Mother Russia and the Later Romanovs

Romanov dynasty had been around for a while

Czar/tsar-russian ruler

Mimics name Ceasar bc russia saw itself as third rome (after og rome, byzantine empire (eastern half of collapsed empire after constantine moved there) then russia)

Heavy byzantine influence in russia

Orthodox Christianity came from them

Gave slavic peoples in eastern europe written language to read bible, dramatically improved culture and technology

Russian czar Vladimir wants an ally to help them against numerous threats, byzantines, mongols, western countries.

• After Svyatoslav, his son Vladimir I takes rule (980-1015)

• Explorers discover Catholicism, but controlled by Pope in Rome

• Islam powerful, lots of trade, no gov interference but dietary restrictions hard to implement

• Judaism - historically unwelcome

• Close relations with byzantines, so made people Christian

• He made widespread adoption of Eastern Orthodox Christianity

  • They copy rituals and dress and icons (jesus, saints, etc)

  • But mzany russians illiterate, cant read bible etc.

  • Cyrillic language

• He also created more trade with Byzantines and brought more cultural diffusion (literacy art architecture and wealth)

• Caesaropapism - government and religious power to one person

  • Way for tsars to be seen as warm, welcoming figures

Both romonavs:

Peter the Great (“father figure of modern russia”)

• First russian tsar to realize the future is with europeans

• Bc they most powerful, richest

• Need to watch them. See them as threat

• So copies their economic systems, architecture, military etc.

• Builds st petersburg on baltic sea -wins through war

  • Big deal bc window to west

• All this expensive

Catherine the Great

• Conquered more than peter

• German married to russian prince, he dies so she becomes queen

• Originally name sophia

• Very popular - ppl love her, miliatry rallies around her

• Gets part of poland, more than austria and prussia

• Real target is turkey (bc of access to mediterranean sea)

• Russia push southward

• Would give even more wealth, power, land, trade, cultural diffusion

Russia had high taxes to afford its expansion

• No rising middle class

• Instad tax Boyears - nobles

  • Gave them more control over serfs in exchange

• Opposite of natural rights in europe

After both of them things went poorly for them

Alexander I - the “enigmatic tsar” difficult to be understood

• Starts as great reformer

• Initially wants liberalism and rights

• Wanted to be liberal but couldnt be

• Most ppl were serfs - bound to boyar (and their land)

• Social progres lacking

• While europe has liberation of working class, rights, russia is 500 years behind

• Starts “unofficial committee” for rights of working class

• Then napoleon comes along, invades russia

• War of 1812 - lots of suffering in russia (1812 overture celebrates expulsion of french)

• So liberal ideas reminded ppl france (bc thats what compelled napoleon)

• After wants to create Holy Alliance which would protect Christians everywhere in Europe

• Scared of liberalism bc of what happened in france

Nicholas I (“the reluctant autocrat”)

• Did not want to be tzar

• Very conservative, wants ton of censorship, serfdom. Says liberalism is bad, look what happened in france

• Third Section of the Imperial Chancellery - basically spies in generally population

  • Secret police, get many dif names

• Distrustful of intellectuals - especially universities

• Narodnost - national policy: what will nationalism look like in russia (bc its inevitable)

  • Orthodoxy - leads to oppression of jews

  • Autocracy - he becomes absolute ruler

  • Nationality - no one rly knows what it means. What can russia unify around?

• Nationalism in russia struggles bc nothing to rly unify around

• Even industrialism, either serf or working in terrible factory conditions

• Display military constantly - parades

  • Biggest in europe

Alexander II

• “Tsar-Liberator”

• More relaxed

• Wanted to liberate serfs - officially in 1861

• Becomes more capitalist, lower class struggles naturally

• Give lower class land, but they cant afford so pay off over time

• Now they have to pay taxes, make their own money

• They become angry bc no job security, have to pay taxes

• The People’s Will - wants to kill the Tsar

  • Liberal group finds him too liberal

  • They want to gain power, create republic

  • Need someone to oppose to create unity around them

  • With a dictator easy to create rebellion - ppl like him though

  • Try to kill him a few times, fail so becomes more liberal, makes them even more angry

