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The Great War and the Decline of the West. My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori. - Wilfred Owen, Dulce et Decorum Est. Impact of War. Erosion of liberalism A “Lost Generation”
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The Great Warand the Decline of the West My friend, you would not tell with such high zestTo children ardent for some desperate glory,The old lie: Dulce et decorum estPro patria mori. - Wilfred Owen, Dulce et Decorum Est
Impact of War Erosion of liberalism A “Lost Generation” Totalitarianism/complacence Non-Western nationalism
I. The Proud Tower The Coming of the First World War
1. Eastern Crisis (1875-1878) Decline of the Ottoman Empire“Sick Man of Europe” A. A Century Coming
1. Three Emperor's League (1873) Germany, Russia, and Austria- BismarckCongress of Vienna“Concert of Europe” B. Old Friends and New Friends
A. NationalismPan-Slavism II. So what went wrong?
B. Legacy of Imperialism Berlin Conference, 1884 “effective occupation”
competition / nationalism • racism, anti-Semitism, Social Darwinism • extremist, anti-liberal political ideologies - anarchism, bolshevism, fascism, militarism • Relativism - Is there Truth, constancy in nature or society? Corruption of Western culture
1. Franco-Russian Alliance (1894) • Mutual defence alliance against Germany • “correction” of Balance of Power D. The Concert is Over
A. The War Europe Expected 1. Rapid mobilization Schlieffen Plan
2. Romantic war Revanche!
B. The War Europe Got • (1st) Battle of the MarneSept 1914
2. “They shall not pass” Verdun (1916) = 700,000 The Somme (1916) = 600,000 J.R.R. Tolkien
“War of the worlds” 3. Monster machines,chemical warfare
4. Crisis in leadership Gallipoli Battle of Jutland
A. War on civilians 1.The Rape of Belgium Edith Cavell
B. War on dissent • Suppression of LaborEugene Debs 2. Irish Easter Rebellion 1916Those that I fight I do not hate,Those that I guard I do not love.- Yeats
C. Rebellion 1. Bolshevism 2. Balfour Declaration, 1917 3. Lawrence of Arabia
IV. The Aftermath A Lost Generation
A. American involvement U.S. debate W. J. Bryan
B. The Progressives’ War 1. 14 PointsInternationalism Woodrow Wilson
C. 1918 1. Final gambleLudendorff Offensive (March) Wilhelm II abdicates(November)“November Criminals”
D. Treaty of Versailles (1919) 1. Diktat- responsibility / reparations 2. League of Nations 3. Reorganized empires- mandates
E.Tragedy at Versailles 1. Allies not interested in progressive war - disillusionment w/ “democracy”
2. US Senate fails to ratify treaty- return to near-isolationism 3. League of Nations too weak to: - contend with Bolshevism in the East - establish new balance of power - rebuild Europe