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Chapter 25

Chapter 25. Beginning of the 20 th Century Crisis: War and Revolution. The Outbreak of War: The Summer of 1914. Serbia (w/ Russian support) determined to create independent Slavic state Austria dead-set to oppose any Serbian actions P.720 British ambassador to Vienna about Serbia 1913

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Chapter 25

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  1. Chapter 25 Beginning of the 20th Century Crisis: War and Revolution

  2. The Outbreak of War: The Summer of 1914 • Serbia (w/ Russian support) determined to create independent Slavic state • Austria dead-set to oppose any Serbian actions • P.720 British ambassador to Vienna about Serbia 1913 • June 28, 1914 – Ferdinand assassinated by Serbian nationalist • July 28 – Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia • July 30 – Russia declares war on Austria-Hungary • August 1 – Germany declares war on Russia • August 3 – Germany invades Belgium violating a 75 year old treaty and declares war on France • August 4 – Great Britain declares war on Germany • And now an entire continent was at war…

  3. The War • Most people believed that the war would only last a short time & had no idea how long and devastating it would be • many people of the nations involved went in w/ much enthusiasm • most felt that their nation’s cause was just • this illusion fueled by the fact that wars since 1815 had lasted weeks • overlooked the American Civil War (1861-65) true prototype for WWI • By August 1914, the European powers had lined up against each other • Central Powers: Germany, Austria, Ottoman Empire, & Bulgaria • Allied Powers (Allies): Britain, France, Russia, Serbia, Belgium, Japan & Montenegro • Initially, the Central Powers had the upper hand because Germany had developed an industry to prepare for war over the last 40 years • Had a plan in place for possible scenario for European war in place by 1905 (the Schlieffen Plan)

  4. Schlieffen Plan • Created in 1905, by German Gen. Alfred von Schlieffen • Germany’s problem - it had enemies in the east and west • Russia was slow to mobilize, so the plan was to knock out France in about 6 weeks & then concentrate on Russia Germany Has Problems from Beginning • the area of Belgium that Germany invaded was heavily fortified • heavy resistance delayed German advance until Aug. 20th • Russia mobilized far quicker than Schlieffen had planned • British troops delayed Germany further & inflicted heavy losses • Russia was gaining ground in the east, so a detachment of German troops were sent to the eastern front • France was slowly losing ground to the Germans, so Gen. Joseph Jacques Joffre pulled back his troops to protect Paris

  5. Early War in the West & East • Aug 4, 1914 – German troops cross into Belgium • Did experience more resistance from Belgians • British secretly moving to help slow advance to Paris • By 1st week of Sept, 20 miles from Paris • Sept. 5-9, 1914 – Battle of the Marne • French push German forces about 50 miles outside of Paris • French victory saves Paris & could not press advantage though • signified the abandonment of the Schlieffen Plan • beginning of trench warfare, trenches extended from the English Channel to Switzerland • war in the East much more mobile, but cost in lives was enormous • Russia makes early advances defeated Austria in Galicia & Serbia • tried to do too much too soon, losing badly at the Battle of Tannenburg (Aug 30) & the Masurian Lakes (Sept 15) • Russia ended up losing territory, being pushed 300 miles into their own territory, Russian casualties stood at 2.5 million by 1915 • 1915 - Battle of Ypres: Germans introduce a new weapon chlorine gas • In 1915, Germany began unrestricted submarine warfare • keep supplies from reaching French & British troops on the mainland • “any ship coming from British waters would be sunk” • May 1915 - German subs sink the Lusitania (1200 die, 128 Americans) • this swings U.S. support unofficially to the Allied cause

  6. 1916-1917: The Great Slaughter Trench Warfare • success in the East enabled Germany to move back on offensive in West • trenches of 1914 much more elaborate by now • lines protected by barbed wire entanglements 3-5’ high & 30 yds wide • concrete machine gun nests • mortar batteries & supported further back by heavy artillery • Men lived in holes in the ground & trenches separated by “No Man’s Land” • Trench warfare baffled military leaders because they had trained to fight wars of movement • Public outcries to break stalemate put them under heavy pressure • Periodically, commanders would order an artillery barrage to soften up enemy lines • Then a mob of soldiers would climb out of their trenches & work their way across NML to enemy trenches • These offensives usually bloody & futile, resulting in heavy losses for the attackers