Alexander III

“The last autocrat”

• Like nicolas

• Against liberalism

• “Temporary regulations” 1881

  • Martial law which becomes permanent

  • Especially against students bc liberal

• Still needs way to unify people, gain support

• Goes back to Naradonst instead of liberalism

• Focuses on russianness

• Forces Germans and Poles to assimilate, create one national identity, one religion

• Alienates jews, dramatic rise of anti-semitism

Nicholas II - the last emperor of russia

• Kind of apathetic

• Didnt want to rule, delegated a lot of power

• Doesnt think a lot about public image

• One guy decided to be very oppressive, lots of executions

• Rasputin - the mad monk

• Goes back to conservatism bc safer in short term

• When WW1 comes, becomes very volatile

Overall russia in 19th century very expanisionsit, not much social change, against liberalism. Some industrialization. Know they should enbrace liberalism but they dont’. Bismarck makes ruler look benevolent, makes people want to love ruler and country. Russia just tells ppl directly to love ruler, be nationalistic or else

Not many modertes, lot of liberals and conservatives. Rulers go back and forth- no real progress cant decide or unify

Ottoman empire. Both experiencing nationalism, industrialization

• “Sick man of europe”

• Starts losing territory

• Interior rebellion

• Becomes two groups

  • Turks

  • Arabs

• Both predominantly Muslim

• Lost a lot of territory to ethnic nationlaism

• Response to nationalist challenge\

Young Ottomans

European-style democratic, con-

constitutional regime that could curtail the absolute power of the emperor.

Keep Islam but adopt western technology and science without european matiralism

Young Turks

Based in ethnicity

WWI:

Causes:

• Increased military presence despite relative peace - German Empire a large threat

Triple Alliance:

• Germany experienced industrial rev after unification

• Exceeded france and Britain in steel production

• Became natural rivals due to competition

  • France didn’t like bc of Franco-prussian war

  • Britain experienced German influence domestically

  • All of europe competed with them in colonization of Africa and asia

• Bismarck avoided war after unification bc it could tear empire to pieces

• Wanted to alienate france from europe, keep them at odds with Britain

• Germany formed alliance with Austria-Hungary, added Italy later

  • The triple alliance

• Bismarck made alliance with russia also, but didn’t last after he retired

Triple Entente

• France, facing the Triple alliance formed alliance with Russia

• Very unlikely given opposite political ideologies

• German builds navy in opposition to Britain

• Created British insecurity, starts working with france

• France gets russia to join despite their previous opposition to Britain

• Not a specific or strict alliance, rather an understanding

• No military commitments

• Germany tested British allegiance to france in Morocco twice, both times strengthening their commitment

Slavic peoples united, forming their own kingdom at Austria’s expense

• Austria wanted to prevent this, take full control of Bosnia which they had occupied for some time (was part of ottoman?)

• Russia meanwhile wanted to take over Constantinople as the Ottomans declined

• Common enemy of Ottomans, agreed to publicly support each other’s plans

After Italy declares war on turkey, other Balkan states follow trying to reclaim territory from the Ottomans

Bulgaria was much more successful than rest, taking too much territory and angering them

Resulted in Balkan Wars4

First Balkan War: Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria successfully take territory in Turkey

Second Balkan war: in 1912 and 1913 in which Serbia, Greece, Romania and turkey defeated Bulgaria

Albania subject of contention, very divided between dif powers. Russia, seeking downfall of Ottomans, supported Serbians in full control, Austria did not bc they wanted control of sea. Ultimately became independent nation

Third Balkan Crisis

• Bosnia revolutionary assinates Austria-Hungarian heir

• Austria therefore desires to crush serbians

• Declares war on them with Germany’s support

• Russia not wanted to lose influence in europe supoprts Serbs

• Mobilizes army along Austrian and German borders prompting Germany to decalre war on Russia and then France (bc ally of Russia)

• Germany assumed Britain (given their historical isolation) would not enter the war

• (rememebr they didn’t agree to military commitment unlike France and Russia)

• England ultimately declares war on Germany

Essentially all of europe went to war over Austrian heir’s assination over a few days

