11.1 - Marching Towards War

World War I Overview

  • Timeframe: July 1914 - November 1918

  • Involvement: More countries than any previous war

  • Total War Concept: First instance where governments mobilized virtually every person and resource to support the war effort.

Initial Reactions and Propaganda

  • Propaganda Example: Daily S Express headline from August 5, 1914 - "England Expects That Every Man Will Do His Duty."

  • Military Operations: Reference to Sir John Jellicoe and the German Fleet engagements, illustrating early military strategies and governmental responses to threats.

Geography Pre-World War I

  • Key European Cities: Map highlighting St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Berlin, Vienna, etc.

  • Surrounding Regions: Reference to Norway, Denmark, Russia, Belgium, and more, indicating the strategic importance of these locations during the war.

Geography Post-World War I

  • Changes in Borders: Illustrated map showcasing the change in territorial claims and national boundaries after the conclusion of the war.

  • New Nation-States: Impacts of the war leading to the formation or recognition of new nations like Czechoslovakia, Poland.

Technological Impact on Warfare

  • Industrialization Effects: Warfare on a larger scale—land, sea, and air.

  • Colonial Involvement: Colonized peoples were funneled into European war efforts as soldiers and laborers.

  • Death Toll: Nearly 10 million deaths, with Russia suffering the most (1.7 million).

  • Technologies Introduced: Use of mustard gas and machine guns increased lethality of battles.

Causes of World War I: MANIA

  • Militarism: Building strong military forces for war preparedness.

  • Alliances: Agreements between nations for mutual protection and assistance.

  • Nationalism: Pride in one's country and the desire for ethnic groups to form sovereign states.

  • Imperialism: Competition for resources and lands leading to conflicts.

  • Assassination: The murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, a catalyst for the war.

Militarism

  • Definition: The belief that nations need a large military to defend themselves.

  • Effects: Increased military spending, production of modern weapons, and training of soldiers.

Alliances

  • Usage: Treaties between nations to support each other if attacked.

  • Key Alliances:

    • Triple Entente: Russia, France, Britain

    • Triple Alliance: Italy, Germany, Austria-Hungary

  • Military Preparedness: Both alliances prepared their militaries for potential conflict.

Nationalism

  • Definition: Pride and loyalty to one's nation; desire for self-determination among ethnic groups.

  • Tensions Created: Old empires resisted independence movements by various ethnic groups, leading to conflict.

Imperialism

  • Imperial Competition: Nations competed for territory to enhance economic and political power.

  • Conflict Incitement: Territorial disputes and the desire for resources escalated tensions among European powers (example: Boer War).

Assassination Catalyst

  • Franz Ferdinand: Assassination by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip, part of the group "The Black Hand."

  • Consequences: Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, igniting the wider conflict of WWI.

July Crisis

  • Definition: A series of diplomatic and military escalations that heightened tensions among major European powers in the summer of 1914.