  7. Major Battles of 1916 • Feb. to Sept. 1916 – Battle of Verdun • Germans tried to take a well fortified French fortress • 10 months of battle, over 700,000 casualties (380,000 French, 330,000 Germans) • war still at a standstill • May 31 to June 1, 1916 – Battle of Jutland • the only major battle between British & German fleets • took place off the coast of Denmark • both sides claimed victory, but Britain still controlled the seas, Germany retreated to port & never came out again • July to Nov. 1916 – Battle of the Somme • just as inconclusive as Verdun • Britain only gained a total of 125 sq. miles • 1.1 million casualties (500,000 German, 400,000 British, 200,000 French) • Britain introduces a new weapon: armored tanks

  8. Entry of the United States • Sinking of the Lusitania in May, 1915 pushed the U.S. to unofficially support the Allied cause • wasn’t until the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare in January 1917 that the U.S. declared war on Germany April 6, 1917 • U.S. troops wouldn’t arrive on continent until 1918 but gave Allies a psychological boost • 1917 not a good year for Allies • Offensives on Western front disastrous • Italian armies smashed in October • in Nov, Bolshevik Revolution led to Russian withdrawal by Spring 1918 • As the war dragged on patriotic enthusiasm replaced by dissatisfaction in most countries • to boost morale, the smallest victories were given big headlines • success & the outcome of the war depended greatly on public support at home. • Governments also began using propaganda to gain support • propaganda– ideas or rumors used to harm the opposing cause • Allied governments were the most successful at using propaganda • (American & British people were convinced that the Germans were demons committing brutal crimes throughout Europe)

  9. War and Revolution The Russian Revolution • The Revolution of 1905 failed to bring about any substantial changes • Nicholas II relied on army & bureaucracy to uphold his rule • WWI magnified Russia’s problems • Nicholas II only European monarch that took control of armed forces • Not trained for such a task • Russian troops ill-fed & under trained • 1914-16: 2 million casualties, 4-6 million wounded or captured • All classes were discontented with the tsar, Nicholas increasingly insulated from the reality of events by his wife, Alexandria • She had fallen under the influence of Rasputin, a “holy man” that could stop the bleeding of their hemophiliac son – Alexis • Rasputin became influence behind the throne, meddled in govt. affairs • as govt faced more military & political disasters, opposition grew • Aristocrats that supported the tsar decided to try to reverse the situation • had Rasputin assassinated Dec 1916 • too little, too late – fall of Russia began in March 1917

  10. The March Revolution • March 8 – celebrated as International Women’s Day • Women demonstrated in Petrograd shouting “Peace and Bread” • Workers joined in, Alexandria wrote Nicholas saying it was small nuisance • Nicholas ordered the troops to disperse the demonstrators, shooting people if necessary • Many soldiers joined the movement, spiraled out of control • March 12 – the Duma met even though Nicholas had disbanded it • March 15 – Duma established a provisional govt, Nicholas II abdicated the same day • Provisional govt. faced another authority, soviets or workers councils • Petrograd soviet established in March 1917, sprang up all over Russia soon • Expressed a more radical interest in the lower classes • 2 main had factions split in 1903 • Mensheviks – majority, wanted Socialist Democrats to be mass electoral socialist party based on a Western model • Bolsheviks – minority, dedicated to violent revolution & destruction of capitalism, led by V.I. Lenin

  11. Vladimir I. Lenin (1870-1924) • Lawyer • 1887 became dedicated enemy of tsarist Russia • Exiled from Russia in 1900, retuned in 1917 and become leader of Bolshevik party • Issued April Theses (4/20/1917) • Proposed Russia could move directly into socialism • Soviets of soldiers, workers, & peasants were ready-made weapons • 3 simple slogans of Bolsheviks • “Peace, Land & Bread” • “Worker control of production” • “All power to the soviets” • Petrograd soviet led by Leon Trotsky • rabid revolutionary

