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The Great War and the Age of Anxiety. (aka, “The War to End All Wars”, “World War I”). First: A Note About 1914-Present. Major Shifts that Take Place Over Time. 1900. Overtime.
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The Great War and the Age of Anxiety (aka, “The War to End All Wars”, “World War I”)
First: A Note About 1914-Present Major Shifts that Take Place Over Time
1900 Overtime Power Shift: U.S. becomes the new “West”. U.S., Germany USSR, Japan, and China all play a dominant role and become “enemies” “Flattening” of the World: Planes, ships phones, computer League of Nations, United Nations Religion challenged by science, liberalism, nationalism and communism Decolonization, Feminist and Civil Rights movements Green Movements • Britain and France (“the “West”) dominate the world. Biggest enemies are other European countries and the Ottomans • Smaller World: Ships, Suez and Panama canals, railroads • Diplomatic Org.: Concert of Europe • Belief Systems still dominant • Slavery abolished • Urbanization and deforestation
Long Term Causes – The Great War • I. New Imperialism • Economic and Political Imperialism cause conflicts • Advances in technology and science made colonization easy • II. Militarism • Germany and the “Dreadnaughts” – Battleships built 1890-1940 similar to the ironclads • “Schliefflen Plan” – German plan for fighting a war on two fronts, Eastern Front and Western Front; essentially WWI • Mass production of weapons - ______________ • III. Nationalism • Intense pride in ones nation/people • Desire to dominate or at least have the right to “self-determination”
Great Britain Ireland Labor conflicts France Dreyfus Affair Decline of the Catholic Church Russia Russo-Japanese War Duma – attempts at a constitutional monarchy Germany Rumor of socialist revolution Austria- Hungary Magyarzation of the Hungarian half Note: Political Tensions Back Home Add to Desire for War (war seen as a diversion)
Dreyfus Affair Wrongful conviction of an Alsatian Jew selling French secrets to the Germans. Emile Zola blows the lid off of the cover up in an open letter entitled J’Accuse Anti-Semitism
DUMA Representative body began under Alexander III Nicholas II furthers powers of the Duma, but allows himself and his ministers to be beyond the control of the Duma AKA – Executive power of the Tsar is still not restricted
Immediate Cause of WWI Recall: Nationalism led many territories to become independent (Greece, Romania, Serbia, et al) Bosnia and Herzegovina given to Austria-Hungary @ the Berlin Conference 1878 Serbia wants B-H region and is allied with Russia
1 Shot = Millions Dead • Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbian Nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, a member of the “Black Hand” • The Black Hand had ties to the Serbian government • Austrians hoped for, and got, war with Serbia
Central Powers Austria-Hungary Germany Italy Add On Ottoman Empire Allies Serbia Russia France Britain Add On Japan Italy (?) U.S. Alliances: The Dominoes Fall (and what makes this a “world war”)
Course of the War • July 28, 1914 – Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia • Russia began to mobilize (recall alliance w/ Serbia), and so did France. Germany declared war on both (recall alliance w/ Austria-Hungary) August 1, 1914
Nature of “New War” • Enthusiasm was high as a short war was anticipated, however trauma sets in by 1918 • “Fronts” developed - _______________ • New era of warfare on the “western front” • Barbed wire, trench warfare, “over the top” tactics • Poison gas, machine guns • Massive Casualties • “Lost Generation” • Urbanization = Many casualties
West - Schlieffen Plan: Belgium, Britain and the U.S. Major Battles: 1914: Battle of Tanneburg First Battle of the Marne Battle of Ypres 1916: Year of Bloodletting Battle of Verdun Battle of the Somme 1917 - Three Years Later – a Turning Point East - Russian short-lived success is followed by loss in the Battle of Tanneberg in 1914 Ottomans v. British 1917 - Russia backs out Stalemate in the West, Checkmate in the East?
