Background

2. Background • August 1914 – 1918 • The GREAT war; the “war to end all wars” • Involved most nations of the world "The Great War was without precedent ... never had so many nations taken up arms at a single time. Never had the battlefield been so vast… never had the fighting been so gruesome..."

3. Causes of WWI There are four *MAIN* causes…

4. “M”ilitarism • Def: the glorification of war and the military • Security depended on technology, skill, and readiness of forces • Conscription • Universal military training

5. Triple Entente France England (and all of the Commonwealth) Russia (would leave in 1917 b/c of Revolution) Serbia Triple Alliance Germany Austria-Hungary Italy Turkey Neutral Belgium – and other nations not mentioned in entente or Alliance. USA (would enter near the end of 1917) “A”lliances

6. “I”MPERIALISM • Industrialization brought competition for new markets and to establish or expand global empires • Competition = hostility as countries crossed each other while trying to accomplish their goals.

7. “N”ATIONALISM • France – revenge against Germany for loss of Alsace-Lorraine in Franco-Russian War (1870 – 1871) • Austria – Hungary • Pan-slavis; Serbian Slavs supported and wanted to form a “Yugoslav” nation • A-H annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina (a Slavic territory) • Serbia turned to Russia, their protector • Russia made a deal with A-H – let them have B-H • A-H didn’t keep deal and Russia is bitter • Balkans – Serbian wanted Albania but failed

8. World war I begins

9. The “Spark” • Europe had become a “Powder Keg,” needing only a “spark” to touch off war • In 1914, that “spark” was provided, causing the outbreak of WWI.

10. Steps Leading to War • Archduke Frances Ferdinand is assassinated by Gavrilo Princip • June 28, 1914 • In Sarajevo, Bosnia. • Black Hand • The emperor of A-H, Franz Joseph blamed Serbia. Got German support to retaliate (July 5)

12. A-H gave Serbia an ultimatum (July 23) • A-H army enter Serbia to stop unrest • Lead assassination investigation • Serbian response was rejected and A-H declares War (July 28) • Mobilization begins; system of alliances set into motion

13. The Balkans

14. The War 1914 - 1916

15. Central Powers Germany Austria-Hungary Ottoman Empire Bulgaria *Italy remained neutral… Allied Powers GB FR Russia Serbia Belgium Japan Montenegro By Aug 1914 the stage is set

16. Schlieffen Plan Schlieffen Plan = Germany’s Plan of attack (1905) • Attack France through neutral Belgium • Complete in 6 weeks • Move to the Eastern Front to fight Russia Problems • Belgium was heavily fortified • Strong resistance so German advance was delayed • Russia mobilized quicker than expected • Met British forces in N FR

17. The Battle of the Marne • September 5, 1914 • Lasted 4 days • French pushed Germans back 50 miles from Paris • Significance: • Saved Paris • Boosted French morale • Ended Schlieffen Plan • Made it clear that there would be no easy winner

18. Early Russian Disaster • Aug. 13 Russia attacked Prussia; successful • End of August – Battle of Tannenberg • Germans divided and destroyed Russians • 30,000 Russians killed; 92,000 taken prisoner • 13,000 Germans killed *NEVER RECOVERED

19. Stalemate • November 1914 the war = stalemate • Belligerent nations adjusted plans • Civilians entered war effort • Newspapers exaggerated victories • Governments used propaganda • 1915 War of attrition was being used so build trenches for protection • 2 parallel 500 mile long ditches from Switz. to North Sea • The area in b/wn “No Man’s Land” • Soldiers suffered from boredom, terror, rats, mud, cold, disease • 1915 Germans introduced poison gas

24. Western Front: • Battle of Verdun (February 1916) • Germans launched surprise attack against France in the NE • Lasted 6 months before the Germans w/drew • Results: Inconclusive, but on of the bloodiest battles; ½ million dead • Battle of Somme (later 1916) • France launched attack against Germans along the Somme River Valley • Results: Inconclusive and deadly • The British introduced tanks

25. The Eastern Front • More mobile – terrain didn’t favor trench warfare • Russia • Least industrialized; did not have resources or skills to fight a modern war • Many casualties • Lost many guns and ammunition • 1916 offensive against Austria-Hungary • Early success • Internal problems led to Russian collapse in 1917

26. The Southern Front • Orchestrated by Winston Churchill, head of British Navy • Goal = occupy the Dardanelles Strait • Supply Russia • Strengthen Serbia • Aid in the collapse of A-H • Initial attempt failed in 1915 • In the Battle of Gallipoli (April 1915 to Jan 1916) the Turks were able to force the allies’ w/drawal

