WWI

Prelude to the War

• Europe was enjoying peace and stability with all the large powers (Britain, France, Russia, and Germany) all on equal standing

  • But then Kaiser Wilhelm II decided to start building a stronger navy (red flag for Britain) and army (red flags for everyone else)

  • So then France and Russia create an alliance to surround Germany

    • TRIPLE ENTENTE - France and Russia, Britain (came later)

    • Central Powers - Austria-Hungary (full of Germans, Hungarians, and Catholics), German Empire, Ottoman Empire (Turkey, Muslim)

  1. Wilhelm II and Nicholas II were cousins, and grandsons to Queen Victoria of Britain

  2. Britain debated on which side of the alliance to join

  3. Italy changed sides

  4. “Mother Russia” considered herself protector of SLAVS - which is why Russia wanted to protect Serbia (bc Serbia is full of Slavs)

Assassination of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand (of Austria-Hungary)

• 1914, Gavrilo Princip (SERBIA) of the Black Hand (terrorist group) assassinated the Archduke in Sarajevo, Bosnia to win Serbian independence

  • Austria-Hungary demanded an apology, but Russia defended Serbia, bringing France and Britain into the war

  • Germany offered Austria-Hungary a blank check to support them in declaring the war, but they had to do it immediately

The War Begins…

• Serbia did not answer Austria-Hungary by the deadline; Austria-Hungary declared war of Serbia

  • Russia defended Serbia, then brought in the Triple Entente

  • Germany supported Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire joined

  Russia is NOT prepared for a war, so:

• Germany used the Schlieffen Plan to avoid a two front war

  • Place a small force on the Russian border to hold them back before they could mobilize

  • Send a large force to France to defeat them before Britain could enter the war

  • Return to the Eastern Front to defeat Russia, who Germany assumed would still be un-mobilized

    • this failed and Germany faced a two-frontend war

      • WWI becomes known for alliances, trench warfare, attrition

        • Attrition - wear the other side down

The US Gets Involved

• The US remained NEUTRAL and disinterested

  • the US invested in its navy for empire purposes, but the army was nonexistent

    • and we were in conflict with Mexico

  • However, there are many German/Irish Americans

    • Ireland was fighting for independence from Britain

    • These people would much rather side with the Central powers

• The Lusitania, 1915

  • a British ship with American passengers

  • The ship was torpedoed by a German submarine

  • The United States did not enter the War because of the Lusitania, it was just the first strike

    • by result, we get restricted submarine warfare

      • warn a ship before they blow it up

      • Wilson forced Germany to employ this

• 1917

  • Russia dropped out of the war because of the Russian Revolution

  • Germany reverted back to unrestricted submarine warfare

    • they were aware that this might bring the US into war, but Germany hoped they could win before US mobilized

      • THE ZIMMERMAN TELEGRAM

        • Germany asked Mexico to join Central Powers in return for the lost land

        • This was strike two

  • Strike count: 1) Lusitania, 2) Zimmerman Telegram, 3) Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

The US Officially Enters

• The US was not mobilized

  • There were questions on whether we should be a volunteer force vs. conscription (drafting)

  • WWI remained an unpopular war

  • Segregated forces

    • women joined the services and entered the workforce at home

    • Still forced there to be segregated troops

• This is questionably the first industrialized, modern war

• Wilson created the Espionage and Sedition Acts

• Nearly ended Germany u-boat disruptions to trade at sea

  • Russia officially out of the war leaving Germany to fight on 1 front

    • But the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) had joined Britain and France and resisted German attacks on the West Front

1918

• Armistice

  • German forces anticipated defeat and an armistice was signed November 1918

    • Ceasefire - temporary hold on war (Christmas Ceasefire),

      Armistice - end of fighting; permanent ceasefire

    • Kaiser abdicated, troops withdrew due to armistice

  • Germany is considered at fault due to building of arms, Schlieffen plan, blank check, and invading Benelux

• Influenza

  • found in military bases, carried on ships to and from Europe

  • cause of 50 million deaths worldwide, significantly more than WWI

• Powers met to determine peace and spread democracy

  • Wilson’s 14 points

    • sought to establish peace and spread democracy: Self Determination in Europe

      • IT WAS NOT WELL RECEIVED

  • End of Empires → New countries formed

    • Russian Empire → Soviet Union

      Germany Empire → Germany

      Austria-Hungary → Austria and Hungary

      Ottoman Empire → Turkey

    • Empires were colonies + mother country, so no more colonies

    • MEMORIZE CZECHOSLOVAKIA

  • Other countries are formed: Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Yemen

  • League of Nations

    • Britain and France feared Wilson’s language would jeopardize their empires

      • wanted reparations and a weak Germany

    • US would not join, it did not have money, and had no military

      • IT FAILED

• Treaty of Versailles, 1919

  • Germany was surprised at harsh conditions

  • the US did not join LoN

Post War

• the Middle East, free of Ottoman Control, was not divided between France and Britain

  • claimed they were “not ready” for self-rule

• new fears for communism and immigration after Russian Revolution = RED SCARE

  • Triple Entente and the US invaded the SU to fight communism

• Racial Tensions

  • Great Black Migration to Northern industrial cities

    • white Northerners and returning veterans wanting jobs back

  • racism despite Blacks fighting in WWI and for democracy

    • race riots and Black resistance