Caused by many conflicts, divisions, and agreements to defend one another, Germany rise as a global power

Public full with France and Russia

Secret defensive with Britain

Causes of World War 1:

• Militarism

  • Germany and others constantly preparing for war rather than peace

• Alliances

  • Means small conflicts draw in large powers

• Nationalism

  • Everyone wants an empire

• Imperialism

  • Italy, others trying to gain and protect territory

• Asasination

  • What sparks everything

Internal problems, economic goals (industrial needs- need raw materials), geography (running out of space for growing empires- russia and germany), fear (countries join war not bc they want to, but bc they’re scared someone will attack them)

Fears of a war had existed for a while, so when it started ppl were excited. Nationliasm compelled many ppl to join army, fight

IMAGINE dragons (F -ear)

A lot of unknown arrangements made in secret

On July 28, 1914 Austria Hungary declared war on Serbia after the asination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne. The next day, Austria mobilized its army and began attacking Belgrade, Serbia. In support, Germany mobilized its army prompting Britain to do the same.

The next day, Russia mobilized its army to protect its interests and influence in the Mediterranean. They didn’t actually want to fight Austria since Germany would support them. Meanwhile, Britain still wouldn’t commit to defending France. Foreign Secretary Edward Gray didn’t want to join the war.

On July 31, Russia mobilized its army, showing Germany it was prepared to fight. But Russia wasn’t Germany’s only threat. France, to the west, wanted redemption for the Franco-Prussian war 40 years earlier. Germany now faced a two-front war with France to the west and Russia to the East.

Alfred Von Schlieffen, Germany’s Army Chief, had a plan. He wanted to attack France first through Belgium and take Paris in 6 weeks. Germany demanded Belgium let them pass through, however, Belgium was neutral, and Britain was willing to defend them.

Meanwhile, Germany sends ultimatum demanding Russia stop war measures, rejected

So on August 1st, 1914 declared war on Russia. However most of the army was already in the west preparing to invade and move towards France, so they started invading Luxembourg and taking control of telegraphs and railways which enabled them to get to France.

On Aug 2 German troops enter France with small battles at border and the next day Germany officially declared war on France

On Aug 4 Germany entered Belgium despite their neutrality, prompting Britain to declare war on Germany

Aug 5 - Germany faced its first real opposition in Liege, France. The French and Belgians had built fortresses to defend themselves. Liege had 7 of these which Germany destroyed in a few days, demonstrating their superior technology. The fortresses could not defend against Germany’s long range artillery.

Finally, on Aug 6, Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia, and Serbia on Germany.

Aug 12 - Austria invaded Serbia, not paying attention to Russia. Army chief diverted troops to serbia which were meant to go to russia, some in secret. Allies wanted them to go back to fight Russia, but bad railway system made this inefficient. Lots of armies from drafts, so armies were incompetent overall.

Army was poorly trained and equipped. Britain had mostly highly trained army, declraed war on Austria Hungary.

Britain sends troops to france on aug 9

-called British expeditionary force (BEF)

-France tries to reclaim Lorraine and and Alsace

-Frances plan called Plan XVII

- attack of border with Germany

-France struggled against superior German weapons

-Stalled along border with Germany

-Progress continued in north and in Belgium

-Germany attacked British forces at Mons

-British marksmanship proved superior despite 3:1 ratio of soldiers

-British and France slowly retreated towards Paris, slowing German advance

Gave russia more time to move towards Berlin

-By end of August, Germany abandoned Schlieffen plan bc France turned out to be bigger threat than russia

Triple entente/Allied powers/=British,french, russia

Triple alliance/central=austria-hungary,germany,italy

• Battle of Marne

  • Sep 6 to 9

  • British and French offensive against Germans

  • German commander Moltke retreated, British and French followed

• Moltke replaced by General Erich von Falkenhayn

• He ordered more troops be sent through belgian and french ports which british helped defend

• Both sides dug trenches in Belgium, kinda where front lines were

• Belgian army greatlyr educed

• British brought in Indian soldiers who were underprepared with inferior weapons

• Through 1914 France suffered greates losses with Britain losing some of its most eperinced soldiers

• British and Germans exchanged gifts on Christmas

• British and French wanted to make one big offensive and break through German lines

• They underestimated Germans though

• After Schlieffen offensive failed, Germany turned to fighting a defensive war

• In 1915, Germany pushed for peace treaties with France and Russia

  • With major land concessions by each

• War continued regardless, very defensive in Belgium. Germany got better trenches at higher elevation

• Low water table in Germany created problems for British trenches

• Terrible hygiene, discomfort, lack of sleep, dead bodies, disease, etc.