27. Submarine Warfare • Germans introduced submarine warfare to wear down the British sea power. • GB was the strongest • Naval blockades • German submarines = U Boats • 1915 – unrestricted submarine warfare • May 1915 they sank the Lusitania • 1200 killed, 128 were Americans • Woodrow Wilson threatens Germany; on Sept 1, 1915 Germany promised to halt submarine warfare

30. The Home Front (Woodrow Wilson) • American public-opinion was split • Irish-Ams were anti-British • German-Ams sided with Germans • English, Scots, favored the Allies • Feb 1, 1917 Germans resumed unrestricted sub-warfare • Feb 3, 1917 Wilson broke all ties w/ Germany

31. Feb 24, 1917 British intelligence intercepts theZimmerman Message • Mexico would support Central Powers • GERM would help MEX regain NM, TX, and AZ 5. March 1917 the message was printed in American NPs

32. 6. March 1917, 4 more Am vessels were sank 7. April 2, 1917 Wilson asks Congress to declare war “to make the world safe for democracy.” • April 6 - Declaration of War • U.S begins mobilization

33. US Involvement • May 8, 1917 Selective Service Act • By June 5 9.5 million men 21-30 registered • By end 4 million were drafted • Would bring unity! • American Expeditionary Force • General John J. Pershing • Built docks, RRs, telephone and telegraph lines, camps, ammunition dumps, sheds, hospitals • 10,000 women worked in hospitals • Convoy System

34. The End of the War

35. Turning the Tide • The U.S. Enters the War • Boosted Allied morale • Resources: industrial and human • convoys delivered supplies • April 1917 the Great Britain launches a major offensive at Flanders. • No clear victor • Huge casualties for both sides; running out of men!

36. 3. Total War • Definition = directing all people and resources to the war effort. • G’vmts: • increased their powers • raised larger armies • increased taxes • placed controls on the economies • censored the press • rationed goods • Women • Factory work • Improved women’s rights

37. End of the War • In July 1918 the Allies had a major breakthrough on the Western Front • Stopped German offensive that had almost taken Paris • Pushed the Germans back to the border of Germany • Sept 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm II w/drw German forces from FR

38. The rest of the Central Powers collapsed • On Nov 9, 1918 the German Kaiser abdicated the throne and a German Republic was proclaimed • On Nov 11, 1918 the Germans signed an armistice

39. Restoring the Peace

40. Wilson’s Fourteen Points • Wilson had a plan for peace b4 the war ended • The plan included: • Intern’tl freedom of the seas, trade • Limitations on arms • End to secret alliances • Settlement of colonial claims • Right of self-rule by all nations • Establishment of a “general assembly of nations” • Reservations: • Great Britain - trade • France - reparations

41. Paris Peace Conference • January 1919 • 27 nations met in Paris • Central Powers not invited • Most decisions were made by “Big Four” • US – Wilson • GB – David Lloyd George • FR – Georges Clemenceau • IT – Vittorio Orlando • Divided Goals • US – League of Nations • GB, FR, IT – make Germany pay

42. Treaty of Versailles(June 28, 1919) • Limited size of German army • Banned conscription and making of major weapons • Reduced German landholdings • Rejected the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk • Reestablished an independent Poland • Took Germany’s overseas colonies and gave to the allies • German reparations to allies

43. Other Settlements • New nations: • Finland • Estonia • Latvia • Lithuania • Poland • Czechoslovakia • Yugoslavia • A-H was divided and borders were redrawn • Middle East countries did not received independence but became mandates

44. Effects of the Great War

45. Human Cost • Human misery became commonplace • 9 million soldiers died • 21 million were wounded • 13 million civilians dead of disease and starvation • Mass genocide of Armenians by Turks • Turks were angry about Armenian support for Allies and fearful of nationalism • Left them in desert • Villages destroyed, people shot

46. Economic Costs • Millions were left homeless • European cities devastated (FR) • Germany was weakened, humiliated by the Treaty

47. Social Costs • Many people became minorities w/in new nations • Loss of independence for some

48. The Russian Revolution Introduction

49. Czar Nicholas IIMay 18, 1868 – July 17, 1918

50. Background • Crowned on Nov 7, 1894 • Married Princess Alex of Hesse; crowned Czarina Alexandra Feodorovna. • Born in Germany • Granddaughter of Queen Victoria of GB • Five children: Olga Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, Alexei