Introduction

1. Introduction

2. The Largest Event in History • Most Significant event in World History • WWI – European War with roughly 10 million dead • WWII – Fighting on 6 out of 7 Continents and near 55 million dead (1/2 were civilians) • Viewed as a Drama/Tragedy (Good vs. Evil) • Giants of figures • Roosevelt • Hitler • Churchill

3. How to Study WWII • How to study an event like World War II • Don’t Glorify War • Understand how the stage was set • Understanding the enormity of the war • Emphasis on the values that won the war • Personal connections • Connections to today • Where does our prior knowledge come from? • Oral history? • Literature? • Film? Handout 1: Considerations when Teaching/Learning WWII History Handout 2: Dale Dye : On Point in Hollywood

4. Origins of World War I

5. How it all Began - WWI • World War I • 1914 – peace shattered by assassination of Francis Ferdinand (heir to the Austrian throne – the Hapsburg Empire) • 1908 – Austria annexed the Balkans (which included the city of Sarajevo) • Ferdinand went to Sarajevo to improve relations between the Hapsburgs and the Slavic people of Bosnia

6. Slavic Peoples • Russians • Ukrainians • Belarus • Poles • Czechs • Slovaks • Bulgarians • Yugo Slavs • Serbs • Within the Balkans • Greeks • - Macedonia • - Romania • Bosnia • Slovenia • Croatia

7. Europe Prior to WWI

8. Causes of WWI • MAIN (Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism) • Nationalism is the love that hates • Serbs have a secret society (The Black Hand) and planned to assassinate Francis Ferdinand on his trip to Sarajevo • Other Causes • German / French Rivalry • Russian / Austrian Rivalry • Question about the Balkans • Balance of power in Europe • Imperialism / Colonialism

9. WWI is the Turning Point • Empires in 1914 • British, French (not Empires in name, but posses large colonial claims) • Ottoman Empire (Turks) (Sick Man of Europe) • Balkans • Russian Empire • Latvia • Lithuania • Estonia • Poland • Ukraine • Belarus • Austrian Empire • Hungary • Checks • Slovaks • Parts of later Yugoslavia • Germany? Where do they fit?

10. Long Range Factors of WWI • German / French Rivalry • 1871 a New unified Germany established by Otto Von Bismark • Rise of New Germany will create an imbalance of power in Europe – result in the fall of France? • Germany takes territory of Alsace and Lorraine from the French • France wants them back as well as revenge • After 1871 Bismark will conserve what he has and isolate the French from any ally • France needed allies to make any type of war on Germany

11. Long Range Factors of WWI • Bismark wants to prevent any attack by France • Creates an alliance in 1882 (Germany, Austria, Italy) • Bismark believes that he doesn’t need to worry about England – they won’t act unless the balance of power is changed and they are threatned • The Kaiser William I dies – William II comes to power • William II comes in conflict with Bismark and forces him to resign • William II becomes his own foreign minister – and doesn’t renew a peace treaty with Russia in 1888

12. Long Range Factors of WWI • Franco / Russian alliance in 1894 • A military alliance • Both are afraid of the Germans • In the 1890s Britain began to see Germany as a threat • Wm II wanted to build up the German navy • The naval race began and Britain abandoned its “splendid isolationism” puts aside differences with France and Russia • Form the Triple Entente (Britain, France, Russia)

13. Long Range Factor - Imperialism • Imperialism • “Advanced” countries taking over less “advanced” • 1st World countries will take over 3rd World countries (Marxist idea) • Economic motives? – May be not • Diamonds in Africa • Prestige • Anybody who is somebody has colonies • Idealistic • Christianize and modernize the 3rd World countries

14. Long Range Factor - Imperialism • Africa • Britain: Egypt, Suez Canal – which led straight to India • Italy: Libya • French: Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia • Asia • British: Malaya (including Singapore) , Hong Kong • French: Indo-China (includes Laos, Vietnam) • Dutch: East Indies (Indonesia) • US: Philippians, Guam • German: Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands

15. The Eastern Question – The Balkans • Ottoman Empire controlling the Balkans • Turks have taken over the Empire – Balkans hate them because they were Muslim • In the late 1800s referred to as the “Sick Man of Europe” – a sign of the Turks slipping • Big powers are getting interested in the Balkans • Russia and Austria both interested in the straits (warm water ports for Russia) • Most people there are Slavic (Serbs) (Russia is the big Slavic Father) • Similar root language and religion (orthodox) • 1908 Austria annexed Bosnia

16. Balkan Nationalism • Most aggressive Balkan country is Serbia • In 1878 Serbia became independent with very aggressive leaders • Have a desire to establish a grater Serbian state • This is a threat to Austria (annex Bosnia in 1908 which has mostly Serbs living there)

17. The July Crisis • Leaders are not going to solve rising tensions between countries • Not determined to avoid war • Assassination in Serbia • The assassination of Austrian Archduke Ferdinand and his wife tied to Serbia • Austria can now militarily take over – but wont act without approval of Germany • Germany issues them a blank check

18. War Begins in Europe • In 1914, a Serbian nationalist killed the Austro-Hungarian heir to the throne (Archduke Franz Ferdinand). The domino-effect began where: • Austria declared war on Serbia, which was supported by Russia, • Russia declared war on Austria-Hungary and Germany, which declared war on Russia and France, then invaded neutral Belgium, and pulled Britain into the war and igniting World War I. • Americans were thankful that the Atlantic Ocean separated the warring Europeans from the U.S.

19. Planning • The German Schlieffen Plan • Germany’s plan to fight a two front war • Attack France first (through neutral Belgium) • knock France out of the war • Then attack the “slow mobilizing” Russia • Germans came very close to achieving this plan • Germans were stopped just outside France

20. Stalemate, Slaughter, Attrition • Germany and France are now stalemated • From October 1914 until March 1918 the front line did not move more than 10 miles in either direction • “No Man’s Land” • One continuous front from Switzerland to the North Sea • A defensive war with technology (machine gun)

21. Trench Life

22. Russians Out, Americans In • Russian Revolution • After Tannenberg Disaster Russians fall into a Communist Revolution • * On Aug. 13, 1914 - Russians invade East Prussia from the south and east • * This attack was a distraction for the Allies on the Western Front • * Germans quickly encircle and destroy Russian troops • * 30,000 Russians killed, 92,000 captured • * German casualties at 13,000

23. Russians Out, Americans In • Lusitania - sunk by German U-Boat (sub) • Was a British passenger liner (accused of carrying war supplies for Britain from U.S. • killed 128 Americans • Germans had warned Allies in the newspaper • Zimmerman Note • German foreign minister sent telegram to Mexico wanting them to join the Central Powers • Mexico would get New Mexico, Texas, Arizona

25. America Goes to War • April 2, 1917 • President Wilson asks Congress for declaration of war • Wilson wants to “Make the world safe for Democracy” • The U.S. tips the scales and ends the stalemate in Europe http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/overthere.htm