Studied by 98 people
World War I, or the Great War, was supposedly the war to end all wars. The war engaged most of the world’s most powerful nations and countries of every continent participated. The war was caused by a culmination of many factors that exploded into a conflict after the assassination of Austria’s Archduke. Imperialism, colonialism, militarism, a grand system of alliances, and rampant nationalism played parts in the eruption of war. With over 15 million dead, the war had devastating consequences that will profoundly change the power struggle in Europe and the world. The rise of America to power which will then choose post-war isolationism would lend itself to a weak international system of cooperation challenged by a global depression. Power vacuums in countries such as Germany and Italy would be filled with dictators and fervent nationalism that will open the doors to yet another global war.
Militarism
Started as Germany vs. Britain
Britain’s Two power rule = Britain’s fleet (navy) must be greater than the next 2 biggest European countries’ navy
Dreadnought = Britain’s turbine-powered, “all-big-gun“ warship that dominated the world’s navies 1906-1941
Germany was competing against Russia and France to expand their army
War seen as solution and very patriotic
Alliances
Friendship pacts with other countries
if an ally is attacked, you must help fight
By WWI, almost all European countries were part of some alliance
Otto Von Bismark’s goals (Chancellor 1861-1890)
Keep Germany out of a two front war → didn’t want to split forces
isolate France diplomatically → because France and Britain are allies
maintain good relations with Britain
Three Emperor’s League = Austria-Hungary, Germany, Russia
Germany didn’t want France and Russia both attacking Germany, but then Germany leaves the league
Wilhelm II undoes Bismark’s plans
undoes plan to avoid two front war
Germany doesn’t sign Reinsurance Treaty, Wilhelm believes that his own influence to Russia’s royalty will be enough to keep relations with Russia
Triple Alliance = Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire
Triple Entente = France, Great Britain, Russia, (US joins later)
Nationalism
Devotion to the interests of one’s nation
Colonialism ties into nationalistic feelings
“Hate by water and hate by land; Hate of the heart and hate of the hand: We love as one; We hate as one; We have but one foe alone — England.“ The Hymn of Hate (popular German song)
Aspirations for independence in a country under foreign domination
Ex: ethnic minorities in Austria-Hungary
Imperialism
fighting for colonies
France vs. Germany
Russia vs. Austria
England vs. Germany
Assassination
Assassination took place in Sarajevo in the Balkans (controlled by Austria-Hungary)
Serbians didn’t want to be part of Austria-Hungary
Black Hand = secret society that wanted Balkans to be part of Serbia
7 members
Gavrilo Princip = assassin
Otto von Bismarck
Built up a system of alliances to protect Germany and keep peace in Europe
Extended a “hand of friendship“ to Britain, Russia, France
Keep Germany out of a two front war → didn’t want to split forces
isolate France diplomatically → because France and Britain are allies
maintain good relations with Britain
Three Emperor’s League = Austria-Hungary, Germany, Russia
Germany didn’t want France and Russia both attacking Germany, but then Germany leaves the league
Wilhelm II dismissed Bismark into retirement in 1888 and undoes Bismark’s plans of avoiding two front war
Upset Bismark’s “delicate balance of power“ by announcing that Germany’s navy will be great enough to rival Britain → made Britain a potential rival
Franco-Prussian War
aka War of 1870
Led directly to the creation of the German Empire in 1871
Caused Germany to gain confidence and increase aggression due to winning this war
France wanted to restore its honor and regain Alsace-Lorraine back from Germans
Caused tension between the two countries, contributing to WWI
Alsace-Lorraine
Taken by Germany from France after Germany’s victory in the Franco-Prussian War
Wilhelm II
Last German Emperor and King of Prussia 1888-1918
Withered left army gave him a sense of inferiority, egotistical to compensate
“Everyone who is against me, I shall crush!“
Was interested in extending Germany hegemony over the Balkans and the Ottoman Empire
Kaiser’s desire to build up Germany’s navy alarmed Great Britain
Cousin of Czar Nicholas II
Gave up his throne on November 9, 1918, because he knew Germany would lose
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary
Black hand assassinated him in Sarajevo June 1914 due to his perceived threat to Serbian independence
Franz Joseph
Emperor of Austria 1848-1916 and King of Hungary 1867-1916
Signed declaration of war on Serbia, triggered WWI
Sarajevo
Location of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination
Sarajevo was located in Bosnia, under Austro-Hungarian rule starting in 1878
Gavrilo Princip
Serbian nationalist
Member of the Black Hand
Assissnated Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Triple Alliance
Consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria later joined
A secret agreement created in May 1882, renewed at 5-year intervals
Agreed to support each other if attacked by Russia or France
Italy left in 1914 by not supporting the countries
Triple Entente and Triple Alliance would fight against each other in WWI
Dual Alliance
Defensive alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary
Created on October 7, 1879
Part of Bismark’s system of alliances plan
Germany and Austria-Hungary promised to support each other if attacked by Russia
Triple Entente
Consisted of Great Britain, France, Russia, (later US too)
France was angry with Germany from Franco-Prussian War & Great Britain was suspicious of Germany’s growing navy
Triple Entente and Triple Alliance would fight against each other in WWI
Treaty of London
Treaty of London (1839) = insured that Belgium was neutral
Treaty of London (1915) = secretly allowed Italy to switch to Triple Entente’s side
Blank Check
Given on July 5, 1914