Turning Point - 1917 • Germans decide to continue “unrestricted submarine warfare” (they had promised to stop after the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915) • As a result of unrestricted submarine warfare and the “Zimmerman Note”, United States enters the War, but does not make an impact for another year • Germany takes Paris (again), but lacks the manpower and raw materials needed to hold it against the arriving Americans • Germany begins to retreat
Zimmermann Note FROM 2nd from London # 5747. "We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please call the President's attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England in a few months to make peace." Signed, ZIMMERMANN
War on the Home Front • All aspects of society were mobilized by the government, creating “total war” • Economically: governments controlled natural resources, price controls, banning strikes, and rationing • Politically: Censorship and propaganda helped ensure support for the war, some women will gain the right to vote in England and Germany • Socially: Women were employed in the factories and were rewarded for their efforts with suffrage in some countries
End of the War • Prince Max von Baden contacts President Woodrow Wilson, suing for peace • The armistice will be signed on November 11, 1918 (Treaty of Versailles 1919) • Economic Cost: • $338 Billion • Human Cost: • > 8.5 million soldiers killed, 23 million wounded (most from France, proportionately) • Untold millions of civilians dead
Designing the Peace • 3 Voices of the Peace Conference • Woodrow Wilson – voice of moderation – wanted less punitive agreement to end the war • French Premier Georges Clemenceau – wanted to satisfy the French public that was out for German blood • British Prime Minister David Lloyd-George – a voice less punitive than Clemenceau's, but still punitive
Wilson’s Fourteen Points • Wanted to encourage the spread of “self-determination” by nations and human rights • Less punitive - not accepted by allies • “League of Nations” - Not accepted by U.S. (embarrassing or what?)
League of Nations • Wilson – voice of moderation • 14 Points called for a council of nations to preserve peace and establish humanitarian goals • Many joined reluctantly, EXCEPT the U.S. (why?)
Treaty of Versailles: Make the Germans Cry • 1919 – extremely punitive against Germany • Germany takes all the blame • War reparations (huge) 132 billion • Release territory – Land taken from the Russian Empire, Alsace-Lorraine, occupation of the Rhine to the French • Downsize military to 100,000 and a small navy (no air force) • Other Measures: • Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia (Serbs dream), and Romania formed • Poland and Hungary independent • Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland formed from Russian Empire • All of the above, except Czechoslovakia, eventually become dictatorships
*Note –How does the treatment of Germany compare to the treatment of France at the “Congress of Vienna”?Why was Russia losing territory?
Dream - Meant to ensure Germany would never threaten Europe again Reality – Caused widespread economic problems (Great Depression) Caused resentment in Germany, Japan, many colonies and “spheres of influence” (China) Created conditions that led to the rise of Hitler and other Fascist dictators in Europe Impact of the Treaty
Why did it occur and what were the results? Include the following in your answer: Czar Nicholas Empress Alexandria Rasputin Soviets Mensheviks Vladimir Lenin Bolsheviks (later “Communists”) Leon Trotsky Treaty of Brest Litovsk White Forces Red Army New Economic Policy Sidebar – Russian Revolution 1917(note the date)
Interwar Years Eastern Europe, Western Europe
Eastern Europe Ottoman Empire Russia New Boundaries
Ottoman Empire: Sick Man of Europe • Lost most of it’s remaining land in the Treaty of Versailles • Ataturk led a Greek attack, overthrowing the last Ottoman sultan and in 1923 became President of modern Turkey • Changed the cultural path from Islamic to Western • Other parts became “mandates”: Britain controlled Iraq and Palestine, France controlled Syria and Lebanon • Note – Armenian Massacre
Soviet Union Goes Totalitarian • Joseph Stalin – successor to Lenin • More “totalitarianism” than “communism” • Reforms instituted using terror, secret police, bogus trials, labor camps, assassination (Great Purge – 1936-1938 – millions died) • “Five Year Plans” • Instituted “collectivizing” of agriculture and nationalized factories • Many died from defending farms or starvation • Successfully industrialized the USSR and improved the economy
