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Explore the causes and consequences of World War I through eyewitness accounts, historical analysis, and the global impact on Europe. Uncover the alliances, battles, new weapons, and the reality of soldiers' lives during this pivotal period in history.
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In Flanders Field • http://www.greatwar.co.uk/poems/john-mccrae-in-flanders-fields.htm
The Assassination • Today you are going to read two different accounts of what happened on the day Archduke Francis Ferdinand was assassinated. You will work in pairs to complete this assignment. • As a class we will read through the background information on the Death of the Archduke • Each partner will read one eyewitness account and fill in YOUR primary source document analysis worksheet • When you are done, share your account with your partner about what your eyewitness said about the event. • Create a Venn Diagram on the back of your Worksheet to Compare and Contrast the two articles with your partner. • What was the same about the accounts? • What was different?
Causes of World War I • Europe at its Peak • Industrial Revolution at its peak • Europe had 25% of the worlds population-highest percent of any time in history • Modernization led to a sense that Europeans were at the peak of world Civilization • Imperial Tensions • European nations competed for Colonies • Militarism • Glorification of Military and an increase in military spending • Germany competed against England’s naval superiority
Causes of World War I • Nationalism • Great pride in one’s country or aspiring to become one’s own country • Germany and Italy had only recently become united, independent countries • Many countries torn by tensions of different nationalist groups • Combined with militarism and imperial competitions, this increased tensions in Europe. • The system of Alliances • Started by Otto von Bismarck-German Chancellor 1861-1890-two goals keep Germany out of 2-front war & diplomatically isolate France • Web of treaties to protect themselves • Triple Alliance (Central Powers): Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy • Triple Entente (Allies): France, Russia, and Great Britain
War Breaks Out! • Nationalism in the Balkans • People with diverse religions, ethnic backgrounds and languages • As Ottoman Empire declined, new nations were born. • Russia and Austria-Hungary competed for control of the new nations • Austria-Hungary annexes Bosnia in 1908 and Serbia resents this • The Assassination of the Archduke • Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria visited Bosnian capital on June 28, 1914 • 7 assassins from the Black Hand, a Serbian Nationalist group, plot against him • 19 year old Garvrilo Princip, shot the Archduke and his wife
War Breaks Out! • Austria-Hungary’s Ultimatum • Germany gave “blank Check” of Military support to Austria-Hungary • Austria-Hungary’s severe ultimatum to Serbia • Serbia refuses to let Austria-Hungary’s officials run an investigation in Serbia • Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia on July 28, 1914 • The Alliance System leads to War • Russia supports Serbia and Germany supports Austria-Hungary • Within one week, almost all of Europe Plunged into War: • Germany declares war on Russia & France • Britain declares war on Germany • Powder Keg
Fronts of the War • The Alliances • Triple Entente: Britain, France, Russia and Belgium • Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Ottoman Empire • The Western Front • Germany tried to take France Quickly in the Western Front and then turn to fight Russia • Instead, battle lines formed in Northeastern France and changed little Battles along the Western Front • Long Bloody battles: Verdun-680,000 casualties; Somme-over 1 million casualties • The Eastern Front • Lack of modern technology caused Russia enormous defeats • Treaty signed with revolutionary government in Russia- lost ¼ of country • The Balkan Front • The Allies abandoned attempts to land in Balkans after losing • The Italian Front • Italians joined the Allies (Triple Entente) in 1915 and fought Austria-Hungary
New Weapons of War • The Machine Gun • Modern industry replaced the single-fire, short range rifle • British machine guns fired 8 rounds per second at a distance of 2,900 yards • Artillery • Greater power and carried much further • 24 Million shells used in the Battle of Verdun alone • Weapons of the Industrial Age • Seventy-five different types of poison-gas bombs used • Flame Throwers • Tanks • Airplanes • Casualties of Modern Weaponry • Tactics of sending masses of men toward enemy didn’t work against modern weapons • Britain suffered 57,470 casualties on the first day of the Battle of the Somme • Total losses for World War I exceeded ten million
Reality of Soldiers’ Lives • Patriotic fervor • Many Europeans looked forward to war at the start • Attitudes change • Soldiers changed Europeans optimistic fervor through letters about the horrors of war • The Bitter Truth: Soldiers Poetry • Wilfred Owen (1893-1918 died a week before war ended • “Dulce Et Decorum Est” • Siegfried Sassoon • The Return Home • No crowds or Heroes’ welcome after the war
Dulce Et Decorum Est Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares2 we turned our backs And towards our distant rest3 began to trudge. Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots4 Of tired, outstripped5 Five-Nines6 that dropped behind. • Gas!7 Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets8 just in time; But someone still was yelling out and stumbling, And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime9 . . . Dim, through the misty panes10 and thick green light, • As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, He plunges at me, guttering,11 choking, drowning. • If in some smothering dreams you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud12 Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, My friend, you would not tell with such high zest13 To children ardent14 for some desperate glory, The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori.15 • 8 October 1917 - March, 1918
Trench Warfare The Race to the Sea • 475 miles of trenches were dug across northern France • British troops used over ten million shovels during the war • Life in the Trenches • Charging “over the top, crossing no man’s land to reach enemy trenches • Boring, terrifying and caused shell Shock (known today as PTSD) • Horrible living Conditions
Effects of the War on the Home Front Mobilizing for Total War • Civilians back home made huge sacrifices • Governments controlled industries, rationing • New Jobs for Women • Worked in Jobs traditionally held only by men, who were at the front • Number in paid employment rose by over one Million • Work in paramilitary organizations to support soldiers at front • Paid less than men for same work • Industrial and civil work provided better pay and working hours than traditional jobs • Women’s Changing Role • Women discovered the benefits of financial autonomy and greater mobility • Some refused to return to domestic service • Women won the right to vote throughout Europe
Tragedies of the War: The Home Front • Voices of Despair Popular Culture reflected Europeans' Repugnance for War. Marian Allen’s The Wind in the Downs
The Wind on the Downs • I like to think of you as brown and tall, As strong and living as you used to be, In khaki tunic, Sam Brown belt and all, And standing there and laughing down at me. Because they tell me, dear, that you are dead, Because I can no longer see your face, You have not died, it is not true, instead You seek adventure in some other place. That you are round about me, I believe; I hear you laughing as you used to do, Yet loving all the things I think of you; And knowing you are happy, should I grieve? You follow and are watchful where I go; How should you leave me, having loved me so? • We walked along the tow-path, you and I, Beside the sluggish-moving, still canal; It seemed impossible that you should die; I think of you the same and always shall. We thought of many things and spoke of few, And life lay all uncertainly before, And now I walk alone and think of you, And wonder what new kingdoms you explore. Over the railway line, across the grass, While up above the golden wings are spread, Flying, ever flying overhead, Here still I see your khaki figure pass, And when I leave the meadow, almost wait That you should open first the wooden gate.
The Paris Peace Conference Peace of Justice • Leader of the Allied and Central powers met at the Palace of Versailles • President Wilson’s 14 Points supported self-determination for all nations and a just peace • Peace of Vengeance • Italy and Britain wanted territory • France wanted to punish Germany • Italy and U.S. left, leaving peace settlement to France and Britain • Treaty of Versailles with Germany • France and Britain created a severe treaty that punished Germany • Germany had to: • Return Alsace-Lorraine to France • Keep area near France, called Rhineland, demilitarized • Pay war reparations of 32 Billion Dollars • Agree to War guilt clause
The New Europe Treaties similar to Germany’s signed with other Central Powers • Many countries experienced a change in borders • Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary, Germany and Russia lost territory • Many New Countries were created