• March 10, 1915 British with Indian force overcame Germans at Neuve Chapelle

• Creates hole in German trenches, enabling British to pass through

• Their troops became trapped though due to lack of communication caused by trenches

• Big German offesnive at Ypres in april and may 1915 to create better defensive position

• Second battle of Ypres

  • Germans used tear gas against french, killing hundreds

  • Did not achieve complete breakthrough, like British at Nueve Chapelle

• Then used against British who were more prepared

• Chlorine gas was already illegal but they used anyways

• In response, Allied forces developed their own poison gasses

• Used against Germans in Champagne and Artois

• British didn’t want to attack yet bc didn’t have shells until 1916, but french wanted to attack asap

• Gas couldn’t replace artillery though

• German trenches were very well defend with barbed wire

• Meanwhile Germans were succeeding in Russia, taking their territory

• Battle of Tannenburg was major defeat of Russia by Germany, showing France was bigger threat than Russia and abandon Schlieffn p,an

• Austria sent troops to Serbia bc ego so less to defend against russia

• Also not enoguh to be succesful in serbia, so waste of resources

• WW1 had very little movement because of new artillery

• Armies are so big they can’t move easily, have to coordinate attacks

• General’s were “glory hounds”, wouldn’t communicate with each other

• Old generals in a young mans war

• WW1 is mostly defensive, Attrition

  • Basically waiting to kill all of other army

Rape of Belgium:

• German invasion of Belgium

• Killed civilians

• Battle of Tannenburg

  • Huge German win takes russian territory

  • Allows them to control East Prussia

• Belgians get destroyed by Germans

• German army was considered most disciplined, so rape of ppl in Belgium was suprised

• Makes it easy for British to antagonize Germans, makes them Barbarians

• Made for good propaganda which made easy for British to recruit soldiers

The battle of Marne

• 7 weeks into war

• Three offensive in actions

  • Germans attacking Russians

  • Russians in Austria

  • Germans against British and French

    • Germans had bad communication

    • Rly close to Paris

    • French split Germans into two, encircled them.

    • Had been retreating, very desperate

    • Germans retreated

    • Showed failure of Schlieffen plan

• Pact of London

  • Entente agreed not to agree to peace unless they all did

• Leader of French defense: Joseph Joffre

• German commander: Molke

Welcome to the dirt

• Trench warfare

• Septemer 13 1914

• Germans were retreating from Marne river

• Built trenches on hill near Aisne river

• This front remained constant for 4 years

• British initially thought war would be over by christmas

Race to the sea:

• Austria very weak bc of reliance on germany, so russia wants to focus on them

• Germans send 4 corps to fight russians

• Germans trying to go around french trenches, both keep moving westward until his sea, stopping germans from going around

• So Germans start using U boats (submarines = u stands for underwater)

• French start using planes, germans ships

• Germans sink British cruises

• No certain safety, much more traumatic then previous wars

War to end all wars: Homefront Propaganda:

• Most german soldier in german were untrained, British had superior technology

• The manifesto

  • Proclamation of german artists, scholars, etc.

