History WW1

The Big 5

Great Britain, Germany, France, Russia, Austria-Hungary

Great Britain

Industrial powerhouse, global colonial holdings, largest Navy in the world

Germany

Unified in 1871, holdings in Africa and East Asia, defeated France in Franco-Prussian War, strong army, growing navy, industrially modern, entered Dual Alliance with Austria-Hungary

France

Defeated by Germany in the France-Prussian War, Dual Entente with Russia (threat of Germany), slower growth

Franco-Prussian War

1870-1871; @France, France vs. Germany, France loses Alsace-Lorraine, German victory

Russia

largest power by land and population, industrially underdeveloped, autocratic government, diverse

Austria-Hungary

Weakest of the Great Powers, ethnically diverse, challenges from nationalist movements

Ottoman Empire

“Sick-man“, European regions pushing for independence, Great Powers pushing for influence, reform movements, joined the Central powers in 1914

Serbia

newly independent from Ottoman Empire, landlocked, regional power in the Balkans, many ethnic Serbs live in Bosnia

Belgium

Between Germany and France, independence and protection promised from the Great Powers in the 1830s (1839 Treaty of London)

Italy

Recently unified, territorial disputes with France and Austria-Hungary, Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary (mutual defense), joins the Allies in May 1915

Long-Term Causes

Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism

Imperialism

Western European countries expanding their territories across the globe. Economic factors: resources; Political/Military factors: strategic location of colonies, increased manpower; Nationalism

The Moroccan Crisis

Claimed by France, strategic location next to the most important waterways in the World, agreement between France and Britain in 1904 allowed France to control Morocco, 1905 Germany pushes for Moroccans to get independence, Germany vs French beef, French wins, increases tensions, 1911 Germans continue to advocate for Moroccan independence, France sees this as a threat, each side prepared for war

Nationalism

Ideology; pride of the country and/or Social Darwinism on a national level explains why a power has the right to dominate other, self-determination.

Militarism

Putting a nations focus behind its military, a states value is seen in the strength of its military, major expansion in the years prior to 1914, compulsory military service, militarization of civil society

Arms Race

better communications, transport, armies, weapons, industrial capacities

War Plans

Germany’s Schlieffen Plan, France’s Plan XVII

Schlieffen Plan

Attack France through a neutral Belgium

Plan XVII

Frontal attack into Alsace-Lorraine to regain those territories

Dual Alliance

1879; Germany & Austria Hungary

Triple Alliance

1882; Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

Dual Entente

1894; France & Russia

Anglo-French Entente

1904; France and Britain

Anglo-Russian Entente

1907 Britain and Russia

Triple Entente

1914; Russia, France, Britain

Balkan Peninsula

Strategically important region to Austria-Hungary and Russia

Bosnian Crisis

1908; Austria-Hungary vs. Russia, agreement for Austria-Hungary to absorb Bosnia-Herzegovina and Russia gets the ports, Serbs are not happy

Balkan Wars

1912-1913; Balkan peoples against the Ottoman Empire, Serbia grows in strength, Austria supports the creation of an independent Albania

The Black Hand

formed in 1911; wanted a “Greater Serbia“

Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

June 28, 1914; Franz Ferdinand was the Archduke Austria-Hungary, initial plan failed, Gavrilo Princip later murdered the Archduke and his wife

The July Crisis

1914; after the assassination, Austria demanded Serbia allow an investigation (unsuccessful), Germany offers the “Blank Check“, Austria issues an ultimatum to Serbia

Mobilization and Declaration

July 1914: Russia mobilizes

August 1914: Germany declares war on Russia and France mobilizes

August 1914: Germany invades Belgium on their way to France
August 1914: Britain declares war on Germany

The Western Front

German attack on Belgium and France; Schlieffen Plan (failed)

Total War

Entire populations are being mobilized, line between solider and civilian is blurred, governments took control over production, morale, and economy, genocide, and economic warfare

Article 231

The War Guilt Clause

First Battle of the Marne

Sept 5-12, 1914; @ Paris, France & Britain vs. Germany, first battle of the war, beginning of trench warfare, Entente victory, failure of Schlieffen Plan, “Miracle at the Marne“

War of attrition

stalemate on the Western Front

Battle of Verdun

Feb-Dec 1916; @France, French vs. German, “bleed France white“, first use of flamethrowers, French success

Battle of The Somme

July-November 1916; @France, British & French vs. Germany, to relieve pressure on the French at Verdun, first major use of tanks, indecisive battle

The Rape of Belgium

In Louvain, Belgium, German burned an ancient library, executed hundreds, tortured many

American Arrival

April 1917; caused by unrestricted submarine warfare (1917) and the Zimmerman Telegram

German Spring Offensive

1918; Ludendorff offensive, final attempts to break through allied lines, failed, move towards an armistice

The Eastern Front

German vs Russia, more mobile

Battle at Tannenburg

August 1914; @Allenstein, Russia vs. Germany, Russia planned a pincer attack, poor Russian communication and cooperation, Germany encircled Russia, German victory

Battle at Masurian Lakes

September 1914; @East Prussia, Russia vs. Germany, Russia pushed out of Germany, German victory

