ships • GOAL: weaken GB and cut-off their supply lines

  43. Sinking of the Lusitania –May 7, 1915 • Largest, fastest ocean liner torpedoed and sunk in 18 minutes off the coast of Ireland. • killing 1,198 of the 1,959 people aboard • 138 Americans • Generated much hatred towards Germans • Theory: GB left it as a sitting duck hoping to have US loss of life and bring US into the war against Germany US does not declare war but give stern warning to Germans forcing Germans to end UNRESTRICTED Submarine warfare

  44. RMS Lusitania

  45. Lusitania

  46. Russia Out of the War • 1917: Russia fighting on Eastern Front for 3 years • on the DEFENSIVE • 2 million dead; 6 million deserters • People wanted peace; Czar Nicholas II refuses to pull out of war

  47. Russia Out of the War- Nov 1917 • Germans secretly help set up Communist Revolution in Russia as a diversion • Sent in Russian exile Vladimir Lenin • Forces Czar Nicholas II to abdicate • Once in Communists in place; Russia surrenders to Germany- ends war in East • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk- Russia surrenders land to Germany & Germans leave Russia alone

  48. Zimmerman Telegram • January, 1917 • Germans begin unrestricted sub warfare again; needed weaken GB; knew it might bring in US • Precaution: Instigate a war with Mexico against the US to prevent US involvement in WWI • German Foreign Secretary, Zimmerman, sends telegram to Ambassador in Mexico pledging support for a war against US • Intercepted and US declares war on April 2, 1917

  49. Zimmerman Telegram

  50. Some Promise! April 1917

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