  • Signer are responding to lies of enemies, claims Germany didn’t cause war

  • Or trespass into neutral Belgium, that it was self defense

• British PM Lloyd George says War to end all wars

  • Would bring improved morals

  • More peace

  • Not true

  • Says this bc needs support of country, needs to give then inspiration and hope

  • Crafts message, what they are fighting war

  • Kinda promises this will be the last war

• Both sides cause each other of lying,

• German army chief of staff

  • Eric von Falkenhaym
    

The Defensive war on the Western front: watch this vid

• British stopped Germany from reaching English Chanel

• British army was now mostly recruits rather than experienced soldiers

• Russian invasion of turkey:

  • Turkey had joined Austria and Germany

  • Turkey nearly defeated russia leading to low moral amongst Russians

  • Remember turkey is sick man of europe, now struggling against Germany and Turkey

• Major point of fighting between British, french and german in Yprs

Gas: the new horror

• Turks lost territory to Russians

• Turks also try to take suez canal in egypt, but british stop

• Germans sink more ships

• Kaiser Wilhem removes all restrictions on submarine warfare, defying multiple treaties

• Germans used poison gas against russians

  • Neither side rly knew how to use

  • For ex it would blow to wrong side

  • First use of lethal gas in ysrp in 1915

• Russians advanced on feb 3rd in austria

The battle of Gallipoli:

• Allies wanted to knock ottomans out of war

• Over 6 month period

• Meanwhile no progress on western front, russians not doing well either

• Plan was to trap Ottomans on peninsula

  • Churchill’s biggest failure

• ANZACS-australian and new zealand troops combined

• 25th april 1915

• Landed in wrong place, big hills,

• Ottomans had advantage, throwing explosives down hill

• Mustafa Kamal in command

  • Most succesful ottoman general

  • Founds modern turkey

• After first day ottomans maintained posiiont

  • Attacking a fortified beach, excpetionally difficult to succeed

• Second day British came in, half lost lives

• W and Z beach

• Initially successful, Alibaba hill

• Wanted to quickly take peninsula

• Ppl died for no good reason, generals didn’t know what they were doing

Lusitania:

• British ship headed to europe across atlantic

• Fastest passenger ship

• Were told may 6 1915 that u boats may try to attack

• U-20 sunk the Lusitania

• Captain ignored advice to zig zag full speed

• Woodrew Wilson remained neutrality

• But americans start to antagonize Germany

• Shows concept of total war

  • Attacking civilians

  • Cowardly war - sneak attacks killing from afar

  • Ppl can’t defend themselves

  • Technology worsens war

• Germany later agrees to stop attacking passenger ships

New alpine front:

• Italians suffer many casualties

• Not prepared for conditions

• Luigi Cordona

• Italians near breakdown

• Caused revolt

• Were part of triple alliance but realize not a good look

• So join allies

• Completely incompetent

• Fighting in alps

Artillery war:

• Germany had superior cannons and artillery to French

• French artillery wasn’t useful enough, range, angle etc.

• The Paris gun allowed Germany to pound Paris from German territotry

• Howitzer-another name for cannon

• Traditionally had been for short distances (against ships, castles)

• Now fire shells for miles

• Many types of shells

  • Cannoballs

  • Explosives

  • Gas shells

• In later stages of war:

  • Creeping barrage

  • Artillery fires at enemy as army attacks

  • Artillery shoots right in front of army

On the move but going nowhere:

• Allied landings in Gallipoli was supposed to be easy

• Basically back and forth in trenches in turkey

• On western front nothing happening

• On eastern slowly chasing down Russia

• Know Falkenhayn

• Know ludendorff

• Nothing important here

The tumbling giant:

• Until now Russians had been winning

• Lost of pows so mostly inexperienced recruits

• Russia lost at Carpathian mountains

• Little progress in Ottomans, trench warfare made difficult

• Russia wining their battles but at extreme human cost

Battle of Verdun - They Shall Not Pass:

• Tons of german artillery used, oblitering french

• German offesensive, French ultiamtley hold out

• Highest percentage of deaths in any ww1 battle

Battle of the Somme:

• Allies had been prepearing offesnive

• Symbolizes whole war

• Stupidity of British general, but good tactics

• Huge British deaths

• 1 million casualties in total

• Same time as Verdun

• Both sides on offense in different places

• Shows stupidity of war, so many people dying

British general haig

French commanders: Ferdinand Foch

In charge of western front Joseph Geoffre

German Ludendorff

Unrestricted sub warfare:

• Germany resumes attacks of civilian ships and hospital ships

• Decalres unrestricted submarine warfare

• no domestic opposiiotn, shows total war mindset

• Meant germans would attack british merchant ships and hospitial ships

• And passengers helps

• US needed trade with Britain

• German general Holdzendorff

  • Wanted to starve britain by sinking import ships

Russian revolution

• Feb 1917, romanov dynasty overthrown

• Later second revolution makes them communist, pull out of war

• Means germany no longer has two front war

• Can americans get there soon enough to replace russians?