  12. The Bolshevik Revolution • July 1917 – Lenin flees to Finland, falsely accused of attempting to overthrow the provisional govt. • Also July – Alexander Kerensky named PM of prov. govt • Sept. 1917 – Gen. Lavr Kornilov attempts to march on Petrograd & seize power • Kerensky released Bolsheviks from prison & turned to the soviet for help • Kornilov failed; strengthened Petrograd soviet & showed Lenin how weak the govt. was • By October, the Bolshevik party had grown from 50,000 to 240,000 • Nov 6, 1917 – pro-soviet & pro-Bolsheviks take over Petrograd under slogan of “All Power to the Soviets” • Provisional govt. collapsed with little bloodshed • Nov. 8 – Lenin announced a new government, the Council of People’s Commissars w/ himself as head • 2 problems – Constituent Assembly & public support • Broke the Assembly by force (to work w/ assembly would be compromising w/ bourgeoisie) • Gained public support w/ peasants by passing 1st law of administration • declared land nationalized & turned over to local rural land committees • really just made land-grabs that peasants had made earlier legal

  13. March 3, 1918 – Communist govt. signed Treaty of Brest-Litvosk w/ Germany and withdrew from WWI • Gave up eastern Poland, the Ukraine, Finland & Baltic Provinces Civil War (1918-1921) • Fought by Red (Bolshevik) & White (anti-Bolshevik) armies • Reds attacked on all side by White Army and supporters • July 16, 1918 – royal family was staying in the Ural Mts. murdered by the local soviet & burnt their bodies in a mine shaft • Red Army well-disciplined and formidable thanks to Leon Trotsky • Soldiers who deserted or refused to follow orders summarily executed • Disunity of White Army weakened their efforts • Different groups fought for different reasons • Reds instituted war communism to ensure regular supplies • Banks & industries nationalized • Forcible requisition of grain from peasants • State administration centralized under Bolshevik control • Secret police “Cheka” created to eliminate enemies of the new regime • 1921 – Communists (Reds) controlled Russia, now bureaucracy dominated by single political party. Also turned many against Allied countries that supported the White Army

  14. The Last Year of the War • March 1918 – Russian withdrawal gave Germany new hope for victory • Germany decided to make one last gamble - an offensive aimed at Paris • Lasted from March until July, got within 35 miles of Paris • July 18,1918 - 2nd Battle of the Marne • French led by Gen. Ferdinand Foch, supported by 140,000 American troops victorious over Germany • William II left the country Nov. 9th • November 11th, 1918: armistice signed, fighting ends • Though the Allies won the war, it was very costly for both sides • The War had cost $186 billion when the armistice was signed • Over 10 million people had lost their lives • 1.7 million Russian troops, 1.7 million Germans, 1.4 million French, 1.2 million Austrian, 900,000 British, & 125,000 Americans • 4.5 million civilians died due to hostilities, famine, & disease • another 21 million soldiers had been wounded • Now that the fighting had ended it was time to try to repair some of the damage that was done

  15. Treaty of Versailles • Treaty between the Allied countries with Germany • "The Big Four" represented the Allies and dominated the peace conference • David Lloyd George - Prime Minister of Great Britain • Georges Clemenceau - Premier of France • both wanted to “make Germany pay” • Vittorio Orlando - Premier of Italy • wanted more territory both in Europe and in the Pacific • Woodrow Wilson - President of the United States • wanted a just peace and to create a better world by implementing his Fourteen Points.

  16. Major Provisions: Territorial changes • Germany surrendered many lands in Europe & colonial holdings Colonial Losses • Germany ceded all colonies to the Allies Disarmament • German army was limited to 100,000 volunteers • Conscription was forbidden • German navy was reduced to a few small ships. • Subs, military aircraft, and war industries were prohibited. • All of the restrictions were intended to prevent Germany from waging war again. War Guilt and Reparations - Article 231 • Germany had to accept sole responsibility for the war. • Germany had to pay reparations for war damages - $33 billion • Ger.made a few payments, stopped making payments in 1933.

  17. The League of Nations • The treaty called for the creation of the League of Nations. • Germany was forced to sign the Treaty • The U. S. Senate refused the Treaty due to the inclusion of the League of Nations. Why? • U.S. senators feared the League might drag the U.S. into a war • The U.S. never joined the League. • The U.S. signed a separate treaty with Germany • **A treaty that did not include the League of Nations**

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