New Boundaries • Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia (Serbs dream), and Romania formed • Poland and Hungary independent • Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland formed from Russian Empire (Russia not happy) • All of the above, except Czechoslovakia, eventually become dictatorships
Western Europe • France • Conservative and socialists began to vie for power • Great Britain • High unemployment led to the rise of the Labour Party, which moved toward socialist reform • British possessions demand independence (Ireland, India) • Italy • No gains at Versailles, socialist threats and an ailing economy lead to the rise of Fascism (Mussolini) • Spain and Portugal • Both countries face opposition from landowners, the church and the army • Both set up republics that are overthrown in favor of dictators
Germany • The new “Weimar Republic” faced many challenges: legitimacy and the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles, economic problems and challenges by socialists/Marxists • Discontent with the Treaty of Versailles and the Great Depression results in the rise of German Fascism (Hitler)
Marker Event: Great Depression WWI expensive Two countries relied on American credit: France and Germany
October 29 – Stock Market Crash • International Catastrophe • Americans stopped issuing credit • Germany had no way to pay reparations • France therefore had no money either • U.S. and Germany hit hardest – 1/3 out of work
Political Movements • Women’s Suffrage • Prior to1870 “pioneering” phase, 1870-1905 “dormant” phase (reading on Women) • 1905-1914 – Militant Phase • National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies • Women’s social and Political Union – Emmeline Pankhurst • After WWI – suffrage granted in most European countries • Socialist Movements • Britain – Fabian Party – nationalize some industries (necessary for survival) • France – United Socialists Party became the largest party • Germany – Social Democratic Party – “revisionist socialism” became the largest party
One other worth mentioning: Fascism • Gained momentum as capitalist-leaning democracies failed to help the economy following WWI and the Great Depression • Italy – • National Fascist Party 1919, founded by Benito Mussolini • By 1922, fascist “Blackshirts” helped Mussolini become Prime Minister • Germany – • Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Party (NAZI) used propaganda to convince many the Germans must have been betrayed in WWI • Beer Hall putsch – 1923, failed attempt by Hitler to stage a coup, but gave him a courtroom (platform) from which to espouse his views • By 1923 – Hitler name Chancellor (Prime Minister) • Spain – Francisco Franco, with the help of Hitler and Mussolin, defeat the Spanish Republic by 1939
Note: France and Britain both had fascists organizations, but they remained on the political fringe
Movements in Philosophy • Freidrich Nietzsche • Claimed “God is dead” • Viewed reason, democracy, progress, respectability as outworn constructs that stifle excellence • Logical empiricism – rejected traditional philosophy which wasted its time on God and happiness – philosophy should focus on thoughts • Existentialism – appealed to those who were searching for moral values in a world of uncertainty
New Science and Social Science • New Physics • Appealed to those who were losing hope in religion • Max Plank – energy measured in "Quanta” • Theory of Relativity – Albert Einstein • Discovery of neutrons • Freudian Psychology • Id, ego and superego
New Entertainment: Movies and Radio “Jazz Age” • Silent film industry • Radio - Guglielmo Marconi • Political Use: • Mussolini and Hitler • Roosevelt and Baldwin • The Triumph of the Will
Modern Art *Functionalism (architecture) *Post-Impressionism, forerunner to: Expressionism – shows emotional/psychological states *Abstractionism/Cubism – uses more logical analysis of the world, therefore more shaped/geometrical patterns *Dadaism (means “hobbyhorse”)forerunner to: Surrealism – influenced by psychoanalysis *Existentialism – appealed to those who felt alone, with shattered beliefs about God, reason and progress (inspired by Nietsche)
CubismGuernica, Pablo PicassoWoman with Guitar, Georges Braque
DadaismMona Lisa and Fountain, Marcel DuchampCut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany, Hannah Hoch
SurrealismElephas Celebes, Max ErnstThe Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dali