The American declarltion of war on germany

• After lusitania sunk, wilson said this was final straw

• Americans on board

• Germans new this would tip stalemate for allies

The armistice:

• Germany broke ceasefire

• PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT EVERYONE WANTS

• Not a fair agreement

  • At least germans dont think so

  • “All quiet front on the Western Front”

Battle of Belleau Wood Begins:

• Major action by USA

• US Commander John J Pershing (Blackjack)

  • Derogatory nickname

  • Bc he was in command of all black unit

• US is fresh, we make mistakes

• Everyone else used to it by now

1918:

• Germany defeats Russia, allowing them to transfer troops to western front

  • Germany nearly defeats Allies but America saves them with great manpower

  • Now they outnumbered Allies on Western front, first time

  • Also have high moral now

• Germany War General Erich Ludendorff

• Germany was running out of recruitments though

• Arrival of American forces tipped the scales

• Britian and France wanted to absorb american troops, but america wanted to retain independence in anticipation of peace treaties

  • Douglas Haig commander of BEF

• French general Ferdinand Foch

• US Commander General John Pershing

  • Under President Wilson

• France remained in control of allied forces given their size

  • Made Ferdinand Foch leader of Allied forces

• Ludendorff understood he’d have to attack before American’s arrived in large numbers

• Operation Michael

  • March 21, 1918

  • German surpires attack on Western front

  • Use of gasses and stormtroopers

  • British unprepared for most part, lost battle lots of POW

  • Germans break through British forces, looting countryside

  • Allied forces ultimately stop Operation Michael in April

• Next German attack in Flanders

  • Operation Georgette

  • Shellings and gas and explosives

  • Haig demanded British don’t retreat

  • Still retreated a little but kept control of Ypres

  • Eventually Germans stopped attack

  • Paul Hindenburg another general

• Operation Blücher-Yorck

  • German operation intending to capture Paris

  • Germans used Stormtrooper tactics

  • Allied forces persevere

  • Causes Ludendorff’s leadership to be questions

  • Makes Germans interested in peace negotiations

• Second Battle of Marne

  • Allied offensive against Germany

  • Successful counterattack in response to German offensive on July 15

• German’s running out of manpower

• While americans delivering more and more soldiers

• Combined with british and french colonial powers, Germans were outnumber

• Both sides started to struggle when Influenze worsened (spanish flu)

• August 8th allies attack on Somme battlefields

  • Used lots of aircraft and artillery

  • Shows progression of technology through war

  • Use of British tanks as well

  • Germans starting surrendering

  • Ludendorff called this the “black day of the German army”

• In fall influenze worsened, impacting both sides

• Americans led by General John J. Pershing

• Now Americans had enough troops to be their own army, instead of fighting with British and French

• French and British agreed, Americans wanting leverage in peace negotiations

• Called First American Army

• Huge attack on September 12th at St. Mihiel

  • Big win for Allies over Germans

• In October, French and American’s start recapturing territory

• Kaiser Wilhelm opens peace negotations with Americans, against the wishes of Hindenburg and Ludendorff

• On october 4th, German accepts President Wilson’s Fourteen Points peace settlement and called for an armisitice

  • Caused by low german moral, international pos (other countries boycotting?)

• Ottomans agree to Armisitce with British on October 30

  • Had to disband army and surrender all territory outside Turkey

  • Fall of Ottoman Empire

  • And had to allow Allied powers to take over railways and ports in Turkey

• Bulgaria surrenders to Allies

• Italy wages offensive against Austria who starts to collapse as an empire following their defeat

• Allies take control of Trieste

• Austrian emperor Karl was overthrown do to growing nationalist movements

  • Led to a more republican gov

• President Wilson says wont negotiate with a monarch, so Kaiser Wilhem demotes himself to a Constitutional Monarch (like Britain), creating the Reichstag, parliament