Germany gives AH Blank Check, supporting everything AH does
Causes AH to send ultimatum and declare war on Serbia
Austria-Hungary’s Ultimatum
said that Serbia must stop all support of underground groups
Terms: suppression of all Austrian activity in Serbia AND Serbian land must be open to investigation from AH froces
Serbia agrees to all terms but investigation
July 28, 1914 AH declares war on Serbia
Von Schlieffen Plan
Germany’s plan in case Germany went to war with France
1. Plan to attack France
2. Avoid French fotifications on immediate border
3. Belgium had neutrality pact, Germany broke that by invading Belgium → wanted to quickly destroy France in order to aboid two-front war with France AND Russia
4. August 4, 1914 Britain declares war on Germany
Belgium
was neutral throughout WWI
Germany sent ultimatum to Belgium, demanding a way through towards France
Belgium declined, so Germany invaded Belgium, which is not allowed as a acknowledged neutral country
Battle of the Marne
Battle of the Marne River, 25 miles from Paris
German troops pretty close to taking Paris but were defeated by French and Germans had to retreat a bit
Destroys Von Schlieffen plan, two front war with Russia and France takes place
Taxicab Army
September 6-7, 1914
1,300 Paris taxis sent backup soldiers of French army to fight in the Battle of the Marne
Was able to successfully stop German armies from advancing to Paris
Battle of Verdun
February 21-December 18, 1916
One of 2 major offensives
Failed German offensive
First time poisonous mustard gas was used
Longest battle of WWI
France vs. Germany
French Victory but large # of casualties on both sides
Large scale chlorine gas used by Germans on French army
Trench warfare
Battle of the Somme
One of 2 major offensives
July 1916
Takes used
Failed French-British offensive
Western Front
“You will be home by Christmas“
Battle of the Marne = Germany failed to take Paris
Stalemate and Trench Warfare = terrible living conditions, could be in treches for weeks
600 miles of trench systems up to Swiss border
Ottoman Front
France and Britain wanted to get supplies to Russia → needed to go through Meditarranean and Blank Sea
must go through straits controlled by Ottoman Empire
Gallipoli Campaign
April 1915 troops land in Gallipoli
Open straits to get supplies to Russia
Attacked by Turks (led by Ataturk)
Gallipoli
Great Turkish victory
April 1915 troops land in Gallipoli
New Zealand, Australia, Breat Britain, Ireland, France, India, Newfoundland vs. Ottoman Empire
Open straits to get supplies to Russia
Attacked by Turks (led by Ataturk)
Eastern Front
Mainly Russia vs. Germany
After early victories, Russia is gradually pushed east
Russia lack equipment, but use numbers to tie up Germans for more than 3 years
behind other European countries by 40-50 years
made up for it by many soldiers → had the largest # of casualties
short on food, clothing, and weapons
Russia also fought Austria-Hungary
Nicholas II
Last emperor of Russia 1894-1917
commited to aristocratic rule
Emperor of Russia during WWI
Battle of Tannenburg
August 1914
Germany vs. Russia
complete German victory
showed that Russia army was incompetant of fighting in a technologically advanced war
Advantage of Russian military
A lot of people
Disadvantages of Russian military
40-50 years behind in technology
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
March 3, 1918
Russia withdrew from WWI
Peace treaty signed by Russia vs. Germany, AH, Ottoman Empire
Russian Revolution
Mar 8, 1917 – Jun 16, 1923
Russia abolishes monarchy
Russia becomes socialist
Lusitania
May 7, 1915
American passenger ship sunk by Germany U-boats
turned public opnion against Germany
Zimmerman Note
January 19, 1917
a secret telegram sent by Germany to Mexico
Germany asked to form an alliance with Mexico and Japan if the United States declared war on Germany
From Germany to Mexico: if you help Germany out, Germany will help Mexico get back land from the US
get back New Mexico, Texas, Arizona
Unknown to Germany, note was intercepted by Great Britain → showed US, led to US in WWI
Germany doesn’t deny sending it
Sussex Pledge
statement by the Germans that they would not sink passenger ships without warning during World War I
Violation of Sussex Pledge - Lusitania resumes unrestricted warfare
Leads to US declaring war
Woodrow Wilson
President of US during WWI
wanted US to remain neutral
after war, was an idealist and wanted peace without victory
Red Barron
Baron Manfred von Richthofen
German pilot that shot down at least 80 planes
wouded July 6, 1917
could’ve damaged his brain
bad judgement flying into British territory led to his death in April 1918
Big Bertha
German siege howitzer
built by Krupp
the largest, most-powerful mobile artillery pieces in use by any army at that time
U-Boat
German submarines that sunk ships sailing towards England during GB’s naval blockade
Annie Oakley
American rifle star
Performed before many crowned heads of state in Europe
Kaiser Wilhelm II challenged her to shoot his cigarette and she succeeded
Could’ve killed Wilhelm, potentially avoiding WWI
Most important weapon of WWI
Machine gun
reason why trench warfare and stalemate occurred
no one wanted to be easily killed by machine gun
Other technological breakthroughs during WWI:
Chemical weapons
Chlorine
Mustard Gas
Propaganda’s role in war
Poster’s were made igniting fear, especially of Germans
ex: German soldier taking away a Berlin girl
Trench warfare
a type of combat in which the opposing sides attack, counterattack, and defend from relatively permanent systems of trenches dug into the ground
No Man’s Land
the area of land between two enemy trench systems, not controlled by either side
very hard to survive getting through to the opponent side’s trenches
Going “over the top”
Trench warfare
used by British troops to describe the moment they emerged from the trenches to charge out over open land and attack the enemy
War of attrition
Definition: a prolonged war or period of conflict during which each side seeks to gradually wear out the other by a series of small-scale actions.