Russian Revolution

March 1917; the Czar is ousted

Bolshevik Revolution

November 1917; moves Russia towards a communist country

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

March 1918; signed by Russia, Russia is out of the war, now Germany can throw everything to the Western Front

Gallipoli Campaign

April 1915-Jan 1916; @Turkey, Britain, France, colonies vs. Ottoman Empire, allies wanted a sea route to Russia, Ottoman victory, never opens up the strait between the Mediterranean sea and black sea

The Middle East

Britain wanted to keep the Suez Canal Open and acquire Mesopotamian territory

Arab Revolt

1916; Arab fight against Ottoman forces, successful

The Armenian Genocide

Turkish government eliminated Armenian population from their homeland

Italian Front

Italians fought Austrian along their borders, major losses

The war outside of Europe

Colonial troops fought in all fronts of the war, allies took German colonies in Africa and the Pacific, Japan moved against German holdings in East Asia

War socialism

Government expands and takes control over aspects of the economy

Espionage Act

1917; made it illegal to proclaim support for enemy nations

Reichsrat

Austrian representative body, disbanded

Propaganda & Censorship

Roles of Propaganda: Recruitment, Moral Boosting, Fundraising, Dehumanization

Propaganda organizations: wellington house, Crewe house, Kriegspresseamt (War Press Office), Zentralstelle für Auslandsdienst (Central Office for Foreign Services)

Women and the War

Greater role in the workforce, war production (munitionettes or canaries), agriculture (UK Women’s Land Army), battlefields (The Red Cross), “Hello Girls“

Battle of Jutland

May-June 1916; @ Denmark, German vs. British, German attempt to break British blockade, indecisive Battle, blockade stood, dreadnoughts and torpedoes,

War at Sea

British blockade against Germany, German U-boats, British Mines, convoys, hydrophone, aircraft carriers, depth charges

The Air War

reconnaissance, small scale bombing, interrupter gear, fighter aces like Red Baron (German), Dog fighting, Zeppelins

Land Technology

Tanks (to cross no-mans land), machine guns, flamethrowers, hand grenades, heavy artillery

First battle of Ypres

October-November 1914; @Ypres, Belgium, France & Belgium & Britain vs. Germany, indecisive victory

Date of the end of the war

November 11, 1918 at the 11th hour

Advantages of the central power

geographic connection between allies, more developed and industry, superior army

Advantages of the allies

greater resources, access to supplies, manpower

Why did Germany lose?

Schlieffen Plan failed, allied access to resources and colonies, British blockade, weak allies, US joining the war

Economic consequences of the war

costly, allies financed by US, destroyed lands (especially in France), French agriculture ruined, US rose as an international economic and industrial power

Political consequences of the war

collapse of Austria-Hungary, collapse of the Ottoman Empire, revolution in Germany

Social consequences

tremendous loss of life, declining birthrates, rise in status of women

Paris Peace Conference

Jan 1919; David Lloyd George (UK), George Clemenceau (France), Woodrow Wilson (US), Vittorio Orlando (Italy), Treaty of Versailles (Germany), St. Germain (Austria-Hungary), Sevres (Ottomans)

Goals of Peace Conferenece

France: heavy reparation for Germany

UK: fewer reparation, wanted to be a trade partner with Germany

US: 14 points, fewer reparations, Germany as a trade partner

End German militarism, stable Europe, redraw the map

Treaty of Versailles

• Germany loses Alsace-Lorraine

• Germany had to pay reparations to the Allies for war damage.

• Germany had a limited military (no army, navy, air force, heavy artillery, and no submarines)

• No German conscription

• Germany demilitarizes Rhineland

• No German union with Austria-Hungary

• France gets Saarland for 15 years (for industrial purposes) and then a plebiscite will happen

• Schleswig gets a plebiscite immediately

• Independent Poland

• Polish Corridor splits Germany

• Danzig becomes an independent port city overseen by League of Nations

• War Guilt Clause → Article 231: Germany is to blame

US does not ratify

League of Nations

International organization meant to settle disputes in Europe through collective security, encourage international cooperation, US did not join, no enforcement

Battle at Passchendaele (Third battle of Ypres)

July-November 1917; @ Ypres, Belgium, British & Allies vs. Germany, aimed to break German lines and capture Passchendaele, allied success

Second Battle of the Marne

May-August 1918; @ Paris, Entente powers & US vs. Germany, last major German offensive on the Western Front, German failure by Allied counterattack on the right flank

Second battle of Ypres

April-May 1915; @Ypres, Belgium, British Empire & Belgium & France vs. Germany, attempt to break stalemate, control of the tactically valuable high ground, first use of poison gasses, German success

14 points

1. No more secret diplomacy
2. Free navigation of seas → G.B. upset
3. Free trade
4. Disarmament for all nations → Germany happy; loss of protection for everyone
5. Decolonization → G.B. upset
6. German troops out of Russia (& lose land)
7. Restoration of Belgium
8. France gets Alsace Lorraine
9. Austria/Italian border decided on nationality
10. Self-determination for people of Austria-Hungary
11. Serbia gets access to sea
12. Self-determination for people of Ottoman Empire, Dardanelles open to all
13. Independent Poland with access to sea
14. League of Nations → No enforcement

Communication Technology

Runner, telephone, telegraph, radios, pigeons, flares, Fullerphone, Radio Wireless Telegraphy