• New German chancellor Prince Max accepts Wilson’s Fourteen Points in October

• British and French were mad America negotiated with Germany directly

• But they both accept Fourteen Points as basis for negotiations

• Britian, france and germany all had dif interpretations, self serving

• Some Germans wanted to keep fighting, like Ludendorff who was subsequently fired

• Mutiny started amongst German sailors, revolutonoaries against war took over ports in Germany

• Soldiers realised pointless to keep fighitng

• Friedrich Ebert replaced Prince Max

• At 11am on November 11th, “the guns fell silent”

The Impact of the War

• Africa, middle east and europe affected by the dissolution of empires

• Many places ravaged, burned

  • Ypres, Somme, Verdun all part of concentrated Western front

• Combination of technology with war, is industrializing good

• Realized can’t move so many soldiers around, why Schlieffen plan failed

• Between 8 and 9 million soldiers died

• Allied powers lost more than Central

• Central were more efficient but Allied had more manpower

• Allies spent twice as much

• Led to medical advances too, new triage systems, germ theory, blood transfers, dealing with disabled veterans, etc.

• German occuptaion of Belgium and France had significant impact on residents

• Both sides persecuted Jews

• Unfortunately, did not dissuade people from violence

• In fact, the culture changed to encourage it

• Led to rise of totalitarianism in 20s and 30s

Peace Settlements

• Allies imposed harsh terms on Central

• British and French wanted revenge

• Wilson’s demands were idealistic, Germany expected to alter them

• Wilson lost support of Americans, lost election

• Main question was what to do with Germany

• Germany had paid price in terms of soldiers and money, but the country itself was untouched

  • Underwent extreme inflation

  • Threatened internal revolution like Russians

• Treaty negotiated at Versailles

  • War wasn’t actually over yet, just in armistice

  • Everyone was motivated by greed, wanting loans to be repaid, debts, settled, reparations delt

  • Americans wanted loans to be repain

  • British and French wanted repreartions from Germany

  • Germans not included in deliberations, just presented with offer on may 7 1919

    • They would have to:

    • Return Alsace and Lorraine

    • Give up colonies

    • Give up eastern territory, creating Poland

    • Allow France to occupy certain western terriotries for 15 years

    • Limited Size of german army (100k soldiers) and navy (12 ships)

    • Give up subs, tanks, military aircraft,

    • Give up some merchant and fishing ships

    • Pay war reperations to Britain and france to be negotiated at a later time

  • German was embarrased

  • Refused to admit it started war

  • Under pressure of resuming war, Germany agreed in mid june

  • In 1921, reperations commitee decided Germany was to pay 33,000,000 dollars, 400,000,000,000 today

    • (actually given as 132,000,000,000 marks)

  • Germany couldn’t raise taxes, so resorted to inflation

  • Later, reparations renegotiated reducing amount and Americnas provided loans in support. Stopped decreasing in 1931 when great depression worsened

  • Germans resented treaty

  • Hitler rose to power in 1933 and rejected all terms of Versailles treaty

  • Overall the treaty was very one sided, Allied powers basically got all colonies leading to disruption in middle east, creation of Turkey

  • 1919 treaty of Saint Germain-en-Laye recognized nation of Yugoslavia

  • 1920 treaty of Trianon divided Austro-hungarian empire into its ethic groups, creating Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Yugoslavia

  • Austria was treated like Germany

  • Austria, Hungary, and Germany agreed to admit they caused the war

  • In the next decade, many eastern european countries went from Democracy to Dictatorship

  • Russian Civil war followed between Bolsheviks and everyone else

  • Bolsehviks won through war communism which attempted to create pure commonism

  • Wrecked economy and Lenin reversed in 1921

  • Russia now called Soviet Union

  • Rise of Communism against Wilson’s idealistic peaceful world of democracies

  • US congress denied ratification of of Treaty of Versailles

  • Next president Warren Harding made separate treaties with each Central power

  • All these things combined led to increased militarism and totalitarianism

Environmental factors:

• Many things beyond control

• Western front mostly recovered from siginficatn damage

• Technologies built before war were altered slighlty

• Horses still very important, tanks in early stages

• Airplanes and poison gas devloped during war

• Technology aided in killing

Dont forget poets

Quizlet generated summary:

The Romanov Dynasty and Russian History

The Romanov Dynasty

The Romanov dynasty ruled Russia for several centuries.

