The Great War / WWI

how was pre-war a “time of optimism”

• nobel peace prize

• cars

• airplanes

• technology was great

causes of war

1. imperialism

2. nationalism

3. militarism (military supply)

4 Causes / Rise of German State

• Otto Van Bismark (Blood + Iron Speech)

• war + technology

• Prussian landscape painters in France (Alsace Lorraine)

• Alsace - Lorraine / Franco-Prussian War

Franco-Prussian War

• Prussia knew landscape better from the “landscape painters”

• the French surrender quickly

• it was barely even a war

results of Franco-Prussian war

1. formation of Germany

2. Germans get Alsace-Lorraine

why is Bismark concerned

• the French will always be an enemy

• Russian “To Front War”

• must control Russia to avoid getting circled

the Franco-Prussian War lead to…

The Alliance System

Three Emperors League (1873)

alliance between Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary

• they end up breaking up in 1878 (they lasted 5 yrs)

The Dual Alliance (1879)

Germany + Austria-Hungary will always be allies

The Triple Alliance (1882)

Germany, Austria-Hungary, + Italy

• remains intact until war

Reassurance Treaty (1887)

between Russia and Germany

• We won’t you, you don’t attack us

• they both have to resign treaty ever 3 years

what happened to the Reassurance Treaty

• Kaiser Wilhelm ii takes over (he’s young + stupid)

• he fires Bismark and doesn’t resign treaty —> Russia signs/joins France

Triple Entente

• England, France, Russia

• (against) Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary

rising in power (Balkans)

Austria-Hungary

declining in power (Balkans)

Ottoman Empire “sick man of europe)

panslavic movement

slavs are from russia, russia will support the serbs

goal of panslavic movement

unify all slavs in the balkans

the black hand

plan to assassinate Franz Ferdinand

Gavrilo Princip

the man who kills Franz Ferdinand + his wife on the street

the blank check

letter from Germany to Austria-Hungary: whatever you need, we got your back

• the serbs didn’t meet ultimatum, causes domino effect

domino from the blank check + serbia

1. Austria-Hungary declares war against Serbia

2. Russia mobilizes/brings troops to the border of Germany + A-H to support Serbia

3. Germany declares war on Russia

4. France declares war on Germany

triple alliance

germany, austria-hungary, Italy

Alfred Schlieffen

german chief of staff

• came up with Schlieffen plan

assumptions of schlieffen plan

1. france + russia will be allies

2. france would mobilize faster (ready for war quicker)

3. M-39: plan would take 39 days

why did the german army go thru beligium to get to paris

• flat terrain

• beliguim is neutral

swinging door

capture paris (go around it), push French out of war

Reality of Schlieffen plan

• 1.5 mil soldiers cross into beligum

• not ready for war, civilians slow down M-39

• attacking civilians → propaganda against Germany

• broke Treaty of London → English declare war on Germany

Battle of Liege, Belgium

Gustav Krupp → Krupp company makes weapons

• giant canon “Big Bertha” - destroy fortifications

• Big Bertha comes from Gustav’s wife

General Von Moltke (German)

• blamed himself for losses, took things personally

• infamous for deviating from Schlieffen’s plan

how did General Von Moltke deviate from Schlieffen’s plan (twice)

• some men went back to eastern front to deal w/ russia

• gives up on swinging door, go directly towards paris. Some still follow the door plan, but others go to paris → 35 mile gap in line

Plan 17 (French Perspective)

get back Alsace-Lorraine

• they go back to 20 century tactics

elan vital

cult of the offense

Joseph “Papa” Joffre

• french general

• slept during bad times, quiet

• shoots the gap

what happened after the bloodiest day in french history

• message to papa joffre: come to paris

• he was driven by grand prix driver to get there faster

first battle of Marne

• Joffre “shoots the gap”

• men invade 25 mile gap, they retreat

reasons for Miracle of the Marne

1. Joffre “Shoots the gap”

2. French loss of life

3. use of Parisian taxis to transport soldiers

4. BEF (British/English) help supply

Race to the Sea

• after Marne, Germans retreat to Aisne (river)

• english tried to outflank germany, germany tries to do the same, they eventually reach the sea

Results of Battle of Marne/Race to the Sea

1. formation of western front

2. birth of trench warfare

3. Von Moltke resigns (emotional issues)

4. death of Schlieffen Plan

how was trench warfare started

General French told his men: get down to mother earth to save yourself

parados

back of trench

parapet

front of trench

why was trench warfare so destructive/horrific

1. physical nature of modern war/new technologies - dead people everywhere

2. psychological - quiet=other side is getting ready to attack

3. boredom

4. trench foot - marching in infected water

5. brown rats - ate dead bodies, 15-20 lbs

6. sights + smells

the most painful + feared death during trench warfare

poison gas