WWI was a war of attrition because both sides attempted to wear down their enemies to the point of defeat by continuously attacking their forces
not focused on major strategic victories but on continual trench warfare where both sides attempted to gain small inroads in land
Battle of Amiens
August 1918
Americans help tip the balance of power in Allies favor
Spring offensive fails (32 German divisions attack but stopped) (March 1918)
November 9. 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm II gave up his throne because he knew Germany would lose
Weimer Republic (A German country) signs an armistice on November 11, 1918
“Victory had been bought so dear as to be nearly indistinguishable from defeat“ —Winston Churchill
Date of the Armistice:
11th hour of November 11, 1918
Paris Peace Conference
At Versailles
Wilson’s Peace Plan — 14 points
ending secret treaties, as Wilson thought alliances caused war
freedom of the seas (ex: Lusitania)
removing economic barriers (bc barriers made things economically tight in countries)
reducing the size of national armies and navies (aka militarism in MANIA)
adjusting colonial claims/fairness toward the colonial people
self-determination = let people decide what country they want to belong to
League of Nations = precursor of UN
Wilson’s biggest point
wanted countries to discuss with each other before going into war
Versailles Treaty
Territorial
Germany surrenders Alsace-Lorraine
Germany surrendered Saar Coal Mines to French control with provision that after 15 years Saar inhabitants would decide if they wanted to rejoin Germany
Saar was full of resources that Germany had to give up
Poland becomes an independent nation
Germany’s Polish Corridor is given to Poland for water access
Territories in Africa and Pacific given as mandates to Britain, France, and Japan
Disarmament
size of German army limited to 100,000 volunteers; no conscription
subs, airplanes, war industries banned
forbidden to place any troops in Rhineland a strip of territory in Western Germany
Rhineland can act as a buffer zone between Germany vs. France, Belgium and the Netherlands
War Guilt and Reparations
sole blame placed on Germany
agreed to pay reparations to all Allies, $31 billion
George Clemenceau
a French leader
supported David Lloyd George
wanted Germany to be punished harshly
Lloyd George
a British leader
He and Clemenceau lost most lives during war
they wanted Germnay to pay reperations and be weak after war
supported France’s goal of peace and vengeance
wanted security buffer zone (Rhineland) → in case Germany attacked again
Vittorio Emanuele Orlando
an Italian leader
wanted to expand Italy's influence and shape it into a major power that could hold its own alongside the other great nations
Woodrow Wilson
US President
wanted peace without victory
Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points
ending secret treaties, as Wilson thought alliances caused war
freedom of the seas (ex: Lusitania)
removing economic barriers (bc barriers made things economically tight in countries)
reducing the size of national armies and navies (aka militarism in MANIA)
adjusting colonial claims/fairness toward the colonial people
self-determination = let people decide what country they want to belong to
League of Nations = precursor of UN
Wilson’s biggest point
wanted countries to discuss with each other before going into war
League of Nations
precursor of UN
Wilson’s biggest point
wanted countries to discuss with each other before going into war
OUTCOME of the PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE:
Germany - had to pay major reparations, lost lots of land/colonies, reduced its army into volunteers
Britain - granted a mandate (control but not possession) over some German-controlled territory in the Middle East
France - gained control of Alsace-Lorraine, Saar, occupation rights in the Rhineland for 15 years, and supervisory control over some German territories in the Middle East
US - League of Nations was created
Italy - gained control over southern Tyrol, a region in the Alps inhabited by 200,000 Germans
Costs of War:
Social
10 million+ soldiers killed
10 million civilians killed (including starvation)
created hatred leading to WWII
Political
end of 3 dynasties
Hohezollerns - Germany
Hapsburg - Austria-Hungary
Romanous - Romania
creation of countries (ie: Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Czechoslovakia)
Economic
tarriffs implemented
costs trillions of dollars
Russia turns communist
How did WWI lead into WWII?
problems not resolved in WWI were pushed into WWII
Germany’s punishments were too harsh for them to take → led to Nazi’s dictatorship for a powerful Germany again
Armenian Genocide
Young Turk government mass killed and deported Armenian subjects of the Ottoman Empire
Christian Amenians shared area in Ottoman Empire with Muslims for ages