The Russian rulers were known as czars or tsars, which is similar to the title of Caesar in Rome.

Russia saw itself as the Third Rome, following the original Rome and the Byzantine Empire.

The Byzantine Empire had a significant influence on Russia, particularly in terms of Orthodox Christianity.

Vladimir I, a Russian czar, adopted Eastern Orthodox Christianity and spread it throughout the country.

Vladimir I also introduced the Cyrillic language, which allowed the Slavic peoples in Eastern Europe to read the Bible and improved culture and technology in Russia.

The Romanovs, particularly Peter the Great and Catherine the Great, sought to modernize Russia by adopting European economic systems, architecture, and military strategies.

Peter the Great built the city of St. Petersburg, which served as a window to the West and facilitated trade and cultural diffusion.

Alexander I and Nicholas I

Alexander I was known as the 'enigmatic tsar' and initially wanted to introduce liberalism and rights in Russia.

However, due to the prevalence of serfdom and the lack of social progress, Alexander I was unable to fully implement his reforms.

Nicholas I, known as 'the reluctant autocrat', was a conservative ruler who favored censorship and serfdom.

He believed that liberalism was dangerous and sought to maintain autocratic rule in Russia.

Nicholas I implemented policies such as the Third Section of the Imperial Chancellery, which acted as a secret police force to monitor the population.

He also promoted narodnost, a national policy that aimed to unify Russia around Orthodoxy, autocracy, and nationality.

This policy led to the oppression of Jews and the suppression of intellectual and liberal movements in Russia.

Causes and Events of World War I

Causes of World War I

Militarism, alliances, nationalism, imperialism, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand were the main causes of World War I.

Germany and other countries were constantly preparing for war, which created a tense atmosphere.

Alliances between countries meant that small conflicts could quickly escalate into large-scale wars.

Nationalism and imperialism led to competition between countries for power and resources.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist sparked the beginning of the war.

Events of World War I

The war began with Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Germany, Russia, France, and Britain all mobilized their armies in response to the escalating conflict.

The war quickly spread across Europe, with battles taking place on the Western Front, Eastern Front, and in the Balkans.

Trench warfare became the dominant form of combat, with both sides digging elaborate networks of trenches to protect their positions.

Technological advancements such as poison gas, tanks, and aircraft were used for the first time in warfare.

The war resulted in significant loss of life and suffering, with millions of soldiers and civilians killed or injured.

The war ended with the signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918, which brought an end to the fighting.

The Impact of World War I

Social and Cultural Impact

World War I had a profound impact on society and culture.

Medical advances were made in areas such as triage systems, germ theory, and blood transfusions.

The war also led to the rise of totalitarianism and the persecution of minority groups, particularly Jews.

Propaganda played a significant role in shaping public opinion and encouraging nationalism.

The war also brought about changes in gender roles and the rights of women.

The concept of total war, in which civilians and infrastructure were targeted, became more prevalent.

Political and Territorial Impact

The war resulted in the dissolution of empires and the redrawing of national borders.

The Treaty of Versailles imposed harsh terms on Germany, leading to economic instability and resentment.

New nations were created, such as Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, while others, like Austria-Hungary, were divided.

The war also led to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the creation of new states in the Middle East.

The peace settlements following the war, particularly the Treaty of Versailles, laid the groundwork for future conflicts and tensions.

Peter the Great

-did all the stuff, focused on europeanism, adopted christianity, etc

Catherine the great continued his work, gained land

Alexander the first pursued liberalism and freeing serfs unitl war of 1812 which demonstrated to russian public the dangers of liberalism

Nicholas the I

-very conservative

-distrustful of public, espcially intellecutals (spies_

-nardonast policy of nationalism

Alexander the II

-back to liberal, freeing serfs

-extremists tried to assinate bc too liberal

Alexander III went back to Nicholas nationalism

Nicholas II was apathetic, delegated power, relctuant to rule, led to Rasputin executing ppl lol